Dark Celebration Page 0,59

effort to get at Barack.

He streamed away, out of reach, trying to push the cat's mind back toward sanity. Leopards were notorious for their tempers, but this savage behavior was way out of character for either cat. The leopards had been with the Troubadours since they were born and had never behaved in such a manner. Sasha kept looking at the window, acting as though she might break through the glass to escape.

Something is terribly wrong with them, he told Syndil. I can't control them.

Syndil remained silent, listening to the earth. There is a subtle flow of power-of energy. It's upsetting the leopards. There are so many Carpathians here. Most are probably using energy for shifting and other tasks. Maybe the cats are too sensitive to be here.

Maybe. Barack doubted it, but he was going to cage the animals. I'm going to get them to follow me to the cages. I cant direct them inside, so I'll have to trick them.

How can you do that? There was trepidation in her voice.

I'll just use myself as bait.

Syndil drew in her breath sharply, fighting back the protest welling up. I was afraid of that. Be careful, Barack.

He touched her mentally, his vapor circling hers for just a moment as if he could brush up against her in reassurance. Barack shimmered into his human form right under the female's nose, shifting back almost immediately and streaming through the house, leading the cats to the smallest bedroom, where the heavily barred traveling cage was kept.

He reached out to open the door of the cage, shifting for just seconds so he could use his hand. Forest leapt, raking Barack's arm, tearing deep gouges in his skin before Barack could shift back to mist. He streamed toward the back of the cage, leading the two leopards inside. They followed, raging at him.

Behind them, he waved the door closed. Both threw themselves at the bars, snarling a protest. Barack didn't wait for them to settle down, sending word to Darius and the other band members before taking his natural form.

Syndil was already reaching for him, stroking her fingers down his arm, leaning into him to use her saliva to heal the wounds. "You need to be faster," she told him, her large eyes chastising him.

A slow smile lit his dark gaze. "I don't know, sweetheart. Then I wouldn't have your sexy little mouth all over me, now would I?"

Her eyebrow shot up. "Actually, yes, you probably would."

Chapter 8

Mikhail flew low over the forest, making several passes, quartering the region in an effort to ferret out any danger that might be lurking to harm his people. He touched Raven's mind often, could feel her happiness as she prepared whatever dish she was making for the celebration dinner. He had had no idea she missed cooking, and it shamed him. He had been her lifemate for years, yet he still was discovering things about her. She enjoyed the preparation of a meal, the presentation, the pleasure others received from it.

He felt the mental brush of her fingers over his skin. Felt her smile, the warmth in her eyes.

Yes, I do enjoy cooking for others, but it certainly is nothing I need in my life-as you are. My life is full, Mikhail, and I have no regrets.

Her voice filled his mind with love, kept even the memories of the terrible, haunting loneliness at bay. No Carpathian male who had lost emotion and the ability to see in color and then had it all restored by finding his lifemate would ever give her up. At that moment, he ached inside with love for her. It helped ease the terrible burden of knowing that some of the unattached warriors who had returned for the celebration, men of honor and integrity, would eventually lose their battle with darkness.

You are worried about Dimitri.

I feel-uneasy. There is trouble in the wind, but I cannot find it. Dimitri does concern me. None of us can forget the loneliness we felt before we found our lifemates, but at the same time, we also remember the darkness spreading, taking over, the demon calling for freedom. There was both worry and warning in his voice.

Dimitri will be fine because he has to be. You can only do so much, Mikhail. The others have responsibility too. You did not create the species.

No, but my people were left in my hands and I intend that they flourish. I refuse to allow nature or our enemies or even our own natures