Dark Fire by Christine Feehan. Dark Series – book 6

“How long has he been like this?” Julian demanded.

“He was shot,” Tempest said without opening her eyes. “I told him to sleep, that I would find the rest of you.”

Julian bent close to Darius, tore at his own wrist with his teeth, and pressed the wound firmly over Darius’s mouth. “Take what is freely offered that you might live both for your lifemate and yourself.” He was unexpectedly gentle, his voice a blend of concern and hypnotic compulsion.

Darius moved then, for the first time in hours, his hand rising weakly to grip Julian’s wrist and hold it to his mouth. Julian began the ritual healing chant, and from several miles away, the rest of the Carpathians, linked as they were with their unique telepathy, joined in. All of them felt Darius’s weakness and pain. All of them knew he would not go to ground as he needed.

Tempest pushed herself from the driver’s seat and staggered down the trailer until she could drop to her knees beside Darius. “Is he going to be okay, Julian?”

“He is weak. He went into battle already drained of his strength. He used mental energy to focus the storm and hide the bus.” Julian looked worried, his eyes filled with concern. “He must go to ground and heal. He needs to sleep the sleep of our people.”

Darius roused himself, the blood of the ancients flowing strong in his veins. “She was lost again, was she not?”

“I wasn’t lost,” Tempest protested, her voice drowsy. “I was simply looking for a good place to rest.”

Julian shrugged. “She took a wrong turn a few miles ago. I will drive both of you to the others. You must sleep, Darius.”

“I must protect Tempest.” It was an implacable statement, an order given by a being used to being obeyed.

Tempest leaned her head against his leg. “You’re about as much protection as a wet noodle right now, Darius. I’m protecting you.” She would have glared at him, but she didn’t have the energy to lift her head. “Get it? I’m taking the responsibility for a change.”

Julian shook his head at them. “You are both a sorry sight. I have no choice but to offer my protection. I will drive. You two rest.”

“Good idea,” Darius and Tempest said simultaneously.

Darius reached down until he found Tempest’s hand and laced his fingers through hers, connecting them together. They were content to be silent for a long while, the swaying of the bus curiously comforting. Then Darius’s thumb began to move, a feather-light touch brushing gently back and forth across her knuckles. “I need to feel your body beside mine,” he murmured beneath his breath.

Tempest heard the urgency of his need in his voice. He never tried to hide it from her, never worried that he sounded vulnerable. She was exhausted, so much so that it was an effort to lift herself to the other side of the low couch. Sliding beside him, she fit her body to his. Darius instantly turned to wrap his arms around her. She felt as though she was home, safe and protected, where she belonged. She closed her eyes and slept, not realizing Darius had given her a slight mental push to help her drift off peacefully.

Tempest jerked awake just under an hour later as Julian parked the trailer at the chosen site and opened the door for the others. Desari rushed in, a soft cry of alarm escaping as she saw her brother and Tempest. Her hand went to her throat. “Julian?” Her ethereal voice wavered for a moment as she sought reassurance from her lifemate.

“He needs more blood and the earth to heal him,” Julian supplied.

Darius pushed himself into a sitting position, his black eyes moving over his family crowding around him. “Do not look so worried. It is not as if I have never been injured before. It is nothing.” He turned to look down at Tempest.

She simply didn’t have the energy to move. She lay, her body like lead, just staring lovingly up at his face. His hand stroked her cheek, then settled around her neck. Darius was looking at her as if she were his entire world.