Dark Melody

Chapter 16

Corinne woke, her body rippling with pain. She heard the soft echoing cry of the baby, and was frightened that her time to give birth had come too soon. It was that small, forlorn cry in her mind that kept Corinne calm. She took a deep slow breath to provide her daughter with precious oxygen. “We’re all right, baby,” she crooned softly. “We expected this to happen.”

It was very dark in the cave. Only the water shining like black silver gave off a faint light, a reflection from a vent far overhead, yet Corinne could see as clearly as if it were daytime. She took a cautious inventory of her body, excited, afraid, yet determined. She tried not to notice that her heart was pounding far too hard and laboring sluggishly.

She didn’t want to think of dying, or to be frightened by it. She had loved. Completely. Totally. Without reservation. And she had been loved in return the same way. How many others could say that? And she knew she would accomplish this most important, most monumental task of her lifetime. She would leave a legacy of beauty and wonder. A treasure for the world. Her daughter. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, centering herself. She could do this. She could always do what was required of her. More than anything else in her life, this was her important moment. Giving life to her daughter.

“We can do this, baby,” she whispered softly. “Together. The two of us. We can do this.” So many other women had gone before her and there would be millions after her, but this was her moment in time and she wouldn’t fail her daughter.

Corinne turned her head slowly to look at Dayan. He lay beside her absolutely motionless. He was very pale, there was no discernible rise and fall to his chest. His skin, usually hot to the touch, was stone cold. He lay as if dead. She found his long, dark, silky hair and tangled her fingers in it to connect with him. She needed him, needed him solid and real beside her. Asleep or awake, he reassured her with his presence. The sun hadn’t yet set, but instinctively she knew the time was close. It was strange not to have Dayan a shadow in her mind. He had been there so much, she took it for granted now, although she hadn’t realized until just then that she felt so connected to him at all times. How much it mattered.

So, my love, it is happening.

Her fingers tightened in his hair. She held the silken strands against her face.

‘I think we’re ready for it, as ready as anyone can be. I love you very much. Hear me, Dayan. I love you.

The wave started again, a long, angry ripple that seemed to rise higher and higher so that she breathed over the top of it, concentrating on the air moving through her lungs, winding its way to her baby. The child was uncomfortable, frightened. Something was squeezing down on her, pressing her to move, but she didn’t want it to happen yet.

Instinct took over and mother and child began to work in a kind of union. Corinne commanded her body to stay relaxed and tranquil, breathing through the uncomfortable contractions, all the while soothing the baby with her mind. She found herself astonished that she could touch the infant’s mind, that the baby was so intelligent and aware at such a young age. The baby would warn her before Corinne actually felt the onset of a contraction, enabling her to take a deep, calming breath and breathe her way through each one. She wished she could get up and walk around, knowing it would speed up the process, but didn’t dare take the chance. Despite her determination not to panic, Corinne found fear flooding her as the contractions increased and a heavy stone seemed to settle in the vicinity of her chest.

She knew the instant Dayan awoke. He was there in her mind even as he drew his first breath, even as the sound of his heart filled the chamber with its reassuring, steady beat. Her rock. Her anchor.

Dayan.

She breathed his name, inhaled his scent. Of course he would come to her in her time of need.

His hand moved over her face, a loving, tender gesture. She could feel his love for her pouring out of his heart and soul and into hers. “You will never be alone, my love, not ever again. Whatever happens here this night, I will be with you.”

“I’m glad you’re with me. I wanted Lisa, but I know she would have had a difficult time coping. I couldn’t lean on her too hard. That makes her feel so guilty. She doesn’t realize she has given me so many other gifts. I don’t need to lean on her to love her.” Her breath caught in her throat as the next contraction began to swell like a great tide.

“It is time.” He made it a soft statement. His voice was velvet soft. His black eyes met her moss-green ones, and instantly she was falling through time and space into a deep, fathomless well. Dayan shifted position even as he held her mesmerized within his hypnotic gaze.

Her time has come. The baby is coming, and her heart is failing. We have need of healers now.

He sent the call out into the night, knowing the others were somewhere close by, sleeping beneath the soil in the network of underground tunnels and chambers. His call would awaken them instantly.

