Carpathian 23 - Dark Storm

sat on the ground. “Is he okay? What did you do to
     him?” she asked.
    Dax answered, his diction without hesitation as if he’d always known her language.
     “He is perfectly healthy. He has minor cuts and bruises. Nothing worthy of your concern.”
     When she looked unconvinced, he added, “I have put him into a meditative state to
     calm him. He was becoming quite agitated, and he could easily have hurt you or the
     others without intending to do so. But you are all perfectly safe now.” As if that
     should put all her fears to rest, the hunter turned away and began speaking with Jubal
     in his ancient language.
    She looked Ben over. He was breathing, and just as the hunter had stated, other than
     a few cuts and bruises, Ben appeared perfectly unharmed. But it was like the man was
     sleeping with his eyes open.
    “I understand, thank you, Jubal.” Clearly finished with whatever private conversation
     he’d been having with Jubal, Dax had changed back to English.
    She didn’t care if the hunter got angry, she couldn’t allow Ben to be in such a state,
     not when he’d come to her rescue so often. “Let him go.” She turned toward the hunter.
     “Let him go right now.”
    He released Ben so quickly, the unconscious man rocked forward, almost falling onto
     her. She put a hand on his shoulder to steady him, a little shocked that the hunter
     had complied so quickly.
    Coming to, Ben looked like he had just awakened from a long nap. He actually yawned.
     “Wow, that was some dream.” Ben smiled at her, totally relaxed as his gaze wandered
     to the half-naked, badly wounded man standing behind her. His smile faltered. His
     gaze traveled up Dax’s impossibly torn body to his beaten and bloody face. Then Ben
     just froze, his mouth open, his eyes wide with renewed terror.
    “Ben. Ben, it’s okay.” Riley grabbed his face with both hands, forcing his shocked
     gaze to hers. “It’s over. Everyone’s okay.”
    Ben gave a choked sound, like a scream pinched off before it could gain volume.
    “He’s not going to hurt us.” She forced a smile. “Look. See?” She stood slowly and
     put a hand on the hunter’s upper arm. Rock-hard muscle bunched beneath her fingertip
     and shook with a small tremor she would have missed if she hadn’t been touching his
     skin directly. For a moment pain slammed into her, taking her breath. Just that fast
     it was gone, leaving her feeling slightly ill. “Everything’s okay. You’re okay. You’re
     safe now.”
    “It would be much simpler and more effective just to keep him under my control,” the
     hunter murmured close to her ear.
    She shivered at the melting richness of his voice, then scowled, refusing to look
     at him. “Don’t you dare. If you are one of the good guys, like Jubal claims, you’ll
     leave him alone.”
    “If that is your wish, I shall, but your safety, päläfertiilam , is now my first concern. The moment this human’s fear puts that at risk, he will
     go back under my control. Does this please you?”
    Riley drew in a deep breath. Even looking at him was difficult. What was it that pulled
     her toward him like a magnet? She needed to push him away from her, to get some perspective.
    “My mother’s dead, some ancient evil we were sent here to contain has escaped into
     the world and I’m standing in front of a man who can change from a dragon to a man,
     dodge bullets and control people’s minds at will. Nothing about this situation pleases me!”
    His eyes filled with genuine sorrow. “I am sorry I was not able to save your mother.”
     He lifted one hand to the side of her face and tucked a strand of hair back behind
     her ears. “More sorry than I can express. I know what it is to lose someone you love.”
    Her whole body ached to lean toward him, to let him wrap those impressively muscled
     arms around her and envelop her in his strength. Riley fought the instinct, but it
     took considerable effort.
    She allowed herself the luxury of looking at him, uncaring that she was so attracted
     to a being that clearly wasn’t human. She saw pure strength, and power. She couldn’t
     help but notice that. The way he moved was so careful and precise, so fluid and effortlessly
     graceful, like a giant, predatory jungle cat. When he stood still, his dark, burnished
     skin seemed to shimmer with flashes of iridescent scarlet, as if the dragon he had
     been was still there, waiting for its chance to be free. Her gaze fell to his