Dayan gratefully accepted the ancient blood. It soaked into his cells and tissues, bringing a rush of power to his depleted body. Julian had offered freely, knowing Dayan wouldn’t leave Corinne. He had gone through far too many traumas with Corinne to entrust her to any other. Dayan would guard Corinne himself, and Darius would guard the entire family as he had done for centuries. Julian, Desari’s lifemate, had taken his position guarding Darius’s back.
Barack and Syndil sent their joy winging to Dayan through the night air, a shower of sparkling gems like fireworks in the sky above the vent in the chamber’s chimney. Dayan was grateful to his family for sharing in his happiness.
The band’s beloved Desari leaned close to brush a kiss on his cheek, happiness radiating from her. Her lifemate, Julian, grinned with his familiar teasing look. They watched the other Carpathians leave the chamber, their mission of mercy accomplished. They were now free to return to their homes.
Besides Dayan’s family members, only Gregori and Shea remained behind with their lifemates. The healers would be exhausted when they finished their work, desperately in need of blood. Their lifemates would supply them blood before they would hunt on their own this night.
Gregori emerged first, his body pale, exhaustion obvious on his face. Then Darius, stumbling so that Tempest and Julian both reached for him at the same time. His skin was almost gray. He circled his lifemate’s waist lovingly. “It is done, Dayan. She will live, whole and strong.”
Gregori nodded. “Allow her to rest beneath the earth for two or three risings. Shea and Darius and I will make sure the baby lives. Corinne’s body desperately needs time to heal fully. It was the most difficult work I have ever done. I advise caution before rising; check her before you awaken her. If in doubt, call to me or Darius. We will examine her for you and give you advice.”
Behind Dayan, Julian laughed softly. “So, Gregori, perhaps you will accept my dark embrace to replenish you, after all. Savannah is rather pint-sized.”
Savannah tossed her wealth of raven hair and thumped Julian on the chest as she pushed past his much larger frame to take Gregori’s hand. “I don’t know why the lot of you insist I’m short. I happen to think of myself as being very tall.”
Dayan found himself smiling at the tender expression on Gregori’s face as the healer looked down at his rather petite lifemate. He tried to recall all he had heard of the healer. Gregori. The dark one. He had a reputation as a renowned vampire hunter, an individual others walked carefully around. But Dayan doubted that Savannah was in the least intimidated by her chosen one; she seemed to be a woman very much in love and secure within her relationship.
Dayan knew Julian fairly well. As Desari’s lifemate, Julian traveled with the band. He was definitely a law unto himself, confident and certain of his own abilities after traveling the earth alone for centuries. He could needle both Darius and Gregori easily with his taunting sense of humor, almost as if he were secretly laughing at the two men over their downfall with their women. Dayan liked Julian’s sardonic, independent nature, although it had been difficult at first to allow him entrance into their family.
Gregori smiled down at Savannah, his features full of love, then he turned ice-cold silvery eyes on Julian. “I should accept your offer, Julian, and drain you dry. It would put you in the earth for a few days and out of your lifemate’s hair.”
Julian laughed softly, nuzzling Desari’s thick mass of long, silky hair. “She loves me in her hair, right, Desari?”
Dayan could feel the relief in the room, the release of tension into humor. Gregori was nearly gray with fatigue, but no one mentioned it. Savannah glanced up at the healer, and they both simply dissolved into mist and streamed from the chamber before Dayan had a chance to thank them. He knew he owed a huge debt to Gregori.
“We will leave you now,” Desari said in her soft, musical voice, “that you may sleep undisturbed. I cannot wait to greet Corinne as a sister. I will check on Cullen this night as well. Do not worry, we are all bound by Darius’s word. He has taken Cullen into the family, and with Corinne comes Lisa. They are human, but they are well loved. I will see to it that Lisa has all the news and knows that Corinne is out of danger. I will tell her you will bring Corinne and the baby to her the moment Corinne can safely travel. Syndil says Lisa will be much relieved when she hears news of Corinne.”