CHAPTER ONE

UNTANGLED

I looked at her. Intensively, tasting every second I had in store for her presence.

She was beautiful and yet so unaware of it. Lucky me.

I had no idea how to approach her; she seemed so concentrated in her own mind that it didn't leave enough space for mine. Anyway, Syndil hated when I peered into her thoughts without her permission. I just couldn't help myself, besides, she was mine. I had every right to use that path of communication between us every once and then.

Still, I just couldn't break it down to her appropriately. Not like Dayan or Darius… Or that stupid Julian Savagge. She deserved more of me. More from life.

And there I was, staring at her as if that little precious creature could actually intimidate the monster in me.

She couldn't.

"I'm finished now; you can go with the others if you feel like it."

Syndil spoke softly, dragging every word with that melodic voice of hers. She looked so small and defenseless that it simply tore my heart apart. How could I've been so blind not to tell? I was the only one in the gang who could see colors and enjoy life… I was the only one who… Perished. It destroyed me. What Savon did to her… That filthy bastard… It turned her into somebody else. Still someone I loved, but different. She was so different now.

"Don't need to and don't feel like it. I told you I'd be watching your every move and I intend to keep that threaten."

"Sooner or later, you'll have to eat. And then… Well, I promise you won't be watching anything out of me."

She snarled her long black hair and I thought it was the loveliest thing to behold. I've heard so many times how they talked about their women but it was nothing in compare with what I felt for Syndil. She was more than a woman, she was part of me. Why on earth that girl could not see that in me?

She bended over, grabbing some weird looking flowers in her hands and smelled their fragrance. Then, she planted them again in the soil and began her curative chant. I had to be near her, whenever she healed the land she wasn't aware of the dangers around and it was practically senseless to talk to her in that state. She wouldn't listen. Not even to me.

I looked around expectantly, almost wishing for some stupid vampire to try and steal her from me. That way I could always show her how I take care of her, how she belonged to me and nobody else.

Soon I felt something. A slow movement came from behind the trees, waving the branches from side to side.

I took my place next to Syndil, covering every inch of her body with my own, as I adopted a comfortable position to attack. Imagine my surprise when it was Darius who came from beneath the bushes, Tempest right down his arms.

"I was a second away from piercing your neck with my teeth, Darius. Couldn't you be more cautious?"

He frowned at me, with that aggressive look in his face that threatened every single living creature.

"I'm mostly sorry Barack; I didn't know I had to watch myself near family."

Then it shook me. I was going to hurt him. I couldn't identify him as a friend and instantly acted crazy on him. I could have also hurt Tempest.

"I… I don't know what happened to me, forgive me." I insisted.

Darius doubted for a minute, a serious look of hesitation lighted up his face. Tempest kissed his elbow as if she was trying to calm him down as well. The last thing I needed was Darius to be on my neck.

"What is she doing now?" He asked defiantly.

"Healing the soil… And the flowers… And the grass… She just wouldn't listen to me, Darius. She heals practically everything all the time."

Both Tempest and he laughed aloud.

"You can't keep her in control now can you?"

"In control? What do you mean by that?" Tempest demanded. She shook her head in disapproval before Darius caught her up in his arms and kissed her smoothly.

I had kissed Syndil only one time and it was more of a desperate attempt for not losing her than anything else. She never let me come close to her.

"You have to be patient, Barack. She'll come around." Tempest assured me. I just didn't believe her.

"Yes, surely. I'll just have to… Watch her heal stuff once and then until she finally realizes that I own her."

"You don't own her, that's what you don't get. She's your better half, your light that prevents you from becoming the beast. Treat her nice and you'll see it work." Tempest's words were loaded with emotion, I could tell, she didn't want to be Darius mate either, but somehow she managed it. Why couldn't Syndil accept it like her? I was definitely better than Darius.

Great brother, that way you'll win her for sure.

I just don't know how long I'll be able to wait Darius. I see colors, I have emotions, all of that because she is with me but… I need more.

I know, your oath isn't complete yet. She never gave you her blood, did she?

Just one time, but not because she actually wanted it. I needed her help, we were far from civilization and I hadn't eaten in days… What if she never wants me? What if Savon hurt her so badly that she never trusts me again? I lost her confidence Darius, I lost her.

Not yet you didn't.

