she hated the idea of having that splinter inside her whether Vadim could see what she was doing or not.
“I’m sending for a Daratrazanoff. That lineage is incomparable when it comes to healing.”
“Where are they now?” Meaning how long would it take for one of them to get there. The idea that a tiny piece of Vadim was inside of her made her feel sick, especially now that Tariq confirmed he was even more worried about it than she was.
“In the Carpathian Mountains.”
Her breath caught and held in her lungs. If Tariq was sending for a healer all the way from the Carpathian Mountains, he was very concerned about the splinter.
She didn’t ask any questions. She didn’t want the answers right then. She wanted normal. She wanted to visit with her friends and maybe have a cup of tea without getting sick. She wanted to hear the sound of laughter.
“You’re in my mind,” she whispered, bending once more to move her lips against his jaw. She loved the hard line of his jaw. He was handsome, gorgeous even, but he was all man. That jaw of his indicated his strength, his determination. He knew exactly what she wanted, what she needed, and he was giving that to her.
“Does it bother you? I try to stay just to the forefront, not intrude, but after so many centuries without you, searching for you, I find it difficult to separate entirely.”
There was a hint of vulnerability in his voice. She kissed her way from his jaw to his mouth. Placing her lips right over his, she told the truth. “I love that you are in my mind. I don’t like to be away from you, either.”
He took her mouth the moment the last word was uttered. One hand was at the back of her head, holding her firmly the way he did that always gave her a thrill. His mouth moved gently, though, lovingly, even leisurely, exploring and tangling his tongue with hers to stroke and caress. She loved kissing him. She could kiss him forever. He took his time and she loved that about him, too. He had somewhere to be, people to protect, but he still took his time with her as if she mattered more to him than anything else.
“This is your last night as a human, Charlotte.”
It was a decree, not a question and her heart jerked hard in her chest. She was often lulled into a false sense of security because Tariq was sweet to her. He was reasonable. He was sophisticated. He was also a predator just like Dragomir, only he disguised it better. Dragomir didn’t bother, while Tariq did. Tariq’s thin veil of civility could shred at any moment.
Still, Charlotte knew she would choose him every single time. He was the man for her. Born for her. And she was born for him. She leaned down and kissed him again and then slowly slid off his body. He didn’t have to change for her; she wanted him just the way he was.
“Okay,” she agreed softly. Because for her, there wasn’t any other choice. “I’ll be ready.” She wanted to go see Lourdes and talk with Danny, Amelia, Liv and Bella. She wanted to visit with Genevieve and Emeline and maybe meet Blaze for the first time. Be normal in a world that wasn’t hers anymore.
He reached for her as she slid off the bed, his hand cupping her face, thumb sliding gently over her lips. “I’ll take care of you always, Charlotte. You’ll want for nothing.”
She believed him, but that wasn’t what was important to her. “Just feel about me the way you do now. Always.”
“It grows every single day. It will continue to grow. Your courage in taking on Danny, Amelia, Liv and Bella astounds me.”
“You’re taking on Lourdes and Genevieve for me.”
He nodded and was up, towering over her, waving his hand to clean and clothe her. She liked her soft, vintage blue jeans and equally soft dove gray sweater. He had good taste in casual clothes. Her bra and panties were sheer lace, but the bra was supportive, and her boots were gray leather with three leather ruffles down the back. She loved them.
“You’ll be able to do that yourself,” he said, and bent to take her mouth. When he straightened, he was dressed in his immaculate and very sophisticated clothes. “Go have fun. Don’t forget Emeline. She’s ours, too.”
“I won’t forget. I have Vadim’s splinter in me and I detest it. She