2

"Can you believe the nerve of that office geek? Harris acts like he speaks for Morrison," Rick said with annoyance as he scanned the room. He adjusted the jacket of his waiter's uniform with distaste. He knew the opportunity to obtain their objective would be small. He couldn't care less about greasing the professor, but he had to find a way to get to the girl. A room full of people wasn't the best option for a kidnapping, and there were a couple of big men with her, not just her father. Perhaps they could manage it during the presentations.

"I don't like not having a plan, and I don't like those two gorillas with her. Where the hell did they come from?" Eric didn't like it at all. Were those body guards? It was well known that Professor Stone's daughter had no known photos, attended no schools, and was never seen in public anywhere. He'd actually wondered if she was disfigured or something. That was obviously not the case and he looked forward to having her within his power. The men around her worried him. This might get complicated.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, if you would all return to your seats, the program will begin in approximately ten minutes," a stuffy man in a slightly dated looking tux announced from the podium at the end of the hall.

Rick turned to Eric and smiled as he tapped his earpiece so he could talk to the entire team, "When the Professor goes up to the podium, James will take him out. In the chaos afterward, we can grab the girl." It was a good plan, simple but effective. They were all dressed as wait staff, unnoticed and easily forgotten. As everyone was taking their seats, cocktails were being served. That was a perfect excuse for them to continue to circulate near the tables. "James, find a position to take your shot from, everyone else, you know what to do."

Professor Stone escorted his daughter back to their table, closely followed by Mr. Asenguard. The other hunter disappeared somewhere, and Russ just knew something was going on, but with all the people around, he couldn't say much. There were no free seats at their table, so he came up with a quick solution as he pulled out Zoe's chair. "Since I will shortly be tied up with the program, I wonder if you would keep my daughter company, Mr. Asenguard."

"Please call me Tariq, Professor. Of course, I would be delighted," he took the seat beside Zoe and noted her scowl. It would take time to gain her trust, time he was afraid they did not have.

"I see our esteemed Academic Dean looking impatient so I'll just head up to the front," Russ said, and then bent down to whisper in Zoe's ear. "Zoe, we'll talk this out later, please heed seanathair's warning, and take his advice. He risked a great deal to visit you today."

"As you wish, athair," Zoe answered quietly. She watched her father as he strode away, she was so proud of him. She wanted him to be proud of her, too. This whole protector business was already getting out of control. She was looking forward to this 'talking out' so she could shut down this Carpathian's plans for her. Once whatever danger was out there was gone, she wanted him gone too.

Tariq had no trouble hearing their conversation. He wondered at what warning and advice were given, and by whom. Occasionally they used words he was unfamiliar with, and it only impressed upon him how little he knew of this woman beside him. He tried again to touch her mind, but her barrier was impressive. He could probably get through it with a little effort, but the damage to her trust would be too great. She had to choose to let him in. He would have to find the patience to treat her gently. Tariq gave her a smile, "Are you enjoying the banquet, csitri?"

He was doing it again, pouring all his charm into that sexy European accent and blinding her with a devastating smile. She had to remind herself of what he was, a blood drinker. Was he using an enthrallment to make her desire him? Did anyone else feel his pull? Zoe glanced around the table, but none of the others seemed to notice them. She couldn't take it, this all needed to stop. "What is going on?" she demanded quietly. "You said we were being hunted…"

Tariq would not lie to his lifemate, he could not, "There is a center on this campus devoted to psychic research. The people involved with the center are not what they seem. Have you or your father had contact with them in any way?"

The color drained from Zoe's face, "They wanted my father to be tested. He was given an invitation with a number of others on campus, both faculty and students. It was supposed to be random, but he knew it was suspicious. The only ones offered this random testing were… other." Her father had refused and discouraged everyone else as discreetly as possible to also refuse. Those psych people scared her.

Tariq frowned, "How does your father know?"

Zoe's eyes locked on his, "He knows, it is his gift, the Knowing. My grandfather's gift is the Seeing. When father is near Others, he just knows what they are and how good or evil or dangerous. It is why he knew you were Carpathian, and how he quickly shook loose your clumsy memory plant. That really pissed him off, by the way."

Tariq pondered that revelation, and the odd terms she used, knowing and seeing. She fascinated him, but he could not detect anything unusual about her. She felt human to him. "And what is your gift, csitri?"

Their conversation was brought up short by the beginning of the program, "Welcome everyone to the Annual Faculty and Alumni Banquet. I know most of you only came for the dinner and dancing, but there are a few awards to give out and this year's biggest contributor to the sudden acclaim of our History department, Professor Russell Stone, tops our list." The Dean turned and gestured for the professor to join him, when Tariq heard a frantic call from André, Somewhere inside the hall is a shooter! The professor is the target, and they will try to take your lifemate during the chaos.

