Dark Song полностью

I have you. Each rising, kont o sívanak, I have you, and you give to me everything I need to learn to be confident. I am learning to trust. That is the most difficult of all things to learn. I am beginning to feel safe where for centuries I did not know what that was. Now, that word means you. You are my safety. While you and the healer inspect the others for the burns, I will do my best to be brave and stay with Lorraine and Julija as you wish.

Ferro knew just how difficult that was for her to say to him, and how much trust in him it required. He could feel her trepidation, and yet at no time did it change the sweet, soft breeze moving through Josef’s mind as she worked at removing the terrible burns marring his amazing brain.

Elisabeta tried not to fidget. She dropped one hand to the skirt of her dress, her fingers folding the material in between nervously. Her mouth felt dry. She knew the other women would never know she was in a state of panic because she had become adept at hiding all physical symptoms from Sergey over the centuries.

She studied the other three women discreetly. Lorraine and Julija both wore soft blue jeans and T-shirts. She couldn’t imagine that such clothes could possibly be comfortable, but both women seemed very at home in them. Emeline was dressed in a long, ruffled, very feminine skirt and a formfitting camisole top with silken ties that wove back and forth across her breasts. It was far more daring than Elisabeta’s formfitting dress, and yet Emeline wore the outfit with ease and grace. She had kicked off her shoes, so Elisabeta, with great relief, followed suit, the hated sandals on the floor beside her chair.

Ferro wasn’t present physically, but he was merged with her, not leaving her alone when she might summon Sergey. She was terrified the vampire would find a way inside the compound, desperate to get to her when she called him. She doubted she would be able to stop herself even knowing she was doing it. Emotions versus intellect was something she was going to have to learn about.

Emeline’s home was cozy, not nearly as big as the house Ferro had. She wondered if he could split the room in half, making it approximately the size of Emeline and Dragomir’s living room. She might do better handling that volume.

We could do that, sívamet, but it will take you more time to acclimate to the outside world. You are having a difficult time looking at the scope of land between the homes in Tariq’s compound, let alone if we traveled and you had to see the open mountains, valleys and skies.

She hadn’t thought of that. Naturally, there would be a reason Ferro had chosen a large room to introduce her to in their home. He always had a reason, and that was where trust needed to come into play. She was immediately ashamed that she had second-guessed him.

Elisabeta, you are doing just fine. There is no reason for you to be upset. I had time while you were in the ground healing to think about what would best aid you in your recovery. You have only had time to react to the many problems facing not only you but all the Carpathians. The world is much changed.

Ferro’s voice was reassuring. Not only his voice. He was in her mind. Calm. Steady. A rock. Her rock. No matter what he was doing—and it was important—he took the time to reassure her.

I will be fine with these women. Stay with me, Ferro, but you do not need to speak with me. Her heart reacted, accelerating like crazy as she let him off the hook.

Julija was a true friend. Her very first. She sat across from Elisabeta in a very comfortable armchair holding Emeline’s daughter, Carisma, in her lap.

She sent Elisabeta a quick grin. “Are you finished talking to that man of yours?”