He was gentle and kind and compassionate. He didn’t complain about his life. He accepted the centuries of hunting the vampire. He accepted the terrible wounds and the loneliness that came with that. He accepted her for exactly who she was and with all her failings, with every fault, she was still the only one. His. That made her happy in spite of being so afraid of the future. Very happy.
16
The small village was nestled next to the mountains, sitting in close as if for shelter. It was fully dark by the time the two owls made their way to the outskirts. The rain was falling softly, more than a mist, but not quite raindrops.
They shifted on the very edges, out of sight, clothing themselves. Andre had provided the clothes for her, but Teagan insisted on creating her own very cool designer boots. She’d never been able to afford them, but she certainly had studied them often enough and she could replicate them, so she did.
Teagan turned her face up to the moisture, letting it wash over her face, the feeling against her skin wonderful. Exhilarating even.
“Teagan,” Andre said softly. “This is dangerous. You are no longer human. There are people who would murder you just for being different.”
Like her own grandmother. Like her own grandmother. The thought of it had a lump in her throat, choking her.
Andre swept his arm around her waist and pulled her beneath the protection of his shoulder. “Your hearing is more acute. Turn the volume down if it gets too much, but listen to conversations. We need information, whether or not Jashari’s body was found and who his friends are. It is essential we keep a low profile. That is going to be difficult because you are a beautiful woman and a stranger here.”
You are a beautiful woman. That made her glow. “Andre, I hate to have to break this news to you, as much as I want you to believe that, but you’re the only one in the world who thinks I’m beautiful.”
She slipped her arm around his waist because she liked being so close to him. His arm circled around her. Her arm made it halfway and the angle was awkward. He was way taller than she was. She settled for slipping her fingers into his back pocket. The moment she did, the intimacy of the action moved through her like a soft shimmering fire. She had never wanted—or dared—to do such a thing and yet now, it seemed the most natural thing in the world.
He leaned down. Close. His lips brushing her ear. She swore his tongue touched that sensitive spot just behind her ear. “I have a little bit of news for you, csitri. Men find you attractive. Very attractive.”
“You can’t know that. We’ve never been together around other men, unless you call that horrible vampire a man.” She gave a delicate little shudder and moved closer to Andre’s side. He made her feel safe.
“I read minds. You have memories, and the men are in your memories.”
“But they’re my memories and I never once thought a man was really attracted to me. So you’d only see that. Right?”
He shook his head.
She stiffened. One hand went to his flat, hard belly. “You can’t really do that. Can you? Andre, can you really do that?”
“Yes.”
“But that’s incredible. How? That doesn’t make any sense. Just by seeing other men in my memories you can read them?”
“I told you, I am a ghost. I can get into heads and see everything. I have always been able to do so. Still, I do not think most Carpathians have that ability.”
“You didn’t tell me that.” She felt nearly breathless with the wonder of Andre. He’d given her a gift by teaching her how to shift and then to fly. More, he gave her the gift of not panicking when she always did. But mostly, he’d given her the gift of acceptance. He really didn’t care if she panicked. She felt his love for her. It enfolded her. Surrounded her. Wrapped her up until she felt she belonged.
“Andre.” She looked up at him. “You aren’t a ghost. Don’t think that of yourself.”
“Everyone else thinks it.”
“I’m not everyone else. I see you. I’ll always see you.”
“Even when you are really angry with me?”
She looked up at his face. It was a beautiful face. Some great sculptor should carve his face in marble. Up so close to him, she could see his dark, thick lashes and the marvelous color of his eyes. So unusual and always changing.
“Teagan.”
Her stomach did the familiar flip at the way he said her name. She smiled up at him as they walked along the main street of the village. She knew he was scanning the entire area, taking in everything around them, searching out any danger that could possibly be coming their way. Still, even knowing that, because she was in his mind, she still felt as if his entire focus was on her.
He didn’t miss one single thing about her. He was aware of the way she moved, her body brushing against his with every step. He was aware of her hair, down, in the way he liked it, cascading down her back and around her face.
Andre liked the sway of her hips and the way her breasts pushed against the material of her top—the one he’d created for her. It fit close, accentuating her narrow rib cage and tucked-in waist. She didn’t really need the lacy bra she was wearing—she really was that small—but he insisted and she suspected she knew why. With every movement of her body, the lace teased her sensitive nipples. It felt delicious and a little bit naughty. The sensation also kept her very aware of Andre and wishing they were back in their cave and alone.
“Sivamet, answer me. Your answer is important to me.”