Carpathian 05 - Dark Challenge

heat right through the thin material of her top so that she felt as if his skin were connecting to hers. Her voice faltered as she lost her train of thought.
    Julian bent closer as if to soothe her. "Please continue. This is extremely interesting. I searched centuries for lost Carpathians but had given up hope. How all of you accomplished what you did is extraordinary."
    His fingertips moved to the neckline of her shirt absently tracing its delicate embroidered edge.
    Desari swallowed as little flames licked at her skin, as her breasts reacted to the pad of his thumb sliding sensuously over the soft swell. She glanced up at him, determined to reprimand him, but he was looking intellectual and earnestly interested in whatever she had been telling him. Except for his eyes. His eyes were molten gold and burning with a liquid fire that seemed to consume her, to mesmerize her.
    "I have no idea what I was saying," she finally admitted, her voice so husky it was an invitation.
    His body crowded closer to hers, not touching, simply so close his heat and masculine scent enfolded her, surrounded her, swamped her. It called to her as nothing else could have. "You were telling me about traveling around from place to place singing." His voice was aching with need.
    She heard it clearly, and her body responded on its own, dissolving into liquid heat. Desari cleared her throat. "We simply became our own ancestors if someone remembered us. It was seldom necessary, as we made certain we stayed away from areas for decades at a time. Dayan is a poet, a master with words, and no one is better on a guitar. Syndil, too, is a wonderful musician. She can play almost any instrument. Actually, Barack is the same way. He seems to really enjoy playing for our audiences." She gave him the information, but her mind was on the fact that his fingers had slipped inside her neckline and were moving hypnotically back and forth as if he were memorizing the feel of her.
    "Barack and Dayan." Julian repeated the names softly. There was the smallest bite to his voice, his perfect teeth snapping together, reminiscent of a hungry wolf. "Those two act as if they have certain rights where you are concerned." There was a cruel edge to the set of his mouth, a darkness in his golden eyes.
    "They do not. In lieu of your father, Darius is the only one you are answerable to until your lifemate claims you. I have done so." He leaned forward as if drawn beyond his own will and touched her collarbone with his lips, the harshness in his face at once softening. The touch was feather-light, but it penetrated her skin and made straight for her heart, setting it pounding with some emotion she didn't want to try to understand.
    His mouth moved, a trail of fire running from her collarbone up to the pulse beating so frantically in her throat. Her soft mouth trembled, long lashes sweeping down to cover the luminescent glow in her dark Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    eyes. She should stop him. For her own sanity, she should stop him. But his mouth was moving slowly, gently, a heated exploration not at all aggressive.
    Desari tried desperately to marshal her thoughts. "You have claimed me?"
    His fingers tangled with hers. He brought her hand to press against the muscles of his chest, his thumb feathering with false innocence over her pulse. He felt it jump as his lips drifted lower, pushed the limits of the neckline of her shirt, where the creamy invitation of her breasts swelled in anticipation. "I have. You are bound to me." He whispered the words into the valley between her breasts, and her entire body clenched with such need that Desari felt weak.
    She swore there were flames dancing over her skin. She actually looked down, expecting to see little orange tongues of fire licking along her skin. She shivered and tried to withdraw her hand, tried to put some much-needed space between them. "You believe I am. I do not." Desari found that where her head was certain she wanted to move, her body refused to cooperate.
    His laughter was low and husky with male amusement at its worst. "You cannot possibly think you could get away from me now." Julian transferred his attention to her arm. His lips skimmed along her bare skin, stopping to dwell in the sensitive inner elbow before moving on along her forearm. Then he was doing something to her inner wrist, his teeth scraping over her skin, making every muscle in her body clench until she