Her eyes searched his black gaze. There was pain there, in the dark depths. He was hurt, and it upset her. “Dayan, you have probably always had the ability to read minds, so it is second nature to you, but to someone who isn’t telepathic it is uncomfortable. I am used to censoring my thoughts, choosing how I want to present myself to the world. You can see into my mind, but for some strange reason, it doesn’t bother me. If it were anyone else, including John or Lisa, I would be horrified that someone could read my thoughts. That should tell you something right there.”
“You think it tells you something, Corinne. I already know why you feel that way. You are my lifemate, the one who holds the light and compassion, guards these treasures for me. You are my anchor in a world of darkness and violence, of bleak emptiness. You are the other half of my soul. The best half. I know I need you far more than you will ever need me. I know these things. You have not come to terms with what you feel because you do not trust it. You do not entirely trust me.”
“How can you say that, Dayan? I’m here with you instead of in a hospital. I just met you, and some fairly bizarre things have happened, but I’m still with you.”
He laughed softly. “As I recall, you had no real choice in the matter. I picked you up and carried you out of the hospital. You were not in any condition to argue with me.”
“That’s not the point.” She was trying hard to find the energy to sit up. “I’m not the type of person to just go off with someone – that’s the point. Obviously, I feel strongly for you.” She plucked at the quilt with idle fingers. “The healer believes my heart will give out eventually, doesn’t he?”
“You knew it would. I have looked closely at your memories. You have been to many doctors. There is little hope,” he answered cautiously.
“Then you know I cannot possibly survive, Dayan,” she said quietly. “I don’t want you to think I’m choosing to leave you. I don’t have a choice.”
“You have a choice,” he replied softly. But he knew he wasn’t telling her the truth and he looked away from her, unable to tell the lie and look into her eyes. She didn’t have a choice because he wouldn’t allow her to die.
“You aren’t looking at me, Dayan,” she said softly. “You can’t have it both ways. If you’re not going to tell me the truth, don’t expect me to trust you implicitly. You don’t have to hide anything from me. If the healers told you my heart was failing, that isn’t exactly news to me.”
Dayan touched her mind with warmth and reassurance. “Your heart is failing. But I intend for you to live at any cost.” He said it starkly, without embellishment.
Her palm framed his face, studying his expression carefully. “I see what’s in your mind. I don’t know how, but I can read your thought right now. You think that somehow, miraculously, you’ll save me, even if the baby isn’t ready to be born when my heart fails. I don’t know how you think you can perform such a miracle, but, Dayan, if there is a chance for the baby, that’s what I have to concentrate on. She has to be saved.”
“The healer is doing his best for her, Corinne, but do not ask me to choose the child’s life over yours, because I will not.” This time he did look her directly in the eye, wanting her to know he was serious.
“Dayan,” she reprimanded softly, “the baby comes first. If there is a choice to be made between my daughter’s life or mine, you will instruct the healers to save her. If you can’t make that promise to me then you’ll have to take me back to the hospital and Lisa, where they’ll follow my instructions.”
Dayan shook his head. “They cannot do anything for you at the hospital. Gregori believes there is a good chance to save both of you. We are awaiting Shea, as she is our expert with infants. I will not take you back to the hospital. It would be a death sentence.”