Carpathian 12 - Dark Melody

an image of hospitals, machines, endless tests. Her asking about a waiting list for a heart. Doctor after doctor shaking their heads. She had severe allergies.
    She bled easily, too much. The specialists were amazed she had lived as long as she had. Dayan rubbed the bridge of his nose thoughtfully, his eyes intent on her face. "So the baby is a danger, then. Lisa would not like that."

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    Corinne let out her breath. It was almost a relief to tell someone. "No, Lisa won't like it all. She'll be so frightened." Corinne had waited until there was no possibility Lisa might try to talk her out of having the baby. She wanted a baby. Her little girl. Long after her death, after John's death, their daughter would live and breathe, run and play, and hopefully lead a perfectly normal life. Corinne had absolute faith that Lisa would cherish and love the baby. She pulled her hands away from his to place them protectively over the small mound where the baby rested.
    "You are very small. How far along are you?" Even as the words left his mouth, he marveled that he could say them. In all his imaginings, he had never thought to be asking such a question. Heat blossomed and spread. A sense of belonging. Strangely, he felt as if he had a family already.
    "The doctors are a little worried about that, but she looks good. She's growing fine. They've told me it's a girl. I'm six months along."
    His breath hitched in concern. She was tiny. "Are the doctors concerned about your heart problem also?
    Do they view this pregnancy as risky? Perhaps very dangerous?" His voice was still as gentle as ever, yet it had an effect on her she couldn't seem to shake. He sounded almost as if he were reprimanding her in some way and assessing what he was going to do about the situation.
    Corinne felt compelled to answer him, although it wasn't what she wanted. "My heart has enough trouble working for just me, let alone a child too," she conceded reluctantly. Her fingers once again found the circle of gold and began to twist, a nervous habit betraying her inner turmoil.
    Dayan nodded his head even as his entire body knotted in protest against that small action. "And your husband – " He forced the words out despite the fact they wanted to stick in his throat. "Why was he murdered?" He couldn't help himself, he reached out and caught her hand, pulling her palm to his chest, right over his heart, effectively stopping her from touching the ring again.
    Corinne's gaze flew to his. Electricity arced between them. The air sizzled with the charge. She found it difficult to think with his black eyes mesmerizing her and his touch scattering her senses. Discussing the murder of her husband with him should have been impossible, yet she found the words tumbling out. "The police haven't come up with a motive. The killers didn't even take his wallet."
    "But you have an idea." He made it a statement.
    Corinne felt that same desire to confess every detail. Normally, she confided in Lisa and no one else, yet Corinne hadn't said a single word to Lisa about the baby or her own suspicions about John's death. Why on earth was she telling a virtual stranger her every secret? "John could do things that weren't considered normal. About a year ago, he went to a university and told someone there about his talent.
    From there, he was directed to a center where psychic ability was tested. The Morrison Center for Psychic Research. John believed he might be able to help people in some way, using his unique gift.
    Almost immediately after his appointment at the center, he told me he thought he was being followed."
    She withdrew her hand. "This is hardly something you would want to hear about."
    "On the contrary. I'm extremely interested. Everything about you interests me."

Chapter 2
    "Corinne!" Lisa burst from the club with Cullen one step behind her. She was obviously upset, her Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    beautiful face betraying her anxiety. "Rina, are you ill? I'm so sorry, I should have been paying more attention." She clutched Corinne's purse protectively to her.
    "I'm perfectly fine, Lisa," Corinne answered immediately. She stepped away from Dayan, but somehow he moved too in a ripple of power so that he was sheltering her body from the rising wind. Corinne looked up at his chiseled features and found her heart in her throat again. What was it about