He held her in the thrall of his gaze, removing the pain from the experience of labor to rest her heart. He could hear it, the terrible skipping, the heralding of disaster. Her body was already worn out, and she was just beginning.

“I can’t feel the contractions anymore,” she whispered. “I’m supposed to help the baby through this, Dayan. If I can’t feel what’s happening, how can I help her?”

“I am simply blocking the pain as mortals often do with medications when they give birth; you will feel the contractions without the discomfort of labor.” He was outwardly calm, tranquil within his mind where she was safely merged with him. Deep inside where she couldn’t see, a hand was squeezing his heart like a vise. “There is no need to put unnecessary strain on your heart if I can prevent it.” He tried to sound matter-of-fact. The moment the contraction was over, Dayan pulled her into his arms, sensing her need to change position.

Corinne was devoting every ounce of will to keep her heart going, but the labor was depleting her energy quickly. Dayan buried his face in the silky strands of her hair, hiding there for a moment while he forced away his own fears. “I wish I could do this for you, Corinne,” he murmured softly.

She tilted her head to kiss him. “Lisa is fragile, Dayan. She’s my family and I love her very much.” Corinne found it difficult to catch enough breath to speak.

Dayan held her in his strong arms as if that would keep her from traveling beyond his world. “Ssh, honey, I will see to it that Lisa is protected and loved all her life. You do not need to worry about her.”

But what if I don’t make it, Dayan? Who will tell her, how will she get here to be with the baby and you? Cullen—

“Cullen is doing very well at the moment, resting comfortably with Lisa holding his hand,” he assured her quickly. “Syndil and Barack are guarding them, making sure no harm comes to either of them. I can touch them at any time, as you are able to do. You have only to send your fears to our brethren and they will reassure you as I am doing. Syndil knows you are in labor; she is monitoring us as I am monitoring them.”

Don’t let her tell Lisa anything is wrong. If something happens to me, you go to Lisa yourself. You go, Dayan. You must be the one to tell her.

“I want you to remain quiet, honey. Conserve your energy. Your job is to stay alive through this, to give life to our child. Do not worry about something that may never happen, and certainly not about Lisa, who is perfectly safe.”

The next contraction swept through her body, much more intense than the last. Her heart erupted into a violent, frenzied pounding. It was impossible to breathe. A stone was crushing her chest, and inside her, the baby went very, very quiet. Panic welled up as she fought just to breathe. She knew Dayan was aiding her, yet she couldn’t draw air into her lungs.

Gregori shimmered into the room. One moment there was no one beside the bed, and in the next instant, he stood tall and straight, invincible. His smile looked reassuring, but Corinne was beginning to know him through their continual mind merges. There was worry in his mind. Darius loomed over her too, a larger-than-life figure so powerful he seemed unshakable. A woman emerged from what seemed thin air, transparent at first, then very real. She was small, with wine-red hair, and she gave the impression of total competency. She was the one who leaned close and put her hand on Corinne’s abdomen, a slight frown of concentration on her face.

“This is Shea, Corinne,” Gregori said softly. “Trust in her judgment as we do.” Gregori took her hand. “Our people are gathering wherever they are and they will lend their aid also. We will do this.”

Corinne glued her eyes to Dayan.

Save my baby.

It was a desperate plea.

Something’s wrong, I can feel it.

“Corinne — “ Shea’s voice was gentle but very firm. “I’m going to take the baby immediately. She’s in trouble, and we need to get her out now.” She looked up at Dayan.

You must complete the ritual as I do so, Dayan. Bring her across fully into our world and we will hope her body will go through the conversion fast enough to sustain her life. Gregori and Darius will aid you in this. Julian stands by to give his blood, as does Jacques.

As she spoke to Dayan, she was already prepping Corinne, deftly cutting through clothing, without any need of light. Her mind was directing Darius and Gregori without having to use words as they worked together like a well-oiled machine.

Dayan shifted position again, his arms encircling Corinne, her head resting on his chest. Shea was fast and efficient, a highly skilled surgeon as well as a Carpathian healer. It was obvious to Corinne that Shea knew what she was doing. She felt no pain; they were working in concert to prevent pain. She felt strange sensations as Shea did the emergency procedure, opening her womb to allow access to the baby.

