Dark Melody Page 18

Chapter 18

 

  Corinne looked around the crystal chamber with its steaming pools and flickering candles. Water lapped at the large rock formations and reflected colors from the various crystals along the curving walls and ceiling. This underground cave with its network of tunnels and large rooms was beginning to feel like home to her. The baby was growing stronger, gaining enough weight that Shea was certain they would be able to remove her from her protected environment soon. Corinne held her daughter for small blocks of time, very aware of the dangers outside the incubator. Both Dayan and Corinne often merged with the infant to comfort and soothe her. They wanted her to know she was loved and wanted and they couldn't wait for her to be out with them.

  Desari and Julian were frequent visitors, and Corinne really liked them both. She found Julian's sense of humor a good counterbalance to his intimidating demeanor. She knew Desari didn't find him in the least intimidating. Desari had a sweet personality, and she welcomed Corinne as a sister. It was taking a bit of time, but Corinne was beginning to feel as if she might fit into Dayan's family. All of them seemed excited about the baby, even Darius, who was by the far the scariest man Corinne had ever met.

  "Darius is not in the least scary," Dayan denied, moving up behind her to rest his head on her shoulder so he could look at the infant. "Jennifer's color looks better today. "

  "You're reading my mind again. " Corinne leaned back, pressing her body into his much harder frame. At once his body stirred to life, tight against her bottom.

  Dayan was always in her mind. He would always be in her body, too, if he could manage it. He didn't want to leave her side. Corinne caught the echo of his thoughts and laughed softly. "That will look good when you're playing with the band on stage. A little kinky, though. I'm not certain the censors would let us get away with it. "

  Dayan allowed relief to wash over him. Several times in the course of the last few days, Desari had gently made references to traveling on the road with the band, but Corinne had never answered one way or the other. When Dayan touched her mind in an attempt to gauge her mood on the subject, he always found she simply avoided thinking of it. "You are not opposed to traveling with musicians from town to town? Leaving everyone you love behind?"

  Corinne moved her body provocatively against his. "Everything I love is right here with me. And Lisa. I can't stay home for her. Lisa has the money to travel, if she wants to visit us. If she really is in love with Cullen, as I keep hearing from everyone, then my guess is she will want her own home. "

  Dayan lifted the hair from the back of her neck to press a series of little kisses against the warmth of her skin. "Cullen will decide what to do. "

  Corinne savored the feel of his mouth for a moment, then bent to put little Jennifer in the incubator. The action pressed her bottom tightly against Dayan, who took advantage, catching her hips to drag her even closer. She took her time, her happiness spilling out as she gently kissed her daughter and enclosed the sleeping baby in the incubator. She stood up, still looking down at the baby. "Isn't she beautiful, Dayan?"

  His hands moved slowly up her body from behind, sliding from her hips to her tucked-in waist, traversing her narrow rib cage to cup her breasts in his palms. "She is truly beautiful, Corinne, just like her mother. " He whispered the words against her ear, his tongue touching her skin, tasting her because sometimes he had to.

  She leaned her weight into him, her hands covering his as his thumbs teased her nipples into hard peaks and her breasts swelled, aching with need for him. "Sometimes, when I first awake, my heart is pounding in terror because I'm so afraid this isn't real. " She turned her face to look up at him over her shoulder. "I'm afraid you can't possibly be real, that I'll wake up and it will all be a dream. "

  His mouth wandered up the side of her neck. His teeth found her earlobe and nipped sharply. She yelped and glared at him. Dayan grinned without repentance. "Just wanted you to see I am very real. " He swirled his tongue on her ear to ease the ache.

  "I want to visit Lisa and Cullen today. I know Barack and Syndil are being very reassuring about his condition, but I want to see for myself. And even though Lisa is told I'm fine, I know she's anxious. "

  "All right, then, honey, we will go when Shea comes in to check on Jennifer. " He buried his face in her neck, inhaling her fragrance. He was sending chills down her spine, while molten lava spread through her blood. He had only to look at her and she found she wanted him. More than wanted him. Corinne craved the scent of him. The feel of him. The sight of his naked body. The sound of his beautiful voice. She wanted to watch him making love to her, see his face etched with sensual beauty. She turned in his arms and blindly found his mouth with hers, arms circling his neck, her body at once soft and pliant and instantly inviting. "You are amazing," she whispered into the heat of his mouth.

