Dark Legend Page 0,74

was something wrong with Gabriel, something dark and dangerous. A monster lurked inside him and every now and then, Brice caught a glimpse of it in his eyes. Brice intended to protect Francesca from her own compassionate nature.

Gabriel shook hands automatically with the judge and with Francesca's lawyer. He was used to thinking and even speaking on two different levels. He made small talk easily, all the while turning the problem of Brice over and over in his mind. The doctor was jealous and obsessed with Francesca. He was becoming a threat to their well-being. Brice's hatred seemed out of sync with his bland personality. Was there a subtle taint of power that Gabriel had not caught? Few of the undead could hide such a thing from him.

Lucian.

Was it his twin playing games again, using his human enemy against him? He examined Brice's mind. If it was tainted with the power of the undead, the user was extremely skilled. He should recognize traces of his brother, yet he did not. Yet Brice seemed twisted with hatred. It was centered on Francesca, as Gabriel knew it would be. Brice was determined to get her back, to turn her against Gabriel. If the undead was using the human, Gabriel could not detect the subtle power.

"What is it?" Francesca asked softly, placing her hand in his.

He smiled at her. She was his world. The only one in it. Very slowly he brought her palm to the warmth of his mouth, lingering for a moment to inhale her scent. "You are an extraordinary woman, Francesca."

She was glad the others were already out of the room. She could hear them as they walked down the hall together, pleased with the outcome of the meeting. Color was moving up her face like a schoolgirl's; she was blushing simply because he had kissed her palm. Francesca tried to tug her hand back.

Gabriel retained possession, his white teeth very much in evidence. "You are shy with me even after all we have shared?" Deliberately his voice held a husky seduction, a teasing temptation.

"I am not," she lied, embarrassed by her reaction. She had once thought his eyes so empty of emotion, yet when they rested on her they were filled with such hunger, such intensity, she could barely think straight.

His white teeth flashed at her. "I think we need to find a store and furnish a room for our teenager. I never thought I would have to 'father' a girl of her age, and a human at that. I pity any young man who thinks he might like to take her out on a date. Reading minds is very helpful in certain situations."

Francesca reached up to rub his chin. "Thank you for wanting to do this with me. I'm really excited about bringing Skyler home with us and it's nice you share that with me. She's such a beautiful girl."

"Yes, she is. She should have clothes that make her feel good about herself." He suddenly grinned. "I know quite a bit about the world, almost any subject, but I have no idea what a teenage girl would want in her room. I must rely heavily on you in that department. There were no images in Skyler's head of what she would like."

"I don't think she's ever thought about such things. Her life has been one of survival. I have been thinking we could give her the upstairs room with the balcony, the one with the small turret attached to it."

He nodded solemnly. "I believe she would like that very much, Francesca." He took her hand. "Fly with me this night. We can go to the shops and walk unseen until we decide what we would like to purchase. Allow yourself to feel the freedom of our race once more. You have not done such a thing in a very long time."

Francesca found a small smile forming at the idea. It was true. She had given up many of the gifts unique to their people in order to think and feel and act human. It had been very necessary in order to hide herself. But now the temptation was too strong to resist. Allowing her senses to flare out into the night, scanning the entire area, she waited until she knew there was no one in the vicinity, then took a running leap skyward. As she launched herself into the air, feathers shimmered, iridescent and beautiful, so that she flew silently across the starlit sky.

The feeling of soaring through