Carpathian 05 - Dark Challenge

contest with this other powerful male could prove quite interesting.
    He moved easily, maneuvering through the crowd down toward the front. Instead of seating himself, he took up a position along the wall near an exit. Inhaling, he scented the presence of two jungle cats, the same two that had worked in conjunction with the huge black panther. Julian was now certain that the guard had shape-shifted into the form of the large predator. Although the guard showed no evidence of the wounds Julian knew he had inflicted, he was still certain the man had been the panther directing the others in their attack on him.
    Desari. He found himself smiling. Their brief mental exchange had been a revelation. She was Carpathian! How she had managed to run around the world undetected was still a mystery. There were remnants of their race, and he had found them! He had always wondered if some of the children had escaped the Turk invasion and scattered. On behalf of their race, at Gregori and Mikhail's urging, Julian had sought them, particularly the females, in hopes of finding a way to save his people.
    And he had found Desari, his own lifemate, when he had been seeking lifemates for others. And she had a temper, this woman. He found himself laughing aloud, remembering her "push" at his mind. She was much stronger than he had anticipated. He had gone from a stark, barren existence to one filled with excitement in the blink of an eye.

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    The mood of the crowd was almost electric, the air thick with anticipation. Desari's performances were always sold out. It didn't matter where she played, whether a small tavern or a huge stadium. And with the publicity following the recent attempt on her life, she was even more of an celebrity. Reporters, too, were out in numbers.
    Julian listened to the conversations in the arena, sifting through them, looking for a whisper of conspiracy.
    He knew the fanatical nature of the human vampire-hunting society. Desari was a marked woman now.
    They would not stop with one attack. But Julian was fairly certain the society would need time to recover from the huge blow they had so recently received. He was more concerned now with the threat from vampires. The presence of a Carpathian woman nearby was sure to draw the creatures. And her safety was now of paramount personal importance to him.
    Without warning it struck. An intense need to leave the dome, to get out. The feeling, a dark, oppressive dread, beat at him, swamped him, and for a moment he could barely breathe. Furious that he had left himself open for such an assault from the guard, he allowed himself to slump against the wall, the heel of one palm pressed to his forehead in a manner of distress while he carefully sought out the position of the guard.
    Only then did it hit him. The touch was feminine, not masculine. Desari. He countered the compulsion to leave with a search of his own. He gathered his strength and waited. She was in a dressing room, seated on a stool. Julian inhaled her scent, taking it into his body. She was nervous. Not about her performance, but because she knew he was there. She was afraid of what he might do.
    Julian smiled, his white teeth gleaming like a predator's. He fed her fear a bit. Not sharply, but with a simple, gentle flow of information. He was there. He was strong. Invincible. Nothing, no one could stop him. She could not possibly send him away.
    Desari's right hand went to her slim throat in a gesture of protection. She knew the stranger was close by. Waiting. Watching. She could feel the weight of his presence. She could feel Darius's uneasiness. She was afraid. What was the stranger going to do? She couldn't bear it if Darius and he got into another fight. Someone would die. The stranger was so strong, he might kill Darius.
    Her head jerked up, fury washing through her. No one could defeat Darius! That cad. He was amplifying her fears, her agitation. Stop it, you !
    That irritating, mocking, male laughter echoed in her mind. You started it. If you want to play games , cara mia, I am more than willing .
    I do not want you here.
    Yes, you do , Julian countered calmly. I am in you. I feel your excitement at my presence. The same excitement is in me .
    You feel my agitation. I have a job to do. Your presence is unsettling.
    Only because you are afraid of your future. You know it lies with me. A major change in life can be frightening. But I