  His hand bunched her hair, tipping her head back to give him better access for exploration. He took his time, kissing her thoroughly, savoring the taste of her. "You are the amazing one," he corrected, finding her pulse with his tongue. "The way you trust me. The way you have thrown yourself into our world and embraced it with your arms wide open. You have required little aid even when you feed. "

  She raised her head. "I thought I was doing that all by myself. I admit I was shocked at myself. If I think about it, the idea repulses me, but when we're together. . . " She trailed off, leaning her body into his.

  "I enhance your need and desire to feed," he admitted. "I do not want you to be uncomfortable. Over the centuries I have been in a few situations where the illusion of eating was not enough and I was forced to consume human food. Vegetables were not so bad, although my body immediately rejected them, but the flesh of animals that had been killed was wholly repugnant to me. I know you feel this way about taking blood. To our people, it is sacred and very natural. "

  Dayan groaned suddenly, caught her face in his hands and brought his mouth down once more on hers. He could hear Corinne's silent laughter echoing warmly in his mind. Her hearing was acute now, and she had picked up Shea's deliberate noise as she approached the chamber.

  It was nice of her to warn us. It was necessary, but not nice. We have wasted our time alone here.

  There was another groan, his breath hot on her neck.

  Stop laughing, I might have to walk all bent over.

  He allowed her to feel the painful fullness, the little jackhammers tripping in his head. Deliberately he groaned again, just for good measure.

  Corinne laughed out loud, the sound carefree and happy. "Poor baby. Welcome to real life. "

  He wrapped his arms around her tightly. "I do not want real life. I want sex. " He leaned close to her. "Hot sex, scorching sex. " His voice was wicked in her ear, his breath stirring tendrils of hair and sending shivers along her spine.

  "Now I really don't feel sorry for you at all. " She pushed at the wall of his chest to put distance between them. She was laughing, her eyes dancing as she teased him. "You're a wicked man and you deserve to be hurting. " He knew very well what he was doing to her body - the rush of heat, the spread of fire. He was totally unrepentant.

  Shea moved into the chamber, still making noise to warn them of her coming. She could hear them laughing together, could smell the age-old call to mate with her heightened senses. She grinned at them as they broke guiltily apart. "I'll watch over Jennifer while she sleeps. Are you visiting Cullen and Lisa today? I checked on Cullen while they were sleeping just to make sure he was healing nicely. He's already wanting to get up. Gregori went twice too, just to make certain. "

  Dayan's hand slipped down Corinne's arm, his fingers shackling her wrist to his side. "That sounds like Cullen. "

  "Lisa has been very anxious to see Corinne," Shea admitted. "Cullen doesn't want her to be worried, so he's decided to get up and find you both. "

  "That is where we are going now," Dayan assured the healer.

  Corinne nodded. "I've been worried about Lisa
, but Dayan thought it would be too soon for Lisa to think I could travel after all that's happened. "

  Shea shrugged as she bent over the incubator. "I think at this point, Lisa will be so glad to see you she won't question anything. She prefers not to confront anything that doesn't fit her view of the world. "

  Corinne tugged at Dayan. "Come on. I really want to see her. Jennifer's asleep - now is our chance. " She suddenly grinned at him, her teeth very white and her eyes dancing with excitement. "We can fly. You can teach me to fly. Hurry, Dayan, I can't wait. " She was dragging him toward the entrance to the chamber.

  Dayan couldn't help catching her exuberance. She was bringing back memories of his childhood when he had first experienced his abilities as a boy. He stopped her. "See that chimney going up the vent? It is far faster to go up that way. "

  She studied it for a moment, uncertain whether he was teasing her. "It looks very narrow. How can we fit, even if we were birds?"

  "Bats live in caves. They are small and can get into very tight places. "

  "No way. You can actually make yourself that small?"

  "I can be the mist on the wind, molecules in the air. Of course I can do small. So can you. It is exactly like the leopard. Study the image in my head so you have the exact replica in detail, then focus and hold that image. You can do it. " He would help her to hold the image, just as he had done with the leopard.

  Corinne followed his lead without hesitation, willing to experience everything life had to offer. The sensations were completely different: the information pouring into the bat's body came differently than the leopard's senses. When she burst into the night sky, Dayan was already providing the next image, that of an owl. In midair, she made the transformation, this time aware of his aid, and accepting of it.

  To soar across the sky was so incredible, she lost the image more than once and had to rely on Dayan to hold it for her. It didn't matter - she was entranced. High above the trees she circled, dipping her silent wings and scanning the earth for all she could see and hear.

  'I could stay here forever!

