A man shouldn’t have such an effect on her, yet he did. There was honesty in his voice. A simple sincerity that shook her. She knew nothing about him, not even what he really was, yet she knew everything. She knew what kind of man he was. The knowledge was instinctive, the one thing she was certain of.
“Where is your family?” she asked.
“I have only my people. My prince.” His eyes were a deep black in the soft glow of the helmet lights. “You are now my family. Your brother and sister have become my family.” He arched an eyebrow at her. “And we have only just met. A very strange concept for you, but completely natural to me. Lifemates are two people who meet and need to be together, two halves of the same whole—married in your world—but more. Finding a lifemate is what every Carpathian male dreams of and longs for and fights to keep our world together for, yet few of us ever gain such a treasure. I never thought to experience such an earth-shattering event.”
“Are you disappointed that I’m not what you thought I’d be?”
Traian looked down at her. “You do not yet understand the concept of lifemates. I am surprised and even shocked by the idea of a human lifemate, but I could never be disappointed with you. We were made for one another. We complete one another. You are fascinating to me. You always will be.”
Joie liked the sound of it. She couldn’t imagine ever growing tired of Traian. She needed to climb and find new places to explore. It was as much a part of her as breathing. She needed a man who would welcome challenges. Traian had already proven he was more than up for the task.
The narrow opening widened, spilling into a chamber that clearly widened into another gallery. Jubal and Gabrielle stood close to one another, their faces anxious as they waited for Joie. Traian put her carefully on firm ground. Jubal and Gabrielle rushed to her, flinging their arms around her and hugging her close.
“What the hell happened?” Jubal demanded. “I knew something was wrong when we were trying to find a safe opening. Traian nearly went as ballistic as a man like him can go.”
“But he wouldn’t say anything,” Gabrielle added, sending a look of reprimand at the Carpathian.
Jubal ran his hands over his sister. “Are you hurt?”
Joie shook her head. “There was a very disgusting creature with teeth, venom, and parasitic worms,” she looked at her sister, “they looked like maggots, but worse.”
Gabrielle looked more intrigued than scared. “Did you get me a sample?”
“I didn’t think of it, sorry,” Joie said. Now that she was away from the creature, she couldn’t believe she hadn’t collected a sample of the worm. They all carried containers for just that purpose. Gabrielle came with them for the express purpose of collecting specimens more than because she loved climbing or caving. Joie hated disappointing her after all that had happened. “I should have . . .”
Gabrielle laughed unexpectedly, the sound almost shocking in the cavern. “Don’t be silly. I would have run for my life. I’m just glad you’re safe.”
“We are not safe yet,” Traian reminded. They were all shivering and didn’t seem to notice, but even with his help and their good ice-climbing clothing, the temperature was getting to them. “We have to keep moving.”
Joie immediately sat down to put her crampons on her boots. She wasn’t going to take any more chances without them. “Let’s find a way out of here,” she said, standing.
“Wait, Traian,” Jubal objected. “We found something—something really important. You said those vampires were hunting something. You have to take a look at this. We’ve never seen anything like it.”
Traian caught Joie’s hand as they followed her siblings through the chamber into the open gallery. She felt a little silly holding hands—she’d never really done it, not even in high school, but there was something warm and comforting, something extraordinary about being close to Traian.
The chamber opened into a high-ceilinged gallery and someone—or something—had carved out rooms and alcoves. Sconces adorned the walls, very high up, and they had no idea how to turn them on, or even if they worked. Joie frowned and looked up at Traian hoping she might find answers to how there could possibly be an ice cave occupied by someone. It had taken time to carve the great columns of ice and all the recesses.