Dark Challenge by Christine Feehan Page A

was not so arrogant that he discounted his enemy. He knew he faced one his equal, or very nearly so.
    The waves of seeking power receded, and the air was quiet and fresh. Then, without warning, Darius struck again. Julian felt the pain slam into his head, into Des-ari’s head. She made a noise, just a soft cry in her throat, but Julian instantly took the full brunt of the sound wave, blocking it from her.
    Hear me, stranger. I know you feel me, you know what I am. If you hurt her in any way, there will be nowhere on this earth you will be able to hide. I will find you, and you will die—a long and painful death
. The voice came on the wings of the night, broadcast on every possible wavelength so there could be no doubt it was heard and clearly understood.
    Julian was astonished at the power the bodyguard had. He seemed as adept as Gregori, every bit as dangerous. Perhaps Darius did not have Gregori’s elegant grace—he seemed more earthy and raw—but he held very real power. Few could accomplish what he was doing, holding a painful note in Julian’s head even though they had never exchanged blood and Darius had no real idea of where he was. And he meant what he said. He was determined and ruthless and without an iota of mercy.
    Julian inhaled sharply and brought Desari out of the sky with him to the small snug cabin nestled high in the mountain peaks. As he landed, shape-shifting, he held Desari’s mind merge so that she did not inadvertently give their position away, but he changed the tone of the sound so that it no longer raked at him with such sharp edges.
    It took a little doing, to turn the trap back on its master, especially since he was shielding Desari from the battle between the two Carpathians. She didn’t need to know they were posturing at one another. He turned thenote around, reshaped it, and sent it slamming back through the night sky. There was a certain satisfaction in knowing that he had scored on the powerful Carpathian. Only then did he release Desari from his mind, allowing her to withdraw completely.
    For the very first time Desari found she was really afraid. What had she done? Followed a complete stranger away from the protection of her family, and for what? Sex. Pure and simple. She was so attracted to Julian Savage, she had willingly thrown away her values and rules and placed Darius in an untenable position. He would worry about her. She had trusted Julian because she had never once in all her existence felt so deeply about anyone, yet now she knew he was manipulating her. And he was a master at it. Perhaps he was manipulating all her other emotions as well.
    Julian moved away from her, giving her space, his body fluid and powerful. He shoved a hand through his thick mane of golden hair, his eyes drifting over her possessively. “You would have me allow you to feel pain when it is not necessary?” His voice was strictly neutral.
    She knew he was making a point. He was not compelling her. She either trusted him or she didn’t. It was that simple.
    Julian folded his arms across his broad chest and leaned one hip lazily against a porch column. “I know you felt it.”
    “For a moment,” she conceded, knowing he meant the blast of pain that had blossomed so suddenly in his head. It had been gone in an instant.
    “And I removed it immediately. It was your brother. A warning.”
    “I heard his warning. I have worried him unnecessarily. I intend to tell him I am coming home this night.”She said it defiantly, more for her own benefit than his. She didn’t want to go. Julian was so enticing, with his hungry molten eyes. The intensity he felt for her was overwhelming, exhilarating.
    “Then we will both return. But do you really believe we can get to know one another in the company of your protectors? It will be unnecessarily difficult.” He waved to a chair on the porch. “Sit for a while and talk to me.”
    It was a soft purr of menace. He fully intended to go with her if she left, walk