Hot Blooded

to let go.
    Juliette tightened her grip, tugging until he looked at her.
    "I'm strong enough to help you. I'm keeping you out of my mind, but I can let
you use my strength."
    "You do not have to, Juliette." He liked saying her name, was pleased she
wanted to aid him, but he was not the gentle man she believed he was in her
mind. He was far more ruthless than she knew, and he had no intention of
allowing her to escape him. "I would not want you to expend energy you cannot
afford."
    He was warning her. Juliette felt a chill go through her body, but she chose
to ignore it. He was drooping with pain. His wounds seeped and wept and every
now and then, in spite of his efforts to shield her, she glimpsed the torment he
was in. "I don't mind. I'm just sitting here anyway." She gave him a tentative
smile. "How did they manage to capture you?"
    His expression darkened. "I heard a cry for help on the common telepathic
link all Carpathians use. When I followed the cry back to its source, I found a
vampire, not a Carpathian. Unfortunately it was impossible to tell that he was
vampire until it was too late. I was injected with the paralyzing formula and
drained of blood to keep me weak." His gaze settled on hers, stayed there, a
hypnotic, mesmerizing stare. "You are not shocked to hear of my species. You
were frightened of
me
because I took your blood in such a manner, and
for that I apologize, but the fact that I needed it did not fully surprise you.
How is that?"
    She was silent for a moment, weighing her words carefully. She felt him in
her mind, seeking answers, but he was not nearly at full strength and the poison
was hideously painful. With her brain patterns so different and the strength of
her protective walls, he simply waited for her spoken answer. "When I was a
child we often spent long periods of time in the jungle. At night my mother
would build a camp-fire and we'd tell stories. She told us of a great people,
Carpathians from the mountains in Europe with extraordinary skills and gifts.
They were blood-drinkers."
    "How did she know of them?"
    "Our family goes back hundreds of years. Apparently my ancestor met a small
group of Carpathians here in the jungle." She looked at him steadily. "Five
brothers. They were said to have a vast cattle estate and human family to work
their lands while they slept beneath the ground during the sunlight hours."
    Juliette waited for a response to her revelation, but Riordan only stared at
her for a few
more
moments in silence, then simply withdrew, pulling
back into himself. He moved outside his own body, gathering himself into a ball
of pure energy. It was fascinating to observe his healing abilities. She stayed
merged with his mind, watching him not only break down the chemical compound so
he could view each separate element and identify it, but also send the
information to someone else with a warning to pass it on to the prince of their
people and as many of their hunters as possible.
    Sending the information over a distance was draining and Riordan faltered.
    Where are you
? The demand was strong in her mind. Male and
frightening, it carried a command, a hypnotic draw that was very powerful and
sent shivers of fear down Juliette's spine.
Riordan. I feel your pain
.
    Riordan hesitated.
Do not come to me. I will be able to push the poison
from my body and replenish myself
.
    Juliette found herself holding her breath. She didn't want to meet the man
behind that voice. There was a merciless, ruthless, frightening quality to the
voice.
    She felt Riordan touch her with his mind, a reassuring, caressing stroke.
    I will not allow you to be recaptured. You were sent to check out the
research lab to see what they were doing.
    The Morrison research laboratory was a front for a vampire controlling
the human society that hunts our people. I have destroyed the building. The
animals they captured on pretense were allowed to go free. I will come home when
I have healed.
    Where is the vampire?
    He is hunting us
. Riordan broke off the communication and glanced
over at Juliette. "My eldest brother is very exacting about our staying alive."
    â€¢"Families are like that. My sister will probably be worried about me. I need
to get back home." She watched his face, hoping to read his response, but his
sculptured features went carefully blank.
    Riordan stared down at his arms. She felt the gathering of his strength. Very
slowly the poison began to respond,