Carpathian 05 - Dark Challenge

sandals. She could feel him. Somewhere close. Desari rinsed off her stage makeup and waited, her heart beating, her lungs barely breathing. She knew he was near. Darius must know it, too.
    A fine mist streamed under the door, collecting in a spiral close to her. She held her breath. Instantly the handsome, ruthless stranger shimmered into a solid mass beside her. Her heart slammed. Up close he was frightening. Enormously strong. His finely chiseled features were sensual, hard. His countless victories in battle over the centuries were in the set of his broad shoulders, in the grim composure of his face. He was strikingly handsome yet immeasurably intimidating at the same time.
    Desari's tongue touched her suddenly dry lips. "You should not be here. It is too dangerous."
    His body clenched at the sound of her voice. It was so soft, it seemed to seep through his skin to wrap around his heart. "I could do nothing other than see you tonight. I think you know that."
    "Darius would destroy you if he found you here." She believed it, and her fear showed in her soft, charcoal eyes.
    His hard mouth softened, his golden eyes warming at her needless concern. "I am not so easily Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    destroyed. Do not worry, piccola , I have made a promise to you this night, and I fully intend to honor it."
    His voice dropped another octave, his eyes consuming her as he spoke. "Come with me."
    She felt her heart jump again. Every cell in her body cried out to go. His gaze was a smoldering heat she could not resist. There was so much hunger in him, such dark intensity, burning for her. The devil tempting her. Resolutely she shook her head. "Darius would—"
    Julian stopped her words by simply enveloping her smaller hand with his. His touch sent darts of fire racing up her arm and through her torso, taking the very breath from her lungs. "I grow weary of hearing of this Darius. You should be more concerned with what I will do if he attempts to stop me from taking you with me."
    Temper flared in her eyes. "No one can take me anywhere I do not wish to go. You have as much arrogance in you as my brother does. I happen to know he has earned the right to it. Have you?"
    A small, satisfied smile curved his mouth. "So this Darius is your brother. I find that something of a relief.
    As you hold him in some esteem, I did not want to have to destroy your illusions of his greatness."
    She glared at him, furious, until she caught the glint of humor in his golden eyes. He was teasing her.
    Desari found herself laughing with him.
    "Come with me tonight," he said. "We will go for a walk. Dance somewhere. It does not matter, cara , and we will be hurting no one." His voice was black velvet. A sorcerer's whisper of temptation. "Is this so much to ask of you? He does not allow you to choose your own friends? Do as you wish?"
    Julian had looked into her mind, seen her need for independence, her constant chafing at the restraints put on her. Still, no self-respecting Carpathian male would ever allow a woman to wander around unprotected. He did not blame Darius; it was his duty to protect Desari. In his place, he would do the same. There were many unanswered questions to ask Desari, but right now, the only thing that mattered to him was her answer to the one he had posed.
    She was silent, long lashes concealing her warring emotions. More than anything she wanted to go with him, have just one night of freedom to do as she liked. But she knew Darius. He would never allow such a thing. There was nowhere they could go that he would not find them. And that only served to make her want to go all the more. Her mysterious stranger had struck a nerve. She hated being constantly told what to do or not do. She wanted this one night just for herself.
    Desari looked up at him. "I do not even know your name."
    He bowed with Old World elegance. "I am Julian Savage. Perhaps you have met or heard of my brother, Aidan Savage. He and his lifemate reside in San Francisco." His white teeth gleamed. His golden eyes burned her.
    Something in that intense, possessive, hungry gaze made her knees go weak. Desari pressed backward until she was against a solid wall to help hold her up. "Savage. Somehow it suits you."
    He acknowledged her words as if they were a great compliment, bowing once more at the waist in his courtly manner. "Only to my enemies, piccola , never to those under my protection."
    "Is that supposed to put