Dark Melody Page 0,119

but it was exhilarating rather than frightening. She felt perfectly safe, perfectly protected in Dayan's arms, even traveling at such a fast pace and in such a bizarre fashion. She turned her face up to the sky, observing the purplish hues streaking across the rolling black clouds. It was unbelievably beautiful, and she found tears burning in her eyes. This was Dayan's world, a place of magic. The night was his, and he could soar like an eagle or run through a forest as fast as a wolf. Corinne had never been able to run in her life. This was her moment, her last moment to fly.

Dayan, reading her thoughts, blinked back the tears threatening to burn his eyes and choke his throat.

Not so, love; we have eternity.

As they sped through the waning storm, Darius and Gregori remained very close to Dayan and Corinne. Desari's lifemate, Julian, was also on his way to the cave, still a distance away. He had been designated the cleanup man, assigned to erase all evidence of the destroyed vampire and the human members of the society the vampire had used to try to throw the hunters off his trail.

Corinne was content to rest in Dayan's arms. She knew the others were arriving, some in pairs, some alone. She was fast gaining the attributes of Dayan's people. Her hearing was far more acute. She could see clearly in the night. Her talent was telekinesis, yet now she felt things much more deeply. She knew the Carpathian people were gathering to help Dayan save her life and the life of her unborn daughter. The healers were preparing for an early birth, perhaps even an attempt to take the child should Corinne not survive. She wasn't certain whether she was receiving the information from Dayan or she was so connected to the healers that she was reading their minds by herself.

Dayan glided across the floor of the healing cave, holding Corinne close to him. They seemed to be floating, feather-light, unconnected to the ground. Lights sprang up, hundreds of them, candle after candle so that the flames flickered and danced on the walls of the cave. It was beautiful. The multicolored crystals, some tall towers, others in rows of squat columns, shimmered with muted fire. Gems picked up the colors and flames, amplifying them and generating replicas all over the chamber, adding to the brilliance. The candles gave off that strange, soothing fragrance Corinne remembered from before. The combination of scents instilled a peaceful tranquility in all who could take it into their lungs. She felt the power of the place moving through her body, as well as the combined strength of the healers.

Corinne made the effort to look around herself, wanting to see these people who had traveled long distances, some of them across oceans, to aid in the efforts to save her life and that of her daughter. She recognized some faces from her first trip to the cave, but there were more now. In her mind she could hear the soft chant of voices, not just of the people in the cave, but also those of unknown Carpathians far away. She knew from Dayan, that this was a well-coordinated effort on the part of the healers, who were determined not to lose her to death. Determined not to lose Dayan. Not to lose her baby.

Corinne was grateful to them all, but it seemed as if it were all happening to someone else. She was observing everything as if she were hovering above the scene, rather than in the center of it. There were males determined to save her for more reasons than simple sympathy. She was a female of great psychic talent, proven to be capable of conceiving a daughter of extraordinary psychic talent. Her daughter was already prized by these people, a treasure they would guard and protect should something happen to her. She felt it. She read it in their minds, merged as they all were together.

She turned her attention to Dayan. He was pale, lines etched deeply into his handsome face. His black eyes drifted over her face lovingly in a brooding, sensual study that melted her heart. He looked alone, raw, vulnerable. Corinne lifted her hand and touched his face, her fingertips gentle as they traced his mouth. "Don't look so sad, Dayan," she said softly. "You came back - that's all that matters."

"I should never have left you. There were other hunters who could have killed the vampire. I