Tree trunks covered in black spikes seemed to leap out of the shadows at them. Oversize leaves, split into razor-sharp fronds, reached for them, driven by the wind. The dread seeping into her made her stomach churn. The sound of the machetes slashing through the screaming branches and foliage only added to her frayed nerves.
Riley and Dax had caught up with the others quickly. He’d simply shifted into a giant bird and taken to the air, carrying Riley until they were close enough to join her fellow travelers. To make better time, Dax took over carrying the professor. He could go for miles without breaking a sweat. She resisted looking over her shoulder at him. He was close, but with the weight of a grown man in his arms, he couldn’t be leaping into action if someone went crazy with a machete or the monkeys ambushed them.
Gary walked directly in front of her. She caught him twice looking over her head, back toward Jubal. They exchanged a knowing look that made her shiver. Okay, she wasn’t entirely losing her mind; they both felt the danger, too, they just reacted better. She put her hand in the pocket of her light jacket, assuring herself the Glock was there should she need it.
Your fear is beating at me, yet you do not allow me to share your mind. What is it?
His voice was always so calm and reassuring.
We don’t make any sense. She would have glared at him if she wasn’t so busy looking in the trees for an imminent attack. Sometimes being so utterly calm was annoying.
Match your heartbeat to mine. Your heart is beating too fast, Dax ordered. In what way don’t we make sense?
Smug male amusement was much worse than calm. She risked a quick glance over her shoulder to glare at him. He wasn’t even breathing hard, while her lungs were burning. He was all muscle and hotness, and her body felt like lead. He didn’t seem to mind that at any moment he might have to pitch the professor into a spiny tree to save the day like some comic book hero.
Comic book hero? Is that how you see me? I must have a cape.
His laughter filled her mind, raw and masculine and unexpected. She found herself smiling just because he was. He’d managed to find his way into her mind when she had been so certain she was closed off to him. He could make her laugh in the worst of circumstances. Ignoring the gathering anxiety pressing down on her, she deliberately began to conjure up an image of Dax in pink tights, a long tunic and a pink cape.
This is what you wish me to wear? He sounded perfectly serious. It is much like the Inca garb. The color might clash with my skin tone.
Riley burst out laughing. Clash with your skin tone? she echoed. Small beads of sweat ran down the valley between her breasts. She had to rub more out of her eyes. What in the world does Gary have going on in his head? You got all your information from him.
Jubal as well. He has sisters. Once again he sounded smug.
She took a deep breath, hoping he’d deny it, but knowing he wouldn’t. You know we’re going to be attacked.
Yes, of course.
Riley stumbled, but caught herself before she fell. She felt light-headed, dizzy enough to sink to the ground in a faint. She bit down hard on her lip, the stinging pain grounding her. You’ve been talking to Jubal and Gary. She made it a statement.
Coordinating what they need to do.
Riley cringed a little at her ridiculous reaction to his matter-of-fact tone. Speaking mind to mind seemed so intimate to her, a secret shared with a lover. Could she be jealous? How utterly beneath her. And in the middle of an incredibly dangerous situation. She was acting like an idiot. She wasn’t even the jealous kind.
She frowned as she walked, counting her steps to clear her mind. There was no buzzing in her mind to indicate the vampire was influencing her as it had the porter who killed her mother. She continued counting each step, finding a rhythm, wishing she could stop and put her hands in the earth. She felt exhausted, and the soil would rejuvenate her.
Riley? Why do you keep cutting yourself off from me? Your heart is still beating too fast.
She shook her head, not wanting Dax in it. She needed to work this out on her own. Her frown deepened. Dax, Jubal and Gary had all agreed that vampires preyed on weaknesses. She was definitely insecure, feeling as if she somehow wasn’t worthy of Dax. To her, he was noble and courageous. He’d sacrificed his life for his people. He’d endured all kinds of suffering and wounds in battle, been completely alone while she’d had a wonderful, happy childhood with every advantage.
At once her mind was flooded with warmth. You have great courage, Riley. There is no other for me, nor will there be.
She got that. She really did. She’d committed to him. She hadn’t gone to sleep insecure, but she’d awakened that way. Her mind turned that over and over. What had been different from the time Dax had carried her back to the others and helped her set up her hammock for the night and when she’d awakened? Something had happened to make her doubt herself, or worse—doubt Dax. What was it? She must have fallen into a trap Mitro had set.
She looked around her at her traveling companions. None of them seemed affected.
Gary turned around abruptly to face her, stopping so fast she ran into him. He caught her shoulders in a steadying grip. “You’re burning up.”
A lump had formed in her throat and when she tried to swallow, she had difficulty. You’re talking to Gary again.
You’re shutting me out.
No remorse. She would have to store that away for future reference. Apparently not, because you’re back in my head again.
Everyone had stopped at some command from Jubal. Dax set the professor down gently on the makeshift travois the guides had made. Riley watched him stride toward her. Her heart leapt toward him. He was impressive any way one looked at it. Sometimes, when she saw him, like now, so confident and purposeful, he intimidated her just a little, yet at the same time, he made her feel safe.
