Dayan shimmered into a solid frame, bending over Corinne as he did so, his large hand engulfing hers as he brought it to his mouth. Her lashes didn’t lift, but her soft mouth curved. ‘I knew you would come.’
* * *
Chapter 15
They were gathering. Dayan wrapped Corinne in the quilt she loved so much to transport her to the cave of healing. He held her easily, her weight no more than that of a child to him. He held her carefully, his most precious treasure in all the world, sheltering her body from the elements as he whisked her through the night sky.
Corinne rubbed her face on his shoulder, snuggling closer to him, once more feeling connected to him in a strange dream world. The wind was blowing hard, tugging at her body as they rushed through the air, 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 tranquillity 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.