  He was experiencing flying and shape-shifting through her eyes. It was such a part of him, he had forgotten the joy of it. Or maybe he had never been able to feel it as strongly as Corinne did until now, not even as a child when his emotions were still intact. Or maybe the intensity of his feelings was because Corinne was with him, by his side, in his heart and soul, and he had someone to share every pleasure, every sorrow. Maybe that was the difference. He only knew she had made him whole, had changed the world into something new and shiny, and her joy was constantly spilling over to him.

  Dayan turned her in the direction of the house where Syndil and Barack had taken Cullen and Lisa to protect them from the members of the society. Dayan knew Darius had tracked down the hunters and had succeeded in diminishing their numbers. He had done so once before. Hopefully, it would be some time before they could fill their ranks of soldiers and send new assassins after his family. He refrained from passing on the information to Corinne, not wanting her to have to face the harsher aspects of their life until it was necessary.

  Below them the house appeared, a long, sprawling structure surrounded by forest. The clearing contained a garden of wildflowers and ferns. To one side was a large oak tree. Hanging off a branch by a thick rope was a tire swing. The house looked well kept. Dayan glided to earth, guiding Corinne as she landed, scrambling for a purchase in the midst of pine needles and vegetation. The female owl nearly crashed into the tire swing. She shifted back into her normal shape, laughing aloud. It was Dayan who provided clothes.

  "Dayan, this is so much fun. Did you see me? I thought I was going to smash into the oak tree. I was trying for a branch, but at the last second I was afraid I wouldn't make it. "

  Her hair was a wild mass of silk, her cheeks flushed with excitement, and her moss-green eyes were dancing again. She took his breath away and melted his heart. "You did fine, though your landing could use work. "

  His voice was teasing, a black-velvet melody that somehow played through her body and soul. Corinne touched his face. "Thank you, Dayan. I love every minute of this, I really do. " She glanced at the house. "Is this where Lisa is staying? It's wonderful - who owns it?"

  Dayan shrugged. "Carpathians own property all over and we lend it when there is need. Listen to me, honey, before we go in. Lisa must not know about us. That we are different. It will be better for her if she never finds out. " Dayan spoke with extraordinary gentleness.

  Corinne smiled lovingly up at him and framed his face with her hands. "I know Lisa better than anyone else, Dayan, and I love her. I would never want her burdened with more than she can handle. "

  He nodded his acceptance and bent his head to kiss her inviting mouth. "I fear you are looking far too beautiful to have gone through such an ordeal as you have.

  I do not know how Lisa will take your recovery. " His hand traced the slender column of her throat, moved lower to cup the weight of her soft, firm breast in his palm. He thought that touch would be enough, but need slammed into his body. Before he could stop himself, he bent his head lower to find her nipple right through the thin silk of her blouse, his teeth scraping gently, his mouth suddenly hot and urgent, pulling strongly.

  Corinne closed her eyes and leaned into him, wanting him all over again, her body flooding with liquid heat. She circled his head and held him tightly to her. "What are you doing, Dayan? We're right outside the house; anyone could see us through the windows if they were looking. " But she wasn't pushing him away as she should have; she was pressing him to her, arching her body to give him better access. Her breath was coming in ragged little gasps. How could she need his touch so much? She wanted him right there, that minute, again and again, his body hard and thick, thrusting into hers.

  We can be unseen if we so desire.

  Even in his mind, his voice was husky, sensual, wickedly erotic. She could taste him in her mouth, feel him deep inside her, and yet he was only at her breast, his mouth demanding. The feel of his mouth, hot and wet over the silk of her blouse, was making her wild and hungry.

  You mean invisible?

  The thought excited her. Having him right there, right at that moment. When she wanted. She was already moving against him, making her own demands.

  Tell me how. First you do whatever you see in my head.

  His hand was sliding over her flat stomach, pushing aside her shirt so that he could feel bare skin.

  He had pictures in his head, but Corinne was certain they had nothing to do with becoming invisible. She heard his soft laughter.

  You're so incredibly bad sometimes.

  She meant to chastise him, but it came out soft and sexy. She was already responding to those pictures, trusting him to cloak them from prying eyes. She was pushing aside his clothing, her hands finding the hard length of him, fingertips dancing and teasing, making intimate promises to him.