He seemed to get taller as he approached her. His grip on her upper arms was as gentle as ever, yet she knew if she tried to free herself it would be impossible.
“Look at me, sivamet. Into my eyes.”
She was aware that the scales running beneath his skin were very close, which meant he was more upset than his demeanor indicated.
Lightning forked across the sky. The wind howled, sweeping through the trees with deadly intent. The branches swayed, rubbing one another to make a clacking sound that seemed to reverberate through the jungle. Long vines dropped down from the overhead canopy, looking like hangman’s nooses in the dark.
Dax transferred one hand to her chin, tipping her head this way and that, studying her eyes. “You’re ill,” he said.
“The spider bite. That’s the only thing I can think of. Mitro must have had insects waiting to attack me. Can he program them to do that?” Even to her own ears, her voice sounded far away. “I should have known something was wrong when I was acting so out of character.”
“Out of character?” he repeated, catching her when she would have collapsed.
“You know, doubting that I was good enough to be your lifemate. I’m sure I have a high opinion of myself.” She reached up to stroke his jaw. “You really are beautiful, Dax.”
He hissed something between his strong white teeth she couldn’t catch. She seemed to be floating through the air, while several of her travel companions looked on with trepidation on their faces.
She waved at them. “No worries. He has a pink cape,” she assured.
Overhead, the flutter of wings distracted Dax for one moment as he found the spot he was looking for. Crouching low, he looked up as a great horned owl, known as the night tiger, settled on the branches above them. Somewhere in the distance, an eerie scream sent a shiver of goose bumps chasing down the travelers’ spines. They all moved closer together.
“This is my fault, Riley,” Dax said. “This evening I was
so eager to be with you that I dismissed the bite as a typical hazard of the rain forest. I took the swelling and itch away, without delving deeper.”
Riley looked up at him, her hand stroking his face. “I’m right, aren’t I? Mitro attacked me, didn’t he? I should have known right away. I hate it when I’m slow on the uptake.”
He passed his hand over her face, taking the sheen of sweat from her skin. “I think, in this instance, you were quick figuring it out. You aren’t used to dealing with the undead.” He laid one hand over her heart and the other over the small wound on her hand. “Mitro is clever, and his traps can be subtle.”
Jubal. Gary. Keep an eye on that owl. Be ready to kill it if necessary. Dax sent the order to the two men he felt had a chance of keeping Mitro’s next weapon at bay. He still found it a little disconcerting to rely on humans, but neither man flinched when it came to combat with the vampire’s puppets.
Dax took a deep breath and sent himself outside his body, becoming spirit, a white light of energy, slipping into Riley’s body to track the sliver of poison the spider had injected. Mitro had kept it very subtle so the threat would have time to take hold and spread before anyone noticed. It was very Mitro-like. Most vampires were anything but subtle. Mitro was in a category all his own.
Dax hadn’t known he was lonely until Riley had come into his life. He loved the conversations she had with herself, her smile and the way she would suddenly blurt out that he was beautiful. He also loved that she was intelligent and quick to comprehend the unknown. She didn’t waste time denying what was happening, she took it all in stride, and he admired her for that. Now, moving through her body, she remained quite still, observing what he was doing, but not protesting.
She was already fighting the effects in her mind. He could see the damage there, but Riley was strong, much stronger than Mitro gave her credit for. That was one of the vampire’s weaknesses. He viewed women as inferior to men. He always had. He had underestimated Arabejila, and he would always underestimate Riley, which gave her a small advantage.
Dax moved through her body, white light illuminating the dark blue clusters of cells spreading slowly, multiplying and invading healthy cells. Dax attacked the clusters with bursts of energy. The darker cells tried to hide from him, but he ruthlessly followed them, moving through every organ to ensure he got every last one. He would never be complacent about her health or safety again. Had she not begun to question why she was acting out of character, the virus might have had a much better chance of taking hold.
He knew the moment he returned to his body, the owl would attack, because Mitro would know Dax would be at his weakest and would orchestrate the strike that way. The bird was a predator and would hurl itself at Riley, going for her eyes with its lethal talons.
Jubal. Watch for the one you can’t see. He couldn’t help himself, he had to warn Jubal. As much as he’d learned of the two human men traveling with him, he still preferred to rely on himself, especially when it came to protecting his own lifemate.
Clever Mitro. I know you so well by now.
Dax burst into his body, accepting the disoriented effect that came with shedding one’s physical shell and then returning to it. Simultaneously, he allowed the armor lurking beneath his skin to the forefront. Diamond-hard scales erupted from his feet to his neck, sliding over his skin to encase him in a shield. He spun around in a quick circle feeling for the real attack. The cat hit him hard in the chest, a monster of a jaguar, the hot breath on his face as wicked teeth rushed for his throat. Claws raked at his belly.
As if from a distance, he heard the rush of wings as owls dropped from the trees, talons extended, trying to get at Riley. He clamped his hands around the neck of the jaguar, holding the teeth away from his neck. A gun went off right near his ear and two more fired from a short distance away. With a quick wrench of his hands, he broke the neck of the cat and flung the body from him, turning to face the threat of the owls.
