implying she couldn’t handle being alone when she already had proven she could. “You are powerful in your own right, Julija, and you are aware of that power. Still, if needed, wake me and I will give you mine, as much as possible when the paralysis takes me.”
She nodded. “I’ll be fine. I appreciate the offer. I know it is not given often or lightly.”
She knew far more about Carpathian customs than she was letting on. “Before I retire, do you need food? I’ve put water beside the bed on that little stand. There is what passes for a bathroom in that tiny alcove right there.” He indicated the only corner in the chamber that was somewhat secluded.
“I appreciate it.” She sank down on the bed, suddenly tired. Very tired.
Isai crouched down and began removing her hiking boot. He stripped off one of her socks and did the same to the other one before inspecting both feet.
“I did have blisters, but I was able to heal them,” she admitted. “It isn’t my strongest suit, but I can do it when I have to.”
He massaged her feet for a few minutes. “Get undressed and I’ll pull up the sheets.”
“I can do that part myself.”
“Julija.”
“Seriously, Isai. If you’re not prepared to have wild sex, then it isn’t a good idea for me to take off my clothes in front of you.”
His cock jerked at that thought. He wanted her, plain and simple, but now he had a new plan for his little mage. Sex was his backup plan. He could get her addicted since he already was, but he thought perhaps he would win her over faster if he showed restraint in that area. She was right, the moment he saw her body, his discipline would go right out the window. Not to mention, he could feel the effects of the sun on him already. His skin burned, and he was in a cave where the rays couldn’t reach him.
He stood up slowly and took her hand, turning it over, palm up, histhumb sliding gently over the scars on her wrist. “The shadow cat was extremely large. Is it possible, rather than to kill you, it was sent to reacquire you?”
She looked up at him and there was a hint of fear in her eyes as if she hadn’t even considered that possibility. “How could it do that?”
His thumb slid over the numerous scars on the inside of her wrist. “I am not certain, but it is something to think about. You are their supply of Carpathian blood, right? They need you to continue their longevity. Carpathian blood is not easy to come by and yours is very rich. They hurt you, didn’t they?”
A little shudder went through her body. Her gaze jumped to his and held there. He saw fear. He wasn’t certain whether that fear was for him finding out some of her secrets, because now he knew she had them, or whether he was probing too deeply into memories she couldn’t examine yet.
He brought her wrist to his mouth, his lips whispering a kiss there. She looked confused, but she didn’t attempt to pull away. “ Kislány hän ku meke sarnaakmet minan , I would very much like you to answer me.”
There was the briefest of hesitations. “Yes.”
The admission was so low he barely heard it, and he was Carpathian, therefore his hearing was acute.
“They willpay.”
5
Julija woke to the sound of something scratching at the outside walls of the cave. She lay staring up at the ceiling, her heart pounding. She had never heard the sound before, but she knew what it was. The light in the cave spilling from the crack on the west-facing side of the granite bluff flickered light to shadow over and over as if something paced in front of it, trying to get in.
She forced herself to drag air in and out of her lungs. Very slowly, so as not to make any sound, she sat up and put her feet over the side of the bed. After Isai had gone to ground, she had undressed and gotten under the covers. He had provided an incredibly comfortable bed for her. The mattress was perfect. The weight of the covers just right. The feel of the sheets on her bare skin was
She nodded. “I’ll be fine. I appreciate the offer. I know it is not given often or lightly.”
She knew far more about Carpathian customs than she was letting on. “Before I retire, do you need food? I’ve put water beside the bed on that little stand. There is what passes for a bathroom in that tiny alcove right there.” He indicated the only corner in the chamber that was somewhat secluded.
“I appreciate it.” She sank down on the bed, suddenly tired. Very tired.
Isai crouched down and began removing her hiking boot. He stripped off one of her socks and did the same to the other one before inspecting both feet.
“I did have blisters, but I was able to heal them,” she admitted. “It isn’t my strongest suit, but I can do it when I have to.”
He massaged her feet for a few minutes. “Get undressed and I’ll pull up the sheets.”
“I can do that part myself.”
“Julija.”
“Seriously, Isai. If you’re not prepared to have wild sex, then it isn’t a good idea for me to take off my clothes in front of you.”
His cock jerked at that thought. He wanted her, plain and simple, but now he had a new plan for his little mage. Sex was his backup plan. He could get her addicted since he already was, but he thought perhaps he would win her over faster if he showed restraint in that area. She was right, the moment he saw her body, his discipline would go right out the window. Not to mention, he could feel the effects of the sun on him already. His skin burned, and he was in a cave where the rays couldn’t reach him.
He stood up slowly and took her hand, turning it over, palm up, histhumb sliding gently over the scars on her wrist. “The shadow cat was extremely large. Is it possible, rather than to kill you, it was sent to reacquire you?”
She looked up at him and there was a hint of fear in her eyes as if she hadn’t even considered that possibility. “How could it do that?”
His thumb slid over the numerous scars on the inside of her wrist. “I am not certain, but it is something to think about. You are their supply of Carpathian blood, right? They need you to continue their longevity. Carpathian blood is not easy to come by and yours is very rich. They hurt you, didn’t they?”
A little shudder went through her body. Her gaze jumped to his and held there. He saw fear. He wasn’t certain whether that fear was for him finding out some of her secrets, because now he knew she had them, or whether he was probing too deeply into memories she couldn’t examine yet.
He brought her wrist to his mouth, his lips whispering a kiss there. She looked confused, but she didn’t attempt to pull away. “ Kislány hän ku meke sarnaakmet minan , I would very much like you to answer me.”
There was the briefest of hesitations. “Yes.”
The admission was so low he barely heard it, and he was Carpathian, therefore his hearing was acute.
“They willpay.”
5
Julija woke to the sound of something scratching at the outside walls of the cave. She lay staring up at the ceiling, her heart pounding. She had never heard the sound before, but she knew what it was. The light in the cave spilling from the crack on the west-facing side of the granite bluff flickered light to shadow over and over as if something paced in front of it, trying to get in.
She forced herself to drag air in and out of her lungs. Very slowly, so as not to make any sound, she sat up and put her feet over the side of the bed. After Isai had gone to ground, she had undressed and gotten under the covers. He had provided an incredibly comfortable bed for her. The mattress was perfect. The weight of the covers just right. The feel of the sheets on her bare skin was
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