[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

you should have more faith in your lifemate. I can do no other than see to your happiness. If you wish us
to live for a time, in peace, among your family,"rather overrun with territorial males , "then I can do
no other than offer my friendship to them."
Desari burst out laughing. He had tried to sound sincere but had ended up sounding pained. In any case,
she could read his thoughts as easily as he could hers. " 'Territorial males'? What does that mean? We do
not have our own territory, unless you count the coast of Africa, where we lived for so long."
"I spent some time in Africa, among the leopards," he said to get off the dangerous subject of her family.
Her eyes, so enormous and beautiful, sparkled at him. "You did? How incredible. We spent nearly two
hundred years there, and we still sometimes return to visit. It would be funny if we were on the same
continent at the same time and never met. Especially if you were running among our leopards."
He shook his head. "I doubt that happened. I sensed your brother's power as he sensed mine the
moment we were in proximity. It would not have escaped our notice if we had come close in Africa.
More important, you and I, born lifemates, would have sensed each other's presence in some way." But
he did find it interesting that he had been inexplicably drawn to Africa, and the leopards there, in his
search for other Carpathians. Perhaps some trace of Desari had called to him even then.
"Tell me more about your people," she said now.
"They are also your people. You have blood kin, Desari, still in existence. Your eldest brother is a great
man among our people, very respected and equally feared. He is called Gregori, and Darius is much like
him." He grinned suddenly, transforming his harshly beautiful features to those of a mischievous boy.
"They arevery much alike. Gregori, the Dark One, is often used as a bogey man to keep the young
children in line. The only other immortal as great as your blood kin is Mikhail.
Mikhail is the acknowledged Prince of our people, the one who has kept our race alive and hopeful
these many centuries. Mikhail and Gregori are as close as brothers in their own strange way. Each is so
powerful that no one would dare to challenge either of them for fear the other would retaliate."
Desari nodded her head. "Like our family."
Julian thought about that. "In a way, though few of the Carpathians left alive have family units such as
this."
"What of your family?" Desari asked innocently.
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
She saw him wince, and his golden gaze skittered away from hers. "I told you, I have a twin brother.
Aidan. He resides in San Francisco. I have not spoken with him for many years, nor have I met his
lifemate."
Her eyebrows rose. There was something dark swirling close to the surface again. She sensed a deep
pain in Julian and did not attempt to probe his thoughts in so sensitive an area. She chose her words
carefully. "Were there harsh words between you?"
"There is blood between us, Desari. As your brother can track you, so it is that we can track one
another." Julian sighed and shoved a hand through his hair. "The majority of our males refuse to share
blood with one another for the simple reason that each male knows it is inevitable, without a lifemate, that
he must choose to end his life or lose his soul for all eternity and become the vampire. It is much easier to
track those you have shared blood with, particularly for a hunter."
Desari took a deep breath. Julian had some terrible secret he wouldn't share with her. "Have you shared
your blood with others, Julian?" She asked.
Julian grinned at her, his white teeth gleaming. "You have only to search my mind for the answer,cara
mia ."
He was tempting her, a blatant seduction to enter his mind and know him in the most intimate way. It
bound them closer every time they merged. She could feel it, his mind becoming more familiar with each
touch. Her mind craved the touch of his, the need growing inside her in the same way the need for sharing
his body was growing. It was an ember smoldering, the flame spreading, a dark heat she knew she would
be unable to resist. Yet somewhere in his mind, buried deep, was a shadow, too painful, that he refused
to share.
Desari glanced away from him toward the thick forest. Freedom was so close. Julian wasn't touching
her, not even in her mind; he was simply standing there beside her. Tall. Muscular. Sinfully beautiful. With
a pain in him buried so deep, he could only wonder if she could ever find it and eradicate it. His golden
eyes blazed at her with hunger and need, drawing her to him. Her heart turned over, and she knew she
was lost. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]