Dark Challenge (33 page)

We are not children,
Desari reminded him, taking her bow before the roaring crowd.
And Barack was quite harsh with Syndil. He should be more gentle with her. She didn’t provoke the vampire’s attack on her.
She smiled at the crowd, flashing the famous sexy grin that seemed to stop a few too many hearts for Julian’s peace of mind. Her arm gestured back gracefully toward the two male Carpathians onstage, including them in the standing ovation.

Several females in the front row screamed and waved at the two guitar players, one throwing herself against the ring of security guards, calling for Barack and tossing a pair of red silk panties in his direction. The underwear landed almost in Syndil’s lap. She picked them up gingerly by the tips of her thumb and forefinger, studied them for a moment, then, with absolutely no expression on her face, tossed them onto the neck of Barack’s guitar. To the audience, red panties seemed to fly straight up into the air at him. They roared with delight, coming to their feet once again.

Syndil rose with her casual grace and started off the stage. At once Barack moved, cutting off her retreat. To the audience it simply appeared as if he had stepped away from Dayan with his back to them, his hips swaying provocatively. Several girls screamed louder, trying to rush the stage. Barack played his guitar solo for several chords, the music swelling, cresting like a wave racing toward shore, then crashing onto the sand. The audience was electric with intensity, yet every Carpathian’s attention was on the scene taking place between the male and female.

Syndil glared at Barack, her body rigid with anger. Her eyes blazed at him. “You have no right to tell me what to do or where to go. As you pointed out earlier, you are not my brother. Darius is the leader, and he has not said that I must stay and watch you entertain these adoring women.” She waved a disdainful hand at the screaming row of girls.

“Do not push me this time, Syndil,” Barack warned softly, a growl rumbling deep in his throat. “I do not care what Darius has said or not said to you. You will not leave my sight until I know you are completely safe. In this matter you will obey me.”

For a moment Syndil faced him in silent rebellion. It
was impossible to guess what she was going to decide to do.

“Please, Syndil,” Desari said softly, persuasively, “we have an audience. Do not give Barack any reason to go berserk on us.”

Syndil blinked once, her long lashes fanning her high cheekbones. Her large eyes moved over Barack with faint haughtiness. She swung her long hair over her shoulder and seated herself for the second set, her back to Barack. There was something regal about the way she held herself.

Barack finished his guitar solo, his body once more relaxed, but his eyes remained hard and watchful. Desari flashed a quick, relieved smile Julian’s way. Dayan’s guitar joined Barack’s and Desari’s voice soared into the air, bringing the spectators to their feet. Syndil began tapping her foot to the rhythm of the music. It was entirely involuntary, the first time she had responded to their music since the savage attack on her. She had always been musical, easily playing any instrument set before her, usually the keyboard and drums. The group had explained her absence to their fans by saying she had taken an extended vacation and would return soon.

Desari inwardly breathed a small sigh of relief. It was the first sign in a long while that Syndil might find a way to come back to them, to herself. Perhaps her love of music would bring her back. While her mind turned the matter over, her voice continued to keep the audience mesmerized. And it suddenly occurred to her that while she had had family close by all her life, Julian had been totally alone. To guard his brother in the best way he knew, to guard his people, he had been always alone.

Not anymore,
Julian drawled, his voice a purring caress.
As you are my responsibility now, I suppose I have no other choice but to help your brother protect and
guide this pack of fools. What I should be doing is hauling your beautiful little butt out of here. The Carpathian Mountains are our homeland. It is where we all belong, not here among so many mortals.
In truth he was beginning to like the feeling of belonging to a family, of belonging to Desari.

Baby.
She whispered it in his mind like the stroke of her fingers along his skin. Teasing. Loving. Their own private world.

Julian swallowed hard. His face was a mask of indifference, aloof, his hard, watchful eyes surveying the crowd mercilessly, yet inside he was melting with the warmth only she could produce in him.

