Carpathian 14 - Dark Hunger

hands."
    "You will never be sorry, Juliette," he promised, raining kisses over her face, her eyes, down her neck and throat. "You will never be sorry."
    "I can feel your hunger now, the call inside you. It's a frightening thing. How can you keep it at bay the way you do? If I felt like that, I would be devouring something." She swept back his hair and slowly allowed her legs to drop to the ground. "You have to get some nourishment. I don't mind, Riordan. I'm not in the least bit hungry and the thought of food makes me want to gag, but it's sort of sexy when you take my blood. I think I'm getting a bit kinky." She looked around for her clothes, missing the look of wonderment on his face.
    He reached down to snag her blouse from where it had been carelessly tossed aside. He didn't even remember stripping it off of her. "You are a very generous woman, but I think I will refrain from the temptation of your blood." This time he firmly buttoned the blouse.
    "You know I am going to think of your breasts just waiting behind this very thin barrier. If I am distracted later, you will know why."
    Juliette laughed. She couldn't remember being so happy. "That's all right, you go ahead and think about my breasts. I'll be thinking of your very nicely put together anatomy." She yanked her jeans on and deftly braided her hair. "How much time do we have for traveling tonight?"

    He glanced at the sky. "A few hours. We should be able to cover many miles. I will have to carry you, and that means I will have to find blood." He glanced down at the terrible marks on his chest. "Carpathians heal in the ground and yet I did not. I need to get back to full strength for the coming battle, and that means I need to find people."
    She suddenly went still. "Not my sister or cousin." There was a warning note in her voice.
    He grinned at her. "I do not think you have to worry. I would not risk your wrath." He tugged playfully at her braid. "You sound so fierce."
    Juliette watched him clothe himself. It was done with a simple wave of his hand as if he'd manufactured the clothes from thin air. His hair was neatly brushed back away from his face and tied with a leather thong. There wasn't a drop of water on him anywhere and his hair was dry. "Oh, that is cheating. Look at me, I look like a drowned rat." She flipped her thick wet braid over her shoulder. "I want to be able to do that."
    "You will," he assured. "Come here. We need to get started."
    "You aren't going to throw me over your shoulder like you did last time, are you?" she asked suspiciously.
    He grinned at her, his teeth very white. "Well, I was thinking about it."
    "Refrain. Last time I considered getting sick all over you."
    "I am so glad you didn't." Riordan gathered her to him, holding her close, and took to the air, shifting into his favorite form of a bird as he rose. It was easier to fly above the canopy then to try to wind his way through the thick branches and leaves. And he was wary of traps. They were nearing the area where he had first heard the voice of the vampire calling to him for help. He was certain the vampire and his human accomplices were responsible for the net that had nearly claimed him a second time.
    Juliette laughed aloud as Riordan raced across the sky. Twice she reached out, trying to touch a cloud, unable to resist. This is astonishing. She felt a part of the night sky, the stars and the clouds and even the rain. It was as though she had merged with nature. She expected to feel fear, but she felt elation, joy, completely alive. It was every bit as wonderful as running through the jungle in the form of a jaguar.
    Do not ever feel regret, Juliette. You will be able to shift into many forms and effortlessly hold those forms.
    I have to tell you something. The smile faded from Juliette's face. Riordan caught the uneasiness rising as he followed the directions in her mind. We have to move often. We have several homes.
    He waited. It wasn't what she wanted to tell him. She was hesitant, very unlike his bold Juliette. She carefully turned over her words, trying to formulate the best way to get him to understand.
    Juliette. You must trust me. Just say what you need to say and trust me to understand.
    She could see the canopy far below her. The leaves of the trees were silver-black in the moonlight. The raindrops dazzled her eyes, glittering like diamonds as they fell from the clouds. We have seen terrible things from the males. Young girls unable to shape-shift beaten