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ahead, asking for the protection of the human from all Carpathians. The band members didn't know
Gary, but Gregori's word would be obeyed unquestioningly within the Carpathian world.
"It is near dawn," Darius mused aloud, "but if necessary we could continue a couple more hours under
cover of a storm."
"We said we would meet them here," Tempest protested. "And this campsite is secluded. It is a good
place to go to ground."
Darius rubbed the bridge of his nose thoughtfully as he smiled down at his lifemate. Tempest stood with
her hands on her hips, giving him that little frown that always made him want to take her somewhere
secluded and kiss it right off her expressive face. "Barack and Syndil are on their way back, honey.
They'll catch up with us at the house in the Cascades. We have to travel fast if we're going to get to
Dayan quickly."
Tempest tilted her head, her flame-red hair glinting in the moonlight. "We didn't say we were meeting
Barack and Syndil, Darius, and you darn well know it! We're meeting Gregori and Savannah here. You
want to leave because yourother big brother is coming and you're nervous about meeting him. Julian told
you so many tales of the dark one, you probably have nightmares about him." Maybe Darius didn't, but
Tempest did. And she couldn't help teasing her husband every chance she got. They had only been
together a few short weeks, and he still could take her breath away with one sensual look from his
beautiful eyes. She had the feeling he always would.
Tempest sounded far too smug for his liking. Darius glared at her in warning, one eyebrow shooting high.
"Nervous? I have no experience with such a thing. I have heard the tales of the dark one, a bogeyman the
elders made up to frighten small children. The stories are impressive, but the man is no doubt a mere
man."
Julian's eyebrow shot up. "Mere man?" A definite smirk settled over his face. "I've heard Gregori
described as many things, but a mere man is not one of them."
Desari reached out to her brother. "Darius, do you find it strange to think we have three elder brothers
after all this time? First we met Lucian and Gabriel, the dark twins in the legends, tales you told us when
we were children. And now Gregori, the dark healer. It is amazing to me that they live and breathe.
Lucian and Gabriel were wonderful. I'm excited to meet Gregori."
"We never knew them," Darius pointed out. "Lucian and Gabriel were long gone, their existence no
more than a myth. And Gregori was all-powerful with many responsibilities. You were a babe and I but
six years old when we were lost. He was already a full-fledged male, grown in stature and strength. I
doubt if he thought about us overmuch." Again he shrugged carelessly. He had certainly thought about his
brother in those days, so long ago. He had hero-worshiped him, listening to each impressive story and
filing it away to take out when he was alone.
Tempest slipped her hand into his larger one, a silent gesture of love. She touched the mind of her
lifemate and found he was simply stating the facts as he saw them. He was making no judgment. Darius
had long been without emotion until she had come into his life, and he possessed a will of iron and
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tremendous discipline. She leaned into him and reached up to find his mouth with hers. His apparent lack
of emotion still intimidated her at times. She was feeling her way into Carpathian life, still struggling to be
part of a family when she had always been so solitary.
Darius responded the way he always did, his kiss hot and possessive. Tempest melted into him, instantly
pliant, her arms stealing around his neck. "I think of you too much," she pointed out.
"I fear for Dayan, Tempest. This problem is a difficult one. I honestly do not know if we can save his
lifemate." With Tempest, this once, he would allow doubt to intrude. With her, he could be vulnerable
and show his tremendous love for his family. "If it were you& " He trailed off, his gut lurching in protest.
"It isn't me," Tempest pointed out. "I'm healthy and strong. And you won't fail Dayan. You have been
there for him over the centuries, and you will be the rock he leans on now."
Corinne turned over, snuggled closer to warmth. She knew who lay beside her and she didn't bother to
open her eyes. "Dayan, you aren't sleeping. I can tell by the way you're breathing. Tell me what's wrong."
Dayan tensed. Her voice was drowsy, sexy, arousing his body when he had been utterly relaxed. "You
are supposed to be asleep until the next rising." He meant it literally. He had given her a command.
Corinne rubbed her face along his chest and laughed softly. "You have to admit you phrased the order
rather oddly. I was to sleep safely until you rose. What exactly does that mean?" She yawned sleepily,
covering her mouth politely. "If you don't ever go to sleep and just lie there all night staring at the ceiling,
does that mean I don't have to obey? Or does it mean I have to stay asleep until you actually rise from
the bed?"
Dayan found himself grinning at the ceiling. He had been lying there beside her, simply enjoying being in
the same room with her, wondering at the beauty of the night. Outside the room he could hear the night
creatures stirring. The wind was rushing through the trees, and he felt vitally alive. "For your information, I
was not staring at the ceiling. I was staring at you." He leaned over and kissed the corner of her mouth,
laughing softly. "You little witch. How did you manage to wake up when you're supposed to be asleep?"
"It was a fairly wimpy command, Dayan," she pointed out, lifting her lashes so her green eyes could
laugh at him there in the dark. "I mean, I heard you giving it to me, and felt the push, and I allowed myself
to sort of go with it but all the time I was thinking that I wouldn't necessarily obey it."
"Wimpy? It was not wimpy. I was careful of your& er& condition. I was being sensitive. I object
strenuously to your using the word wimpy. I was firm but gentle."
She rolled over to pillow her head on his shoulder "You underestimated me. Admit it. You're so darned
used to making people do what you want, it didn't occur to you I could resist."
His eyebrow shot up. "You did it on purpose."
"Well, of course. You can't just go around trying to force people to do what you want them to do." She
turned so she was nearly nose to nose with him. Glaring. "Like Lisa. You have to stop influencing her,
Dayan. And don't deny it, I know you do."
"I was not going to deny it. I told you, it is important that she accepts me in your life." Dayan linked his
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