Riley hadn't considered that. Of course it was difficult for him, he'd spent centuries alone. Even before the volcano, he'd been a hunter of vampires, spending months, even years on his own with no one around. The world was a changed place for him. He had fought for hundreds of years for the protection of his people and then, while he was locked in a volcano, his species had nearly gone extinct.
Jubal lifted his hand and walked away in the direction of the river, shepherding the others to follow Miguel. The professor was carried out, the remaining porters taking turns with the others as they made their way steadily into the rain forest. Within moments, the trees and foliage had swallowed them.
Dax waited until they were gone before crouching down beside her. "Arabejila's blood runs strong in you. Mitro believes she lives, which is to our advantage."
She nodded her head. "I understand that, but I didn't realize it wasn't only the earth telling me where Mitro has been. I can feel my blood reaching for him." She took a deep breath, forcing herself to look him in the eye. "It's disturbing. I want my blood to call to you, not him. It makes me feel dirty."
Dax gathered her into his arms. "Han sivamak," he whispered tenderly. "My beloved. My blood and your blood are forever connected. Our hearts, our minds and our souls are inseparable. As for Arabejila's blood, as we traveled together, we often were forced to exchange blood. Her blood is why Mother Earth accepted me and granted favors to me. My connection to Mitro is not as strong, but it is there."
Riley slipped her arms around his neck. "You always know the right thing to say to me to make me feel better. Let's go find him, Dax. The sooner we find him, the faster we can get on with our life together."
Chapter 15
The wind picked up, swirling through the canopy, blowing storm clouds into a churning, riotous mass of spinning dark threads. Lightning forked across the sky, a wicked fork of electricity, lighting the canopy for a brief moment. Thunder rolled, a great boom, shaking the ground. On the heels of the thunder the low moan of the wind rose to wail and then once again died down.
Riley wiped sweat from her face. It was hard to breathe with the ash still clinging to the leaves and flowers. Her boots felt horribly heavy and she made a note to herself to purchase lighter ones next time. Her mind was a little hazy, the hike almost surreal.
Fate had made a terrible mistake. For Riley, tramping through the rain forest at night was an exercise in courage. She tried not to connect with Dax, afraid he'd see how afraid she was of every shadow. Her heart beat so loud she feared Jubal and Gary would both hear it. She wasn't certain how she got to be the lifemate of a Carpathian warrior, who seemed to have all the courage in the world, when she was afraid of the shadows.
Riley cast a quick look around her at the others as they tramped through the dense vegetation. No one else seemed to be feeling as if at any moment they were going to be devoured by a pack of crazed jaguars leaping out of the shadows. It wasn't as if she was completely crazy-the coughs and grunts coming from a short distance away told her at least one, mostly two jaguars paced along beside them.
She tried to control her breathing as best she could, but with every step she took, apprehension grew stronger and her chest grew tighter. The jungle seemed much denser, Miguel and Alejandro struggling to hack a path and keep them all on the much-faded trail. The more miles they covered, the more the dread inside her grew and the harder it was to keep the pace the guide had set.
Her night vision was amazing, her restless gaze following the thousands of insects forming a moving carpet under their feet. Everything seemed overly loud to her, especially the persistent drone of insects, and even the bugs took on a sinister quality to her overactive imagination.
Birds screeched in warning to one another, a constant, alarmed communication, unusual for nighttime. Above their heads was continual motion, the flutter of wings, the swish of branches as monkeys leapt from branch to branch as if they, like the jaguars, were following the travelers.
Tree trunks covered in black spikes seemed to leap out of the shadows at them. Oversize leaves, split into razor-sharp fronds, reached for them, driven by the wind. The dread seeping into her made her stomach churn. The sound of the machetes slashing through the screaming branches and foliage only added to her frayed nerves.
Riley and Dax had caught up with the others quickly. He'd simply shifted into a giant bird and taken to the air, carrying Riley until they were close enough to join her fellow travelers. To make better time, Dax took over carrying the professor. He could go for miles without breaking a sweat. She resisted looking over her shoulder at him. He was close, but with the weight of a grown man in his arms, he couldn't be leaping into action if someone went crazy with a machete or the monkeys ambushed them.
Gary walked directly in front of her. She caught him twice looking over her head, back toward Jubal. They exchanged a knowing look that made her shiver. Okay, she wasn't entirely losing her mind; they both felt the danger, too, they just reacted better. She put her hand in the pocket of her light jacket, assuring herself the Glock was there should she need it.
Your fear is beating at me, yet you do not allow me to share your mind. What is it?
His voice was always so calm and reassuring.
We don't make any sense. She would have glared at him if she wasn't so busy looking in the trees for an imminent attack. Sometimes being so utterly calm was annoying.
Match your heartbeat to mine. Your heart is beating too fast, Dax ordered. In what way don't we make sense?
Smug male amusement was much worse than calm. She risked a quick glance over her shoulder to glare at him. He wasn't even breathing hard, while her lungs were burning. He was all muscle and hotness, and her body felt like lead. He didn't seem to mind that at any moment he might have to pitch the professor into a spiny tree to save the day like some comic book hero.
Comic book hero? Is that how you see me? I must have a cape.
His laughter filled her mind, raw and masculine and unexpected. She found herself smiling just because he was. He'd managed to find his way into her mind when she had been so certain she was closed off to him. He could make her laugh in the worst of circumstances. Ignoring the gathering anxiety pressing down on her, she deliberately began to conjure up an image of Dax in pink tights, a long tunic and a pink cape.
This is what you wish me to wear? He sounded perfectly serious. It is much like the Inca garb. The color might clash with my skin tone.
Riley burst out laughing. Clash with your skin tone? she echoed. Small beads of sweat ran down the valley between her breasts. She had to rub more out of her eyes. What in the world does Gary have going on in his head? You got all your information from him.
Jubal as well. He has sisters. Once again he sounded smug.
She took a deep breath, hoping he'd deny it, but knowing he wouldn't. You know we're going to be attacked.
Yes, of course.
Riley stumbled, but caught herself before she fell. She felt light-headed, dizzy enough to sink to the ground in a faint. She bit down hard on her lip, the stinging pain grounding her. You've been talking to Jubal and Gary. She made it a statement.