Tariq scanned the room for the shooter, but could find no one in the room with intent to harm. His eyes searched quickly, as his lifemate's father stepped up to the podium to present himself as a target. He didn't see a shooter anywhere. He did notice the waiters that seemed to be a little too attentive to their table. He read them easily; all were waiting to take Zoe. He could wait no longer to take control of this situation. Trust or no trust, he would do whatever necessary to protect his Zoe. He abruptly stood, gathered Zoe into his arms and sped from the room. He ignored her indignant gasp or shocked protest, simply masking the sounds. They were invisible and he left behind the illusion of them still seated at the table. Zoe was out of immediate danger, but her father could not remain unprotected. André joined them in the outer hall.

"Those waiting outside are dealt with, what of the shooter?" André asked.

"What shooter?" Zoe exclaimed.

"I left a barrier around her father, but saw no sign of a shooter, nor could I detect intent within the room," Tariq answered, ignoring Zoe's outburst.

Zoe frowned as she began to understand it was her father in jeopardy. She squirmed in his arms, "Put me down you overgrown Neanderthal! Let me look, I can see things you can't," she said bluntly. "I'll find your bad guy."

André shrugged, "Let her look, we can keep her hidden."

Tariq knew there wasn't much time, so he set her on her feet, "Very well, come to the doorway. No one can see or hear us; we appear to be where we were."

Zoe was impressed with the illusion he left, but couldn't waste time thinking about it. She released all her barriers at once and whimpered at the shock of pain her overwhelmed sight flooded her head with. She pressed her lips tight against further admission of weakness and searched the room. She started blocking out sections of the room as she ruled them out. She spotted four waiters with taint upon them heavier than any she'd ever seen before. "The four waiters by our table," she said quickly. "They are evil."

"Those we know, it is a shooter we seek, try looking in places partially hidden," Tariq encouraged. He could feel the power coming from her, and the pain it caused. He realized her barrier was gone and he very gently slipped into her mind with the softest touch and eased her pain. He could see through her eyes and even with her consciously dimming her view of the harmless people in the room he felt overwhelmed by what he saw. She could see their souls hovering over them, bright and beautiful. Some were more brilliant than others, but incredible nonetheless. Her gaze fell upon a man near the front of the room and his stomach lurched. He was vile, human, but with a soul so tainted he had to have been touched by the undead. That must be why he couldn't read him; the man's mind had been protected.

Zoe knew she'd found the shooter, he made her skin crawl. His aura looked like a layer of slime, rancid and oily. He was dressed as a waiter standing near the side of the stage. "There, by the stage," she gasped. Tariq nodded to André and escorted her out of the hall as André entered. She did not need to see any violence.

"André will see to your father's protection," Tariq said tenderly. "Allow me to ease your pain, sívamet."

Zoe knew she should protest, but her head hurt so much. She wanted to go home and shut out the world and this man, this Carpathian. But she allowed him to comfort her despite her misgivings. She sighed as she felt him draw her to him and cradle her head between his hands. He was so gentle and he whispered to her words of his language; beautiful, sexy sounding words. His hands were warm, and she felt a subtle easing if the sharp pain. He murmured words of comfort in her mind. Sívamet, you are so brave to use this gift to save your father when it hurts you so. This sight you use is so amazing to me, but I feel your pain. Replace your shield now. We have found all the bad guys. She smirked at his use of her own words, but then she realized he was in her head. How dare he invade her privacy! She glared at Tariq suspiciously and her barrier came up hard and fast, throwing him from her mind.

Tariq had never been caught off guard before. She was powerful, and tossed him out swiftly and decisively. She obviously didn't like the intimacy of sharing her mind. For the brief time he was merged with her, he felt peace as he had never known. She was softness and light, her heart full of kindness and goodness. She was a wonder, so unexpected. He had caught a whisper of her thoughts, a light foray into her memories. She was not of any race he had heard of, she was Sióg. It was a word without meaning to him, but the echo of her heritage he recognized; her ancestor was Merlin. She called him seanathair, or grandfather. He was still alive; centuries after his time should have ended for a mage or human. But he was not mage, he was this Other, this Sióg.

"You presume much," she said angrily. "You seem to think I am yours to do with as you please, but I am not. I belong to myself, Mr. Asenguard."

She distinctly annunciated his name, making it sound like an epithet, her voice dripping with menace. She reminded him of a cornered kitten, raising her hackles and hissing. He managed to restrain his grin, not wanting to offend her further. And then a small tidbit of information he'd seen in her thoughts came back to him. Zoe feared him both as a man, and a Carpathian. Blood drinker was the term shat had lingered in her thoughts. It terrified her that he would be like some horror movie Dracula, for her understanding of his species was so limited. In time he could ease these fears, show her the truth of the wonders of his race. It was not her fears he focused on, but the knowledge that she'd have little time to escape him because her eighteenth birthday was only two weeks away. She was well aware that only her age was holding him to his honor. She was also aware that she would likely not be able to fight him when her age would no longer stop his claim. "You need never have fear of me, sívamet. I can do no other than see to your happiness and protection."