Julian took Desari’s hand and walked her out into the forest. The concert had seemed endless, and there had been so many people to talk with after the performance. Well-wishers, reporters, fans—far too many people for Julian’s liking. It went on for most of the night. Now he allowed the peace of the mountains and the night breeze to push away the sounds of the crowd and the crush of so many humans pushing close to his lifemate. He was not altogether certain he would survive this life she insisted on. It was so foreign to the nature of a Carpathian male to allow so many near her, yet Desari took it for granted that he would just accept it.

“I do not, you know. I have never taken anything for granted,” she protested, sharing his thoughts. “I know how difficult this is for you, and I appreciate the way you support me in my choice.”

His dark eyes swept over her sincere expression, his eyebrows raised slightly. “You do, do you? Appreciate
the way I support your choice?” He said the words softly, a hint of laughter in their depths. “And you look so perfectly honest and genuinely earnest with your far too beautiful eyes.”

She tightened her hand around his. “I am completely sincere, Julian. I know this is hard on you, but it truly is my way of life.”

“This century,
cara
. For only this century will I allow it.”

She laughed softly. “You think.”

“I know. My heart cannot take the constant strain of worry. So many males hanging around you with not-so-pure thoughts. It sets my teeth on edge. And we are not even counting the vampires who appear to be stalking you and the other female at every turn.”

“Syndil,” Desari corrected softly. “Her name is Syndil.”

Julian heard the reproof in her voice, felt the tears in her mind. She loved Syndil as a sister, loved her and missed their close camaraderie. Even Julian filling her life could not take away the sorrow of what had happened. She wanted Syndil back again, whole and healed. Even her voice could not undo the brutality of what Savon had wrought. Syndil wouldn’t accept her aid. De-sari felt helpless and could only watch as Syndil seemed to withdraw more and more into herself.

He caught glimpses of Desari’s memories. Syndil laughing, her eyes alight with the sheer joy of living. Syndil hugging her close, whispering womanly nonsense after they had teased Darius to distraction. The plots they hatched to attain a few hours of freedom. Secretly laughing at Barack’s anger with Syndil and Darius’s lectures when they were caught. They had had centuries together, so close, the only two females, with no other friends or
confidantes sharing their innermost thoughts, fears, and joys.

Julian bent his head and rubbed his chin in the silk of Desari’s hair. He loved her.
Love.
It was so small a word, and people seemed to use it for everything. To him it was sacred. Desari was joy and light. Truth and beauty. She was love itself. She was the world and what it should be. He felt complete and at peace with her, even when she was driving him crazy. It amazed him, her cool confidence and tremendous gifts. Of course their women would have extraordinary gifts. Why hadn’t any of them realized? They had been so arrogant in their beliefs that the men had the powers, yet in truth, the males held only dark powers. How could that possibly compare to the gifts women brought to their world? Aside from the creation of life, obviously they had other things to offer, blessings of nature and peace, healing gifts far beyond the scope of the males.

Julian let his breath out slowly. “Syndil will be whole again,
piccola
, whole and happy once more. Time can heal where other things cannot. I feel it. I know it will happen. Do not continue to know such sorrow. She will return to you in a way totally unexpected. I do not know how I know this, but I do.”

Her large eyes searched his face before her long lashes veiled her expression. “You are not just saying this to ease my mind?”

“I do not say things to ease anyone’s mind. You should know that about me by now. Lifemates cannot tell an untruth to one another. Seek the information in my mind, Desari, and you will know I believe in what I say to you. And I will call her Syndil as you wish me to. If it is your desire that she be a sister to me, then it will be so.”

“Why do you never speak her name?”

He shrugged with his easy, casual grace, the ripple of power he took for granted, the enormous strength she was coming to know. “Habit. We do not often socialize with unclaimed females of our race, and we do not personalize them. It is a protection for both parties. As males grow close to the end, we would not want any of them fixating on one of our eligible females and perhaps…” He trailed off, suddenly not wanting to articulate it.

