and rippling with life. His name caught in her throat, his breath left his lungs as they rushed over the edge together.
They lay for a long while, holding one another, their bodies tangled together, skin to skin, his thigh over hers, in between hers, his mouth and hands still exploring. Sara cradled him to her, tears in her eyes, unbelieving that he was in her arms, in her body, one being. She would never be alone. He filled her heart and her mind the way he filled her body.
“We fit,” he murmured softly. “A perfect fit.”
“Did you know it would be like this? So wonderful?”
He moved then, rising from the bed and bringing her up with him, taking her to the shower. As the water streamed off them, he licked the water from her throat, followed the path of several beads along her ribs. Sara retaliated by tasting his skin, sipping the water beads as they ran low along his flat, hard belly. Her mouth was hot and tight, so that he had to have her again. And again. He took her there in the shower. They made it as far as the small dresser, where he found the sight of her bottom too perfect to ignore. She was receptive, as hot and as needy as Falcon, never wanting the night to end.
The early morning light filtered through the closed curtains. They lay together on the bed, talking together, holding each other, hands and mouths stroking caresses in between words. Sara couldn’t remember laughing so much; Falcon hadn’t thought he knew how to laugh. Finally, reluctantly, he leaned over to kiss her.
“You must go if you are going to do this, Sara. I want you high in the Carpathian Mountains before nightfall. I will rise and come straight to you.”
Sara slid from the bed to stand beside the bust she had made so many years earlier. She didn’t want to leave him. She wanted to remain curled up beside him for the rest of her life.
Falcon didn’t need to read her mind to know her thoughts; they were plain on her transparent face. For some reason, her misgivings made it easier for him to allow her to carry out her plans. He stood up, his body crowding close to hers. He needed sleep; he needed to go to ground and fully heal. Mostly he needed to be with Sara.
“I’m afraid that if I leave, I might never get the children. The officials are disturbed because I’m asking for all seven of them and there are no records.” Sara’s fingers twisted together in agitation.
“Mikhail will be able to get rid of the red tape for us. He has many businesses in this area and is well known.” Falcon brought her fingers to the warmth of his mouth to calm her. “I have not been to my homeland in many years, but I am well aware of everything that is happening. He will be able to assist us.”
“How do you know so much if you’ve been away?” Sara wasn’t ready to trust a complete stranger with something so important as the children.
He smiled and tangled his fingers in her hair. “The Carpathian people speak on a common mental pathway. I hear when hunters have gone through the land or some trauma has taken place. I heard when our Prince nearly lost his lifemate. Not once, but on two occasions. I heard when he lost his brother and then his brother returned to him. Mikhail will assist you. When you reach the area, he will find you in the evening and you will be under his protection. I will rise as soon as possible and come straight to you. He will assist us in finding a good location for our home. It will be near him and within the protection of all Carpathians. I have marked the trails for you in the mountains.” Falcon bent his head to the temptation of her breast, his tongue lapping at the tight, rosy peak. His hair skimmed over her skin like so much silk. “You must be very careful, Sara. You cannot think you are safe because it is daylight. The undead are locked within the earth, but they are able to control their minions. This vampire is an ancient and very powerful.”
Her body caught fire, just like that, liquid flames rushing through her bloodstream. “I will be more than careful, Falcon. I’ve seen what he does. I’m not going to doing anything silly. You don’t