  Dayan removed their clothing in the way of his people, easily, simply, so that her body was open to his, so he could look at her curvy feminine form and marvel at its lush perfection. His hand slipped down her flat belly to the nest of curls and settled there, his fingers finding her hot and slick with damp need. "I could take you over and over and never have enough," he whispered, leaning back to watch her face while he pushed with his palm against her entrance. He loved to see her face, the way she moved into him, her hips begging for more, wanting him with the same eagerness he had for her.

  "Dayan. " She whispered his name. Softly. Her voice said it all. He bent his head again to find her mouth with his, at the same time inserting two fingers into her hot channel, stroking, teasing, matching the rhythm of her hips. She was fiery hot, and her scent called to him. Corinne moved restlessly against him, loving the way the breeze slid over her body like his fingers, teasing her nipples into hard, beckoning peaks so that Dayan couldn't resist her invitation. She loved him watching her pleasure, feeling


  her pleasure when he merged with her.

  I want to taste you, Corinne. I want every part of you. I would deny you nothing, Dayan. You know that.

  She loved the intimacy of their mind merge. The way everything between them was so out in the open. She didn't have to tell him she wanted him to push into her harder - he already knew it. He didn't have to tell her that the way she was moving and showing her need of him excited him unbearably.

  His hands spanned her waist and he lifted her, setting her bottom unexpectedly on the tire swing. He tipped her back so he had access to her sheath. "You'd better be right about that invisible thing," she warned him, but her fists were clutched in his hair and she was already going up in flames.

  Dayan delved deep into the sweet, hot core of her. She was shaking with need now, her muscles clenching tighter and tighter. She wrapped her legs around his back, moaning her pleasure, unable to believe she could feel so alive and ready to shatter at any moment. His hands were hard on her hips, pulling her to him as he deliberately took her over the edge into a mind-shattering release that seemed to go on forever. Satisfied, he stood, dragging the swing forward, pinning her hips so that he could bury himself in her to share her explosive pleasure. He moved in hard, deep strokes while her body exploded around his and her hands' grip on the rope was the only thing keeping her in touch with reality.

  Dayan tightened his hold on the curve of her hips and allowed the wildness of his nature to claim him. Corinne was urging him on with little breathless cries, with her tight, hot body surrounding his, pulling him deeper and deeper into her. Lightning arced across the sky and split open the heavens, raining a shower of sparks around them. Or maybe it was just in their minds - Corinne wasn't certain. Electricity seemed to be crackling between them so that flames sizzled and danced along their skin.

  He threw back his head, surging forward again and again, the wind in his face, his body buried in her hot velvet sheath, tight and fiery, dragging him closer and closer to the edge of the world. Corinne was so much a part of him, he couldn't tell where his pleasure started and hers left off. He felt the first ripple, the contraction, the strong gripping of her muscles around him and he willingly went with her, right over the edge of the world. They were free-falling through time and space, while all around them the earth rocked and rolled and fireworks seemed to scatter across the night sky in a fiery display.

  Corinne found herself back in her own body, struggling to control her wild breathing, both hands clutching the thick rope. Dayan was watching her, his heart like thunder in their ears. His black gaze was so hungry and intense, Corinne's heart went into instant meltdown. They both smiled, the same slow grin of sated contentment. Of intimate conspiracy.

  Dayan gently disentangled himself, helping her to her feet, holding her close to him. He loved holding her almost as much as he loved making wild love to her. Music was playing in his head, notes and lyrics running through his heart and soul .

  Corinne.

  He breathed her into his lungs, letting them both recover naturally.

  "Was I yelling like a banshee? I can't honestly remember," Corinne asked.

  "If you were, I must have been yelling right along with you," Dayan assured her. He allowed the wind to cool the heat of their bodies before he clothed their bare skin. Tilting his head to one side, he regarded her gravely. "You are so beautiful, Corinne. When I am up on the stage performing and you are either by my side, performing right along with me, or simply sitting in the audience with all those single men staring at you, I am going to have a few bad moments. "

  She laughed at him, flung her arm around his neck to kiss him soundly. "Crazy man, we just made the earth move. I know you aren't going to pretend you're not feeling arrogant and like the greatest lover of all time. What is all this sudden insecurity?"

  His white teeth flashed, black eyes boyishly mischievous. "I knew if I planned it right, you would eventually get around to admitting it. " He caught his mane of hair in one hand and secured it at the nape of his neck with a leather tie.

