Dark Melody (44 page)

"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 comers of her mouth."

"Lake you do," Lisa said.

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

Chapter
19

Corinne woke tangled in sheets, her heart pounding erratically and a cry of alarm in her throat. There were tears on her face, and both hands reached protectively for the small mound that was gone from her stomach.

'What is it?'
Dayan dragged her close to him, his arms closing around her, a safe shelter in the storm of her nightmares.
'Tell me, honey.'
He was scanning their surroundings, merging more deeply so he could see into Corinne's haunted dreams.

"I couldn't breathe, Dayan – for a moment I couldn't breathe!" Her heart was settling into the calmer, more steady rhythm of his. She lay in his arms, grateful for the strength of his body. She listened to the reassuring sound of her heart and the softer, almost imperceptible sound of her daughter's breathing. "For a moment, none of it was real – not you or the baby or my new heart. You were gone and I was left alone."

Dayan pressed his mouth to her temple. "You were resting in the way of humans, Corinne. You wanted to lie down on the bed here in our new home."

Corinne found herself smiling in spite of the echoes of her terrible dream. "Do people consider tour buses home?"

Dayan turned so he could look down on her face, his fingertips tracing the delicate bone structure. "We live mainly on the road, so these buses become home very quickly. I noticed you were very nervous around the cats."

His thumb was stroking tiny caresses at the corner of her bottom lip, sending little shivers running down her back to the base of her spine. He always made her so aware of the differences in their bodies. How hard his muscles were, his bones thick and strong; her body seemed soft and very feminine in contrast although her muscles were quite firm. She reveled in her new strength. Still, he made her always remember he was a man and she was a woman.

'My woman.'
He reminded her he was always a shadow in her mind.

"Cats? Is that what you call those things? They aren't cats, Dayan, they're wild animals. Real wild animals. Leopards eat babies. Little Jennifer would be a tasty treat for them," she pointed out.

"Tasty treat? I like that." His hand spanned her throat as he bent to take possession of her mouth. A slow swirl of fire. When he lifted his head, his glittering eyes black with hunger, his hand drifted lower to find her abundant breasts. "Everyone needs tasty treats now and them." He bent his dark head so that his long hair slid over her skin like strands of silk, teasing every nerve ending into raw need. His breath was warm, and her body tightened in anticipation.

Corinne found herself smiling, relaxing inside where she was still hearing the echoes of her nightmare. Jennifer was out of the incubator and sleeping peacefully in the small built-in crib Dayan had designed for their new motor home. The tour was beginning in another week and they needed to get moving. Jennifer was so tiny, both Dayan and Corinne were almost afraid to hold her, so it was reassuring to have the other band members nearby to help out. Gary Jansen had elected to travel with them until Jennifer no longer needed his protection or Cullen and Lisa returned to travel with them.