Dark 12 - DARK MELODY

by Christine Feehan

  The swirling black clouds overhead were dissipating along with the trails of fog. Corinne lay back on the roof, watching the patterns of the clouds, the lightning arcing from one black cauldron to another. It was a beautiful display, but it was frightening too, because it seemed so intense, so personal. Like Dayan. Everything about him was intense. He was always outwardly calm, tranquil even, yet she sensed so much more beneath the surface. Swirling like the dark clouds above her head.

  Just as fast as he had gone, Dayan returned, standing over her, tall and powerful. She blinked up at him in total amazement. She closed her eyes when he reached for her. Tall. Elegant. Powerful. That same wildness was on him, clinging to him along with a lethal menace. It was something she couldn't quite define, but that was nonetheless real.

  "I told you to keep your heart rate steady," he greeted her very softly, the menace strong in his voice. He lifted her in his arms, cradling her against his chest so that her heart immediately began to tune itself to his. "You said you were not afraid of me, honey, yet your pulse is racing."

  "You appeared out of nowhere," she said defensively, thumping his shoulder with her clenched fist. "I am human, you know." She looked up at him with large, steady eyes. "Are you human, Dayan?"

  He bent his dark head, his teeth very white in the night. "What do you think?" The words were whispered softly against her throat, against her pulse. "Do I feel human to you?" His voice was temptation itself.

  Corinne knew better than to listen, she was so easily distracted by the sheer enticement of his voice. Her hands of their own volition found the thick abundance of his hair and tangled in the silky strands. "How do you do that so easily?" she asked, knowing her eyes would have given away her feelings even if he couldn't read her mind. She loved being with him, everything about him. She wanted to erase that look from the depths of his eyes for all time. The emptiness. The loneliness. "I'm beginning to think you're bad for my heart, Dayan. You can melt a woman at twenty paces. You can. And you made the weather change."

  Dayan's mouth continued to explore the soft column of her throat. "I did? I must be very talented. I hope such a feat earned your everlasting admiration." He sounded slightly distracted, as if it were more important to discover the softness of her skin than to hold a conversation. "You are very tired, Corinne. We ought to start out to meet the healers this night, but I think you need to rest. You have had enough excitement for one evening."

  Her head rested on his shoulder, her long lashes fanning her cheeks. She was tired, more now than ever. As he carried her to the edge of the roof, he moved with such smoothness, she felt as if she were floating. "I loved dancing with you," she murmured without opening her eyes, enjoying the breeze blowing in her face. "I love the way you move."

  "So I am making progress after all," he said. He floated with her to the ground easily, his mind fully merged with hers so that he could control her impressions of what was happening, fogging the memory a little at a time so it was slowly fading away. He had wanted to reveal what he was, who he was. He wanted Corinne's acceptance of him, yet he knew her body was weak, her heart failing. He couldn't take a chance yet. When she found out the truth, he wanted the healer's assurance that her heart would withstand the shock. As he drew a hazy veil over the evening's shocking events, he stressed different memories: his kisses; her response. Retrieving the suitcases, he made sure her seat belt was snug before he pulled the car away from the curb.

  Corinne sat quietly on the seat beside him, astonished at how tired she was. The stress of the pregnancy on her body was beginning to tell on her. Dayan was driving carefully through the streets, his fingers entwined with hers. "Isn't it strange?" she mused. "If someone hadn't tipped Lisa off that you were playing in that bar, we would never have met."

  "I would have found you." It was a statement of fact, quietly delivered.

  Corinne was silent the rest of the way home. Her mind was pleasantly blank. She was tired and strangely happy just to be in his company. Minutes earlier, she had scented the wildness in him, but now she felt his tranquillity, an utter calmness that seeped deep into her soul. Dayan seemed content to drive through the night, humming softly under his breath. The tune was one she had never heard before. It was hauntingly beautiful.

  Lisa was waiting on the small balcony, trying not to look like she was worrying. She watched anxiously while Dayan courteously helped Corinne out of the car. He would have carried her, but Corinne was all too conscious of eyes on them.

