“Shea is an exceptional woman,” Gregori added. “She has long researched this particular problem and is hopeful she has found ways to aid our children as they grow.”
“Corinne is very tired,” Dayan said softly. “Thank you all for your help.”
Corinne was aware of movement in the chamber, another flurry of activity as a bed was prepared for her. There was no thought of returning her to the surface, to the house they had originally taken her to. She would remain with Dayan deep within the crystal world until her heart ceased to provide her with life.
Dayan held her close to him as he murmured his thanks to the vague, shadowy figures moving out of the chamber. Corinne was content to lie in his arms, feeling his solid frame, grateful for the strength in him. The chamber was filled with a fragrance that seemed to envelop her in tranquility, serenity. She felt at peace, free to enjoy what she could of this strange underground world.
Darius leaned down to rest his hand on the top of her silky hair. “Welcome to our family, little sister. We are grateful you have been found.” His hand slipped away and he moved silently, taking the sense of his enormous power with him.
Tempest bent to kiss her cheek. “Be strong, Corinne, and welcome.” She took Darius’s outstretched hand and followed him out.
Desari and Julian brushed a welcoming kiss of encouragement on her forehead, exchanged a soft word with Dayan and glided out.
Gregori and his lifemate Savannah were the last to slip away. They reassured Dayan they would be close by should there be need.
“At last,” Dayan whispered softly, “we are alone.” He settled Corinne comfortably in the bed. The sound of the waterfall should have been loud, but already Corinne had learned to mute her hearing so it was one less thing Dayan needed to do for her. He tucked the quilt around her. “After the baby is born, you will be fully healed, and I am going to spend endless nights making love to you. Has my hair turned color yet?
I
expect to rise with white hair after all these scares.”
She smiled, her hand tangling in his long black hair. “I love your hair just the way it is. Don’t get white hair on my account. Which one of us was the nutcase going out to fight the unholy dragon?”
What was that, anyway?
It was too much trouble to use her voice, so she slipped into the intimacy of mind merge.
You thought you needed an adventure? White knight charging the burning fires with a bucketful of water?
He laughed softly as he stretched out beside her and once more gathered her close to him. “You’re mixing up your stories.” His fingertips slid over her beloved face, tracing each delicate bone, every classical curve.
“It’s so beautiful here.” Corinne’s eyes were closed and her voice was drowsily contented. “I knew it would be like this. I used to dream about exploring new worlds. I wanted to swim in the ocean and see the coral reefs.” Her fingers rubbed at his hair.
You’ve given me so much in so short a time, Dayan. Thank you. I’ve flown through the sky like a bird. I was able to go beneath the ground and see crystals and gems.
A smile tugged intriguingly at the corners of her mouth. “I met some very famous musicians — my life’s dream, you know.”
Dayan closed his eyes tightly, felt a hand squeezing his heart like a vise. His chest burned with terror. She was slipping out of their mind merge and using her voice, entirely unaware of it. “I love you, Corinne,” he whispered aloud.
I love you too.
She was drifting in his arms.
Show me what it’s like to be you, Dayan, to run and fly and have such wonderful freedom.
She felt his terrible sorrow and instinctively wanted to ease his burden. Her fingers tugged gently at his hair, willing him to take her with him on an incredible journey through time and space.
“I can’t take you traveling,” he said softly, aching to give her anything she wanted, wishing he could cradle her in his arms and fly across the night sky with her. “The weather is turning cold and a storm is approaching. It wouldn’t be safe.”
“Where is your imagination tonight, Dayan?
Where is my poet? Sing for me and let me see your memories. I want the wild ones, of running and jumping, things I could never dare to imagine for myself.
Share that with me.” She didn’t open her eyes to look at him, yet he felt her inside him, deep where it mattered.
Dayan leaned closer, put his hand over her daughter, their daughter, John’s daughter, to include her, to show her his world of the night. He felt the baby move in answer and he found himself smiling. Corinne slipped her hand over Dayan’s, threading her fingers through his larger ones. He blocked out his fear, his terror of losing both of them to death, and he merged his mind fully with Corinne’s.
She allowed his memories to sweep through her, to carry her off so she could feel the power coursing through her body as he shifted shape. Fur rippled across his skin, and his muscles became sinewy ropes stretching over his body. They merged together deep within the leopard’s body. The cat padded slowly, confidently through the jungle, moving through dense vegetation almost lazily. It was amazing — she could feel the wind ruffling the leopard’s fur, smell the scents in the air; she knew what was happening all around her from the tips of its whiskers.
It’s like radar!
Dayan was happy he was delighting her. The leopard leapt casually from the forest floor to a tree branch six feet above its head. It was effortless, an easy movement of sleek muscles, similar to a casual shrug. All around was the dense jungle, the huge leaves and sword-like fronds reaching toward the sky. The overhead canopy was swaying with the breeze allowing banded rays of light to cast dancing shadows over the ground below. Corinne was amazed at the leopard’s piercing intelligence. At first she thought it was because Dayan was occupying the large cat’s body, but then she realized his mind remained hidden deep while the animal moved and hunted.
You and the leopard coexist in its body. This is a memory from my childhood. I needed to learn skills. Leopards are truly amazing creatures. They are quick and cunning, wary and always difficult to detect. They adapt well to various environments, from the jungle to the desert. We explored the various habitats in order to gain more knowledge. Animals provide tremendous knowledge of our world.
Corinne found the subject fascinating, and was greatly impressed by his deep appreciation and respect for animals.
Show me more.
This time the terrain was completely different. The leopard even appeared different. It had a longer coat and larger spots. Corinne examined it carefully.
It looks like a snow leopard, but not exactly.
“This species is called the Amur leopard, named for the river border between Russia and China. We found them in a narrow mountain chain along the borders of Russia, North Korea and China. They are very beautiful, but game is scarce and they are hard pressed by the threat of extinction, much like our species.”
At once he felt a rush of sadness, that seemed linked to his own. They were merged so deeply, he couldn’t tell where she left off and he started. It was an intimacy he was unfamiliar with, yet it felt right. He had a home now, and her name was Corinne. She was his world, the very air he breathed into his lungs. He couldn’t bear for her to be sad, even over such an important issue as a dying species.
Dayan called on his memories, conveying the stalk of the leopard as it moved relentlessly, with single-minded purpose toward its prey. The eyes were focused, intent, merciless. She could feel the wildness sweep over her, through Dayan.
Dayan felt Corinne draw a deep, excited breath. The baby jumped beneath his palm. At once Corinne reached out to the infant soothingly. Immediately Dayan added his own comfort. Her mother’s happiness coupled with Dayan’s reassurance allowed the baby to accept the new impressions more easily.