Corinne felt disconnected from the entire procedure. She was drifting again in a dream world, uncertain what was reality and what was dream. She saw the red-haired woman cutting into her. She saw Dayan nuzzling her neck, his mouth drifting over her pulse, his teeth sinking into her skin. None of it alarmed her. Gregori had centered himself, moved from his own body to become pure light and energy, streaming into Corinne in order to slow down the death process and speed up the conversion.

Corinne heard voices chanting in an ancient tongue, saw the flurry of activity as others brought a small enclosure like an incubator into the chamber. Dayan lifted his head, his face a mask of torment. That moved her even when nothing else seemed to. She ached for him, for his sorrow. He looked older; there were lines etched deeply into his dark, sensual features. She saw him make a thin cut along the heavy muscles of his chest, over his heart. She saw him press her to him, holding her close, murmuring to her, commanding her to take what he offered so they both would live.

She saw herself attempting to obey his command, her movements weak and feeble so that Dayan had to hold her head to him, stroke her throat so she would convulsively swallow. At the same time, she saw Shea lift out the baby, a tiny form. Her helpers were moving even faster now, cutting the cord, working on the baby, Darius very much in the forefront. He bent over the baby, his manner protective, tender even.

Corinne felt the tears on her face. Happiness. It was done. Her daughter was alive and in a circle of people who would love and care for her. Drifting above it all, Corinne was so tired she just wanted to close her eyes and let go. Sleep a long, long time. An eternity maybe. It seemed she had been tired all her life.

No!

The command was sharp.

You are not finished here, Corinne. I forbid you to do this.

The voice was imperious, authoritative. It followed her into her dreams and shook her out of her dreamlike state. She found herself in Dayan’s arms, her mouth pressed to her chest, warm salty liquid pouring down her throat.

It is enough!

Gregori warned Dayan before Corinne could fully comprehend what was happening and panic, or be repulsed and fight.

There can be no resistance on her part. She simply isn’t strong enough to survive if she resists.

Dayan immediately allowed Julian to close the wound in his chest and he held Corinne to him, locking her mind to his. She was fading away — he could feel her spirit drifting further from him, yet her departure wasn’t a conscious choice. She seemed unable to rally enough strength to keep fighting, even with his ancient blood, even with the Carpathians pouring their strength of will into her frail body.

Dayan rested his head on hers. They had waited too long. Her poor mortal body had fought as long as it was able, remaining just long enough to give life to another. Now the life force was slipping away from her. She was no longer feeling the blood coursing through her body. Her fragile heart was still pumping because Gregori was forcing the damaged organ to do its job, but Corinne seemed too far away to call back.

Dayan felt them all around him - his people, his family. The chant swelled in volume. He heard the baby’s soft distressed cry as Shea worked with her. He inhaled the scent of healing herbs. For a moment he allowed himself the last luxury of taking it all in, the beauty of the chamber, the flood of memories of his life: shape-shifting, soaring, challenging the earth itself as he gained knowledge; his beloved music, so much a part of him. He loved it all, but the woman in his arms was everything. Nothing else would ever matter to him.

Without her, there would be no color, no light, no music in his heart or soul.

Dayan bent his head to brush her eyelids, the corner of her mouth, with his.

I love you, Corinne. You do not go alone into a strange world. I am with you.

At once there was a loud protest. Sharp. Demanding. All of them. His family. From a distance he heard Barack’s and Syndil’s cries of alarm. He heard the echo of Cullen, who must have caught the objection from Barack’s mind. He heard Julian’s sharp denial and Desari’s soft little murmur of dissent. Tempest called to him. Gregori and Savannah added their demands. But it was Darius whom Dayan had followed all his life, only Darius he answered to. And it was Darius who commanded him now.

You will not follow her. You will save her.

The voice was incredibly soft, but Darius had no need ever to raise his voice to be obeyed.

She does not wish to continue, Darius. I can do no other than allow her to rest.

Darius’s hand came down hard on Dayan’s shoulder, connecting them physically.

You can be her lifemate later, giving in to her every desire, but not now. You are Carpathian, Dayan. We embrace life. We hold on. We endure. You will not release her or yourself from this world. She has the right to make her decision.

He had the right to make his choice; Corinne deserved the same respect. It was the last thing he could give her.

This was not her choice, Dayan!

