Dark Possession Page 0,85

our species was at hand. It was a matter of time. Many resented being regulated to the murmurings of old men and ancient peoples. We were becoming myth along with the others-the mage, the werewolf and the jaguar. There were many species of shifters, but most had died out, and the same was happening everywhere we looked."

"We wanted to save our people, so we would sit around with our friends and come up with plans to take over. We had to lead the Karpatu people out of the dying shadows, and back into the world. Anyone who would follow the Dubrinskys and fight on their side had to go. So we played with ideas on how it could be done."

"They were stimulating intellectual debates," Riordan added. "We didn't mean anything by them." He spread his hands out in front of him and looked at them, as if he might see the blood of his own people on them.

"Regardless of what we thought back then," Manolito said, "the Malinov brothers are implementing that exact plan."

"Who are the Malinov brothers?" MaryAnn prompted.

Luiz stirred, eyes snapping open, a gasp of air escaping. His body writhed, muscles locking and contorting.

MaryAnn leaned over the convulsing body with a small sound of distress escaping. "It isn't working, Manolito."

Manolito caught MaryAnn and set her away from the jaguar-man.

"This is going to be rough, ainaak enyem. He would not want you to witness his conversion."

She lifted her chin, looking from one brother to the other. "You don't want me to witness the conversion because you don't want me to know what happens," she guessed.

"That as well," Manolito conceded. "But his body will have to rid itself of toxins as the cat fights for supremacy."

"Juliette's conversion was extremely difficult," Riordan added.

MaryAnn kept her gaze locked with Manolito's. "I honestly believe I can help him with the transition."

Riordan shook his head. "No one can help. If we could, we would bear most of the pain, but we cannot, not even for our avio palafertul, the other half of our souls."

MaryAnn reached her hand out to Manolito. He immediately took it, lacing his fingers through hers. "I can help him, Manolito. I comfort people. It's what I do."

"I am sorry, beloved," he said as gently as he could. "It is too big of a risk. You are unaware of your gifts and you merge with people without even knowing it. I cannot take the chance that you might be locked with him and his body give out before the struggle is complete. I will not risk it."

"It isn't your risk."

Something dark and dangerous flickered in the depths of his eyes. A muscle jerked along his jaw, but his features remained absolutely expressionless. "I said no."

MaryAnn scowled at him. "Manolito, you can't tell me what I can or can't do."

He moved faster than she expected, his body a blur as he wrapped her up in strong arms, so strong there was no chance to fight. Before she could think to even object, he was striding with her through the house. In all her life, MaryAnn had never had anyone restrain her physically. Furious, she kicked at him, but his strength was enormous and his will made of iron. There was no stopping him.

"I am sorry, ainaak sivamet jutta."

Forever to my heart connected. She read that in his mind as he glided through the house to her room and deposited her on the bed. His lips brushed a caress into her hair and he left her, closing the door firmly behind him.

Manolito stood there for a moment, murmuring a binding spell to keep the door locked should she manage to remove the hinges. She was entirely capable of such a thing, if any woman was. She was going to be spitting mad at him, but for both Luiz's and MaryAnn's sakes, he preferred she not witness what was about to happen. A shoe thunked against the door, and then a second one. Yeah. She was angry all right.

"Manolito, hurry," Riordan called. "This is going to be bad."

MaryAnn heard Riordan's urgent yell to his brother, and she caught up the pillow and held it to her stomach, feeling sick. She had been the one to push Manolito into saving Luiz, but now she'd deserted all of them. Luiz was alone, facing a terrible ordeal. She didn't know what it was, but sensed it was traumatic both for him and the two Carpathian males.

Had they ever converted a male before? If it had never been