Carpathian 14 - Dark Hunger

tried to think who would need her the most.

    Riordan was fast; he could get her close to her sister before he would have to get away from the sun. "Jasmine's already been with them for hours. If you don't think you'll have enough time to get to her then I'll have to trust Solange to get away from her attacker alone. We have to find Jasmine fast, Riordan."
    Riordan circled her waist with one arm, lifting her. The surrounding jungle was a blur as he raced through it. She had no idea how he could focus on the tracks, on the small bruised leaves, snapped twigs, and occasional footprint when he moved so quickly. She didn't need to tell him her younger sister was in dire trouble; he could read every worry in her mind.
    When the males shifted form, they were without clothes. Jasmine was alone and without protection. Juliette could only pray that the males would want to get her as far from help as possible. She tried not to think of her cousin—alone, hurt, running for her life.
    I can send for my brothers, but they are hundreds of miles away. They would not be here for several risings.
    Solange will fight. They will not take her easily. Even as she thought it, a wave of hope went through her. It was true, Solange was a fighter. She would never surrender, never give up, no matter how injured she was. I feel as if I'm deserting her, but she has a much better chance than Jasmine.
    From what I have seen of your cousin in your mind, she would want you to go after Jasmine.
    Riordan was all too aware of the time slipping away from them. The jaguar males were adept at losing themselves in the forest. They had spread out, weaving through the trees, more cunning now, obviously certain there would be an attempt to follow them.
    The wind rose in a sudden rush off the forest floor, carrying a swirling eddy of vegetation, leaves and twigs and petals of flowers in a dark funnel straight toward the sky.
    The debris burst over them, a cloud of missiles hurled from the ground by unseen hands.
    Riordan reacted instantly, instinctively swinging his body around in midair to better protect Juliette. Debris embedded in his skin, drove for his heart. He swore in several languages as he raced to get them to earth where he could fight without the burden of Juliette's human form hampering him.
    Remove your clothes now and as soon as you feel the ground under your feet, shift and blend into the trees. Hide your true self deep within the animal.
    It was the grimness in his voice that had her obeying without hesitation. She couldn't always shift to her other form, certainly not at will in the way he did, or even the way Solange was able to do, but she recognized they were in mortal danger. She managed to wiggle out of her jeans and unbutton her blouse before they were on the ground. She tossed her clothes away from her, willing the change, embracing it.
    Riordan moved in her mind, picking up the image, lending his strength. The shifting was slightly different from that of Carpathians, but he was deep in her mind and knew how it worked now so he was able to provide the extra speed. The jaguar sprang into the lower branches of a tree and disappeared entirely into the canopy. Riordan turned to face his enemy.
    A shadowy figure exploded out of the ground, erupting directly in front of Riordan, fist slamming into his chest and driving deep. Riordan twisted slightly, taking the pain and letting it go, sweeping with one leg to send his attacker sprawling. There was no sound, and no face. The vampire was nothing more than black smoke dissolving rapidly. It was eerily silent. Not even the insects hummed.
    Zacarias. Riordan reached along his private mental path for his older brother. A master vampire is here, one with powers beyond all imagining. I cannot spot him. I cannot attack him. Should I fall, you must find and protect my lifemate. Riordan crouched low, restless eyes searching, every sense on full alert. He dug into the forest floor and scooped handfuls of rich soil. He was losing blood fast. The vampire had deliberately weakened him. To preserve his strength, Riordan didn't move, other than to pack his wounds. He heard Juliette's distress in his mind, knew she remained close in hopes of aiding him, but there was no way to fight the unseen.
    Riordan felt his brother moving through him, examining the terrible hole opened in his chest, estimating his strength, searching through his memories to replay the attack. Get out of there. No lone hunter will take