He reached down and pulled her to her feet. “There was no downfall, Julija. Barnabas, Crina and Anatolie conspired to put you under their control. You held out. None of them control you. In the end, in spite of everything they did to you, your strength prevailed.”
“I let myself down a million times,” she confessed.
“We all do that. It is the getting back up that defines your character, Julija, and you did that.” He pulled her into his arms and, putting a finger under her chin, tilted her face up to his. “Kiss me before I go spring the trap on whichever one of your relatives is waiting to kill me.”
“Let me go. You can watch from the sky and rescue me if I can’t handle them.”
He was already shaking his head, everything in him rejecting her plan. “That is never going to happen so do not bother to argue.” He cut off anything more she had to say by taking her mouth. Where before he had kissed her so gently, he was much more demanding. She responded instantly, giving him everything. She was hot, addictive. His.
When he lifted his head, he stared down into her dark eyes. “I am beginning to think you may have cast a spell on me.”
“I couldn’t help myself,” she teased. “You were so gorgeous it was that or faint from sheer girlish desires.”
He laughed. “You are impossible.” He glanced down at the little cats. They were back together, almost cowering. It bothered him that they were so afraid. The female, Sable, had tried to comfort Julija, and both had chosen to escape when given the chance. The male, Phantom, had attacked Vasile. Isai had given them his blood. He’d never spoken harshly to them or lifted a hand against them. He could understand them being leery and taking their time to trust him completely, but they weren’t even trusting the other cats.
“Something is not right with them, Julija. While I’m visiting our lone camper, I would prefer you in the air. If there is a hidden trap we are not yet aware of involving these two, I do not want you dealing with it alone.”
For the first time, he felt Julija was actually listening to him, considering the possibility. “How could we both miss something like that?” There was speculation in her voice.
He went still inside. Watchful. What kind of spies had her brothers planted in their camp? Now, he was more certain than ever that the two little cats were hiding something. “You tell me.”
She regarded the little cats. Both stared up at her, freezing in place. She gave them a smile and knelt down, right there, with him close. One hand remained on his leg to keep him from moving.
“Phantom, come here to me.” She held out her hand.
The male took a reluctant step toward her. The effort cost him. He began to tremble. She kept her hand extended toward him. There was no suspicion in her voice or on her face. Isai wasn’t certain how she could do it, because alarms were shrieking at him. The cat was clearly averse to going near her.
He doesn’t want to hurt me.
I am getting that. Julija, you are in a very vulnerable position.
On purpose. You are right here. I can examine him if he will let me. I don’t want to invade without his permission and lose any chance of him trusting me.
Isai had the strange urge to shake her. The woman could be totally exasperating. You do realize that this cat might be programmed to kill you.
Yes. Of course. It isn’t his fault if he is. He doesn’t want to carry out the command, whatever that command is. He’s had a terrible life, one of betrayal and pain.
He clenched his teeth and dropped one hand into the thick mass of her hair, his fingers bunching those silky strands into his fist. Do not identify with this creature. That way can get you killed. You have no sense of self-preservation, Julija.
She smiled up at him and then sank back on her ankles. “Phantom, I am mage. I can counter whatever they did to you. If you let me, I’ll examine you and fix the problem, but you’ll have to trust me.”
Phantom looked back at the female.
“The threat is to her, isn’t it? If you don’t do as they’ve commanded, she’ll be the one to suffer. Let me look at her. Perhaps I can remove the threat.”