"Are you done now? We're talking here." Syndil looked at me with anger; obviously she didn't like to be held apart in our conversations like that. Tempest too was raging up.

"We're sorry. What were you saying?" Darius asked.

"Desari and Julian are waiting in the caravan for us, we should hurry, we have a lot of trip ahead yet and we still haven't rehearsed properly." Syndil informed.

She and Tempest took the path ahead of us while Darius and I continued our conversation in private. I couldn't help to overhear Syndil once in a while, talking about how she felt when she transport herself out of her own body to heal the land, the comfort she experienced knowing that she could help so much in that state. Tempest was eager to learn as well.

When we arrived at the caravan, the redheaded girl began working on the engines to speed us up. Julian gave me the I don't wanna be you right now look and I was about to scratch him to death if it wasn't for Desari who stepped in the middle of us men.

I couldn't stop thinking about my previous reaction towards Darius's presence and it just didn't go away. Dayan and Corinne tried to talk to me several times about music and stuff but just looking at them, glowing and happily married to one another – I still didn't get why Dayan married her at all – made me sick.

I enjoyed myself around Sasha, the leopard female who allowed me to caress her reluctantly.

"We're almost set to go." Tempest told us. Darius stood by her helping with the heavy machinery while Desari took our instruments out.

She handed me my red Gibson Les Paul and plugged it in. I began playing a couple of random notes that actually made some sense and then I just couldn't stop. Dayan joined me – the bastard had way more talent than I did – and Desari tagged along. Since Syndil wasn't playing with us at all, Corinne took the bass out and did her part.

I could swear I saw Syndil out of the corner of my eye glaring at the four of us.

You are always welcome, you know that. I spoke in our private way of communication, one thing that made her furious.

Who says I want to come back?

You're staring. You miss it and you know it. Play along, come on.

I don't know what you're talking about, leave me alone. I hate it when you talked to me in my head.

Technically, it's our heads. You're as much in my mind as I am in yours.

At least I don't dream about us doing those nasty things as you in your mind do.

Honey, those dreams are all yours.

"Stupid rat, how dare you!" She threw some hard object in the air that landed somewhere near my current position, causing everybody to laugh hard. I found myself smiling as well as I winked at her with my best innocent look.

"What's with that?" Desari asked Julian in a low tone.

"Don't wanna know. Maybe Barack had some images of women doing all kind of things for him and Syndil took it badly…"

"I wish! Do you know how long it's been since I…?" I mentally silenced myself in order not to receive a second assault, but Syndil heard it anyway.

Stupid, stupid me.

She ran away so fast that I almost lost her in the woods. I captured her arm in the air when she was about to slap me, then, dragged her hand to my face and emulated a tender sign of affection.

"See? That's what I'm talking about."

She slapped me with the free hand. Okay, I deserved it.

"What's with you woman?!"

She spoke softly, though her sparking black eyes were watery. If she began crying now I wouldn't take it, I most definitely cry along.

"I hate what you did to me." She pronounced every word carefully, as if I had problems understanding vocals.

"I had to; you were going who knows where. I need to protect you."

"I-don't-need-to-be- protected. And especially I don't need you to do it. I'm a full grown Carpathian and I can take good care of myself, thank you."

"It's not your choice to make, now isn't it? I tied us both and here we are. Life mates. That means we are together for life, honey."

"Does that also mean that if I end my life I'm free?"

I grabbed her neck and slammed her towards a nearby tree. She stood still as I watched her carefully, waiting for her to take that back. She looked at me, her big black eyes glowing towards mine.

Did you really mean that Syndil? You don't want to live around me? You prefer dying that spending time with me?

She stood silently. I wanted her to deny it. And soon.

I don't want you to suffer. I want to take care of you, why can't you understand that?

Again, silence. Was she trying to destroy me? 'Cause she was too damn great at it.

"Fine, Syndil. I give you your freedom back."

"What do you mean by that?" She asked trembling.

"I untie us or whatever I have to do. We never consummated the oath so technically you were never mine. You are free."

She opened her mouth but nothing escaped her lips. She turned her back on me and began walking towards the bus where the others were waiting for us.

Desari was the first one to tell that something was wrong, she hugged Syndil and stepped in the middle of both of us. Once we were all inside, Darius began driving.

We had a long, long way ahead.