“I was human. I was nearly killed, and the Carpathians saved me by converting me. That didn’t stop me from thinking like a human or clinging to human ways. I didn’t want to consider that because I had psychic gifts a male Carpathian who had suffered centuries of darkness might be looking for me to save him.”
Trixie tasted fear in her mouth. Whatever was happening here was much bigger than she expected. She was prepared to have a short fling with a very hot man. One she knew would eventually burn her, but she thought it would be worth it. No. She knew it would be worth it in the end. He had already replaced those terrible memories of that scared, innocent fifteen-year-old girl.
Fane had made her feel beautiful and sexy. He’d made her feel like a desirable woman. She wasn’t a woman to kid herself. She was too old. She lived far away, a completely different life, but she could hold Fane in her memories. She didn’t have to share those memories with anyone else. She’d given and given her entire life. So many pieces of her had gone missing along the way. No dreams. She knew better than to dream for herself, but she’d dreamt big for her girls and saw to it that they had the chance to make those dreams come true. She had no regrets. None. But Fane would be hers alone, and she deserved every memory she could make with him.
She took a deep breath. Now, she feared the price was far, far higher than she ever thought possible.
“Trixie.” Gabrielle whispered her name. “I shouldn’t be the one explaining this to you. Fane should be. Or Teagan and Andre. Teagan’s happy. I’m too confused and mixed up to be a good example of how wonderful it is to find a lifemate. And my lifemate is different. Very different.”
“Does he have a tattoo on his back?” Trixie guessed.
Gabrielle’s eyes widened. Her lashes fluttered. She nodded slowly.
“So does Fane. If your man is different, then Fane must be like him. How is he different?”
Gabrielle shook her head. “I’m absolutely not doing this with you. It’s scary to find out you’re a lifemate, but my sister is so happy. You have no idea how happy she is. You will be, too.”
Gabrielle didn’t look happy at all to Trixie. She was certainly anxious, her gaze sliding toward the door over and over again as if she expected something terrible to happen at any moment.
“I’m in my sixties, Gabrielle. I’ve lived my entire life without a man. Making my decisions. Expressing my opinions. Doing what I wanted to do. I’ve worked hard, and I have a family I love above all else. I am well past child-bearing years if they’re looking to repopulate. I would never put up with any nonsense from a man, and I can tell you right now, any man who is a man would find me a pain. We would clash every minute. You’re sweet and you want to find a way to please your man. Me, I’d just as soon hit him over the head with a frying pan.”
That earned her a smile from Gabrielle. A first. When Gabrielle smiled, her beautiful face nearly glowed.
“You are breathtaking, child. Like my Teagan. No wonder these men both had their eyes on you. Your Aleksei is lucky to have you. You think about that when he’s with you. He should make you feel beautiful and special. Not undermine your confidence in yourself.”
“He does make me feel beautiful,” Gabrielle admitted. “The way he looks at me, as if he would never see another woman the way he sees me.”
Trixie closed her eyes briefly. She knew that look. Fane’s entire focus had been on her. She’d felt that exact way. As if he would never see another woman like he saw her. This was getting more and more complicated by the minute.
“I’ve got me a stake gun. It fires little tiny stakes. It didn’t do me much good when I shot at Fane and hit him. He just laughed and pulled them out. But you’re welcome to it if you think it would do you any good,” she offered. Because she wasn’t going to need it. She was leaving. Right now. Fast.
She scrambled to her feet. “I’m heading down the mountain, Gabrielle. I would invite you to come along, although I might have to hike out in my altogether. I have to find my pack because I have extra clothes in it and I can put them on when these disappear. He hid it, but I can find it.”
“Fane threatened to take your clothes?” Gabrielle guessed.
“He did. I didn’t think he could really do it, but he’s done quite a few things that looked impossible, so I’m not taking any chances.”
Gabrielle felt a smile rising. That was two smiles Trixie had given her in the space of a couple of minutes when she had believed she’d never smile again. She really liked the older woman. Really liked her. She stood up as well.
The door didn’t open. Not at all. The hinges didn’t creak. But he was there. Filling the room until it vibrated with fury. The air was so heavy Gabrielle choked. Coughed. She froze, afraid to move in any direction. Her gaze slid to Trixie. The woman had frozen as well. Gabrielle wasn’t the only one who felt that anger like a blow.
He materialized close to her. So close Gabrielle felt his heat. He smelled of forest. Of the mountains. Of rain. His hair was a wild fall around his face, and his eyes blazed a pure green at her. His jaw was set. His mouth as well. He looked so menacing, Trixie instinctively took a step toward her, as if she might put her body between Gabrielle and Aleksei.
He didn’t look at Trixie, his fury-filled gaze focused completely on Gabrielle. He waved a casual hand toward Trixie and she stopped moving, her body going still, her mouth partway open, but no sound emerged. Gabrielle knew instantly Aleksei had frozen her there, and that was even scarier than the four walls filled with his wrath.
“Would you like to explain yourself to me?” He bit each word out between strong white teeth.
Gabrielle straightened her spine. Tears still clung to her lashes, she could feel them, making her lashes wet and spiky. Fat lot of sympathy she was getting from her lifemate. She moistened her lips, her heart pounding like a drum. “Not really, no.”
His head jerked up. If it was possible, his eyes went pure green, no other color. Glittering green. Like a green flame. He took her breath away. She was terrified, but he was still the hottest man she’d ever seen in her life. She bit her lip and tilted her head to one side, sweeping her hair over one shoulder, a nervous gesture she hoped Aleksei didn’t interpret that way.
“Not. Really. No.” He repeated each word as if he couldn’t believe what just came out of her mouth.
Gabrielle bit harder at her lower lip and once more shoved at her long, flowing hair, getting it off her neck because she was suddenly very hot.
Aleksei stared at his woman with unblinking eyes. That small gesture, that sweep of her hair, revealed her delicate neck, her throat, revealed her vulnerability. Looking at her neck made him want to sink his teeth deep, to taste her. Claim her. Her hair was everywhere, cascading around her like a waterfall. So much of it, wild and untamed and so peje soft he could barely breathe when he buried his fingers in it, just as she was when he touched her. She always withdrew from him after, but he knew, one touch, and he could ignite that fire. Turn her into the wildcat he knew she was.
“Aleksei,” Fane hissed, striding through the door. He didn’t slow down, moving swiftly into Aleksei’s dwelling.