Dark Carousel (Dark #30) - Christine Feehan Page 0,79

yourself to me, sielamet. You are mine to care for. To cherish. To protect. I would never harm you. Let me into your mind all the way.

She hadn’t realized she had barriers up. She didn’t know how to do what he asked.

I can push through them, but it would be very uncomfortable. You have natural shields, which is why compulsion doesn’t work on you. You feel it, but you don’t have to act because it is nearly impossible to use mind control on you with the strength of the shields you have. That’s why this is so bizarre.

He didn’t say he didn’t believe her, but she could tell he was shocked. She bit her lip hard and tightened her hold on him.

If you can talk to me like this, mind to mind, can’t all Carpathians?

On a common path. If he were using the common pathway, all Carpathians, including me, would be able to hear. Sometimes you can direct to one individual, but in your case, we’ve exchanged blood. I’m in your mind. I would hear.

She moistened her lips and took another look around at the terrible torture chamber. Chains lying in the pile of dirt and concrete. Tariq had brought the objects to the surface and in some cases, as with the cages, he’d repaired them without touching them. If she wasn’t surrounded by the evidence of torture and didn’t have a freakish voice in her head attempting to command her, she would think that ability Tariq had was way cool. Right now, she just wanted to run.

I don’t like your world, Tariq. It’s terrifying. Still, she rested her head against his heart, letting the steady beat calm her. How else could this voice be speaking to me? Can he hear what we say to each other?

Tariq didn’t answer right away. She felt the push further into her mind and it was—intimate. Heat rushed through her veins. Her body went soft against his. She pressed her face into him and consciously tried opening her mind to his, knowing he would see everything. Her thoughts. Her doubts. Every fear. Every desire. It was both humiliating and exhilarating. He would know her better than anyone else ever could.

I love who you are, Charlotte. Every single thing about you. The parts of you that make you afraid of sharing with me, I’ll handle with care. I do not see anyone else in your mind, but if I stay here with you and he speaks again, I will be able to hear.

How could he do this? she repeated. Anxiety shook her. She didn’t want anyone else in her mind. Tariq was different and she accepted his presence even though she kept admonishing herself to marshal her thoughts.

He would have to take your blood or somehow get his blood in you. You’ve been with me. No vampire could get into the compound. There are safeguards there. Strong ones. All the Carpathian hunters wove a shield in order to protect Emeline and the children from Vadim Malinov and his brother, Sergey. Vadim exchanged blood with Emeline and we believe he or Sergey did with Bella and Liv. But you?

Relief swept through her. I’ve never been near either of those two vampires. Until you mentioned them, I’d never heard of them. She took a deep breath and looked around her. Maybe I conjured up the voice because the pain and suffering in this room is so horrific my mind is playing tricks in order not to fall apart.

His hand came up to cup the back of her head, pressing her face deeper into him. You have not conjured up anything. Dragomir was correct in saying you are very sensitive. I should have taken care of you, not allowed you to come here.

She didn’t like the word allow. She just didn’t. The rest of it, okay, that was all fine, but . . . Strike the word allow from your vocabulary.

Instantly amusement spread throughout her mind. I’m old-fashioned. Really old-fashioned.

I’m a very modern woman and if you’ve been in my mind you know I am. I carry wasp spray in my purse just in case. That should tell you something right there.

It tells me you’re strong enough to do this, and that you want to.

Maybe want was a little strong. She glanced around the room, took a breath and then stepped away from Tariq to lay both hands on the top of the table. Screams erupted in her mind. She winced but held on. There were four victims