  'You are being silly.' The words brushed her mind tenderly. 'Who cares what anyone thinks?'

  Corinne summoned up her courage to answer him in her mind. The sheer intimacy of their communication appealed to her. 'I don't want her to think I'm not feeling well.'

  'You are not feeling well.' He pointed it out very nicely.

  Corinne looked up at him from under her long lashes, just one swift reprimand before she smiled at Lisa. Above her head, Dayan found himself smiling. That was his Corinne. Sweet and sassy at the same time.

  "Are you feeling okay?" Lisa asked, her eyes anxious.

  "Of course. I'm just a little tired," Corinne admitted. "I thought I'd lie down for a while. What are you doing still up?"

  "Waiting for you." Lisa glanced at Dayan and looked away. She wasn't certain why she trusted him when she was with him but felt suspicious when he was out of her sight. He made Corinne act out of character. Corinne had never looked that closely at men, not even when she had been single. Corinne was practical, businesslike. She wasn't the type to cling to a rock star. Lisa tried not to glare at the man.

  Dayan felt sympathetic to her. Lisa was disgusted with herself that she was jealous. She didn't want Corinne looking at Dayan with stars in her eyes. She didn't want Corinne looking at anyone like that. She wasn't willing to change her relationship with Corinne in any way, but she didn't like herself very much for her possessiveness.

  "It's almost dawn," Corinne said gently. "You should be in bed, Lisa, not worrying about me. You knew we were going to get our things. It was bound to take a little bit of time."

  "So there were no problems," Cullen said, wrapping his arm around Lisa's shoulders in a show of support.

  "Well – " Corinne seemed confused, a slight frown crossing her small face. She glanced up at Dayan for help as she nervously shoved a stray strand of dark hair from her face.

  Dayan immediately flooded her mind with warmth and reassurance. She was bewildered and disoriented for a moment, unable to recall exactly what had happened. She was searching her memories, and they were a jumble of confusion. "Nothing we could not handle," he answered easily, truthfully. His hands settled along her hips, anchoring her to him. "If we had known you were worried, Lisa, we would have called."

  "Of course I was worried," Lisa said in challenge, her chin up.

  Corinne leaned back heavily against Dayan, weariness sweeping through her. "Lisa," she said quietly, drawing on the strength of their relationship.

  At once Lisa reached out and took Corinne's hand. "I'm picking a fight again. Just come and lie down, Corinne. I don't want you to become ill."

  Dayan indicated Lisa's suitcase with his chin. "She was very careful to get everything on your list." He was moving Corinne toward the bedroom where she'd slept the night before.

  Corinne knew Lisa was worried about her, but she didn't have the energy to reassure her further. All she wanted to do was lie down and close her eyes. Her body felt like lead, and each step was like wading through quicksand.

  Lisa watched Dayan's every move – the way he held Corinne so gently, the way his eyes moved over Corinne's face tenderly, possessively. Lisa heaved a soft sigh and moved closer to Cullen. He responded by tightening his hold on her, and she looked up at him and smiled rather sadly. Her world was changing, and Lisa wasn't someone who managed change easily. Corinne looked very tired and fragile. It always frightened Lisa to see her looking like that. Her fragility highlighted the fact that Corinne's heart was fading.

  "
I couldn't bear it if anything happened to her," Lisa whispered to Cullen. "I really couldn't."

  Dayan, with his superior hearing, heard her whispered confession. He knew exactly how she felt and could sympathize with her. He couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to Corinne either. He bent forward to brush the top of Corinne's silky head with a kiss, but he couldn't leave Lisa feeling so upset. He glanced back to capture her anxious gaze with his black one. It only took a few seconds, but it was enough. He sent her waves of reassurance, pushing a little further into her mind so he could implant a feeling of warmth toward him.

  Corinne took her time getting ready for bed. Dayan had pulled up his guitar, and she dawdled as he began to play. The music seemed alive, a part of the harmony of the earth and sky, a dreamy ballad. At first his voice was so soft she could barely make out the lyrics. She hurried out of the bathroom into the bedroom so she could listen to every word. His voice was mystical, beautiful, dreamlike. He looked up at her and the world seemed to stop spinning, standing still so the moment was locked in her memory for all time.

