How could she not be tired after her tremendous ordeal? Of course she was. He could feel it in her now as her body swayed slightly against his. Her large eyes touched Barack’s stone-hard features.
I know she wishes to flee, Barack, but if you would, please step aside and allow her to come to me. I have a great need to be with my sister. You have the golden one to aid you, Desari.
Barack’s words were harsh, but even as he sent the message winging through the air between them, he moved away from Syndil, allowing her a clear path to Desari.
It was Desari who moved, rather than Syndil, covering the distance between them in a few unhurried steps. As they came together, their arms surrounding one another, they simply disappeared from the men’s sight.
Barack swore aloud and turned burning eyes on Julian. “There is the matter of the undead before us, and we have not fed, nor have our women.”
Julian shrugged with his casual strength coming easily, fluidly to his feet as if he was as fresh as at first rising. “Then we must see to their needs,” he responded quietly, sidestepping the bristling Carpathian.
Barack shoved a hand through his long hair, furious for no reason at all. He had never felt so edgy, so on the verge of violence before. He wanted to make the kill. To have such a foul, unclean creature as the undead come so close to capturing one of their family was unthinkable. There were four males to guard the women, yet the trap had been sprung, and Syndil once more had been the victim of an attack. It made him feel like clawing and raking the heavens above. It made him feel a failure. He had promised himself it would never happen to her again, yet that filthy abomination had managed to touch her mind, made her doubt herself, made her relive Savon’s brutal attack and believe she was in some way to blame.
“Julian.” Dayan was studying the Carpathian with knowing eyes. “It takes a tremendous amount of energy to heal a wound such as this one. Go with Barack and feed heavily, that the two of you can provide for our family. I will guard those here. Do not fear the task is too great. I may choose to follow my brother, but I am capable of fighting should there be need.”
Julian waved a hand to close the ground over Darius, weaving intricate safeguards to ensure the leader’s rest wasn’t disturbed while he was gone. He nodded to Dayan, already rising to make his way from the mountain. If he didn’t hunt prey soon, he would be sending his lifemate out to do it for him.
Soft laughter immediately enveloped him.
I heard that thought. I was certain you would, beautiful one. I will return immediately. Do not allow Syndil to disappear on us. Right now she is in more danger from herself than from any vampire.
Desari sighed softly, her breath whispering along the inside of his mind.
It is true, Julian. She feels as if she is responsible for placing all of us in danger. I am trying, but...
The thought trailed off, and Julian felt Desari’s sorrow.
Piccola,
do not worry so. We will not allow anything to happen to your family.
A note of amusement crept in.
I cannot wait for your arrogant brother to rise. I will taunt him repeatedly over how I had to repair the damage to his family unit. I am sure you will.
Julian burst into the dawn air, the light striking cruelly at his eyes. A part of him was locked to Darius. He had been inside the man, a part of him, just as Darius had done for him. They were linked strongly to one another. And Julian was not altogether certain he had as much faith and trust in the other males of the family as Darius seemed to show. Either of them could be close to turning, and masking it. Leaving Darius so vulnerable, lying as one dead, where a trusted friend could so easily slay him, kept Julian locked to his lifemate’s brother. Desari had given him what he had lost centuries earlier; she had given him a family. He would do all he could to protect it.
The wind brought the scent of prey to him, and he altered his course with ease. He streaked across the sky, uncaring whether or not Barack was following. He intended to make certain he was gone only a short time.
I thought you said Darius was still dangerous, even as he lies sleeping.
Julian sighed. He should have known Desari would so easily read his thoughts, just as he could always touch hers.
It is so,
cara,
he is very dangerous. You can feel his power radiate from him. But I am not certain he would be expecting the attack to come from one of his own. There is no one who could surprise Darius ever again. Except perhaps...
Julian could feel Desari pause and give consideration to her statement. Then the little minx had a flashing thought, hastily censored. She was up to something, no doubt about it. Julian didn’t mind—as long as her brother, not he, was the intended recipient of her scheming.
Chapter Seventeen
The call to awaken came not from within himself but from outside. At the command, his heart took one beat, and his lungs drew in air. There was pain with his first breath, and Darius quickly assessed the damage to his body without moving a muscle or flickering an eyelid, without allowing anything else to intrude while he took inventory. A thick wrist was pressed to his mouth, and he felt, more than heard, the soft command to replenish what he had lost. He knew immediately who was donating so generously to him. The blood was ancient and powerful, potent as it soaked into his starving cells, carrying with it the energy and strength of a true ancient. Darius slowly opened his eyes and stared up at the blond stranger who was his sister’s mate. Darius savored the effects of the fresh blood pouring into his body, strong, rich, ancient blood, and already he could feel the healing powers working within him. He studied Julian as he fed from the man’s wrist. Julian was powerful and enormously strong, equally confident. It showed in the way he carried himself, in the straight stare of his strange amber eyes and the set of his shoulders. It showed in the fluid way he moved and the quick decisions he made without hesitation. His leadership qualities were evident when he carefully sidestepped possible challenges by the other males, never allowing his own ego to get in the way. Julian knew he was infinitely capable; he had nothing to prove to anyone, or to himself. Right now he was wearing that sardonic expression Darius was familiar with, as if he were laughing inwardly, amused at life and those around him. As if he had some secret knowledge, of which none of them were aware. Darius decided he probably did. Aside from the knowledge already imprinted on them before birth, Julian had the advantage of learning from ancients. He also knew things about their own kind that Darius’s family did not.
Very carefully Darius closed the wound, even in his weakness ensuring he left no telltale mark. He made no attempt to move. His heart was not yet completely healed. He knew what it had cost Julian in time and energy to repair such a near-mortal injury, and he had no intention of tearing the knitting gash before complete healing could take place.
“I am not yet healed, Julian,” he said in his mild, expressionless tone.
Julian’s mouth curved into a smirk. “No? Do you think you should heal so quickly, then? I put you in the ground only one scant hour ago. I awakened you merely to supply you with blood. Even you require more than one hour. And no, I have not yet tracked the vampire to his lair, but I will on the next rising. Be assured of that.”
Darius’s black eyes fastened on Julian’s gold ones. “I have no doubt that you will find the one you seek. I know the kind of man you are.” He was already tired, and his voice was fading, his thick lashes drifting down to cover the relentless, merciless, obsidian eyes. Even with the blood of such a powerful man, his body was so torn, the wound so savage, he was exhausted with just a small amount of effort.