"Well . . . how old are you? You look like you're my age, but I have a feeling you're older than you look."
"I was born in 1336 in what is now Dachau, Germany."
"The place where the concentration camp was?"
"Yes. It is a lovely area, despite that blot on its history. I have a summer home there that I think you'll like."
"Do you have any brothers or sisters?"
"None left living. My mother had several children before my father seduced her."
"Sounds like Daddy had some issues."
"Several, not the least of which was an inability to remain with any woman longer than a few weeks. He died in a fire in the eighteenth century."
"Really? I didn't think you guys could die."
"We can be killed, yes. We don't die of natural causes, however, and it's not easy to end our lives, but in my father's case, the building he was in collapsed on him, trapping him in the fire. Even a Dark One cannot stand up to that sort of thing."
"I'm sorry," she said, and he knew she honestly was sorry about the loss of his father.
"Thank you. I was not close to him, but he was my only living family member. I felt his loss." He didn't say more, but she read it in his mind nonetheless.
Her arms went around him, her cheek pressed against his back. After you'd already lost your Beloved. I'm sorry, Alec. Sorry that I wasn't around for you when I should have been.
It wasn't your fault, querida. It was just one of those cruel accidents that fate deals us sometimes. He wanted to add that it would be worth it if he knew he had found his Beloved at last, but he kept his thoughts to himself, wanting her to make the decision for herself and not be swayed by his need.
"What's a lichmaster?"
"Hmm?" Cora's question interrupted his contemplation of how much time they had, and whether he could convince her that the room was mouse-free enough to make love to her. "It's someone who controls liches."
"Like Ulfur?"
"Yes. In fact, it's Ulfur that Kris and Pia are trying to save."
"Ah, is that how you knew who he was?" she asked, snuggling up against his back.
He might be hungry, object to being hidden like he was a criminal, and dislike the closed-in feeling of the small room, but he'd happily stand there to the end of his days to protect Cora, if she continued to rub herself against his back that way. She was so obviously his Beloved, the one woman put on the earth to be with him, he was surprised he hadn't recognized her from the first. "Yes. He was in Pia's charge before de Marco stole his soul and used it to have him resurrected as a lich bound to him."
"Poor guy. Do you think that monk can summon Diamond, too?"
"From the Akasha? No. That would take a Guardian, and unless he has one on call, he wouldn't be able to organize a rescue for your friend."
"Well, I'm going to have to do something about her soon, Alec. She's been in there for some time now, and if nothing else, my ex-husband will be worried about her."
"Time passes differently in the Akasha than here," he said, not liking the feeling of obligation she felt toward the other woman, but aware that it was now his problem, as well. "We will contact the Guardian who summoned us to have her do the same for Diamond."
She pressed her face against the back of his neck, her breath warm on his flesh, sending little rivulets of fire into his veins. "That's got to be expensive."
"It is."
"You'd do that for me?" Her hands slid around his sides, her fingers spreading wide on his belly.
"Of course. You're my - " He stopped, but she knew what he was going to say.
"That's still nice of you. Alec, do you think we could go to a mouse-free room? You're driving me wild with all those thoughts of licking me, and tasting me, and biting me, and oh my god, yes, I really like that one! Can we do that? Right now?"
He laughed, turning to face her, about to say that he would be happy to indulge her every fantasy, but at that moment, the door behind her started to move with a low grating sound.