Desari swept a hand through her hair. “Attacking her,” she finished for him. “Syndil did not do anything to provoke Savon or lead him on. I know she did not.”

“It never occurred to me for one moment that she did such a thing. A female does not have to do anything to entice a vampire. The undead are perverted, grotesque, wholly evil. In their warped imaginations, they think that if they find an unclaimed female, or perhaps make a widow of one with a mate, they will find their lost souls. It can never be. Once they have chosen such a path, it is for all eternity, until one of our hunters is able to properly destroy them. Most try at some time to find a mate. They use mortal women and sometimes are even able to turn them without killing them. But the woman becomes deranged and feeds on the blood of children. It is a terrible burden to be forced to destroy such a victimized creature. That is the worst of all our jobs.” He stated it matter-of-factly, without looking for sympathy.

Her head brushed his shoulder, their bodies close as they walked together through the forest, winding their way aimlessly through the trees and brush. It was a small gesture, but the touch sent little shock waves through his body. She took away his distress. She gave him so much pleasure. Just being near her gave him pleasure. Breathing in her scent gave him pleasure.

“Julian, you give me the same feeling,” she assured him, pleased she was able to lift his spirits.

“You are a miracle to me,” he said. “You have no idea what you mean to me, what you are to me, and I can never find the words to tell you.”

But she was in his mind. She could feel his emotions, and they were overwhelming to her. To be thought of as he thought of her! It was a powerful weapon the men of their race wielded. How could a lifemate possibly refuse to comfort and love such a man? She wanted this for Darius. She wanted a woman to love him the way she loved Julian. She wanted someone for Syndil and Barack and Dayan, as well.

Julian laughed and curved his arm around her, sweeping her beneath the protection of his shoulder. Of course Desari would think of all the others, wanting to share her joy. It only made him love her more. “Look at the stars tonight, Desari. Tomorrow night there will be a storm. I feel it closing in around us. But tonight we walk together in the open and have time to enjoy ourselves.”

“It is nearly dawn,” she reminded him, a little smile creeping into her voice.

“It is a few hours until dawn,” Julian replied. “More than enough time to accomplish my task.”

“You have a task?” she asked, her dark eyes dancing at him.

“Absolutely. I have to convince you completely that I am the only man you will ever want or need in your lifetime.”

“My lifetime could be quite long,” she pointed out in warning.

“It will always be my first duty in life to ensure your safety at all times,
cara mia
. I want you to live with me a very long time.”

She turned to him, her body pressed close to his, her
arms sliding around his neck. “How long is a
very
long time?” she murmured, her teeth nibbling at the strong line of his jaw.

His arms closed around her tightly as joy swept through his soul and a tidal wave of need consumed him. Julian bent his head to find her mouth with his. The sweet perfection of it. Velvet fire swept over him, through him, electricity arcing between them so that flames danced up their skin and through their bodies. A low growl escaped his throat, a soft sound of possession. Desari responded by moving even closer to him, her smaller frame molding itself to his.

A sound intruded. It was barely discernible, the rub of fur against a leaf, but it was enough to elicit a frustrated groan from Julian. He leaned his forehead against her crown. “This family unit you have is driving me over the edge. We have no privacy,
piccola
, none whatsoever.”

She laughed softly with the same frustration. “I know, Julian. But it is one of the small sacrifices we all pay for caring for one another. We help each other through any crisis.”

“Who is going to help me through this one? Believe me,
cara
, I am definitely having a crisis. I need you before I start to go insane.”

“I know. It is the same for me,” she whispered, her lips against the corner of his mouth, teasing, tempting. There was an ache in her voice, an answer to the ache in his. “We will have our time.”

“It had better be soon,” he growled, meaning it. There was a hidden laughter in her, one he felt in her mind, in her heart. She found humor in the situation yet wanted him with the same urgent need. Julian found he was smiling in spite of his body’s demands. There was something contagious about Desari’s laughter, whether it was
in her mind or aloud. It was joy. Pure and simple. There was joy in him now where there had never been before.