Dark Storm (Dark #23)(77)
Author: Christine Feehan

"This is my fault, Riley," Dax said. "This evening I was so eager to be with you that I dismissed the bite as a typical hazard of the rain forest. I took the swelling and itch away, without delving deeper."

Riley looked up at him, her hand stroking his face. "I’m right, aren’t I? Mitro attacked me, didn’t he? I should have known right away. I hate it when I’m slow on the uptake."

He passed his hand over her face, taking the sheen of sweat from her skin. "I think, in this instance, you were quick figuring it out. You aren’t used to dealing with the undead." He laid one hand over her heart and the other over the small wound on her hand. "Mitro is clever, and his traps can be subtle."

Jubal. Gary. Keep an eye on that owl. Be ready to kill it if necessary. Dax sent the order to the two men he felt had a chance of keeping Mitro’s next weapon at bay. He still found it a little disconcerting to rely on humans, but neither man flinched when it came to combat with the vampire’s puppets.

Dax took a deep breath and sent himself outside his body, becoming spirit, a white light of energy, slipping into Riley’s body to track the sliver of poison the spider had injected. Mitro had kept it very subtle so the threat would have time to take hold and spread before anyone noticed. It was very Mitro-like. Most vampires were anything but subtle. Mitro was in a category all his own.

Dax hadn’t known he was lonely until Riley had come into his life. He loved the conversations she had with herself, her smile and the way she would suddenly blurt out that he was beautiful. He also loved that she was intelligent and quick to comprehend the unknown. She didn’t waste time denying what was happening, she took it all in stride, and he admired her for that. Now, moving through her body, she remained quite still, observing what he was doing, but not protesting.

She was already fighting the effects in her mind. He could see the damage there, but Riley was strong, much stronger than Mitro gave her credit for. That was one of the vampire’s weaknesses. He viewed women as inferior to men. He always had. He had underestimated Arabejila, and he would always underestimate Riley, which gave her a small advantage.

Dax moved through her body, white light illuminating the dark blue clusters of cells spreading slowly, multiplying and invading healthy cells. Dax attacked the clusters with bursts of energy. The darker cells tried to hide from him, but he ruthlessly followed them, moving through every organ to ensure he got every last one. He would never be complacent about her health or safety again. Had she not begun to question why she was acting out of character, the virus might have had a much better chance of taking hold.

He knew the moment he returned to his body, the owl would attack, because Mitro would know Dax would be at his weakest and would orchestrate the strike that way. The bird was a predator and would hurl itself at Riley, going for her eyes with its lethal talons.

Jubal. Watch for the one you can’t see. He couldn’t help himself, he had to warn Jubal. As much as he’d learned of the two human men traveling with him, he still preferred to rely on himself, especially when it came to protecting his own lifemate.

Clever Mitro. I know you so well by now.

Dax burst into his body, accepting the disoriented effect that came with shedding one’s physical shell and then returning to it. Simultaneously, he allowed the armor lurking beneath his skin to the forefront. Diamond-hard scales erupted from his feet to his neck, sliding over his skin to encase him in a shield. He spun around in a quick circle feeling for the real attack. The cat hit him hard in the chest, a monster of a jaguar, the hot breath on his face as wicked teeth rushed for his throat. Claws raked at his belly.

As if from a distance, he heard the rush of wings as owls dropped from the trees, talons extended, trying to get at Riley. He clamped his hands around the neck of the jaguar, holding the teeth away from his neck. A gun went off right near his ear and two more fired from a short distance away. With a quick wrench of his hands, he broke the neck of the cat and flung the body from him, turning to face the threat of the owls.

Three birds lay dead on the ground surrounding Riley. She held a gun in her hand. Jubal and Gary stood with guns out as well. Handy thing, guns. Dax liked the idea of them. A gun might not kill a vampire, but it could definitely kill a vampire’s puppets. Mitro was clever, but he hadn’t counted on Gary and Jubal or guns. This trap hadn’t slowed them down or caused real harm.

Dax nodded his thanks to the two men and reached down to help Riley to her feet. She stood a little shakily, and Gary leaned in to remove the gun from her hand.

"Maybe we should be a little careful with this thing," he said.

Riley held out her hand. "I hit the thing instead of you, didn’t I?"

Gary grinned at her. "I believe you did, Miss Parker."

Dax found the exchanges between the men and Riley interesting. He "felt" their affection for one another. Teasing seemed to be an art form.

Riley checked her gun before slipping it back into her pocket. She made a little face. "Here comes Weston. How are we going to explain this?"

Dax waved his hand toward Weston and the man stopped abruptly, looked around him and scratched his head as though he’d forgotten what he was doing. Riley’s laughter spilled into Dax’s mind.

I wish I had that particular talent.

You will, he assured. Aloud, to Jubal he added, "Let’s get them moving again. We want to make the river before the sun is up. If we’re being flown out of here, we’ll have to give the helicopter somewhere safe to land."

I suppose I’ll learn everything I want to know without having to go to school as well, Riley said. You’ll be making my profession obsolete.

He brought her hand to his mouth, placing a kiss in the center of her palm. "Only for you," he murmured.

She laughed, just as he knew she would. He found he was becoming just as addicted to the sound of her laughter as he was to the way she looked, that soft glow and the curve of her mouth.

Before we join the others, you might want to get rid of your scales. I think you look adorable, but Weston probably will be incredibly rude. You know how you get when people are rude; better just to change out of that outfit.

Her laughter teased at his body this time, the vibration rushing through him like an aphrodisiac while fingers of sound stroked. He found himself laughing with her. Mitro had just made another try at her and Riley had shaken it off and was teasing him.

You’re quite something, lifemate. He held out his hand to her.

She sent him a quick smile and placed her hand in his. They made their way back to the others, Dax ensuring none of the other travelers, other than Jubal and Gary, would remember anything that happened. Once again, Dax lifted the professor and they started off for the clearing where the helicopter was to meet them.