Dark Peril (39 page)

Dominic recognized Santiago’s voice, knew he was in trouble and began to streak across the yard.
Shoot the cat, Solange.

The back door of the shed burst open and a third man rushed out, his hands up as well. Santiago whirled around, shoulder to shoulder with his brother, and simultaneously both men slammed their hands straight at the mist. Behind them, the silver-eyed Alistair added his powerful energy to the other two. For a moment they looked as if they’d merged into one being.

Light burst from their fingertips, exploding outward directly into the vapor streaking away from them. The sound of a gunshot reverberated through the forest. A hole blossomed in the center of Santiago’s forehead. The second man hit the ground, rolling toward cover. The force of the blast struck Dominic and blew him out of the sky.

A second shot sounded and the man on the ground screamed. Dominic hit a tree hard and barely managed to land in a crouch on his feet. His entire body burned and he took a moment to assess the damage. Solange sprayed the ground in front of him, driving back any attack from the mage brothers.

The cat was out of his sight, but running flat out for Solange. Dominic had to make the choice between destroying the mages and protecting Solange. There really was no choice. He went after the enormous cat. Built like a saber-toothed tiger with enormous muscles, the black cat could become an insubstantial shadow and could only be killed when it was in substance form.

As he raced after the cat, Dominic took command of the skies. Thunder rolled, dark ominous clouds boiled out of nowhere. Rain poured down. Lightning forked across the sky, building electricity and energy into a frightening mass. Lightning bolts slammed the earth over and over, striking all around the yard between the house and shed. One hit the shed and it burst into blackened splinters of wood, spilling the contents into the open.

Inside were small cubs in various stages of misery, some half formed, some screaming in pain as their twisted bodies were half solid and half shadow. Their pitiful mewling and growls could be heard over the thunder shaking the ground. The uninjured mage raced toward one of the escaping cats, calling out a command. About half-grown, with part of its body transparent and eyes glowing a hot red, the cat whirled around, hissing and spitting, fighting the compulsion to return to the mage.

Lightning slammed to earth again, and large, white-hot explosions burst around the mutilated cats, incinerating them so fast they couldn’t feel the blast of heat. Only the half-grown one remained, cowering, trying to slink away from the mage.

Don’t kill it!
Solange sounded shattered. He could hear her weeping deep in her mind. Her female jaguar was outraged and struggling to surface.
We can save that one, Dominic. Please. Please don’t kill it.

Dominic kept the bolts of lightning up, driving the mage away from the cat even as he tuned his mind to the cat’s. He wasn’t at all certain it was a good idea to try to save a mutated cub programmed to go after Solange’s blood, but he couldn’t resist the plea in her voice or the tears in her mind.

Run!
he commanded the cub.
Try for the river and I will help you if possible.

The cat, with the added help of Dominic, broke free of the mage’s restraining spell, spun around and ran into the forest.

Solange fired off several rounds as the large black cat tore up the tree trunk, shredding bark as it scrambled to get to her. The thing was heavy, and she climbed higher, into the thinner branches, but they were covered with leaves and Dominic lost sight of her. He could see the cat though, a huge animal, the muscles straining as he clawed his way slowly up the tree, his eyes fixed on Solange. If Dominic blasted the animal, it would take out the tree—and Solange—unless his timing was perfect.

The cat shimmered, nearly translucent, and made one huge jump onto the heavier lower branches. His growls rumbled hideous and loud, so that the forest creatures went silent, cowering in dens. Even the ever-present very vocal cicadas went silent. The forest seemed to hold its breath as the cat dragged its body up to the next level.

Are you ready?
Dominic asked, his heart in his throat.

Was it possible for her to shed her clothes and shift in time if the tree went? He knew she was fast, but . . . He pushed the thought away. He needed a clear strike zone. Solange was waiting, intent on getting a clear shot through the dense foliage. She didn’t have room to maneuver and her perch was precarious. Not only was the limb flimsy, but the weight of the cat sent the tops of the trees swaying.