Darius persisted.

She was never given a choice. Death was inevitable, and she knew and accepted that. She is tired and worn, but this is not her choice. She embraced you, accepted you, knowing what you are. She did not resist each time you offered to bring her into our world. You were not keeping the knowledge from her; she always knew it on some level. Her choice would be life, you, her child. She cannot make that decision, so you must make it for her. You do not realize how tired and worn you yourself are, how much energy you have used in keeping her alive to give the child a chance. You are not thinking straight. You will not go with her. You will stay with us, and you will turn your will on her and prevent this tragedy.

It was no less than a decree. A command meant to be obeyed.

Darius suddenly crouched low and looked Dayan in the eye. “If you ever trusted me, trusted my judgment, if you ever believed in me, follow me now.”

Dayan felt the strength of his leader, the man he named brother, flowing into him, and he nodded, a slow, grim smile softening the edges of his mouth. It had been long since he had known emotion around his family, and now his pride and love for them were overwhelming. He turned inward, swiftly pursued and caught up with that weak, flickering light that was moving so far away from him. He surrounded Corinne’s spirit; his will a strong wall, an anchor to hold her in his world.

Corinne. Know me.

He felt her response. Weak. Fluttery. But she knew him. Of course she knew him. She would know him anywhere. What had he been thinking? Corinne loved life. She embraced life. She might be accepting of the hardships life had handed her, but she found joy in all things, beauty in the world around her. She wanted to raise her daughter, she wanted to see Lisa’s and Cullen’s happiness. Corinne wanted a life with Dayan.

Dayan held her locked to him. Her spirit was being pulled away from him, away from her damaged body. He saw Gregori and Darius working, two points of pure light, massaging and stimulating her heart. He knew Gregori commanded that more blood be given, and it was Jacques, brother to the Prince, who supplied it to Corinne. Dayan saw the two healers work furiously at spreading the blood to the organs of Corinne’s body in hopes of speeding the conversion. Both were exhausted from maintaining the out-of-body experience, but neither wavered in his task.

I’m tired. Let me sleep for a while.

It was those last six little words that convinced him. She wanted sleep, not death. Not eternal sleep.

Not yet, my love. It is not over yet. One more thing. Just one, and I will allow you to sleep as long as you like. Join with me, merge into my mind so that I can keep you safe while you cross over fully into my world.

The first ripple of pain was shocking. It felt like fire racing through her bloodstream. Corinne’s body contorted, jerked in Dayan’s arms. He couldn’t believe the force of the rush, a fireball consuming her. She cried out, the sound torn from her throat, loud in the hushed stillness of the chamber, so that it echoed up the vent into the night sky.

Oh, God, she cannot survive this. I do not want her last moments to be such pain.

The words broke from him as tiny beads of blood oozed across his forehead. He could not take the pain away. He had dulled it, but it was something none of them could fully prevent.

She must survive.

Darius was implacable in his resolve.

Dayan breathed deeply, allowed the pain to wash over and through him before he turned his complete attention inward to that fragile spirit huddling so weakly within the walls he’d constructed. Corinne astonished him. She was unafraid. She was as accepting of the conversion as she had been of her labor. She was weak, though, and unable to aid him in gathering strength for the coming battle.

The next wave of fire burned through her internal organs with a jolt so severe, she was nearly wrenched out of Dayan’s arms. There was no gradual buildup. The healers were forcing the conversion to accommodate her disintegrating heart. It would have failed long before if the two healers had ceased their work.

Dayan held Corinne’s head as she was violently sick, again and again. She was too weak to move or help herself. He took great care that she did not inhale, seeing that she expelled every damaging toxin from her body. He found himself clenching his teeth against the waves of terrible pain racing through her body. Deep within his mind he felt her spirit falter, the light flickering.

No!

He clung to her, turned every ounce of his will to prevent that light from being extinguished. They had come so far. Death must not take her now.

The chant was a continual murmur in his mind, and he knew it was aiding the process, but he needed something else, something to draw her to him. The baby was quiet, fighting her own battle for life with Shea’s help. It came to him then. The one thing he could give her that he knew she loved. His music. He began to sing. Softly at first, a melody of dark, dangerous love. A ballad of need. Of a man’s desperate fight for the one woman he loved above all else.

