Christine Feehan - Dark Possession
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- Название:Dark Possession
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- Рейтинг книги:4 / 5. Голосов: 2
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Jasmine shook her head. «Not me. I can't.»
«You don't want to. That isn't the same thing. Give me the gun, Jasmine.» Solange held out her hand.
Jasmine shook her head again, this time much harder. «No. I need it.»
«I mean it. Give it to me.»
MaryAnn winced at the steel in Solange's voice. «Jasmine, there's no need to panic. It will take time for the mage to unravel the safeguards. After Juliette and Riordan put the locks in place, Manolito came with me in the early morning hours and he added to the safeguards. Give Solange the gun and let's get ourselves something cool to drink and we'll wait downstairs near the safe room. If we block off or rig some kind of alarm on the stairs, we won't have to guard them. We can concentrate on defending the downstairs, a smaller area. It will be easier and we can leave a clear path to the safe room. No matter what, we'll be fine until the Carpathians get here.»
She kept her voice soothing, her features serene, dissolving the tension that had been building in the room.
Solange smiled at her. «That's right. Let them play their little games out in the hot sun. We're inside where we have plenty of food and water and shelter from the rain. It's started pouring again. The poor mage is looking like a wet dog.»
Jasmine's smile was thin, but she managed one as she put the weapon in her cousin's hand. «What is a mage exactly? And why is he here?»
Both women looked at MaryAnn. She bit her lip and shrugged.
«I'm not really certain. I can only tell you what I picked up here and there when I was in the Carpathian Mountains. Juliette or Riordan can explain better than I can. My understanding is mages were the most like humans, but with psychic powers and the ability to weave energy. They were close to Carpathians and shared a great deal of knowledge, Something happened and there was a war between the Carpathian people and the mages.»
«This was all years ago,» Solange acknowledged. «I heard a bit about it from some of the storytellers when I was a child, but I thought they were long gone from this world.»
«Apparently not,» MaryAnn said.
«And they're all against the Carpathian species?» Jasmine asked. «Does that mean the jaguar species is as well?»
«It's been my observation, Jasmine,» MaryAnn said, «that no entire race of beings is all good or all bad. Most
don't hate simply because others do. I met a jaguar-man who saved my life and was very troubled with what was happening to his people. I'm certain there are mages who don't approve of what is being done here. Many probably don't even know. Vampires are wholly evil, and once they infiltrate and influence anyone, they disrupt the entire balance of nature.»
«So the vampires used the violent tendencies of our males to corrupt them and end our species,» Solange said, a tinge of sarcasm in her voice.
«Not all males are bad, Solange, and reiterating over and over that they are, influencing Jasmine so that she fears a normal life, is no better.»
«You haven't seen what these men do.»
«Be honest, isn't it a small percentage? One small group? I believe the other jaguar-men have been trying to stop them. If that's the case, you are condemning some of the same men who have been working to stop this.»
«I've never met any of these mythical men,» Solange said, then glanced back at Jasmine. «But there may be some.»
«Many men sacrifice themselves for the common good. I saw Manolito step in front of a pregnant woman and take a poisoned knife for her. He died, n-nearly died.» Emotions rushed up and overwhelmed her before MaryAnn could stop them. She was unprepared for the grief and sorrow sweeping through her, shutting down reason and logic.
She turned away, blinking back tears, staring out the window at the mage. His hands followed a pattern and he looked triumphant, as if he knew exactly which safeguard had been used and how to unravel it.
If only he would grow tired standing in the pouring rain. Tired and wet, his arms feeling like lead. So tired he couldn't see straight or think to remember the ancient words and flowing movements.
MaryAnn watched the mage through the window, imagining his fatigue, hoping he was exhausted standing there, the rain pounding down on his unprotected head. He felt weak and weary and he desperately needed to get out of there. If they were really lucky, he was a little afraid of the jaguar-men and visualized them attacking him, tearing into his body with terrible teeth, crunching his skull with a single bite…
The mage staggered back, lifting one hand to his head and staring back at her through the window. He pointed at her, saying something she couldn't hear, but it was clearly an accusation.
«There in the trees,» Solange said. «You drew them out.»
MaryAnn peered into the heavy canopy where the forest met the wide expanse of yard. One half-formed jaguar moved in the branches. He was a big man, well built, with shaggy hair and cruelty etched in his face.
Jasmine shrank back into Solange's arm. «That's the one they call Sergio. He's terrible. They all listen to him.»
Solange nodded. «I remember him. He's a strong fighter. He could have killed me, but he knew I was a shifter and didn't want to take chances.» She flashed Jasmine a small, humorless smile. «It gives us a little advantage.» .
«Why did you say I drew them out?» MaryAnn asked, her hand going to her throat in a defensive gesture. The mage was staring at her now and once again moving his hands in a flowing pattern. She had the feeling
he wasn't unraveling the safeguards so much as trying to do something to her.
Solange pulled her back away from the window. «He knows you stopped him. We should go downstairs.»
«I didn't stop him. I was only hoping he would get a little tired.»
«Well, your hoping delayed him, but not for long. I want you and Jasmine in the safe room.» She led the way down the stairs. «You just set yourself up as a target. Sergio will know you aren't jaguar and that you're dangerous.»
«I'm not dangerous.»
«If you can break the concentration of a mage, you're dangerous. He'll want to kill you. Stay behind Jasmine.»
That was the last thing MaryAnn intended to do. Jasmine looked determined, but so frightened, MaryAnn wanted to gather her up and rock her. «I've got a couple of weapons as well,» she said, and held up the pepper spray. «They won't be expecting it.»
«I won't let them take me this time,» Jasmine said. «Not again, Solange.»
«They'll have to kill me to get to you, baby,» Solange assured. Her voice was quiet and steady. «Believe me, I'm not going to let that happen. If we're very lucky, MaryAnn bought us enough time for the sun to go down and Juliette to get here to help.»
MaryAnn noticed Solange didn't name either of the two male-Carpathians, as if she couldn't-or wouldn't– count on them for support. Solange was far more damaged than Jasmine appeared to be. MaryAnn smiled at Jasmine. «Don't worry. Manolito will rush to help us, and so will Riordan, although you know him better than I do and probably are well aware that he would never let anything happen to you if he could help it.»
Jasmine looked down at her hands. «I haven't taken the time to get to know him. I've had a difficult time adjusting after the attack.»
«We stay to ourselves,» Solange said. She met MaryAnn's steady gaze and understood the reproof, accepting it with a slow nod and a deep breath. «That probably hasn't been the best way to deal with things though. I think we need to go to the ranch and try to make a new and very different life for ourselves.»
«Do you really think that, Solange?» Jasmine asked. She pressed a hand to her stomach, fear in her eyes.
MaryAnn knew the look was fear of Solange's disappointment in her decision to have a baby, a jaguar child with nearly pure blood. Solange had seen too many horrifying events to ever be able to look at the jaguar-men without prejudice, and Jasmine knew it. Still, she'd been strong enough to make her own decision, and that was a good sign.
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