  Corinne's fingertips tenderly brushed at the wayward charcoal strands falling across his forehead. "You deserve it this one time. I love you very much. "

  "At last. I never thought you would come right out and tell me! I was going to pry it out of you if you waited much longer. We are no longer invisible. I think we'd better go up to the house and get inside in case Lisa comes out here and notices we did not bring a car. I saw the curtains flutter upstairs. "

  Corinne turned eagerly to the house, hurrying up the porch steps to the front door. Before she could tap, the door was yanked open. "Corinne!" Lisa flung herself into Corinne's arms so hard, she nearly knocked them both over. Dayan saved them with a steadying hand on Corinne's back. Tears were swimming in Lisa's blue eyes, streaming unchecked down her face. The two women clung together, laughing and crying at the same time while Dayan looked on in helpless male horror.

  "I was so afraid for you," Lisa said, clinging to her. "Let me look at you. They told me in the hospital that you were going to die. You just disappeared out of your hospital bed. Syndil told me your heart is strong and the baby is alive. Where is she?"

  Corinne hugged Lisa to her as the words began to tumble out. "I didn't die. My heart is very strong, stronger than it has ever been. Dayan's family knows healers - incredible doctors, they saved the baby and me. Jennifer is still in an incubator, but I promise, as soon as they let me have her, I'll bring her to you. Tell me about Cullen. How is he?"

  Lisa was leading Corinne through the beautiful house, toward Cullen's bedroom. Dayan followed, keeping his distance, allowing Lisa to have Corinne's complete attention. "Cullen is really doing well, but he won't stay in bed no matter what I say. Yesterday morning he wanted to get up and fix me breakfast! He's like that - he's always wanting to do the sweetest things. I like doing things for him, but he doesn't want me to; he thinks he's imposing. "

  "Has he tasted your vegetarian lasagna yet? That should convince him you can be very domestic," Corinne advised.

  Lisa stopped before pushing open the door. "I want to be with him, Corinne. I mean it - I've never met anyone like him, anyone I could just talk to for hours. I love being with him. " She smiled. "He's sort of been a captive audience. "

  "That's good, isn't it?"

  Lisa shrugged. "I'd give up modeling to be with him. You know how much it means to me to know I have a huge retirement fund, and plenty of money to fall back on. But I'd give it up for him, I really would. "

  "But. . . " Corinne encouraged gently.

  Lisa glanced at Dayan, who was some distance down the hall, studying a painting. She lowered her voice. "Cullen hasn't said anything to me. I think he likes being with me, I know he's attracted, but I don't know how he really feels about me. Or how much. He's different from other men, Corinne, he really is. "

  "I'm happy for you, Lisa. I like Cullen. I think I could grow to love him, and I can't imagine that he wouldn't adore you as I do. " She took Lisa's arm. "Before we go into Cullen's room, I should tell you that Dayan and I are married. "

  "What?" Lisa glared at her, clearly hurt.

  "It was necessary to protect the baby. I love him, really love him, and I want you to love him as a brother. He's been so good to me. He saved my life; he saved Jennifer's life. " Corinne looked up at Lisa with a steady, almost mesmerizing gaze. "I intend to spend the rest of my life with him. I need you to accept him as family. "

  Lisa nodded, flinging her arms around Corinne again. "I owe him everything for saving little Jennifer and you. "

  "Lisa!" Cullen's voice was still slightly hoarse but he sounded strong enough. "What are you doing out there?"

  Dayan knew perfectly well that Cullen could hear every word with his enhanced hearing. Dayan walked down the hall, reached past the two women to push open the door. "Hey, lazy boy, these two cannot make up their minds whether to cry or laugh or just stand there hugging each other.
I need another male around for balance. "

  "We aren't that bad," Corinne denied, slipping her arm around Dayan's narrow waist as Lisa rushed forward to Cullen's side.

  Cullen was sitting in a chair, a little pale, but looking stronger than Corinne had expected. There was something different about him. It took only moments, but when she glanced at Dayan he nodded imperceptibly.

  Power recognizes power. He cannot do what we can do, but he walks partially in our world. He shares a mind merge with Barack.

  Corinne had known about it, Dayan had discussed it with her, but it was strange to her that she could see the difference in Cullen the moment she walked into the room. She touched his hand with gentle fingers. "I'm so sorry you were injured, Cullen, and that my heart was acting up at the same time. Poor Lisa and Dayan had to take the brunt of worrying about us. How are you feeling?"

  "Like I could go dancing if anybody would give me the opportunity. "

  "You shouldn't rush yourself, Cullen," Lisa said anxiously. "What's the big hurry?" She laced her fingers through Cullen's with one hand while pushing at his hair with the other.