Three birds lay dead on the ground surrounding Riley. She held a gun in her hand. Jubal and Gary stood with guns out as well. Handy thing, guns. Dax liked the idea of them. A gun might not kill a vampire, but it could definitely kill a vampire’s puppets. Mitro was clever, but he hadn’t counted on Gary and Jubal or guns. This trap hadn’t slowed them down or caused real harm.
Dax nodded his thanks to the two men and reached down to help Riley to her feet. She stood a little shakily, and Gary leaned in to remove the gun from her hand.
“Maybe we should be a little careful with this thing,” he said.
Riley held out her hand. “I hit the thing instead of you, didn’t I?”
Gary grinned at her. “I believe you did, Miss Parker.”
Dax found the exchanges between the men and Riley interesting. He “felt” their affection for one another. Teasing seemed to be an art form.
Riley checked her gun before slipping it back into her pocket. She made a little face. “Here comes Weston. How are we going to explain this?”
Dax waved his hand toward Weston and the man stopped abruptly, looked around him and scratched his head as though he’d forgotten what he was doing. Riley’s laughter spilled into Dax’s mind.
I wish I had that particular talent.
You will, he assured. Aloud, to Jubal he added, “Let’s get them moving again. We want to make the river before the sun is up. If we’re being flown out of here, we’ll have to give the helicopter somewhere safe to land.”
I suppose I’ll learn everything I want to know without having to go to school as well, Riley said. You’ll be making my profession obsolete.
He brought her hand to his mouth, placing a kiss in the center of her palm. “Only for you,” he murmured.
She laughed, just as he knew she would. He found he was becoming just as addicted to the sound of her laughter as he was to the way she looked, that soft glow and the curve of her mouth.
Before we join the others, you might want to get rid of your scales. I think you look adorable, but Weston probably will be incredibly rude. You know how you get when people are rude; better just to change out of that outfit.
Her laughter teased at his body this time, the vibration rushing through him like an aphrodisiac while fingers of sound stroked. He found himself laughing with her. Mitro had just made another try at her and Riley had shaken it off and was teasing him.
You’re quite something, lifemate. He held out his hand to her.
She sent him a quick smile and placed her hand in his. They made their way back to the others, Dax ensuring none of the other travelers, other than Jubal and Gary, would remember anything that happened. Once again, Dax lifted the professor and they started off for the clearing where the helicopter was to meet them.
The flutter of wings overhead told Riley they weren’t completely out of danger. She was shaken at the thought that even when Mitro was long gone from the forest, he could still leave such successful traps behind. He was much more powerful than she had ever imagined. She should have known when Dax was so amazing and yet in battle after battle with the vampire, neither had won. Mitro had to at least be his equal.
“Stay alert,” Dax advised Jubal and Gary. “Keep everyone in a tight formation and pick up the pace.”
The travelers fell into line, Weston and Shelton grumbling as usual.
“It’s best to stay quiet,” Dax said. “You never know what’s going to trigger a jaguar attack.”
Weston swore under his breath, but both men immediately fell silent.
Riley hid a smile. You have such a way with people.
I am learning to be in your world.
Smug. Arrogant. Male. Hot as hell. Why in the world did she find him so attractive? He made her feel as if she could do anything when she was with him.
I think I’ve fallen in love with you. Right here in this rai
n forest in this terrible, awful, ugly situation. She made the confession as she walked along the trail, keeping her head down as if she was watching the narrow trail. All the while, she held herself still. You’re so beautiful, Dax. Your heart. Your soul. I don’t think I could ever find a better man.
Dax poured himself into her mind, needing the closeness every bit as much as she did. Carpathians knew. There was no doubt for them. But humans wondered. Worried. And Riley was moving from her world into his—an enormously generous decision. A gift beyond price. How could he not treasure her?
Dax felt his soul brush hers. You are hän ku kuulua sívamet, which means, “keeper of my heart.” And you are ainaak enyém, “forever mine.” I am fully aware of the courage it took for you to bind yourself to me without fully knowing what you were getting into, and I will forever be the keeper of your heart, Riley. I will be forever yours.
Riley hugged his words to her as she kept moving through the dense foliage. She listened to the sound of water racing down the slopes and over rocks to run in narrow ribbons or wider streams. Water was everywhere. Drops fell from the leaves above them to add to the rushing rivulets. More water burst from the side of the hill in a long fall over boulders, a frothy stream of glittering silver. Below the waterfall, the large, moss-covered rocks formed a pool.
Bright green moss covered everything near them, the rocks, the fallen tree trunks, even the trees standing. Riley spotted flowers springing from the green slopes and rocks, some in bushes almost as tall as some of the smaller trees. The splashes of color along with the bright silver of the water in the dark were beautiful. She wished she was alone with Dax and could just sit quietly with him, holding hands and listening to the sounds of the waterfall splashing into the cool pool below.
Dax answered her with a caress down her cheek. I can always have the Old One make an appearance. He isn’t fond of people. He’ll clear them away fast.
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