Desari joined in on the chorus, her beautiful, magical voice a gift from the heavens. She sang with him, helping him use his voice to draw Corinne from the jaws of death. The notes leapt into the air, silver and gold, dancing like glinting sunlight in the darkened chamber.

He felt Corinne’s response then. Weak, but there. She clung to the sound of their voices, allowed the melody to take her away from the terrible burning in her body, the humiliation of her system ridding itself of human toxins. The loss of control, the helpless feeling of lying unable to move, while her body contorted and writhed with pain. She chained herself to those notes, his gift to her, and floated above the fire, holding to life, clinging to Dayan, her solid anchor.

He was humbled by her complete trust and faith in him. He had no idea if he would have given his life so completely into another’s hands. He was awed and humble and grateful. Blood-red tears dripped onto the back of his hand, but his voice never wavered as he sang to her.

The ordeal seemed an eternity to him, and his newfound emotions were raw. But he sang with his heart and soul. His voice surrounded her, lifted her above the terrible pain and kept her anchored firmly to him.

Now, Dayan.

There was relief in Darius’s voice.

Send her to sleep and we can complete the healing.

It took a few moments for Dayan to realize what Darius meant. The healers had managed to utilize his blood and the precious blood of the Prince’s lineage to convert Corinne’s failing human heart into a strong Carpathian heart. The danger was over. He could barely comprehend that it could be so. He felt as if he had fought ten thousand battles, as if he had been fighting for all time.

He issued the command to sleep, strong, compelling, instant. Corinne had no choice but to obey, and in her weakened state, it was easy for him to send her into the Carpathian method of sleeping. Dayan breathed a sigh of relief. At last she was beyond pain. He looked up, his broad shoulders sagging. He was completely drained of energy. He had given Corinne a large amount of blood, he had not fed, nor had he slept in the rejuvenating soil. His every ounce of energy had been utilized to keep Corinne’s heart and lungs going, to bind her to him. The emotions he had withstood would have been enough to drain his great strength. He was dangerously weak and pale.

He looked around the chamber to the others who had offered so much for him, for Corinne. Shea was working on the baby. He found himself smiling, a slow grin that replaced his fatigue with warmth. His child. Corinne might think of their daughter as John’s, and he understood, but in truth, she carried Dayan’s blood in her body. While Darius and Gregori continued to work at healing Corinne, he studied the baby.

“Will she live?” he asked Shea quietly.

The red-haired woman glanced at him. “She’s very strong and she wants life. Corinne, Gregori, Darius and you did a good job of instilling a strong will in her. She will have loving, nurturing parents. I think it will be best if she stays here for a few weeks to give her body time to adjust to the outside world, but she is doing quite well.”

“Few babies survive the first year.” Pain sliced through him at the thought of losing the infant. He felt fiercely protective of her.

“That is so,” Shea admitted, “but I have done a tremendous amount of research and I think I can keep her alive. Diet is important. A Carpathian infant’s body is different from an adult’s. We can no longer nurse them the way humans can, and they need a mixture of nutrients. Our blood is too rich for them. That is why it was important the baby didn’t convert before she was born. She is just too small to live through it.”

“It does not make sense that a mother cannot feed her own baby. Has this always been so? Nature provides for the young.”

Shea nodded. “Hundreds of years ago, according to Gabriel and Lucian, our people didn’t have this problem. Something has happened in the intervening years to cause this dilemma. The change took place sometime around the late thirteen hundreds or early fourteen hundreds. I’m almost certain of it. I’m very close to finding out.” She spoke confidently. “In the meantime, this baby has special needs. She is not fully human, nor is she fully Carpathian. Rather than try to bring her over, I believe we should allow her to grow as she is, at least until she is older. I was not fully Carpathian and I managed to survive. Gregori and I have worked on a diet we think will aid this little one in growing strong. And should there be any problems, we can monitor from a distance and immediately aid you. She has a good chance, Dayan.”

“Thank you for what you have done for us.”

Shea smiled at him. “I am glad I could get here in time. The journey was long, and we could travel only at night, covering many miles quickly. I feel your worry for Corinne. Darius and Gregori will heal her body completely. When she rises, it will be with a strong heart and a perfectly healed body. She won’t have any aftereffects of childbirth. They will see to it that she feels no discomfort. Allow her to rest for several risings beneath the healing soil. The baby will be fine with us. She knows us, and although she wants the comfort of her mother, we will do for her.”

