Dark Possession Page 0,22

For a moment time seemed to stop. His heart thundered in his ears, a frantic cry for his other half.

No. He let out his breath. She was alive. He felt her. Touched her mind-to-mind. It had been brief, but her

mind had pushed against his. Close to him, the jaguar-man stirred, bringing Manolito's attention snapping back to him. Feeling vulnerable, not knowing what was real and what was illusion, he forced his body to his feet once again, facing the man.

"Let me aid you," Luiz offered, frowning as he observed the sheen on Manolito's skin. He kept his voice low and friendly, seeing the sudden flare of heat in the Carpathian hunter's eyes. "Are your wounds so terrible?"

Manolito shook his head. He could not afford to go drifting between worlds. Not when he didn't know friend from enemy. That only put him in more danger than ever, yet he couldn't seem to stop it. One moment the forest would be vivid with brilliant colors and the familiar, comforting night sounds, and the next, it would be a dull version, the colors muted and hazy, the shadows alive with something not alive, yet not dead. He made an effort to force his mind back to the situation, to extract as much information as possible when he had the opportunity.

"Do you know who this woman is that the vampire is sending your men to acquire?"

At once the jaguar-man's expression changed to one of wariness. "I am not certain. There are few purebloods left even among our males. There are even fewer women, and only one or two of noble blood."

"My youngest brother has found his lifemate. She is jaguar. And from an aristocratic lineage. Are you referring to her?" Manolito wanted to get it out in the open. If this was some elaborate plan to recapture Juliette, Riordan's lifemate, the jaguar-men would have a war on their hands. The De La Cruz brothers would protect Juliette with their lives, and every other Carpathian would do the same.

"No one would ever be that stupid, Carpathian."

"Manolito."

Luiz inclined his head in acknowledgment of the courtesy.

Carpathians often didn't reveal their names to enemies. Manolito hadn't given his birth name, because he was being careful, but Luiz didn't need to know that.

"This other woman is in danger. Perhaps my people can help."

Luiz took a deep breath, hesitated and then nodded. "I would ask your help to aid my brethren. If I bring one to you, would you consider removing the stain of the vampire?"

There was a silence filled only by the night insects. Manolito knew what was being asked of him-a tremendous favor-yet also a huge matter of trust.

"I would have to take blood to do such a thing," he admitted. "This is a master vampire, one not so easily defeated. I could try healing without the bond, but if it is as difficult as it was with you, I am not certain it can be done." He had recognized the vampire's touch.' One of the Malinov brothers for certain. He'd grown up with them, run wild with them, laughed with and fought beside them. They had been friends.

"Perhaps if we do this quietly, we won't alert the vampire to what you are doing to aid us."

"If you wish me to help your people, I need you to tell me who the woman is so that we can put her under our protection. You and I both know your men are too far gone to turn her over to the Morrison Laboratory. They will brutalize her, force her submission and eventually break her. And if by some miracle they didn't, and they gave her to the vampire, she would be dead anyway."

"I will protect her."

"The vampire got to you once already and you didn't know. He walks among you unseen. Give me her name."

"She will not surrender easily to you."

"I do not ask for her surrender, only her safety." Manolito took another look around him. The shadows were stretching, moving closer and closer. He could see the faces in between the leaves. Skin stretched tight over bones. Black holes for eyes. Jagged, brown-stained teeth. Manolito shifted his weight slightly to the balls of his feet, readying himself for the inevitable attack. He blinked and the images faded.

"She has long rescued the women of our race and she's fought our warriors. She detests the men. She won't come in to be sheltered. That isn't her way."

"You speak of Juliette's cousin, Solange."

Luiz nodded. "There is no other like her that