Dark Legend Page 0,17

she would not live comfortably with a dominating male. None of it mattered to him. He had spent a lifetime in service to his people. Battles. Wars. Destroying the undead. It had gone on endlessly. He had lived a gray and bleak existence, always the predator crouched in wait to hunt and kill. Darkness had spread within him, yet his iron will had held it off, century after century as it attempted to take over his soul.

There was a promise that had kept him going. A hope. He believed he would find his lifemate. At least he had believed it until a couple of centuries earlier. His faith had been shaken then. Perhaps she was correct. Perhaps some part of him had recognized her all those centuries ago and that was why he had been so certain she existed. And maybe it was her decision to change her Carpathian body and live like a human that had prompted the growing darkness in him to become so strong that he had locked himself and his twin in the soil for years.

He studied her mind carefully; he could allow no mistakes. He had fought his demons alone - that was the curse of the Carpathian male - but Francesca's life had been so much worse. He had not been able to feel the loneliness, the emptiness, that he'd experienced. She'd felt every moment of it. She had longed for a family, for children. For a man to love her and share her laughter and her heartaches. The young girl had felt his dismissal as rejection; the woman knew times were terrible for their people and was proud of his decision to give his life in service for their dying species. She had done her part by leaving the Carpathian Mountains, by making it easier on the remaining males.

Francesca had coped with her lonely existence by using music and art, science and study. She had learned how to mask her presence from other Carpathians in the area. From the vampires so that she would not draw the undead to her city. She had dedicated her life to healing others, serving others as he had done. She had made up her mind that these were her last few years on earth. She was tired and wanted eternal rest. His return had not changed her mind. She could not conceive of another lifestyle. She had no intention of trying to fit into the Carpathian world, where she believed she no longer had a place.

Gabriel couldn't help admiring her. She lived her life well. And she was every bit as strong-willed as he was. He would tolerate much from her. But another male was too much. "Francesca, are things so different from the time I remember? Do our people have all the women they need? Can we afford for one of our own to become involved with a human male? Has Mikhail solved the problem of female births, has he been able to cut down on the number of our males turning vampire?"

She lifted her chin, trying hard to ignore his voice. It had a way of seeping into her skin and flooding her with warmth, with unfamiliar longings. "I could not help one single Carpathian male with his anguish. Do not think to reprimand me with so foolish a statement. My presence would only serve to make their lives more difficult."

"What of my life? My struggle against the darkness?"

"You chose your life, Gabriel, and you are strong enough to decide when you wish to end it. There is little chance you will lose your soul as so many have before you. You have held out longer than any other of our kind. At this late date, the danger has long since passed."

He smiled then, a quick flash of his immaculate white teeth. The smile softened the hard lines in his face and brought unexpected warmth to his black eyes. "Perhaps you give me far too much credit."

For one moment Francesca smiled back at him as if he'd struck a chord in her. "More than likely."

In that small moment Gabriel felt how right it could be between them. The way it was supposed to be, the way it would be. They would move together, breathe together, laugh and love together. Maybe he owed her a final peace, but he acknowledged deep within his soul, he was too selfish to give up emotions and colors and the beckoning call of happiness. It was there before him, the