Dominic moved swiftly, trying to cover the distance to catch her if needed, but all of his senses were focused on the cat. The large animal continued to stare straight up at Solange, growling and slobbering.

Can you reach its mind?
Solange still sounded calm—much calmer than he felt with the huge animal ripping through the trees to get at his lifemate.

The other cat had been protected by the mage with a strong barrier. Dominic pushed hard into this cat’s mind. The creature existed for one purpose only—to bring its master Solange’s blood. The mutated animal’s senses were all programmed for one scent, for one person. There would be no stopping it from dragging her from the trees and hauling her to the mage.

He took a breath and narrowed his vision, centering on the space just below Solange. It was the only true open space.

Be ready, beloved.

The cat leapt at her. Dominic blasted it, catching it in the air, but the lightning bolt crashed through the huge body, slamming into the tree. The cat disintegrated into ash and the tree toppled with a terrible splintering crash.

Solange timed her jump using Dominic’s mind. She vaulted from the tree as the bolt passed through the cat, leaping out and away from the falling tree. Still clutching the rifle in her hands, she made no attempt to shift, simply trusting him to catch her. He managed to get his arms around her as she fell about two-thirds of the way. At no time did he feel panic in her.

But he felt panic-stricken, his heart thundering in his chest as he held her tight enough that she could barely breathe. She didn’t try to squirm away, simply allowing him his moment of relief.

He swooped over the ranch. Santiago’s dead body was still lying on the ground. A blood trail led to where a vehicle had been parked. The silver-eyed mage and his sibling were long gone. Dominic changed direction, heading to the river. The smaller cub paced up and down the bank, yowling in distress. He snagged the creature and shoved it into Solange’s waiting arms.

She caught it below its front legs, holding it out away from her, face out, rocking gently. The cat’s head drooped to one side and it fell instantly to sleep.

Great. Now we have a friendly little kitten. What are we going to do with that?
Dominic asked in disgust.

Solange’s soft laughter warmed him as nothing else could. He had the feeling that in their lifetime together, rescuing animals children and possibly adults was going to become commonplace.

16

I can never betray you.
You can never part from me.
In love forever, this life and next.
You are the very heart of me.

SOLANGE TO DOMINIC

S
olange woke with her body wrapped tightly around Dominic’s. For the first time she hadn’t slept in the form of her jaguar. She wanted to lie beside him, skin to skin, and wake up looking at his face, touching his body. She dreamt of him, sometimes at night, sometimes during the day, but Dominic always filled her mind now. At times he seemed the center of her world and she didn’t even know how—or when—he had so taken over her thoughts.

Sometimes, like now, she felt like she was drifting in a sea of need, craving the way his beautiful eyes moved over her with that look of such intense desire she could barely breathe. This evening, on waking, she felt almost possessed in her need to be with him, as if he truly did own one half of her soul. She’d spent her life alone, independent, and it was strange to wake up with Dominic as her first thought. She wanted to be everything he needed just as he was everything she needed.

Dominic had awakened the woman in her. For the first time in her life she felt sexy and alive. She enjoyed the way he looked at her when she was wandering around their lair in the clothes he’d asked her to wear. She found she liked to dress for him, to see the dark lust building as his gaze followed her around the chamber.

She sat up slowly and looked him over. His lashes had lifted the moment she moved, his arms coming up to halt her progress. Her bare breasts brushed his hard chest as he held her in place. He had impossibly long lashes that would have looked feminine on anyone else, but the very black crescents only served to bring out the colors in his eyes. His slow, sexy smile melted her heart and slightly mesmerized her.

“Kiss me,
kessake
. Kiss me now before that little ball of fur-trouble bounces down on top of us and spoils my good mood,” he growled. His hand slid up to bunch in her hair, giving her no choice but to comply.

Solange leaned over his body, unconsciously sensuous, sliding her skin against his just for the sheer luxury of touching him. He was so physically beautiful to her, his body honed by battle, a warrior in his prime, everything that appealed to her cat. But the unexpected sweetness in him, the way he saw to her every need, the way he focused so completely on her, as if everything she said and did mattered to him—that appealed to the woman.

