Carpathian 02 - Dark Desire

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    learn how to live with him."
    "I know. I don't really want to leave," Shea admitted. She was close to tears. The feeling of dark malevolence was becoming stronger, yet she still couldn't explain it. She felt very mixed up. She wanted Jacques close to her, but this world was so frightening and bizarre. She was completely out of her element.
    Raven immediately jumped to her feet and put an arm around Shea, misunderstanding her distress. "He doesn't hurt you, does he?" She was examining the faded bruises and wounds on Shea's neck. "He did this, didn't he?"
    Self-consciously, Shea put a hand to her throat to cover the marks. "He didn't mean to. He doesn't always know what he's doing. But he isn't the type of man to abuse a woman. I'm in his mind enough to know that. I'm not a woman who would take it, either," She let the other woman hug her, needing the comfort.
    "It's just that I'm afraid all the time. Afraid of everything. That isn't like me at all. And I cry. I never cry."
    Whatever was stalking them was very close now. She wanted to scream for Jacques.
    "You've been through a traumatic time, Shea, and so has your body. You're worn out, and you need sustenance." Raven released her and took a step away. "Gregori is a great healer. I know you think he could be the vampire—it's there in your face when you look at him—but he would give his life for you, for me, for Mikhail. He's a great man. He could help you so much if you'd let him."
    "He's the scariest man I've ever met," Shea admitted. "If I had a child, a daughter, I would not want that man to be her husband."
    "But then, you don't know that much about lifemates. If my daughter is his lifemate and chooses him—and it will be her choice, despite what my husband and Gregori think—she'd be the safest woman in the world. And once she learned to manage him, the happiest."
    "You have more faith than I do."
    "That's because I've known them longer. Give yourself some time, and for heaven's sake put that gun down. There's nothing out there," Raven admonished. "You're just nervous because Jacques isn't with you."
    Lightning crashed close, and the cabin shuddered beneath a deafening roar of thunder. Raven swung around and paced to a chair. "Something's going on for sure. That's one of ours doing that."
    Shea's hand went to her throat. She could not shake the feeling of impending doom. She turned to Raven. "What do you mean, one of ours?" Why had she agreed to stay and protect Raven? Something evil was watching them, and she couldn't ferret it out. Jacques, where are you?
    "The lightning and thunder," Raven replied easily. "One of our males is upset."
    "Great. Tantrums, that's all we need," Shea said moodily. Jacques hadn't answered her. Where was he?
    Couldn't he feel her need?
    Raven laughed. "They are great for that, aren't they?"

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    The door banged open, the wood, so recently repaired, splintering. Shea swung around, instinctively taking a stride to place herself between the entrance and Raven. Framed in the doorway was Don Wallace, a scattergun in his hand, an older man behind him. Shea heard the maniacal laughter of the two men and saw the malice and loathing in their eyes.
    Jacques! She screamed his name even as the orange blossom burst from the muzzle of the gun. The wicked stings hitting her arm and shoulder spun her around, and she reeled into Raven. Raven took the main burst of the gun and was flung backward nearly into the wall. Shea landed in a pool of blood. It was everywhere, beneath her, on Raven's chest and stomach, leaking onto the wooden floor. Raven was still and lifeless, her face white, her pulse nonexistent when Shea tried to find it.
    Don Wallace seized her by her hair and dragged her away from the body. He was laughing as he contemptuously kicked Raven's leg out of his way. "I knew I'd get you, Doc. Small world, isn't it?"
    Jacques! My God, he's killed Raven! Gregori! I'm sorry, I couldn't save her. Shea was fighting, kicking and punching, and didn't even realize it until Wallace hit her repeatedly in the face.
    "Shut up! Stop that screaming or I'll knock you out." He hit her twice more. "Damn vampires think they're so smart. It was so easy, wasn't it, Uncle Eugene?"
    Shea was sobbing uncontrollably, almost immune to the pain of Wallace dragging her by her injured arm.
    Warmth stirred in her