“Who will care for her during the hours of daylight? She cannot go to ground as we must, and she is too weak to be unattended, commanded to sleep during our hours of sleep. We must bring Lisa here.” Suddenly Dayan was thinking like a father, not a Carpathian.

Shea smiled her reassurance. “We have dragged poor Gary Jansen with us. He has been a tremendous help in my research and is fully under the protection of all Carpathians. He will tend the baby while we are deep within the soil.”

Dayan looked skeptical.

Shea laughed at him. “Gary is perfectly capable of taking care of this baby. Trust me. I work with him all the time. And he was entrusted with the care of Falcon and Sara’s adopted children during daylight hours.”

Dayan nodded reluctantly and indicated the small enclosure. “What is that?”

“It is much like a human incubator. She is still too small to live entirely on her own, but with your blood and care, she will grow very fast.” Shea cleared her throat carefully, her eyes suddenly shifting back to the baby. “When Corinne rises, she will want to see the infant, Dayan. It is natural for a mother to feel this way.”

Dayan suddenly smiled, the flash of his white teeth dispelling the worn look from his sensual features. “Are you trying to tell me in your delicate way that my lifemate will not rise with the same appetite as I will have?”

Shea laughed softly. “I think she will have the same hunger, Dayan, but her instincts will demand she see her daughter.”

“Corinne wanted to name her Jennifer after John and Lisa’s mother. I read in her mind that she was afraid to give her daughter a name, afraid it would somehow jinx the baby.” Dayan leaned over to look into the transparent enclosure. He stared at the child, a horrified expression on his face. “She would fit into my hand.”

Shea laughed at him. “She weighs about four pounds. Don’t worry, she will gain weight fast enough.”

“Dayan — “ Julian clapped him on the shoulder. “Congratulations are in order. You have a lifemate and you are a father. It is cause for great celebration. However, we must postpone any festivities until after you have fed and have gone to ground. This has been a long ordeal, and you need to rejuvenate properly. Your lifemate will heal beneath the welcoming soil. Darius and I will guard your resting place and your child with our lives.” Even as he spoke, he was casually bringing his wrist to his mouth. Without so much as a wince, he tore a wound in his skin and pressed his hand to Dayan’s mouth. “Take what I offer freely so you might grow strong to protect your lifemate and child.”

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.”

Dayan shoved a hand through his black hair, leaving it more disheveled than ever. “Thank you, Desari. Corinne has been anxious about Lisa. And I know Cullen has very strong feelings for her.”

“So Syndil tells me. Do not worry any longer, Dayan. It took some time for everyone to accept Julian into the family. Corinne and Lisa will also work out their places with time. I know you are concerned that Corinne may not want to travel with us because she has a baby, but she loves you. She knows that in your heart and soul you are a musician. As she is home to you, so are you to her.” Desari leaned over and hugged Dayan. “I love you very much, and I am so happy for you.”

Dayan kissed her and watched as Julian and Desari left the chamber, walking side by side. Julian had his arm around Desari’s slender shoulders and was whispering softly, suggestively in her ear. Dayan heard her musical voice laugh softly, happily. The sound filled him with so many memories, flooded him with warmth.

Corinne was alive and out of danger. The baby was alive and safe within the enclosure. Darius opened the earth and gestured for Dayan to gather Corinne’s body into his arms. Dayan hesitated. “You are certain this Jansen will watch over my daughter?”

Shea laughed softly. “You are already becoming a worried father. Gary is very reliable. I will be here with Jacques, of course. Darius and Tempest will sleep above you and Corinne. Gregori and Savannah are in the next chamber. Our people are everywhere within this network of tunnels. No harm will come to the baby while you rest.”

Dayan took a last look at the baby, touched the top of the transparent enclosure with his fingertips, right over the tiny infant’s head. Then he floated down into the rich, welcoming soil with Corinne, holding her close, his body protective as he allowed his heart to slow and eventually cease beating.

Darius closed the earth over their heads and turned then, into the arms of his beloved lifemate, Tempest, needing to replenish his strength.