Carpathian 06 - Dark Fire

for her, never wanted her to suffer the fires of conversion. He found he could barely breathe, protesting the pain she was enduring on his behalf. She seemed so small and fragile in his arms, so close to shattering.
    Stay with me, my love. In another few minutes it will be safe to send you to sleep, where the pain cannot reach you. Please stay with me.
    With the fire ripping through her, with her muscles locking and her body convulsing, she still made the attempt to reassure him. Her fingertips brushed his neck in a light caress before her hand fell away.
    Darius wept, his chest so tight that he felt his very heart had split in two.
    The moment there was no chance of Tempest choking to death on her own vomit or blood, Darius sent her into a deep sleep so that her body could finish its work on its own. He held her tightly in his arms, a part of him still locked with her, insurance that nothing could go wrong. Only when he was certain the conversion was complete and she was safe did he strip the filthy clothes from her body and wash her gently and lovingly.
    He sat for a long while, exhausted and wrung out by her ordeal, his mind, so often calm, in chaos. He had never conceived of anyone ever loving him enough to suffer the fires of hell for him. He felt humbled by her sacrifice. He kissed her, his touch tender and reverent, before opening the ground. Then Darius put Tempest into the sleep of Carpathians, closing the earth over her so that the soil could rejuvenate her.

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    As the earth closed over her body, Darius turned his head slowly toward the tunnel leading from the cave back toward the surface. His black gaze was utterly cold, without mercy. He felt the beast in him rising, and he made no effort to stop it. Red flames flickered in his black eyes. He had not hunted down and destroyed these murderers months ago when they had first attacked his sister. His instincts had been to find and destroy all of them, but his kind had always attempted to fit into the civilized world, to avoid drawing attention to themselves and their activities. At this moment, however, there was no longer hesitation; there was not a shred of civility in his body or soul.
    He protected the cave with the strongest safeguards he had ever used, determined that no one, human or Carpathian, would go near Tempest while she slept, would not live if they tried to enter the cave. And then he was streaking through the tunnel, bursting out into the night sky, his mind a red haze of vengeance.
    The concert was over, Desari and Syndil safe in a closely guarded room, Cullen with the group. They suddenly all went quiet, exchanging a long, knowing look. Julian glanced skyward. "He has risen. There will be no calming him. He is bent on destroying those who took Tempest." He sounded complacent and unhurriedly bent to kiss Desari. Then, with Dayan and Barack, he went out to the small porch off the suite.
    Dayan took a running leap and launched himself skyward. "It is rather ironic that we now leave the human with our women." He was shape-shifting even as he spoke, feathers rippling along his wide-spread arms.
    "Our women can handle one human male," Barack growled as he joined Dayan, also choosing the body of the night owl to race across the distance, attempting to catch up with their leader. Syndil, stay across the room from that blond human flirt. If I catch you making eyes at him, there will be hell to pay.
    Oh, now we can handle one human male! I like that.Soif I want to take him to the nearest bedroom, you have no say in it.
    Do not force me to kill this human.Darius has a fondness for him, although I cannot imagine why.
    Barack? There was a short pause while Syndil considered how to phrase her concerns. Please be careful. I would not want Desari to have to grieve for you.
    He laughed softly, a velvet caress in her mind. And you wish me to believe that you would not? I never thought of myself as an angel, but my patience with you certainly qualifies me far sainthood.
    I cannot imagine anyone considering you an angel or a saint . Again there was a slight hesitation. Be careful, Barack I feel the intensity in Darius. The darkness is on him. He will not turn back, whatever the danger.
    His lifemate has chosen our way. Did you not feel his sorrow at her suffering? Barack's voice held a note of censure.
    At once he could feel the tears gathering in her . Do not remind me. He shared with