herself back and forth for comfort. Her battered body was not nearly as painful as her aching soul. No, it is not like that. Only a terrible wrenching, a feeling of being ripped apart. He is so strong, Darius. He will never let me go. Never .
I will rid you of this creature, Desari.
Again she shook her head. I do not think you can, Darius .
I will not fail you.
Desari pressed the back of her hand to her trembling mouth. "You cannot," she whispered softly aloud.
"If you kill him, he will take me with him when he goes."
Syndil gasped, her acute hearing picking up the thread of sound and sorrow from Desari. She had known Darius was communicating privately with his sister even in his deep sleep; Darius was strong even in the worst times. "Tell him, Desari. Tell Darius if you really believe that. You know no one can defeat Darius. It is impossible. He must know if what you say is true."
"He cannot help me this time. No one can," Desari said.
Syndil called to Darius inside her own mind, something she had not done since the violent attack on her.
Desari believes that if you kill this creature, he will take her with him from this world. And I believe that if she thinks he can do such a thing, she is in danger .
There was a short silence, then Darius sighed softly. Do not worry, little sister. I will think on what you have said and not move too quickly. Perhaps we need to learn more of this creature .
Huddling on the bed, Desari cut herself off from the others. With each mile that took her farther from the bar, the oppressive dread seemed to increase. She could feel perspiration beading on her forehead. Her breath came in short, uncomfortable gasps. She had to find him.
She had to be close to him. He had somehow stolen the other half of her soul.
Desari bit down hard on her lower lip, welcoming the stinging pain that helped her to center herself. She closed her eyes and sought inside her own body. She could not find the stench of evil. She found her heart whole and strong. She found her soul complete. But she was no longer simply Desari. A stranger dwelled within her. A stranger who was somehow very familiar, more familiar than even her family.
After the first shock, she studied the evidence of his work. He was strong and powerful. Self-confident.
Even arrogant. Very, very knowledgeable. And he meant to have her. She could feel his deep resolve.
No one would stand in his way. Nothing would stop him. He would never give her up. And deep within Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
him dwelled… a dark shadow.
Desari swallowed the fear choking her. Why was she so afraid of this unknown man? She was not without her own power. No one could force her to do what she did not want to do. Nor would Darius ever allow it. And she had Barack and Dayan to support her as well. Even Syndil would fight for her if the need arose. Why was she so afraid?
Because there was an excitement in her that she didn't want to admit even to herself. She was intrigued by the stranger, drawn to him. Her body wanted his, and she had never even laid eyes on him. How could he have wrought such a thing? Was he so powerful?
She didn't want Darius to harm him. The thought came unbidden and was, she felt, on the verge of disloyalty. She should not even think such things. Desari rubbed her forehead with the heels of her hands.
Whoever he was, he would come for her, and she had to decide what to do. She could never leave her family.
Especially not now, when Darius was having such a hard time with his own darkness.
"Oh, God," she murmured aloud. "What am I thinking?"
You are in pain?
Desari's head snapped up, and she looked around the bus cautiously. The voice was clear, arrogant, a velvet purr. Not Darius. Her throat closed convulsively, making it nearly impossible to breathe. She felt a strength, a male's touch, his heart beating steadily, his lungs working easily, in and out, regulating her breathing as if
I will rid you of this creature, Desari.
Again she shook her head. I do not think you can, Darius .
I will not fail you.
Desari pressed the back of her hand to her trembling mouth. "You cannot," she whispered softly aloud.
"If you kill him, he will take me with him when he goes."
Syndil gasped, her acute hearing picking up the thread of sound and sorrow from Desari. She had known Darius was communicating privately with his sister even in his deep sleep; Darius was strong even in the worst times. "Tell him, Desari. Tell Darius if you really believe that. You know no one can defeat Darius. It is impossible. He must know if what you say is true."
"He cannot help me this time. No one can," Desari said.
Syndil called to Darius inside her own mind, something she had not done since the violent attack on her.
Desari believes that if you kill this creature, he will take her with him from this world. And I believe that if she thinks he can do such a thing, she is in danger .
There was a short silence, then Darius sighed softly. Do not worry, little sister. I will think on what you have said and not move too quickly. Perhaps we need to learn more of this creature .
Huddling on the bed, Desari cut herself off from the others. With each mile that took her farther from the bar, the oppressive dread seemed to increase. She could feel perspiration beading on her forehead. Her breath came in short, uncomfortable gasps. She had to find him.
She had to be close to him. He had somehow stolen the other half of her soul.
Desari bit down hard on her lower lip, welcoming the stinging pain that helped her to center herself. She closed her eyes and sought inside her own body. She could not find the stench of evil. She found her heart whole and strong. She found her soul complete. But she was no longer simply Desari. A stranger dwelled within her. A stranger who was somehow very familiar, more familiar than even her family.
After the first shock, she studied the evidence of his work. He was strong and powerful. Self-confident.
Even arrogant. Very, very knowledgeable. And he meant to have her. She could feel his deep resolve.
No one would stand in his way. Nothing would stop him. He would never give her up. And deep within Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
him dwelled… a dark shadow.
Desari swallowed the fear choking her. Why was she so afraid of this unknown man? She was not without her own power. No one could force her to do what she did not want to do. Nor would Darius ever allow it. And she had Barack and Dayan to support her as well. Even Syndil would fight for her if the need arose. Why was she so afraid?
Because there was an excitement in her that she didn't want to admit even to herself. She was intrigued by the stranger, drawn to him. Her body wanted his, and she had never even laid eyes on him. How could he have wrought such a thing? Was he so powerful?
She didn't want Darius to harm him. The thought came unbidden and was, she felt, on the verge of disloyalty. She should not even think such things. Desari rubbed her forehead with the heels of her hands.
Whoever he was, he would come for her, and she had to decide what to do. She could never leave her family.
Especially not now, when Darius was having such a hard time with his own darkness.
"Oh, God," she murmured aloud. "What am I thinking?"
You are in pain?
Desari's head snapped up, and she looked around the bus cautiously. The voice was clear, arrogant, a velvet purr. Not Darius. Her throat closed convulsively, making it nearly impossible to breathe. She felt a strength, a male's touch, his heart beating steadily, his lungs working easily, in and out, regulating her breathing as if
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