She took her time lowering her head toward his, savoring the way she felt, that hot, delicious, restless need pouring over her, mixing with a terrible, frightening, overwhelming love that stole her sanity. The moment her lips brushed against him, the fire started, rolling over her, burning hot and out of control. His hand kept steady pressure on the back of her head as he took his time exploring her mouth, long, drugging kisses that melted her bones.

His hands stroked caresses over every curve, inflaming nerve endings even more, until her body shuddered with need. One hand drifted lower, his thumb brushing gentle, almost tender strokes over her mound and down to her sex. He caught her ragged breath in his mouth, holding her captive there while he took his time kissing her until she sagged against him, so boneless she couldn’t move.

Dominic wrapped his arms around her, and with his mouth welded to hers, floated them up from the rich earth to the floor of the chamber. He left the little cub curled into a small ball of fur, still asleep on top of the healing soil.

Solange felt the woven rug under her bare feet as he put her down, but her body was no longer her own. Mostly she felt hot and needy and so in love she could barely find words. She could only look at him with her heart in her eyes. Dominic Dragonseeker. The legend. The man.
Hers.

His smile was slow and certain. “Bath or food?”

She crushed her need to say
you
. He utterly bemused her and she couldn’t speak. She glanced at the inviting hot water and smiled up at him, hoping he would join her.

“You love a bath,” he said, his gaze burning hot over her.

Solange nodded. She was very conscious of him behind her as she made her way to the steaming pool. The water closed over her skin, tingling, bubbles rising, frothing over the raw nerve endings so that her breath caught in her throat and she closed her eyes, allowing the sensation to rush over her.

Dominic followed her into the bath, finding a niche in the smooth rock so that only his chest and head were above water. Solange ducked her head under the water and allowed him to pull her back against him so he could wash her hair. She loved the feel of his strong fingers massaging her scalp. The water lapped at her chin as he rinsed out her hair.

“I’ve been thinking about the little cub,” she ventured, trying not to sound shy. Her newfound realization of how much he was wrapped up inside of her made her feel more vulnerable than ever. “If you give him Carpathian blood, do you think you can put him right? He’s such a sweet-heart, Dominic. Is that even possible? Giving him your blood once the parasites are removed?”

The cub was solid in front and back, but his middle was shadow, which made it difficult, if not impossible, for the cat to eat.

“Maybe. I honestly do not know what can be done for the little guy.” He ducked his head beneath the water to wash out the long silken mass.

There was regret in his voice and Solange frowned. She waited until he was finished and then brushed the palm of her hand over the heavy muscles of his chest. “I thought the blood of Carpathians could heal almost anything.”

“This is twisted magic, Solange,” he said, catching her hand and pressing her palm tight over his heart. “I want to help, but I do not yet see how we can undo this damage.”

She sighed and leaned forward without thinking to lick at a drop of water running down his chest. “They didn’t have time to program him to need my blood. He’s such a sweet little thing, but we’re going to have to find a solution fast or he’s going to starve. What were they thinking?”

“I doubt they cared whether the cat was hungry, as long as it did what they wanted.”

“We have to do something for it. Keeping it asleep is the only way to keep it from starving, but that’s a temporary fix.”

He smiled down at her and her stomach did a little flip. “If it is at all possible, we will find a solution.”

She believed him. He had said he wanted to help but didn’t
yet
know how. She knew Dominic deep down now, at the core of who he was, what he stood for, and he would not allow the kitten to suffer. He paid attention to details, no matter what they were.

She turned more fully into his arms and tentatively reached for him to explore. He was so sacred to her, she almost felt as if she should ask his permission to touch him. She felt very daring running her palms over his chest. He made no move to stop her, and her reticence vanished. She followed the sculpted contours, memorizing each defined muscle, trying to absorb the shape and feel of him through her fingertips as she stroked caresses over his body. She heard his breathing change, felt the stirring in his body, the rising need. He stayed quiet, just watching her with the approval she craved in his eyes.