Carpathian 18 - Dark Possesion

burning through the thin material of her blouse to her full breasts as they rose and fell with the fast tempo of her breathing.
    She licked her lips again and stifled a groan when his gaze jumped to her mouth. "Stay on track here, Manolito. I really want to figure out how I could be psychic." Because she was fast losing her ability to think with her brain.
    "Of course you're psychic. You can read people, and you know exactly what to say to them to help them find their way."
    She laughed. "I was hoping for a real revelation, not fantasy. I went to school a very long time to become a counselor. Whether or not I'm any good has nothing to do with being psychic. I'm trained and I have a lot of experience."
    "You are able to get inside their heads. You think it is instinct, and maybe that is another word for your talent. You act a lot on intuition." He turned her hand over and bit gently at her knuckles. "We could use a little instinct right now."
    "I don't think psychic ability is much good if you don't know how you're using it," she protested. If she really did have some talent, it would be kind of cool, but not if she couldn't wield it properly. "I can connect with you because of the blood thing, but can't really do much else."
    "You do plenty well with your power. You throw people out of your mind at will. Very few people can do that, MaryAnn. It is a very intriguing ability." His hand dropped to his side between them once again, fingers bunching in her skirt.
    "Where does it come from?"
    "Many sources. I think all societies had a few who possessed some ability to manipulate energy. Some species were stronger than others, but once they began to mix, over the years, you find both amazing talent and none at all."
    It made sense. She felt the caressing pads of his fingers as he bunched her skirt higher to expose the long expanse of skin along the leg closest to him. He remained lying beside her, staring up at the stars, but his hand slid under the silky material to move along her thigh and hip, shaping her curves.
    Everything in her went still. Every muscle clenched in response to that light touch. "What are you doing?"
    "Memorizing you. You have such soft skin. It is hard not to touch you."

    He wasn't trying that hard, not that she could see. She moistened her lips again and tried to concentrate on conversation. "Did you know the jaguar people when there were still quite a few of them?"
    "The shifters, especially the jaguar and werewolves, were always secretive societies. They kept to themselves. We all had a live and let live' philosophy, so we didn't mix unless someone committed crimes in our territories. Karpatü , mage and humans were close. The others stayed away from us and from each other.
    The other shifters disappeared so fast they are barely a memory. It was obvious that if the society did not take care of its women and children, that it was impossible for that species to continue, but the jaguar refused to acknowledge or learn from the mistakes other species had made. They wanted to keep their animal instincts and live free."
    She was silent a long moment, watching the shimmering mist and the wheeling and dancing of bats as they hunted insects in the night sky. There was a kind of beauty and peace in the strange ballet they performed.
    Lying there, she could understand why some people preferred the rain forest to the city, especially if they were with a Carpathian who could keep insects and rain from ever touching them.
    "Has it been difficult living through so many changes?" He must have seen so much. Learned so much.
    Suffered so much.
    "Longevity is both a curse and a blessing. You see people you care about coming and going while you endlessly remain. War is the same. Poverty. Ambition and greed. But there are such wonders, MaryAnn, wonders worth all the rest." He turned his head, his dark gaze liquid black in the moonlight. That was what she was to him. Wonder. A miracle. She had no idea. He caught glimpses of her thoughts when she opened her mind to him. She didn't understand how a man like him would ever look at her, let alone want to spend eternity with her. She hail no idea of her own appeal. The light in her shone like a beacon.
    Everything about her appealed to him. She was courageous, yet didn't see herself that way. She had more compassion in her than any other person he had ever encountered. Often, at great risk to herself, she went to the aid of others. There was an innocence about her, yet her