He knew she was right. Her family would come and there would be hell to pay. Worse, if the De La Cruz family found out Paul was with her, they would come, and there would be no stopping Zacarias if one hair was harmed on his nephew's head.
Skyler wasn't going to back down. Desperation set in. He was helpless, chained by silver, hanging in a tree with hooks in his body to slowly poison him. Moarta de argint. He couldn't save her if she was attacked.
How could he stop her? He didn't want her in the hands of the Lycans. Despair swept through him when even in his worst moments he hadn't considered, not for one moment, helping the silver to move through his body faster. He had known he could get the suffering over, but he would never leave Skyler alone, not if there was a chance. But to save her life . . .
Don't you dare even think about leaving me! Pure fury edged the trembling fear in her voice. If you choose to go, I will follow. I won't be understanding about it either, Dimitri. We have a pact, you and I, we made it a long time ago when everyone else wanted to decide our fate. We decide together. You. Me. Together.
I cannot stand the thought of you in danger.
It is only because you suffer . . .
Suffering does not matter. The silver does not matter. Death does not matter. You have no concept of what drives me. I cannot have you in danger.
Her voice changed completely. The fear and anger disappeared. Her tone was musical. Soft. Red velvet brushing over every inflamed nerve ending with a soothing touch. My love, no one, not even an ancient so courageous and strong as you could withstand the lack of sustenance. You need to feed. You have been chained for over two weeks, and you've suffered agonies no one else could have endured. The combination would drive anyone mad.
At times he had felt mad. His mind wandered. Before Skyler had come, he sometimes couldn't think clearly, but . . .
You have to trust me. I am your lifemate and I hold you close in my heart. You're the other half of my soul. Trust me to do this right.
The sad truth was—Skyler had a point. Days and nights ran together. He was left outside and at times he was helpless, caught in the Carpathian paralysis, yet unable to sleep. The sun beat down through the trees, nearly blinding him, burning his skin until he was blistered, but fortunately, the thick canopy—and his Lycan blood—kept him from the death most Carpathians feared.
The silver burned continuously, his insides on fire, his skin and bones feeling as though he was being scalded and scorched endlessly. Hunger beat at him, until he didn't know which was worse—the need for blood, or the ceaseless agony in his body. Now, all that meant little when he knew Skyler was in danger.
Dimitri. The way you feel about me . . . That is the way I feel about you. We belong together and I cannot go away and leave you alone like this. It would break my heart. I would rather risk everything on the chance of getting you back than know you are suffering and I did nothing.
Call Fen. He will come and I'll know you're safe.
He felt her sigh. She was worn. The edges of her mind were stretched thin. She was shivering with cold. He couldn't see where she was, but he could feel that much.