“I’m not certain what was real and what I dreamed,” Corinne found herself answering honestly. “I don’t understand why I feel so much better, when the doctors said I was dying and nothing could save me.”
“There are those among our people born with the ability to separate themselves from the physical body and use pure energy to find the problems inside the body of a sick or wounded person. We heal from the inside out. There are no cuts made on the outer body, no sutures. The healing is done with light and energy,” Desari answered matter-of-factly. “Darius has this gift, as does Gregori. We all do to a small extent, but they are very powerful.”
Corinne turned the information over and over in her mind. It sounded insane, something from a science fiction story, but the fact remained that the doctors had given up on her and she was supposed to be dead. Her fingers remained tangled with Dayan’s for support. “I feel much better.”
Desari’s smile was beautiful. Her raven-colored hair was in a thick braid hanging to her waist. She tossed it carelessly over her shoulder. She looked so poised, so beautiful and healthy, so alive that Corinne found herself close to tears. She herself would never look that good, not in a million years, and beside her was Dayan, the perfect male specimen.
‘There can be no other for me, honey.’ His voice whispered intimately in her mind, a soft reprimand. He flooded her with his feelings, everything at once. She sensed aching love, so strong that nothing could ever come between them, not even death. Physical desire, a raging fire in his blood, a hunger and need to unite them for eternity. ‘You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. I do not see another.’
There was something wildly erotic about talking to Dayan in her mind. It was so private and sinfully intimate. Corinne blushed for no reason at all. She was so pleased with his response to her thoughts, she barely noticed the two men who had entered the room.
Gregori cleared his throat politely, inclining his head toward her. “I hope you are feeling better, Corinne.”
Her fingers tightened around Dayan’s. “I am, thank you very much.” She blushed, realizing she sounded like a child thanking an adult.
“What we did is temporary, Corinne.” The healer’s silver eyes glittered at her. “I do you the courtesy of telling the truth. The disease has progressed beyond our abilities to cure it. I will treat you as often as necessary to ensure that your daughter has time to grow strong. She needs a few more weeks. Every day, every hour counts for her. You must stay on bed rest and not tax your heart. Do not fear the birth; we have no intention of allowing you to slip away from us.” Gregori smiled his encouragement. “Darius is with me, and I know he can appear quite intimidating. I do not want his manner to frighten you. He is my younger brother, and if he snarls at you, I will take him to task as befitting a younger sibling.”
Corinne blinked. It took a heartbeat or two to realize the predatory man with the slashing eyes was teasing her. Teasing his brother. She glanced at Darius. Her mouth twitched, but she managed not to smile. “I’m certain you heard that, Darius. I’ll take full advantage if you get all snarly on me.”
For all her teasing manner, Corinne still gripped Dayan’s hand hard when Darius loomed over her. Like his older brother Gregori, Darius wielded a power that seemed to fill the entire room. Dayan’s enormous power was strong but subtle. Gregori and Darius were altogether different. A bit shorter than Dayan, they carried most of their weight in their wide shoulders and muscular arms. Each had pulled his long black hair back with a leather thong at the nape of his neck. While Gregori had peculiar silver eyes, Darius’s eyes were as black as coal. Both looked very dangerous. Corinne couldn’t believe she had dared to tease them.
“Good evening, little sister,” Darius said courteously. “I am glad to see you have awakened. I was beginning to worry, something I prefer not to do. You will do well to remember that.” He leaned close to her ear, speaking in a fake whisper. “Just so you know, Gregori does not travel with the band.”