Desari stood tall and straight, her long hair flowing in the slight breeze. She looked regal, like a queen. “It is shocking to me that males of your acquaintance have forced females no older than a fledgling to bind with them. I am no child or fledgling, lifemate. I am a woman with much power. I know who I am and what I want. I do not wish to be ordered about as if I have no common sense. Why would you think I would interfere in your battles with the undead? But it is my right as your lifemate to aid you, be it with strength or healing.”
Julian clothed himself in matching blue jeans and a white shirt. He turned her words over in his mind and found himself agreeing with her. She deserved the same respect he gave to Darius. Were her gifts any less than her brother’s? He did respect her; how could he not? He respected any woman strong enough to become lifemate to the Carpathian male, fledgling or no. He let his breath out slowly. Was this the dilemma of every hunter when he found his true lifemate?
“Julian?” Desari touched the back of his hand. “I am not trying to chastise you, but I feel you should know what I am. Who I am. I will never settle for a master. You will be my partner or we are never going to have a true relationship. I cannot be subject to your rules any more than you could be to mine. Do you not see that what I say is so?”
Julian sifted strands of her ebony hair through his fingers. “Do you believe I think you less than myself?”
Desari looked up at him. “I think perhaps you believe I have not the strength and wisdom to protect myself from harm.”
“Do you?” He asked it seriously, his watchful gaze never leaving her face. He did not attempt to enter her mind, wanting to give her the courtesy of privacy in this matter.
Desari’s first inclination was to tell him that of course she was strong and wise enough to defend herself and that surely she could prevent a vampire from taking possession of her. She even opened her mouth to say so but, then closed it again. Could she kill, even a vampire? The answer was no, she could not. She could not destroy even such an evil one. It was not in her to do so. Nor could she have fought the effects of the poison as Julian had. The vampire might have triumphed after all.
“I do not have the will to destroy,” she answered honestly. “But that does not negate what I have said to you. I do not feel that just because I cannot do what you do I should be forced to obedience as if I were a child. I did not in any way impede you in your battle, nor would I have done so.”
His fingers curled around the nape of her neck, gently, tenderly. “Your very presence was a hazard, Desari; my attention was divided. Every moment you were in danger, I could barely breathe. In the past when I went into battle, all there was was the vampire and myself.”
“And what is so different now?” Desari’s voice was soft and beautiful, its purity touching the darkness in him with soothing peace.
Julian found himself letting out his breath slowly. “The difference now is that if I am destroyed, so might you be. Desari, can you not see that the world needs your gift? The peace your voice brings to it, to all creatures of the earth and sky? To humans, to us, our people? We do not yet know but that your voice might even aid our cause, help find a way to provide female children for our dying race. Aside from the possessiveness I feel, the need to have you with me, I feel the responsibility for your safety even more upon my shoulders. I can understand the pressure on Darius all these centuries. You have a priceless gift, lifemate, one we cannot risk.”
Desari smiled in spite of the gravity of their conversation. “Do not place me so high I am soaring, lifemate. I do not know if my voice can do the wonders you imagine, but I thank you for the honor you give me. The point is, Julian, I may not have the skills to destroy the undead, but I have wisdom to know not to engage him in battle. More importantly, Julian, I respect your ability and have pride in your strength. I am not illogical or the type of person to place myself in danger deliberately, out of defiance. And I must remind you, you should not try to force my obedience, particularly when your mind is divided. I will follow your advice in these matters because I choose to do so.” Her chin tilted at him in a slightly haughty way.
Julian was used to being the sole authority in his world, and he had always viewed women as the gentler sex, to be protected and hidden away from danger. It had not occurred to him that a lifemate might wield as much power in her own way as he did. Desari was right. He should not force her obedience, even when their lives were threatened; she would obey only with her full consent. How arrogant the males of his race had become. Julian thrust a hand through his golden hair and arched an eyebrow at her. “There is something to what you say,” he admitted, deliberately slowly, as if mulling it over.
Her dark eyes smoldered. “There is truth in what I say.”
He rubbed the bridge of his nose thoughtfully. “I suppose I can concede there could be some truth in what you say.”
She couldn’t help but laugh at him. “You are deliberately provoking me because you cannot stand that I am right. It deflates your male ego.”
“Not only mine,
cara mia”
he admitted with his mischievous grin, “but that of all the other hunters who find their lifemates. I will enjoy watching them learn this interesting fact of life when it is their turn. But in the meantime, Desari, should we be around other males, you could pretend that you obey my every word, lest we warn the others of their impending lesson.”
Desari found herself suddenly relaxing, her dark eyes dancing. Julian wanted to see her point. And he had finally opened his memories to her of his own free will, allowed her to see the scars of his childhood. “Darius is much like you, Julian.”
“That brother of yours,” Julian said with his slow, taunting drawl. “You like him.”
Julian raised an eyebrow. “Darius is not a man you ‘like,’
cara.
He is someone who inspires more emotion, to anyone who can feel emotion, than the word
like
implies. You might admire him. Respect him. Even fear him. But Darius is not someone you
like.
He is a hunter. Few, if any, would challenge him.”
“You would,” Desari said with complete conviction. “No one has ever said I was brilliant,” Julian answered. “Do you think my brother is going to stay with us?”
Julian rubbed the bridge of his nose again, his eyes suddenly blank. “It is possible at some point, Desari, that you will want to establish our own family rather than stay with this unit.”
She paced away from him, then returned. “You think he is close to turning vampire.”
“I think your brother is a powerful hunter. He would make a lethal adversary, and I would not want the job of tracking him. Darius will hold on as long as he is able. He will not choose to lose his soul without a fight.”
“Do you know any hunters greater than yourself?” Desari asked, curious. “Besides my brother, of course,” she added impishly.
His eyebrows shot up, his grin slightly sardonic. “Do you wish to become a hunter groupie? I assure you, I am more than adequate for the job.”
She burst out laughing. “You idiot. I was curious, that is all. Darius learned only through his own experience. Are his skills as good as those of your people?”
“Your brother is extremely strong and skilled. Perhaps it is inherited, in your bloodline,” he mused aloud. “Remember,
cara,
Gregori, the Dark One, a most powerful hunter, second only to Mikhail, our Prince, is brother to you and Darius. We are of the same people.”
Desari nodded, intrigued. “Do you think all hunters’ skills are inherited?”
“The greatest hunter, as well as the greatest and most unique vampire, came from your bloodline. Those who choose the life of a hunter sometimes serve an apprenticeship under an experienced guide and are taught the rudiments of how a vampire must be destroyed almost from birth. But your brother did not have this information.”