“I told you to keep your heart rate steady,” he greeted her very softly, the menace strong in his voice. He lifted her in his arms, cradling her against his chest so that her heart immediately began to tune itself to his. “You said you were not afraid of me, honey, yet your pulse is racing.”
“You appeared out of nowhere,” she said defensively, thumping his shoulder with her clenched fist. “I am human, you know.” She looked up at him with large, steady eyes. “Are you human, Dayan?”
He bent his dark head, his teeth very white in the night. “What do you think?” The words were whispered softly against her throat, against her pulse. “Do I feel human to you?” His voice was temptation itself.
Corinne knew better than to listen, she was so easily distracted by the sheer enticement of his voice. Her hands of their own volition found the thick abundance of his hair and tangled in the silky strands. “How do you do that so easily?” she asked, knowing her eyes would have given away her feelings even if he couldn’t read her mind. She
loved
being with him, everything about him. She wanted to erase that look from the depths of his eyes for all time. The emptiness. The loneliness. “I’m beginning to think you’re bad for my heart, Dayan. You can melt a woman at twenty paces. You can. And you made the weather change.”
Dayan’s mouth continued to explore the soft column of her throat. “I did? I must be very talented. I hope such a feat earned your everlasting admiration.” He sounded slightly distracted, as if it were more important to discover the softness of her skin than to hold a conversation. “You are very tired, Corinne. We ought to start out to meet the healers this night, but I think you need to rest. You have had enough excitement for one evening.”
Her head rested on his shoulder, her long lashes fanning her cheeks. She was tired, more now than ever. As he carried her to the edge of the roof, he moved with such smoothness, she felt as if she were floating. “I loved dancing with you,” she murmured without opening her eyes, enjoying the breeze blowing in her face. “I love the way you move.”
“So I am making progress after all,” he said. He floated with her to the ground easily, his mind fully merged with hers so that he could control her impressions of what was happening, fogging the memory a little at a time so it was slowly fading away. He had wanted to reveal what he was, who he was. He wanted Corinne’s acceptance of him, yet he knew her body was weak, her heart failing. He couldn’t take a chance yet. When she found out the truth, he wanted the healer’s assurance that her heart would withstand the shock. As he drew a hazy veil over the evening’s shocking events, he stressed different memories: his kisses; her response. Retrieving the suitcases, he made sure her seat belt was snug before he pulled the car away from the curb.
Corinne sat quietly on the seat beside him, astonished at how tired she was. The stress of the pregnancy on her body was beginning to tell on her. Dayan was driving carefully through the streets, his fingers entwined with hers. “Isn’t it strange?” she mused. “If someone hadn’t tipped Lisa off that you were playing in that bar, we would never have met.”
“I would have found you.” It was a statement of fact, quietly delivered.
Corinne was silent the rest of the way home. Her mind was pleasantly blank. She was tired and strangely happy just to be in his company. Minutes earlier, she had scented the wildness in him, but now she felt his tranquility, an utter calmness that seeped deep into her soul. Dayan seemed content to drive through the night, humming softly under his breath. The tune was one she had never heard before. It was hauntingly beautiful.
Lisa was waiting on the small balcony, trying not to look like she was worrying. She watched anxiously while Dayan courteously helped Corinne out of the car. He would have carried her, but Corinne was all too conscious of eyes on them.
You are being silly.
The words brushed her mind tenderly.
Who cares what anyone thinks?
Corinne summoned up her courage to answer him in her mind. The sheer intimacy of their communication appealed to her.
I don’t want her to think I’m not feeling well.’ ‘You are not feeling well.
He pointed it out very nicely.
Corinne looked up at him from under her long lashes, just one swift reprimand before she smiled at Lisa. Above her head, Dayan found himself smiling. That was his Corinne. Sweet and sassy at the same time.
“Are you feeling okay?” Lisa asked, her eyes anxious.
“Of course. I’m just a little tired,” Corinne admitted. “I thought I’d lie down for a while. What are you doing still up?”
“Waiting for you.” Lisa glanced at Dayan and looked away. She wasn’t certain why she trusted him when she was with him but felt suspicious when he was out of her sight. He made Corinne act out of character. Corinne had never looked that closely at men, not even when she had been single. Corinne was practical, businesslike. She wasn’t the type to cling to a rock star. Lisa tried not to glare at the man.
Dayan felt sympathetic to her. Lisa was disgusted with herself that she was jealous. She didn’t want Corinne looking at Dayan with stars in her eyes. She didn’t want Corinne looking at anyone like that. She wasn’t willing to change her relationship with Corinne in any way, but she didn’t like herself very much for her possessiveness.
“It’s almost dawn,” Corinne said gently. “You should be in bed, Lisa, not worrying about me. You knew we were going to get our things. It was bound to take a little bit of time.”
“So there were no problems,” Cullen said, wrapping his arm around Lisa’s shoulders in a show of support.
“Well — “ Corinne seemed confused, a slight frown crossing her small face. She glanced up at Dayan for help as she nervously shoved a stray strand of dark hair from her face.
Dayan immediately flooded her mind with warmth and reassurance. She was bewildered and disoriented for a moment, unable to recall exactly what had happened. She was searching her memories, and they were a jumble of confusion. “Nothing we could not handle,” he answered easily, truthfully. His hands settled along her hips, anchoring her to him. “If we had known you were worried, Lisa, we would have called.”
“Of course I was worried,” Lisa said in challenge, her chin up.
Corinne leaned back heavily against Dayan, weariness sweeping through her. “Lisa,” she said quietly, drawing on the strength of their relationship.
At once Lisa reached out and took Corinne’s hand. “I’m picking a fight again. Just come and lie down, Corinne. I don’t want you to become ill.”
Dayan indicated Lisa’s suitcase with his chin. “She was very careful to get everything on your list.” He was moving Corinne toward the bedroom where she’d slept the night before.
Corinne knew Lisa was worried about her, but she didn’t have the energy to reassure her further. All she wanted to do was lie down and close her eyes. Her body felt like lead, and each step was like wading through quicksand.
Lisa watched Dayan’s every move — the way he held Corinne so gently, the way his eyes moved over Corinne’s face tenderly, possessively. Lisa heaved a soft sigh and moved closer to Cullen. He responded by tightening his hold on her, and she looked up at him and smiled rather sadly. Her world was changing, and Lisa wasn’t someone who managed change easily. Corinne looked very tired and fragile. It always frightened Lisa to see her looking like that. Her fragility highlighted the fact that Corinne’s heart was fading.
“I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to her,” Lisa whispered to Cullen. “I really couldn’t.”
Dayan, with his superior hearing, heard her whispered confession. He knew exactly how she felt and could sympathize with her. He couldn’t bear the thought of anything happening to Corinne either. He bent forward to brush the top of Corinne’s silky head with a kiss, but he couldn’t leave Lisa feeling so upset. He glanced back to capture her anxious gaze with his black one. It only took a few seconds, but it was enough. He sent her waves of reassurance, pushing a little further into her mind so he could implant a feeling of warmth toward him.