his neck and then allowed herself to collapse over top of him. She couldn’t move. She might never move. She was quite happy to stay right where she was. She just closed her eyes and nestled her cheek against the hollow of his throat. She had no idea how long they lay together, just drifting in a world of pleasure. She felt safe, surrounded by his love. It was the best feeling in the world.
She supposed she couldn’t spend the rest of her life like that, although she was willing to try. Eventually one of them stirred and she sat up, waited for him to do so as well, and she scooted back until she leaned against him, using him as a headboard. He didn’t seem to mind in the least. He just wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight. She wasn’t going to try to tell him how much what he’d done meant. She felt too raw. Too shy. But she believed.
“I take it you fed the cats this evening.”
Isai dropped a kiss onto the top of her head. “Of course. And then gave them the order to stay in the other chamber. If I hadn’t, they would have been driving us insane with their demands to feed and for attention. I thought Phantom and Sable looked better this morning.”
“Your blood is . . .” She searched for the right word and finally settled on one. “Potent.”
“Potent?” he echoed, a smile in his voice.
She tipped her head back until she could see his eyes. She particularly liked when she could get him to smile. The smiles were so rare. “Very potent,” she reiterated. “I’m addicted.”
“When you do not get blood to feed, Julija, does it weaken you?”
She nodded. “Very much. I can’t really eat regular food, not like the others in my family. Animal blood doesn’t help with the craving at all.”
“But you never slept in the ground.”
“No, I never even contemplated it, but I did lie in it sometimes. I studied your species for years, but I didn’t try any of the things I’d learned about them, especially sleeping covered completely.”
His chin nuzzled the top of her head. Strands of hair caught in his shadow, tying them together. “Our species, Julija. You are Carpathian. There is little doubt. You are also mage. It is unusual to say the least. After we find this book, it will be good to ask questions of others to see if they have heard of such a phenomenon.”
“I like that you think I’m a phenomenon, but I don’t want a bunch of strangers talking about me. Can’t we just keep that part to ourselves? I can tell Elisabeta. She won’t say anything about me to anyone.”
“Elisabeta is Ferro’s lifemate. He told us just before the prince contacted Tariq and asked him to send someone after Iulian. I recognized the name, knew it was my brother and took the job of hunter. It is my duty to make certain our name is lived with honor.”
Julija was fairly certain Iulian had been noble as well as honorable.
“There is a small lake, very beautiful. Few campers, although I saw signs of horses when I flew over the vicinity, so I’m certain there are a few people who visit on a regular basis. Hopefully, they are gone at night. We will look closer this eve.”
“Evening,” she corrected automatically and then felt horrible. She liked his more formal way of talking. It appealed to her and when his accent slipped into his dialect, the combination was irresistible.
“I need you to make certain I fit into this century, and that includes with my speech,” he assured her, subtly reminding her that he had access to her thoughts.
“You fit in. Women will be so busy drooling over you when they meet you, and the way you talk is very sexy, adding to that allure.” Did she have a jealous note in her voice? She hoped not. She didn’t want to lose him to any other woman . . .
“Sívamet, you still do not understand the concept of lifemates, and you had better learn quickly, before we go back to be surrounded by others. I am in your mind, just as you are in mine. It is easy to see your insecurities and know the reasons for them, but at the same time, you have to understand it is impossible for me to see any other woman but you. I have searched centuries for you. Centuries. There were times I