As the centuries passed Chereylen dedicated himself to eradicating the threat that Carpathian males turned Vampire posed to humans and Carpathians alike. Honor bound to deliver justice to friends and family alike he could feel the darkness within him spreading with every kill. It was becoming difficult just to fed without killing his prey.

The unrelenting call of power had him remaining for long periods of time slumbering deep beneath the earth up until he heard the rumors that the Prince had found his life mate and although she was human she had been successfully converted and the couple had had a female child.

With this renewed hope he stopped going to ground for long periods of time and began actively hunting again. He had studied many arts even some of the darker ones and had gained great knowledge over the years.

It was imperative to protect his race from discovery by humans so he learned how to leave no trail of himself. The world was shrinking with each new technological discovery and he didn?t want to get caught in that trap. Chereylen traveled widely and often portrayed his own decendents as the centuries passed. He had established homes in many different countries and was adept at fitting in with humans.

It was easy to manipulate the minds of humans and he used this to his advantage as he returned from time to time to his different homes. He was careful to mimic the habits of those humans who could afford to be eccentric. He was reclusive but not to the extent that it could be overly remarked upon.

Over the past few centuries he had felt the pull of one place in particular and found himself returning to it time and time again but although he searched the reason eluded him. Night after night he would rise and go out among the people seeking any clue and battling the foul creatures preying upon the citizens. He found it strange that so many of the undead always seemed to be in this area as well.

From time to time he felt the suggestion of power in the air. Each time he attempted to trace it back to the source with no success because just as quickly as it came it was gone once again.

The ripples didn?t have the feel of evil around them which peaked his curiosity even more. He determined that this time he would stay here until he found the source of those occasional traces and just maybe that source would provide him with the answer to the question of why he felt continually drawn to this particular place.

He wanted to lose himself in those grey eyes to never return. The curve of her cheek begged the touch of his lips as did the slender line of her throat. The rise of her breasts and tuck of her slender waist then flare of her hips had him ready toss her over his shoulder and be done with that place.

She belonged to him and no other did she but know it however it was obvious from her hesitancy that she did not yet realize the seriousness of his request to join her at her table.

Che decided he would have to go through the motions of being sociable so he allowed her plenty of space by reaching for another chair and placing it right beside the one she was seated in rather than placing her on his lap where she belonged. To his surprise Jaleesia promptly moved her chair away from his.

For that was his Lifemate?s name, Jaleesia Windstar. She had informed him again hesitantly as though she were frightened of him, her Lifemate, the one who would place her safety and happiness above his own for all time. That was before she became slightly belligerent with him though.

Where had he gone wrong? He had introduced himself and positioned himself close for her protection just as he was supposed to. It was bred into him. He knew these things from his very birth. The male protects the female and sees to her happiness. The female obeys the male and is happy. His Jal was not amenable to the proper way for a Lifemate to behave.

After the introductions and she had moved her chair away from him she then offered to ?knock him around?. Knowing the rings were warded he offered to duel with her but could not stand for her to be so far away from him now that he had finally found her. One arm reached out picking her up and placing her on his lap.

This was not received in the manner he had hoped. Jal began to heap upon his head accusations of groping and dandling. If he had to admit to some of the thoughts that were going through his mind about the curvaceous bundle of femininity currently squirming on his lap it wouldn?t have taken much for them to be reality. They were not however occurring in public as she was rather loudly claiming.

It took him a bit to realize that not only was she verbally protesting she was also rather frantically prying at the arm he had around her waist. Against his better judgement he relaxed the arm which she immediately removed then hopped back into her own seat. At the same time she laid a hand upon her sword.

It appeared to him that she was determined to harm herself in some way so again he pulled her chair close to his with the utmost patience learned over centuries of existence. She would be dooming herself to a lifetime without the other half of her soul should she accidentally succeed in somehow delivering a fatal blow to him.

Granted the chances of that ever happening were slim but this was RhyDin and she was a mage and skilled with a blade. Che decided he would take no chances until he had her safely bound to him.

She was only upsetting herself for no reason so he felt it was reasonable to ask that she calm herself. This gained him her looking to her friends forassistance. The answer to the question of whose Lifemate was seated at the table came as a surprise.

Lucien and Gabriel were also here in RhyDin and the beautiful fairy was Lucien?s Lifemate. Che now felt a double responsibility to keep watch over Topaz as both twins had sacrificed much more than any other Carpathians to see to the safety of their race over the long centuries.

He was thankful to Jal for allowing him to be able to feel happiness for the great ancient warrior that had at long last found his Lifemate. It crossed his mind to wonder how Garbriel was faring in this strange place of nexus fluctuations and Vampires running amok on most every street corner but that question would be saved for another time and place as his focus was not on the Twins but Jal who was getting more upset by the second as Topaz could not explain to her.

The third female at the table, who during the course of the conversation the three females were having as though he weren?t there, he found out was Rena. The three spoke back and forth arguing the merits of Jal kissing him. Che felt this an excellent idea. He could already tell that he and Lucien?s Lifemate would get along well together although he greatly disapproved of her being out without Lucien to see to her protection.

Although like Che would be able to do for Jal Lucien could easily protect Topaz from afar if the situation called for it. Lucien could most likely more effectively protect Topaz. None of them were exactly sure just how powerful Lucien and Gabriel truly were.

The Twins had both spent so many years away from their family, and their own kind, out hunting the Vampire and studying, learning all that they could, that at times they were more myth than real even to one as old as Che.

Jal was literally screaming for explanations from him, or anyone, when he felt the Vampire arrive in the arena. The beast demanded release as the other half of his soul was threatened, his eyes flashed red, incisors lengthened and he stood to place himself protectively between the women and the undead.