  'You take my breath away.' She thought the words to him, not wanting to interrupt his singing, not wanting to miss one single word of the ballad. It was a song of haunting loneliness, of a man, a wanderer, a troubadour, searching through time, century after century, for the one woman who could love him.

  His sensual mouth curved into a smile, and his gaze drifted over her before his lashes lowered and his hand moved over the guitar. His fingers worked so fast she could hardly follow them as they played the haunting melody. He sang of a dark shadow slowly spreading over his soul, a stain that would be impossible to eradicate once it took him over. A powerful beast that roared continually for release from within. As time went on and he did not find his lady, colors and emotions faded, along with all hope, leaving him only his guitar and the words of his song.

  It was a dark melody that brought tears to her eyes. Corinne curled up on the bed, intently watching his face as he played. The light bothered her eyes, so she casually flicked her hand to turn it off. All that mattered in her world was Dayan and his perfect voice singing this hauntingly beautiful song. She had a sudden desire to hold him in her arms, to be the woman who was needed so desperately.

  The music changed subtly, introducing a hopeful strain, one that rose to a joyful crescendo. She found herself smiling there in the dark, her eyes glued to his face. He was an artist, a poet without compare. She loved watching his expression as he played, as his soul poured out its music. Corinne's eyelashes lowered onto her cheeks. She was very tired. And Dayan was there with her, solid and real, impossibly strong and healthy.

  For one moment the guitar was silent as Dayan stretched out beside her, laying the instrument across his chest.

  She smiled. "Are you going to play for me until I fall asleep?"

  "Absolutely." She heard his answering smile in his voice. "You have sweet dreams, honey. Dream about us together." His fingers once again glided over the strings, producing a soft ballad.

  She was dreaming. Daydreaming. Nightdreaming. She only knew it was wonderful to be with him as she drifted away on his music. He made her feel alive and very feminine. She could even pretend to be healthy. In the midst of her dream, trails of fog began to slowly wind through the stars. She frowned, felt Dayan rub his index finger gently back and forth over her forehead.

  "Go to sleep, honey. I want you to sleep all day until sunset." He brushed a kiss across her forehead, taking away her frown. "Do you understand me, honey? Sleep deeply until I call for you to wake."

  She was more asleep than awake. "You're ordering me around again, aren't you?"

  "Yes. I expect you to obey me." The sounds of his guitar filled the room, filled her heart and soul. "You know you are my life, you know it. Tell me you do."

  "I wish I were your life." She was almost asleep, not certain what she was saying.

  "You are definitely my life."

  She was silent for so long, Dayan thought she had drifted off to sleep. He lay beside her, his fingers moving lovingly over his guitar, his body close to hers. He wanted this moment to last for all time. Corinne was beside him where she belonged. Light was beginning to streak through the darkness, turning the inky blackness to gray. He lay there savoring the feel of her beside him, missing the sound of her voice, her laughter, the way her eyes danced when she teased him. The way she looked at him as if he were the only man in her world. Corinne. He knew what poets wrote about. He knew why his soul had cried out for her. He knew why he had waited centuries for her.

  "Dayan" – she murmured his name drowsily – "are you human?"

  Startled, he stared down at her. Corinne's eyes were closed, and she was breathing as if she were asleep. He had covered her memories with a veil, not removing them completely because he wanted her to know the truth soon. He didn't want it to be a complete shock to her; he couldn't risk that kind of shock with her damaged heart. He wanted her to have the memories to draw on when she needed them, but his command should have prevented her from wondering.

  He examined her thoughts as she lay there beside him. She was drifting in and out of consciousness, having a beautiful dream. She was unafraid. Dayan relaxed, a slow smile curving his mouth. She was moving closer to the truth. Closer to accepting him. 'Sleep, honey, while I visit you in your dreams.' And he would. He couldn't bear to be away from her, not even while they both slept. He would be forced to seek refuge in the ground as the sun rose, yet he didn't dare protect her with normal safeguards. If she were to attempt to leave the dwelling despite the guards, the stress could cause problems with her weak heart. As it was, he was afraid if she did go too far away from him, she would begin to feel the effects of separation from her lifemate.

