"Gregori stood wearily, very pale and worn himself. His silver eyes glittered down at Mikhail. "Do you realize the enormity of what has happened here? You have successfully converted a human woman. She is no deranged vampires, but a true Carpathian with our blood flowing in her veins. You have given our people true hope." Mikhail shook his head. "Who would ever want the woman they love to suffer as Raven has? And we have no idea what this could have done to her mind. We will not know for some time." Guilt ate at him. He wasn't certain he could actually face her again. Gregori dropped his hand on Mikhail's shoulder, but said nothing at all before he vanished, his form shimmering for a moment before it was gone. "She is so weak, Jacques." Mikhail held Raven to him, his face etched with grief. "It makes no sense that this was done to her. And I did not help things by exchanging blood with her." "Had you not, Mikhail," Jacques pointed out, "we would have been unable to save her." "I have been so selfish with her--I am still being selfish. I should have allowed her to find peace, but I could not. I would have followed her, Jacques, but I do not know if I would have gone quietly from this world as I should have." "And then what of the rest of us? She represents our chance, our hope. We have to have hope, Mikhail. Without it none of us can continue for much longer. If she can survive the conversion, than there is hope that the rest of us many find a lifemate among human women."