so all of them could build a stronger bond. It was also necessary for the cats to practice adhering to skin without tearing them up. He didn’t want a single scratch on Julija, but if she had the cats on her the way Ivory Malinov and her lifemate, Razvan, wore their wolves, they would watch her back and be an asset in any situation.
Carpathians shared information. Ivory and Razvan were notoriously private, but most Carpathians were aware they had a wolf pack that rode on them as tattoos or a fur coat. He doubted if he would do the same—make a coat of panther fur—but the tattoos would be an advantage.
The cavern opened up to three rooms, each going deeper into the mountain. A small stream ran from where the water poured down the wall to the first basin and then over the sides of the rock into the brook. Rocks lined the sides and bottom, so the water tumbled over them, smoothing and rounding them into shiny pebbles.
“This is really pretty, Isai.”
He watched her as she made a little circuit of the sanctuary he’d found for them. There was a note of happiness in her voice. He liked that. He even needed it. She’d been broadcasting fear ever since they’d talked about Barnabas and the possibility that he might be Xaviero’s son. No, she’d been fearful every time the man’s name was mentioned. More fearful even than when talking about Anatolie. She seemed to take Anatolie’s cruelty in stride, which gave him pause. If she was that afraid of Barnabas, he had to be a force to be reckoned with.
“It is, isn’t it? Blue scratched at the dirt and uncovered a small hole. Above us, the rock has formed a very thick roof. The holes are tiny. I doubt anyone would have realized they go all the way through the rock. The crack was faint, but it was there.”
She touched a very green and healthy bush, rubbing the leaves between her finger and thumb in a kind of fascination. The foliage was lush, very dense, and all kinds of wildflowers grew along the slopes. Vines wound their way up the tree trunks. There were nettles with delicate pink and blue flowers.
Isai watched his woman through half-closed eyes, absorbing her. Feeling her. She was beautiful to him. Every movement. He noticed what she touched, the way she smiled down at the two females pacing along beside her. Phaedra and Belle moved with her every step. She could have found them annoying. They were big cats, and they kept getting in her way, but rather than pushing at them or snapping, she laughed softly and ruffled their ears.
“What do you think, girls? Did the boys do us proud?” She swung around to look at him and then flung her arms wide to encompass their little paradise. “I love this, Isai. We could live here.”
He found himself smiling just because there was joy on her face. She was living in the moment, something she had probably learned to do for survival. “Yes, we could.”
“No neighbors. No family to bug us,” she went on. “When we decide to come up for air, we have a beautiful backyard. The Sierras are amazing. So much to explore.” She looked around the cave. “I could do a lot with this. Make it a home.”
He folded his arms across his chest. She was already turning away again, following the stream into the next chamber.
“Isai. Have you seen this? The soil is so rich with minerals. It’s a gold mine for Carpathians.” She flung herself down into the soft earth, uncaring that she was wearing clothes and getting them dirty. Stretching out her arms and legs, she made an earth angel, instead of a snow angel. He thought it was very appropriate.
“What are you doing?” Amusement crept into his voice.
He leaned one hip against the curving rock wall and watched her. Belle rolled around beside her like a kitten. Phaedra took a few minutes to join her and then, at last, Sable made her way stealthily to them. She stood on the edge of the expanse of soil that was centuries old and had never been touched. The nutrients were still intact, as powerful and potent as possible.
“Don’t be such a stodgy old man. I know you’re like a million years or something and think you have to be dignified, but no one can see you but me. This is the greatest feeling. Even the cats know.” Her