I can already feel the effects of your blood, she added. My hearing and vision are much more acute. It's becoming harder to be away from you. Is that normal?
He tightened his arms around her, feeling slightly guilty. He'd read things in Gary's mind he wished he hadn't. Like the present prince of his people who had been the one to inadvertently discover psychic human women could be converted without the danger of insanity; he wished he could be without the knowledge of what the woman went through before he'd started the process. The facts and images in Gary's mind were very disturbing.
I asked to come into your world, Riley assured him. It's been my choice from the first time I laid eyes on you. I felt your soul and the Old One's soul. I felt as if I'd come home. You're my home, Dax. I want to be with you in your world. You never said it would be easy.
He dropped his chin on top of her head, her silky hair weaving strands into his shadowy jaw as if tying them together. He was in her mind enough to know she took responsibility for her decisions. She had made a choice, and it was important to her that he saw it as her decision.
You're a courageous woman, Riley. I'm proud that you're mine. I'll live my life making certain you never regret giving yourself to me, or making the resolution to join me in my world.
Riley sent him the impression of a warm smile. Her hands tightened on his forearms and she turned her head a little to try to catch raindrops on her tongue. Laughing when she managed it, she bent her head to brush a kiss along his arm.
I know I can be of some use to you now. I was worried I might be a burden. I get afraid, but I know I can help you. Not fighting. Well, I can shoot a gun, but I don't want to get close to anything like those people we saw from the village. But I can be an asset to you in other ways.
Dax spotted the small entrance he'd been looking for. He'd seen the cave earlier and thought it had potential.
I have to take you back to Jubal and Gary in about an hour, but we've got this time. I want to tell you what to expect with the conversion and allow you to decide the when and where.
She took a deep breath. Now? Why don't we just get it over with?
He nuzzled the top of her head again and dropped down to the entrance of the cave, scanning automatically for traps and any living creature that might be occupying it.
"Not here, not now. Somewhere much safer." He sighed. "So it isn't entirely up to you, the when and where, but I'll get it as close as possible, I promise."
Very carefully, he set her down in the thick vegetation in front of the cave, waving his hand to the interior, preparing it for their entrance.
"I have no worries that I won't be safe with you," Riley said.
The ring of honesty in her voice humbled him. "You will need to rest and heal for several days, palafertiilam. We have a vampire to catch."
Riley smiled up at him. "I like when you refer to me as your lifemate in your language. And beloved as well. I feel beloved, when I never thought love would come my way."
He took her hand, ducked to gain entrance through the narrow opening and led the way. The ground curved down and around, dropping several feet as they walked until the hallway began to widen.
"My language is still very natural to me. I have to try to think of a proper translation in your language, but I'm getting better at it," he said.
"You speak with a perfect accent."
"I still don't always choose the correct sentence structure," he pointed out. "Correct me if I get something wrong."
"I think it's cute."
He turned back to look at her, knowing she wore that teasing smile he loved so much. He stopped abruptly so that she ran into him, his arms sweeping around her, holding her tight against him. The feel of her soft body melting into his astonished him.
"I'm crazy in love with you," he said.
She turned her face up to his. "That makes two of us. I can do this, Dax. I can make it into your world and be happy. I've given it a lot of thought. I've seen all the dangers, but I know I want this." She cupped the side of his face as she traced the strong line with her thumb.
He kissed her hard. Demanding. A little rough. She responded like she always did, not in the least intimidated. She kissed him back. Hard. Demanding. A little rough. Her slender arms circled his neck and brought his head down more fully to hers. She poured herself into the kiss, accepting his storm of turbulent emotion.
The volcano was inside him, buried deep but smoldering. He wanted her with every cell in his body, and he hadn't even seen it coming on. The force of his need shocked him. Hunger clawed at his belly, a new kind of hunger, but just as urgent, just as feral. His fist bunched in her hair and he pulled her head back to take better advantage of her soft, hot mouth. He lost himself there for long minutes before he finally, still kissing her, lifted her into his arms, high against his chest so he could keep moving through the hallway toward the open gallery.
Riley opened her eyes as the cool air hit her body. She was absolutely naked. Not a stitch covered her skin. The flames from hundreds of lit candles leapt and danced, surrounding her on three walls. Above her head, on the ceiling, blue stars glittered with a soft radiance, creating a midnight sky. The walls of the cave seemed to be studded with gleaming gems.
Dax had created a bedroom. The chamber was warm and inviting. The sound of water dropping into a deep blue steaming pool only added to the ambience.
"This is where I live," he whispered. He wanted her to love the night the way he did. She had gotten inside of him, wrapped herself around his heart. Her smile lit his world. Turned his body hard and filled him with such love, such emotion, that he felt shaken, vulnerable even, when he never had.
One woman. It amazed him that he could feel such intense emotion after feeling barely anything for centuries. She just had a way about her that took every sane thought from his head and replaced them with ... her. He found he was uncomfortable when others were close, because the wealth of emotion for her was nearly impossible to hide. It made him feel ... exposed.