That had been enough to convince the two that he was nothing like the men who had created them.
Julija wanted to stay cocooned in her little world. She knew Isai wanted her to meet the others living close to them, but that meant once again stepping out of her comfort zone and trusting others. He had been patient with her, but she could tell that was coming to an end.
Each evening she reached out to Elisabeta in hope of encouraging her to surface. Part of her was doing so for selfish reasons. She thought if Elisabeta needed her while she was being introduced to everyone, it would make it much easier for Julija to be introduced. Cowardly, she knew, but there it was.
“You are not a coward,” Isai whispered, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her onto his lap as he often did. He seemed to prefer her sitting on him whenever there were chairs close by.
“I am,” she refuted, being honest. “A total coward. I’m supposed to be Elisabeta’s friend, but I’m thinking of using her to make it easier for me to meet all of your friends. That is cowardly.”
“I suppose you could look at it that way.” He nuzzled the top of her head with his chin. Immediately her hair got caught in the bristles on his jaw. “Another way might be the two of you help each other out.” He pressed little kisses over the top of her head. “I do prefer that you depend on me, but if you need Elisabeta to help you overcome your fears of meeting my friends, then I want that for you. Whatever makes it easier.”
“I’m sorry, Isai. I do want to meet them. It’s just that, over the years, I learned never to make friends. It didn’t end well. And learning to trust others will be difficult. I’ll do it, but it won’t be easy,” she warned. She didn’t want him thinking she could so easily fit in. She could pretend, but that wasn’t what she wanted. She didn’t think he would want that, either.
“I will not allow anything to happen to you, Julija, nor do I want you unhappy.”
She turned her face up to his throat. She loved the way he smelled. Like home. Like her man. He made her feel safe even though she knew the world around her wasn’t.
“I know, Isai. I want to be friends with them and I will. I just really have enjoyed this week with you without having anyone try to kill us.” She tried to make a joke of it, but instead, knew she was stalling. “Let me just talk to Elisabeta and see if I can coax her to come to the surface. She’ll want to meet everyone, too.” That was just ridiculous. She knew it. He knew it.
Isai didn’t call her on it. He hugged her closer. “If that makes you feel better, Julija, by all means do so. I would love to be introduced. She is a good friend to you.”
Julija knew Elisabeta was a very good friend, but she wasn’t going to abandon her resting place anytime soon. This was another delaying tactic. She circled Isai’s neck with her arms and laid her head against his chest, her ear over his heart, so she could listen to the steady beat while she reached out to Elisabeta.
As always it took a few minutes for Elisabeta to fully awaken. There was a part of her that worried it was taking just a little longer each time. What if she refused to surface? Had anyone ever done such a thing? For a moment there was panic.
Isai kissed her ear. “She has a lifemate, Julija. He would never allow such a thing.”
“Then why hasn’t he insisted she rise?”
“I do not know, but he will do what is best for her.”
She closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against his shoulder. How many times was he going to say that to her?
“As many as it takes,” Isai said with confidence and a little amusement.
She took a deep breath and reached out again to her friend. Aside from Isai, Elisabeta was her only friend.
I have so much to tell you. My lifemate has made me incredibly happy. He is here with me now, eager to meet you. Remember when I was so afraid, and you reassured me that he would find a way to make me happy? You were right. Deliberately she used the term lifemate in order to remind Elisabeta that