  "A man can't very well ask a woman to marry him when he's dressed in a bathrobe and hasn't a proper ring. It isn't done," Cullen said.

  Lisa looked at Corinne anxiously, as if she didn't dare understand him. "I don't think a woman would care one way or the other," Lisa said carefully. "Were you planning to ask someone to marry you?"

  "I wanted to ask someone," Cullen admitted, "but she's beautiful and famous and far too good for me. I could pull it off dressed up in formal attire with a candlelight dinner and a ring, but bathrobes do something to take away a man's courage. "

  Lisa stood there looking so helpless, Corinne wanted to gather her into her arms. Evidently, Cullen felt the same way. He pulled Lisa down onto his lap, his arms circling her body. "Lisa Wentworth, would you consider marrying me? Before you answer me, I want you to be aware I have enemies. We will spend time on the road, traveling with the band, and when we're not, we will be hidden away in places like this. I can promise you I'll work my best to get out of danger so we can live somewhere comfortably, but in the meantime, we will have to travel around in safety with the band. "

  Lisa swept back her hair. "I want to be with you, Cullen. I'll have to find a way to get out of my contract, but I'll do it. I'll find a way. "

  "Barack and Syndil will help you with that," Dayan said. "Let them go with you to take care of it. Barack is a superb businessman, and since Cullen cannot go with you, one of us should protect you and your interests. "

  "That's a wonderful idea," Corinne said.

  Lisa found herself nodding, blinking rapidly. Sometimes she felt as if she were falling forward into Dayan's eyes when he stared directly at her. It was the craziest thing. And she always seemed to agree to things she wouldn't ordinarily agree with. She looked at Cullen a little helplessly. "What do you think?"

  "I think if I can't go, Barack should go with you. He knows a lot about contracts, and if anyone can find a loophole, he'll be able to. If you go, Lisa, you have to stay right with Barack and Syndil and do everything they tell you. "

  Why does Barack have to go with Lisa? We should go, Dayan. She's uncomfortable with this.

  Corinne objected.

  She cannot rely solely on you, honey. Barack and Syndil will protect her from any members of the society who should be lurking around, and of course, either of them can easily persuade those holding her contract to let her out of it. Let her depend on Cullen and the others.

  "Syndil thinks I'll have to hole up here for a few more days, but Lisa and I will join you before the first concert date," Cullen promised. "I'd like to get married as soon as possible. " He looked up at Corinne. "Will you be terribly upset if we get married quickly? It would be dangerous to plan a large wedding with Lisa having such a famous name. It would draw the society members out for certain. I think we should do it in secret and then we can have a celebration with the band members. What do you think, Lisa?"

  "I always thought I'd want a huge wedding with the long train and roses everywhere, but I really just want you. It would be nice if Dayan and Corinne could be there as witnesses. "

  "You name the time and place, Cullen," Dayan promised at once. "We'll be there. " He was glad he'd said that when he felt Corinne's happiness blossoming inside him. She loved Lisa and wanted to see her married.

  He slipped his arm around Lisa's shoulders, pulled her close to him. "Is Barack taking good care of you?" There was a slow draw to his soft voice.

  Cullen laughed. "He's getting used to Syndil adoring me. She has from the moment she laid eyes on me. He just can't seem to admit it yet. "

  To Corinne's surprise, Lisa laughed with him. "Cullen is so mean to Barack. He's always winking at Syndil and blowing her kisses. He says outrageous things to her. Barack gets this look on his face - it's priceless, Corinne. "

  "I haven't met Syndil and Barack yet," Corinne admitted. "But Desari and her husband, Julian, are very nice. "

  Lisa nodded. "They've visited every evening. I can't believe I've met the entire band. Even the bodyguard Darius and his wife, Tempest. She's really nice, but Darius is intimidating. "

  Corinne was shocked that she caught the echo of Lisa's thoughts.

  Like Dayan.

  Lisa found both Dayan and Darius intimidating. She thought Barack was funny, and Syndil was a sweetheart. Corinne stretched out her hand to Lisa. "I want to tell you all about baby Jennifer. Come on, let's go talk while Dayan makes certain Cullen really is as well as he keeps saying he is. "

  "How much did she weigh?" Lisa asked.

  "She's very small, only four pounds, but she is gaining weight. She should be out of the incubator soon. She has lots of hair, and little dimples by the corners of her mouth. "

  "Like you do," Lisa said.

  Corinne laughed and hugged her. "I'm so happy, Lisa. Truly, truly happy. "