Carpathian 05 - Dark Challenge

way he said it, the way his voice brushed at her insides, tugged at her heart and brought sudden tears to her eyes. He was so intense, his voice truthful and hungry. Her entire being responded to him.
    She almost missed her cue as Dayan and Barack played the notes to her opening song. But then she sang for him. To him. Each note a haunting blend of mystery and magic.
    Each note sank into Julian's pores, seeped into his soul. Desari was incredible. She captivated the entire audience. The arena was so silent, not even the shuffling of feet interrupted her song. The crowd could feel each separate note, see it shimmering like a flame dancing in the air. They smelled the sea she sang of, felt the rise and fall of the waves. She brought tears to their eyes, peace to their hearts. Julian couldn't take his eyes off her. He was mesmerized by her, enthralled completely. He found himself painfully aroused and surprisingly proud.
    Darius's black gaze strayed often to the man leaning with deceptive laziness against the far wall. He was tall and handsome. Power oozed from him, radiated around him. At the moment his strange, molten-gold eyes were fixed on Desari, his attention seemingly consumed by her performance. But Darius was not deceived. This was a predator. Not necessarily evil, but he had come here hunting. And his prey was Desari. There was a hard edge to his mouth, a stark possessiveness reflected in the depths of those burning eyes. Darius knew this man was a dangerous adversary.
    Julian's eyes never once wavered from Desari's face. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. On stage, in the midst of the rising theatrical fog and floodlights, she looked ethereal, mystical. A woman of erotic dreams, of fantasies. His body was completely still, nearly a part of the wall behind him, as if she had somehow absorbed every bit of his energy.
    Darius moved closer, cloaking his presence as he did so. He stalked with the silent advance of the leopard, counting on the stranger's being caught up in the spell Desari wove around her audience. He was within four rows of his destination when a soft warning growl stopped him in his tracks. He knew no one else had heard that low rumble. It was directed solely at him. The stranger hadn't changed position, hadn't taken his eyes off the stage, away from Desari, but Darius suddenly knew the stranger's complete attention was centered on him.
    On stage, Desari faltered, missing two lines of her song. Her heart was beating in her throat. Oh, God, please do not do this . Terror was in her voice, concern for him, for both of them.

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    Julian deliberately turned his head toward Darius and smiled, a show of gleaming white teeth. He straightened, his body fluid and supple. Two fingers touched his forehead in a mock salute directed at Darius. Muscles rippled suggestively beneath the thin T-shirt. He sauntered unhurriedly to the exit, arrogance in every step. His amber eyes glinted with menace until he swung his gaze back to Desari.
    Then his eyes burned possessively, intently, a molten gold that turned her to liquid heat.
    For you , cara mia. His voice moved through her body with the same inflammatory heat of his gaze.
    Desari wanted to run after him. She stood on the stage and sang to a crowd of several thousand, but her mind and her heart and soul were somewhere else. Dayan and Barack were watching her closely, puzzled, worried by her strange behavior. Desari had never faltered, never missed a beat in all their long centuries of singing on stage.
    Darius followed the stranger out of the dome. The man was gone, dissolved into mist in the night air.
    Darius sensed him, felt the power in the air, but dared not leave his sister to pursue her pursuer.
    Something about the man gave him pause. He looked at Desari with more than lust in his gaze. More than possession. He looked at her protectively. Darius was nearly certain the stranger was not out to harm her. He was also certain the man had not left out of fear. Nothing would scare him. He walked with the confidence born of many battles, much hardship, and enormous knowledge.
    Darius looked up into the night. Whoever the stranger was, he had left out of deference to Desari's wishes, not because he feared a battle with Darius. Darius sighed and turned back to the dome. He did not need this worry at this time. The assassins stalking Desari required his full attention. It