Carpathian 05 - Dark Challenge

new at this as you are, Desari. Up until now I have spent my life entirely alone." His lips skimmed the silken column of her neck. "Trying to fit into this situation is as alien for me as it is for you. If your need is to be with this family unit, then I can do no other than be here with you. But you must recognize that I have needs also. I do not wish to find other males near you, nor do I want you to question my judgment when your safety is in jeopardy."
    When she would have protested, he gave her a little shake. "Think what you say before you speak. I am in your mind. I know you do not want another authority telling you what to do with your life. I, better than most, understand this in you. But you would obey your brother in matters of safety. The same responsibility he accepted for your security is now mine. I require the same trust and loyalty that you have always given to him."
    "Trust is earned, Julian," Desari pointed out softly. "And it goes both ways. My brother does not arbitrarily dictate to me what I can and cannot do. But I am in your mind. I feel the sometimes violent emotions you are contending with, your intense dislike of other males close to me. You do not even want me to feed."
    He felt the words like a stab to his gut. Every muscle clenched in protest as a vivid picture sprang into his Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    mind. Desari luring a male to her with her beauty and mystery, bending close to him so that their bodies touched, so that her lips could drift along the male's neck to find the pulse beating there. Rage exploded in him, deep, nearly uncontrollable, certainly like nothing he had ever experienced before. It was wild and untamed, a berserker's rage.
    Julian shook his head. It was illogical to feel such an intense emotion over something as natural as feeding. Nothing in his centuries of living had prepared him for such a thing. He didn't understand it. "You will not feed from any other than me," he declared, unable to stop himself from so commanding her.
    Desari was watching him closely, monitoring his thoughts. Julian made no attempt to censor anything from her. He wanted total truth between them. It was not her fault that he was experiencing difficulties he hadn't been prepared for, nor did he want her to think so. Her soft mouth suddenly curved into a smile.
    "You are right, Julian, I will not. I have no wish to get so close to another male." Her fingertips brushed his jaw, her first real show of affection toward him without his prompting. "It will be no hardship to allow you to provide for me if that is what you need."
    His relief was tremendous, the curious somersaulting in the region of his heart unexpected. "I will do my best to come to some kind of compromise over your family unit and your need to sing. It is a great gift, Desari, your voice and what you are able to do with it. I feel pride in your accomplishments, but I cannot lie. I fear for your safety. Your schedules are announced far in advance. I believe you will be safe from the human assassins for now, but we must explore the very real possibility that vampires are congregating in this region with the express hope of finding you and the other female." Now more than ever it was imperative he succeed in his centuries-old quest to destroy his vampire mentor, or she would never be truly safe again. The ancient could so easily track her now through Julian .
    Desari winced at his last remark. "The 'other female' is Syndil. I love her as my sister. You have access to my memories. You can see that. You can also see why we are especially protective of her and why she chooses to take the leopard's form at this time."
    "While she is in the leopard's form she does not have to cope with her trauma," Julian mused, "but you must see, Desari, that it is not right. It only prolongs her recovery. All of you think you are helping her, but she needs to be strong on her own. She can cope. Pretending the assault did not happen will not allow her to recover. She needs to be encouraged to start taking back command of her life."
    Desari tilted her head to look up at him, astonished at his perception. "How could you know this when you have not even met her? Why did we not realize we were only lengthening her recovery?" Desari's anguish throbbed in her musical voice. "It was my negligence that this has not been attended to."
    Julian smiled down at her. "You take far too much on your shoulders, Desari.