Darius shrugged his broad shoulders as he looked at his sister, his black gaze steady and calm. “We can do no other than to aid Dayan until they arrive. Gregori and his lifemate will be here soon enough, and we will travel together to reach Dayan and the one who would join our family. Dayan has no choice but to keep her alive, and he will do so.”
Julian nodded. “Both Gregori and Shea feel it is too risky for Dayan to do a blood exchange with her while there’s a baby in her womb. Dayan said the infant is female and a strong psychic. That will help, but until the healers arrive to aid the baby, we dare not risk interference.”
Desari frowned. “If Dayan’s lifemate’s heart should give out, we will lose them both.”
Julian’s arm tightened around her. “Dayan will not allow such a thing. His lifemate’s heart is very weak, but we should be able to keep her going with our linked energy until the healers are in position to aid her and the infant.” He met Darius’s eyes over the top of his lifemate’s head. The situation was grave. Barack and Syndil were rushing back, bringing with them Shea Dubrinsky, lifemate to Jacques. Shea was an extraordinary Carpathian. A doctor, a researcher, a healer of great talent. With them traveled a human male. A friend to the Carpathian race, Gary Jansen was aiding Shea in her research to find a way to keep Carpathian children alive during the crucial first year of life. Gregori had sent information about him ahead, asking for the protection of the human from all Carpathians. The band members didn’t know Gary, but Gregori’s word would be obeyed unquestioningly within the Carpathian world.
“It is near dawn,” Darius mused aloud, “but if necessary we could continue a couple more hours under cover of a storm.”
“We said we would meet them here,” Tempest protested. “And this campsite is secluded. It is a good place to go to ground.”
Darius rubbed the bridge of his nose thoughtfully as he smiled down at his lifemate. Tempest stood with her hands on her hips, giving him that little frown that always made him want to take her somewhere secluded and kiss it right off her expressive face. “Barack and Syndil are on their way back, honey. They’ll catch up with us at the house in the Cascades. We have to travel fast if we’re going to get to Dayan quickly.”
Tempest tilted her head, her flame-red hair glinting in the moonlight. “We didn’t say we were meeting Barack and Syndil, Darius, and you darn well know it! We’re meeting Gregori and Savannah here. You want to leave because your other big brother is coming and you’re nervous about meeting him. Julian told you so many tales of the dark one, you probably have nightmares about him.” Maybe Darius didn’t, but Tempest did. And she couldn’t help teasing her husband every chance she got. They had only been together a few short weeks, and he still could take her breath away with one sensual look from his beautiful eyes. She had the feeling he always would.
Tempest sounded far too smug for his liking. Darius glared at her in warning, one eyebrow shooting high. “Nervous? I have no experience with such a thing. I have heard the tales of the dark one, a bogeyman the elders made up to frighten small children. The stories are impressive, but the man is no doubt a mere man.”
Julian’s eyebrow shot up. “Mere man?” A definite smirk settled over his face. “I’ve heard Gregori described as many things, but a mere man is not one of them.”
Desari reached out to her brother. “Darius, do you find it strange to think we have three elder brothers after all this time? First we met Lucian and Gabriel, the dark twins in the legends, tales you told us when we were children. And now Gregori, the dark healer. It is amazing to me that they live and breathe. Lucian and Gabriel were wonderful. I’m excited to meet Gregori.”
“We never knew them,” Darius pointed out. “Lucian and Gabriel were long gone, their existence no more than a myth. And Gregori was all-powerful with many responsibilities. You were a babe and I but six years old when we were lost. He was already a full-fledged male, grown in stature and strength. I doubt if he thought about us overmuch.” Again he shrugged carelessly. He had certainly thought about his brother in those days, so long ago. He had hero-worshiped him, listening to each impressive story and filing it away to take out when he was alone.