Carpathian 01 - Dark Prince

Raven was finding it hard to breathe.
    "They came in on a tour together. An older couple from the States, Harry and Margaret Summers. Jacob and Shelly Evans are a brother and sister from Belgium. There were four men from different places, somewhere on the Continent. I really haven't spoken much to them."
    "Any of them could be with the assassins," he said grimly. He was secretly pleased that she hadn't paid much attention to the other men. He didn't want her looking at other men, not ever.
    "I think I would have known, don't you?" she asked. "I deal with killers more than I would like to admit.
    Only one of these people has telepathic abilities, and certainly no stronger than mine."
    She could hear the car easily now, but the dense fog prevented them from seeing it. Mikhail tipped up her chin with two fingers. "We are already bound together in the way of my people. Will you speak vows in the way of yours?"
    Her blue eyes widened with shock, eyes a man could drown in. Eyes a man could spend eternity staring into. A small, very male smile tugged at his mouth. He had succeeded in shocking her.
    "Mikhail, are you asking me to marry you?"
    "I am not really certain I know how it is done. Should I be on my knee?" He was grinning openly at her.
    "You're proposing to me with a carload of assassins approaching?"
    "Wanna-be assassins." He displayed knowledge of Stateside slang with a small, heart-wrenching smile.
    "Say yes. You know you cannot possibly resist me. Say yes."
    "After you made me drink that disgusting apple juice? You set your wolves on me, Mikhail. I know there's a long list of sins I should be reciting." Her eyes were sparkling with mischief.
    He pulled her into his arms, against the heavy muscles of his chest, fitting her neatly into the cradle of his hips. "I can see this is going to take some heavy persuasion." His lips moved over her face like a brand, fastened on her mouth and rocked the very earth.
    "No one should be able to kiss like this," Raven whispered.
    He kissed her again, tantalizingly sweet, his tongue sliding over hers sensuously, pure magic, pure Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    promise. "Say yes, Raven. Feel how much I need you."
    Mikhail dragged her closer so the hard evidence of his desire was clearly imprinted against her flat stomach. Taking her hand in his, he brought it down to cover the aching bulge, rubbed her palm slowly back and forth across him, tormenting both of them. He opened his mind so she could feel the sharpness of his hunger, the edge to his passion, the flood of warmth and love enveloping her, them. Say yes, Raven; he whispered it in her head, needing her to want him back, to accept him, good or bad.
    You take such unfair advantage. Her reply held a trace of amusement, was warm honey spilling over with love.
    The car nosed out of the mist, came to a halt under a canopy of trees. Mikhail turned to face the outsiders, instinctively placing his body protectively between Raven and the three visitors. "Father Hummer, what a pleasant surprise." Mikhail extended a welcoming hand to the priest, but there was a hard bite to his voice.
    "Raven!" Shelly Evans pushed rudely past the priest and rushed toward Raven, although her eyes were devouring Mikhail.
    Mikhail saw the ripple of dismay in Raven's eyes before Shelly reached her, flinging her arms around Raven and hugging her tightly. Shelly had no idea Raven could read her envy and her sexual interest in Mikhail. He could feel Raven's natural revulsion to physical touch, to the woman's concern, to her fantasies about Mikhail, but Raven managed a smile and returned the hug.
    "What's this all about? Is something wrong?" Raven asked softly, gently disentangling herself from the taller woman.
    "Well, my dear," Margaret Summers said firmly, glaring at Mikhail and reaching for Raven. "We insisted Father Hummer bring us to check on you."
    The moment the thin, wrinkled hand touched her arm, Raven recognized the push at her mind. At the same time her stomach heaved, rolled, and shards of glass pierced her skull, fragmenting her mind. For a moment she couldn't breathe. She had touched death. She drew away instantly, wiping her palm on her thigh.
    Mikhail ! She focused on him entirely. I'm sick .
    "Mrs. Galvenstein did not assure you Raven was safe in my care?" Mikhail gently but firmly inserted his body between Raven and the older woman. He had felt the older woman's clumsy attempt at a probe when