Dark Hunger

and I don't think I want to question it too closely. I'm just going to take what fate offered me and grab on with both hands.'

'You will never be sorry, Juliette,' he promised, raining kisses over her face, her eyes, down her neck and throat. 'You will never be sorry.'

'I can feel your hunger now, the call inside you. It's a frightening thing. How can you keep it at bay the way you do? If I felt like that, I would be devouring something.' She swept back his hair and slowly allowed her legs to drop to the ground. 'You have to get some nourishment. I don't mind, Riordan. I'm not in the least bit hungry and the thought of food makes me want to gag, but it's sort of sexy when you take my blood. I think I'm getting a bit kinky.' She looked around for her clothes, missing the look of wonderment on his face.

He reached down to snag her blouse from where it had been carelessly tossed aside. He didn't even remember stripping it off of her. 'You are a very generous woman, but I think I will refrain from the temptation of your blood.' This time he firmly buttoned the blouse. 'You know I am going to think of your breasts just waiting behind this very thin barrier. If I am distracted later, you will know why.'

Juliette laughed. She couldn't remember being so happy. 'That's all right, you go ahead and think about my breasts. I'll be thinking of your very nicely put together anatomy.' She yanked her jeans on and deftly braided her hair. 'How much time do we have for traveling tonight?'

He glanced at the sky. 'A few hours. We should be able to cover many miles. I will have to carry you, and that means I will have to find blood.' He glanced down at the terrible marks on his chest. 'Carpathians heal in the ground and yet I did not. I need to get back to full strength for the coming battle, and that means I need to find people.'

She suddenly went still. 'Not my sister or cousin.' There was a warning note in her voice.

He grinned at her. 'I do not think you have to worry. I would not risk your wrath.' He tugged playfully at her braid. 'You sound so fierce.'

Juliette watched him clothe himself. It was done with a simple wave of his hand as if he'd manufactured the clothes from thin air. His hair was neatly brushed back away from his face and tied with a leather thong. There wasn't a drop of water on him anywhere and his hair was dry. 'Oh, that is cheating. Look at me, I look like a drowned rat.' She flipped her thick wet braid over her shoulder. 'I want to be able to do that.'

'You will,' he assured. 'Come here. We need to get started.'

'You aren't going to throw me over your shoulder like you did last time, are you?' she asked suspiciously.

He grinned at her, his teeth very white. 'Well, I was thinking about it.'

'Refrain. Last time I considered getting sick all over you.'

'I am so glad you didn't.' Riordan gathered her to him, holding her close, and took to the air, shifting into his favorite form of a bird as he rose. It was easier to fly above the canopy then to try to wind his way through the thick branches and leaves. And he was wary of traps. They were nearing the area where he had first heard the voice of the vampire calling to him for help. He was certain the vampire and his human accomplices were responsible for the net that had nearly claimed him a second time.

Juliette laughed aloud as Riordan raced across the sky. Twice she reached out, trying to touch a cloud, unable to resist. This is astonishing. She felt a part of the night sky, the stars and the clouds and even the rain. It was as though she had merged with nature. She expected to feel fear, but she felt elation, joy, completely alive. It was every bit as wonderful as running through the jungle in the form of a jaguar.

Do not ever feel regret, Juliette. You will be able to shift into many forms and effortlessly hold those forms.

I have to tell you something. The smile faded from Juliette's face. Riordan caught the uneasiness rising as he followed the directions in her mind. We have to move often. We have several homes.

He waited. It wasn't what she wanted to tell him. She was hesitant, very unlike his bold Juliette. She carefully turned over her words, trying to formulate the best way to get him to understand.

Juliette. You must trust me. Just say what you need to say and trust me to understand.

She could see the canopy far below her. The leaves of the trees were silver-black in the moonlight. The raindrops dazzled her eyes, glittering like diamonds as they fell from the clouds. We have seen terrible things from the males. Young girls unable to shape-shift beaten and abused. Solange, Jasmine and I vowed never to have anything to do with a man other than the necessities.

Necessities? She meant sex. Riordan felt his heart pound. Something black and dangerous swirled in his gut. It was ugly and volcanic, and he was ashamed of his reaction. She was telling him something terribly important, not only to her, but to her life, and his first thought had been that the necessity was sex with another man. He despised himself for being so petty. She was a beautiful and sensual woman. Many men would find her attractive, and he should be proud of her. Lifemates trusted one another implicitly. It was impossible to lie to one another or hide anything, and as they grew to know each other better it would be natural to spend more and more time in one another's mind.

I am not such a man, Juliette. At my worst, I would not harm a woman or child. It is abhorrent to me. I had no idea my returning emotions would be so overwhelming and intense, but I know myself well. I would never, I could never hurt you or your sister and cousin.

Juliette leaned into him, felt the tickle of feathers and immediately wanted to be able to join him in the form of a bird. You don't have to tell me that. I already know you wouldn't ever hurt a woman or I would never be with you. I'm concerned my family won't be very accepting of our relationship.

I will win them over.

Far below them, near the edge of the rain forest, was a small settlement. Riordan began his descent cautiously, one part of him scanning the area below for signs of the vampire. Always scan to look for danger before revealing yourself.

It feels a bit intrusive. You pick up random thoughts. She was studying his ways carefully, trying to learn as much as possible. I would hate to pick up my sister's thoughts or worse, my cousin's.

He laughed as he set her gently on the ground, shifting back to his natural form as he planted his feet in the thick vegetation. 'You can avoid scanning the thoughts of your family. You will learn to tune things out once you refine the process. Start experimenting now with volume and reading the air. You can feel danger vibrating. If there is a blank spot where what seems natural to you is not there, a vampire is attempting to hide his presence from you.'

'Do you always know a vampire is a vampire?'

'Unfortunately, no. If a vampire is skilled, such as a master vampire, he could easily walk up to one of the hunters, greet him in the way of our people and go on his way unscathed.'

'How frightening.'

'Stay here while I feed. You should be safe for the moment. There is a feel to the forest, as if the animals are in hiding.'

Juliette went still. She had been so busy trying to think as a Carpathian, so wrapped up in Riordan as a man, that she had forgotten the first rule of living in the jungle. She hadn't paid attention to the warning system of the inhabitants. Riordan strode away from her, melting into the shadows so that it was impossible to see him, even when she was looking directly at him.

She lifted her face to the wind. She was jaguar. And her senses were enhanced by ancient Carpathian blood. She could read the forest news. Animals were hiding, lying low and trembling, waiting until a night bird signaled they were once again safe from predators. Juliette turned her head this way and that, on the alert, feeling the vibration of danger moving through the air. Something was wrong. They were a few miles from the laboratory and several miles from her home.

Her heart jumped. 'Jasmine.' A large predator or a hunting party had passed through the area and frightened the inhabitants. A sudden chill went down her spine. Or a group of predators. She was supposed to lead the guards from the Morrison laboratory away from the direction of her home, but Riordan had carried her off instead. Had they found Jasmine's trail? Jasmine might not have been as cautious as she should have, thinking Juliette would be drawing the guards away from her. What if it was worse than the human guards? What if the male jaguars had cut across Jasmine's trail? Solange was on a scouting mission, hunting for any news of