Reading his mind, Savannah reached up to soothe Gregori, rubbing the pad of her finger back and forth over his frown lines. “You will save her. I know you will, Gregori.” She could feel the sheer magnitude of his emotions swamping him as he looked upon kin he thought lost to him forever.
Gregori’s arm circled her waist at once, locking her beneath his broad shoulder. “I cannot imagine what this man is feeling with his lifemate so threatened.” His silver gaze slid over Savannah. “There are few threats that would shake me, but such danger to you would leave me decidedly rattled.”
A slow grin curved her soft mouth, and her eyes sparkled like gems. She was willing to provide the laughter for him, the teasing to ease the overpowering emotions. She was his lifemate, and he was in her care, however much he thought it was the other way around. “Decidedly rattled? I do love the way you put things. That is such an understatement. If I stub my toe, you lose your mind.”
Darius’s eyebrows shot up and Julian snorted, a blatant smirk on his face. “I would like to see that, Savannah. The dark one losing his mind is an image I will savor for some time.” Julian exchanged a grin with Darius. “I seem to recall, Darius, he often lectured Mikhail on how a lifemate should obey her master.”
Savannah swung around to pin Gregori with a glare worthy of her heritage. “Master? Obey her master?”
The silver eyes slid over Julian, deadly, gleaming with a promise of retaliation. “I am certain I never used the word ‘master.’ ”
“I believe, Savannah, Gregori was rather severe with your father at times for the amount of freedom he allowed Raven,” Julian informed her. “And actually, I am certain the word ‘master’ was used more than once. I know ‘obey’ was.” He tilted his head to one side. “You might speak with your sister – she has not yet grasped the concept of obedience.”
Desari made a face. “Do not allow him to fool you, Savannah. Julian and I have a true partnership. He likes to grumble, but it works out quite well.”
Savannah smiled up at Gregori. “That does give me hope, then. I just have to grow into my powers a bit.”
“And what then?” Gregori caught her by the shoulders and gave her a little shake. “The very idea of you with any more power than you already have terrifies me. I cannot imagine what you are thinking of doing.”
“Why, helping you, of course.” Savannah patted his muscular shoulder.
“We have much to talk about,” Darius said, “and little time to visit. I feel Dayan’s anxiety even now, across the distance. I had thought we might continue our journey through the dawn to draw closer to them, although this is a safe area to spend the day deep in the ground.”
“Link with Dayan, Darius, and I will link with you. I wish to examine her myself and see what we are up against,” Gregori decided. “With all of us holding, we should be strong enough to permit an examination.”
Darius nodded and reached at once across time and space. ‘Dayan. The dark one has arrived. He is strong and capable and wishes to “see” what he is up against. I feel your anxiety. Has something more happened to cause your fear?’
Dayan glanced down at Corinne. She was half awake, half asleep, floating somewhere in a dreamlike state in between. She is restless tonight, even after our healing session, Darius. And her body is unable to regulate her temperature properly. I feel that she is moving away from this world and approaching the next.’
‘Link with her and allow him to see what is happening. ‘ Darius kept his voice calm and sure. More than anything, Dayan had to believe they could keep Corinne alive.
There was a slight hesitation. ‘You trust this man?’
‘He is my brother, lifemate to Savannah, daughter of the Prince.’ Darius sent reassurance. ‘I stand with you, Dayan. Gregori has traveled far to aid us.’ Deliberately Darius used the plural, reminding Dayan they were a family, together in all things. Dayan had all the instincts of a Carpathian male protecting his lifemate. Gregori was a stranger to him and therefore suspect.