There was a commotion in the hall, and several gunshots followed by screaming. People were shouting and there was obvious panic beginning when one final shot rang out and she heard her father over the PA system, "Everyone remain calm, the police are on the way, and it appears the danger has passed. Please clear the area around the bodies and remain in the hall. The authorities will probably want statements from everyone…" Tariq cringed, waiting for Zoe's reaction.

"Your friend is very subtle, Mister…" Zoe's sarcastic comment was immediately interrupted.

"You will drop this formality immediately and address your lifemate by his given name, päläfertiil. My name is Tariq," he said with a harsh edge to his voice. "You cannot avoid what is between us by refusing to use my name."

"There is nothing between us, Tariq! You just did your job; you protected us from the nutty people. You may go now," she dismissed him with all the haughtiness she could manage. He needed to leave before she completely broke down in front of him. Why did the thought of him leaving put an ache in the area of her heart?

Tariq could feel her fear despite the barrier she held against him. He pulled her into his arms and held her, "You are frightened, and I am sorry these evil ones were allowed to come so close to you. You are safe now, and your father is safe. You need never fear for it is my duty and privilege to protect you and see to your health and happiness." He felt her soft body relax against him, accepting comfort from the very man she feared. He fought down the waves of arousal coursing through his body. His body grew hard and heavy, desperate to claim her. His beast stirred within him; demanding he take her blood and claim her. She was his, and the need to taste her was relentless. He clung to his honor, forcing his body to relax. She would fear him even more if he let her see his desire. "You think to escape me, Zoe, but it is too late. You and I are two halves of the same whole. Our souls are meant to be bound, for they are incomplete without each other. Now that we have met, if I left you now, we would both suffer for the separation. I know you try to hide behind your age, but it is a short reprieve. I intend to usethis time to get to know you, and let you know me. Make no mistake, päläfertiil, in two weeks, you will be mine for all eternity," Tariq said seriously. Her body went rigid in his arms.

Zoe tried to pull free of his embrace, but though he didn't tighten his gentle hold, he was immovable. She hated that. "How dare you? You overbearing, thick headed, irritating, Neanderthal reject from an old vampire movie!"

"Zoe be silent," Russ commanded his daughter without the slightest hint of raised voice. "You will not disrespect Tariq, or reveal our private lives in this unprotected place."

Zoe was immediately contrite, "I am sorry, athair." She leaned back to look up at Tariq and her heart turned over at the overwhelming tenderness she saw in his expressive blue eyes. "Please," she asked softly.

Tariq released her and she immediately turned and hugged her father, "I'm glad you are safe, but I'm afraid to ask what happened."

"Then don't ask, peanut. We'll go home as soon as the police release us," he promised.

André joined them as the professor made his promise and glanced at Tariq. The police are conducting interviews. Since the shooter killed his companions and then turned the gun on himself, they know nothing of the true target. I have already planted interviews with the professor and your lifemate into the mind of the lead detective, and he will have notes to refer to later. They are released. I have already informed the others of what has happened. The search for Morrison continues, and they have gone to pursue another lead. I will be near if you need me. André made a formal bow to the professor and Zoe and then vanished into mist.

"André has seen to the police, we can leave now," Tariq informed the professor. "Your daughter has an aversion to sharing her mind, so you must show me where your home is, Professor."

Russ frowned at his daughter, "It wouldn't matter, our home has protections on it. When we get there, you will understand. Since I'm soon to be your athair céile, your father-in-law, you can call me Russ. My car is this way." He turned to lead them down the hall, and Tariq was struck with sudden warmth in his chest. He was accepted by his lifemate's father; he had a family again.

Tariq turned his gaze on Zoe and offered his arm, "Zoe?" He waited for her to take his arm. She needed to take his arm of her own free will, a symbol of her acceptance. He held his breath.

"You know, I am not choosing to be your girlfriend if I take your arm, Tariq," she said bluntly as she placed her hand in the crook of his arm, her voice defiant.

Tariq led her down the hall her father had taken with a triumphant smile on his face. "Ah, csitri… yes, you are."

Irish Gaelic Translations

athair - father

athair céile - father-in-law

daid - father

le do thoil - please

leasathair - Step father

máthair - mother

ná - do not

seanathair - grandfather

scoir - quit

sióg - fairy

Carpathian Translation

csitri - little one (female).

o köd belsö - darkness take it.

päläfertiil- mate or wife.

sívamet - my heart.