  Although he had not said the ritual words to her, he and Corinne were already bound in heart and mind.

  He bent once more to kiss her, needing to touch her, wanting to remain with her despite the danger to himself. He knew it was impossible to stay, but it didn't stop him from longing to be with her. 'Sleep until I rise, Corinne. Sleep safe.' He murmured the command softly, needing to find a way to protect her while he slept.

  When he was satisfied that she had obeyed him, he lay quietly, freeing his mind, seeking his brethren. 'Darius. Our need for a healer grows greater with each passing moment. She is much weaker this night. I do not know how much longer she can continue.'

  There was a wait and then Darius was there. Strong. Reassuring. Calm as always. 'Join with her. We will link – Julian, Desari, Tempest and I. You work, and we will supply you with as much help as possible to keep her going until we can come together.'

  Dayan let his breath out slowly. He should have realized Darius would think in terms of the family strength. His family was there for Dayan, as always, standing shoulder to shoulder with him to fight for his lifemate and the child. He reached for the merge, embraced his family and let go of his physical body to once more attempt a healing. This time with help.

  * * *

  Chapter 8

  Desari, lead singer for the Dark Troubadours, tapped out an edgy rhythm with her fingernail on the tabletop as she looked at her brother. "Dayan's lifemate is not going to last much longer, Darius. I don't like this situation at all. Dayan cannot claim his lifemate, nor help her while she is with child. What did Gregori say, Darius?"

  Julian circled Desari's waist with his arm, bending to brush his lifemate's temple with a brief, reassuring kiss. "Gregori and Shea are really very good, Desari. They'll figure out how to help Dayan. Gregori is impressive when he works, and he is your brother, of your lineage. You know how powerful that makes him. It's too bad Gregori and Savannah didn't make Lucian's wedding. Running into the vampire delayed them, and now this news will cut their reunion with Lucian short."

  "I'm not certain they will reach Dayan in time. Barack and Syndil are returning from the Carpathian Mountains. That's a long way, Julian." Desari, clearly worried, bit at her lower lip.

  Julian
leaned down to brush a reassuring kiss along Desari's temple. "They bring with them Shea and her lifemate, Jacques, brother to the Prince and a very powerful Carpathian. You are used to relying on your family in these matters, but in truth, there are many others – brethren, kin – who are moving to help us."

  Darius shrugged his broad shoulders as he looked at his sister, his black gaze steady and calm. "We can do no other than to aid Dayan until they arrive. Gregori and his lifemate will be here soon enough, and we will travel together to reach Dayan and the one who would join our family. Dayan has no choice but to keep her alive, and he will do so."

  Julian nodded. "Both Gregori and Shea feel it is too risky for Dayan to do a blood exchange with her while there's a baby in her womb. Dayan said the infant is female and a strong psychic. That will help, but until the healers arrive to aid the baby, we dare not risk interference."

  Desari frowned. "If Dayan's lifemate's heart should give out, we will lose them both."

  Julian's arm tightened around her. "Dayan will not allow such a thing. His lifemate's heart is very weak, but we should be able to keep her going with our linked energy until the healers are in position to aid her and the infant." He met Darius's eyes over the top of his lifemate's head. The situation was grave. Barack and Syndil were rushing back, bringing with them Shea Dubrinsky, lifemate to Jacques. Shea was an extraordinary Carpathian. A doctor, a researcher, a healer of great talent. With them traveled a human male. A friend to the Carpathian race, Gary Jansen was aiding Shea in her research to find a way to keep Carpathian children alive during the crucial first year of life. Gregori had sent information about him ahead, asking for the protection of the human from all Carpathians. The band members didn't know Gary, but Gregori's word would be obeyed unquestioningly within the Carpathian world.