“I’m so in love with you,” she admitted softly, her eyes burning with tears. “So very much in love with you I can barely think straight with it.”

He framed her face with his hands. “That’s a good thing, Emeline. Your heart is in safe hands.”

“I know.” She was beginning to know, daring to start to believe.

13

Dragomir brought Emeline safely back to the dock and settled her feet there, holding her until he knew her legs were steady. He’d deliberately used the marina closest to the boathouse and away from where Amelia and Liv were skipping rocks. He glanced over at the two girls. Amelia was watching.

He wrapped his arm around Emeline’s waist, tipped up her face and kissed her. Hard. Possessively. Wet and deep. She melted into him instantly, her body going soft and pliant, her arms circling his neck. He loved her mouth. It was always so responsive. His kisses. His cock. Her mouth loved both and she showed that to him every time.

“I like your creativity,” she whispered. “I intend to explore every inch of you when we’re alone.”

“In the middle of a crowd we can be alone,” he informed her with a wicked laugh.

She pulled back just enough to look up at him. “How?”

“I could take you right here, remove every stitch of your clothes, carry you to the picnic bench and pound into you. No one would see unless I wanted them to.”

“So, in the nightclub? We’re dancing and you could do that?” A frisson of pure desire slid down her spine. Her sex clenched. She shared both with him, pushing her reaction into his mind. Instantly his body reacted as well.

“I can see that dancing is something that gets you in the mood.”

“I’m always going to be in the mood around you, but yes, dancing does it for me.”

“Then we’re visiting a nightclub really soon. You can wear something very sexy for me.”

She stood on her toes so she could press a kiss to his throat and then scrape over his pulse with her teeth. The action sent heat coursing through his body. His cock stirred again.

“For an old-fashioned man, you’ve taken to modern clothes nicely.”

“I realized they have their uses. Although I still object to your undergarments. They seem silly. Sexy when you’re wearing just them, but otherwise not at all useful when I want access to you.”

He caught the image of a very short skirt, black bra and sheer blouse in her head. He waved his hand and clothed her in the outfit. “Nice. But still doesn’t make sense.” He waved his hand again and removed the bra and panties. At once his hand slid up her thigh to caress her bare bottom. His other hand found her nipples through the sheer material.

She shivered and pushed into his hands. He liked the way she was so responsive to him. He liked that she didn’t protest his hands on her, that she welcomed his stroking caresses. She was so perfect for him.

“Would you want other men to see my body?”

His gut knotted at the thought of other men near his woman. Times were different, but he was still primitive. “I told you, they wouldn’t unless I allowed it.” And that wasn’t happening.

She bit at his jaw and then licked the sting. His body tightened. His cock jerked. Pulsed. Strained hard against the material of his trousers. He loved his reaction. He felt. Actually felt.

“Do you know what an exhibitionist is?” There was a teasing note in her voice.

“Of course.” She wanted him to believe she was one just to see what he would do, but he knew better.

“So if I told you I was one and wanted to go to a club dressed like this, would you allow other men to see me?”

He kissed her again. Hard. “You’re not. I know everything about you. What you like, what you don’t like. What you want to try but are afraid, so we’re going to try, but slowly and gently so we can stop if you don’t like it. You like the thrill of having sex in public places, but you have no desire to be seen or get caught.”

She nodded her head in agreement. “I wouldn’t like other men to see me. But still, what would a lifemate do?”

“If he was okay with it, he would allow her to be seen; if he wasn’t, he would walk in with her, making it appear as if she was seen. Either way, she gets her way. Lifemates are compatible. They make each other happy. If one has needs like that, chances are very good the other would as well.”

The frogs took their chorus up a notch, calling to one another, serious about their symphony. The crickets sounded off, trying to rival them. Dragomir waved his hand and she was once again in her long gown. She looked ethereal and elegant. He liked the look. All her looks, including the one with the transparent blouse. He was beginning to think he could live in these times with the technology and the women wanting to be partners.

He dropped his arm around her shoulders and started her walking in the direction opposite the children. She didn’t protest, or seem to notice. She leaned her head into him and wrapped one around his waist.

“Every step I take, I can feel you inside me.”

“You’re sore?” He scowled and stopped, pulling her tightly against him. “I should have checked and healed you. You’re very small and we had vigorous sex…”

She burst out laughing. “Vigorous sex? Is that what you call it? Honey, we had great, amazing and awesome sex. The best sex ever, in the history of the world. I’m deliciously sore and I don’t want you to take that away from me. I love the thought of feeling you in me with every step I take. It’s very sexy.”

His heart turned over. It hurt. Hearts didn’t hurt because you loved someone too much, did they? Because his did. It was a physical pain and he rubbed his palm over his chest to ease the ache. There was no easing it, not when she was looking up at him and he knew all that beauty was his. Inside, where it counted, she was everything a man could ask for. Her outside body was perfection. As near perfection as a woman’s body could get. He knew by human standards, Emeline was considered beautiful. By his standards, she was beyond all measure.

Something moved in the grass. A gopher peeked its head up from a hole in the ground. The sliver of moon sent a beam right down to the lawn, spotlighting the little creature. The tip of its nose glowed with a strange white star. He looked around the lawn and saw several white stars shining. Ten. Twenty. More. They rolled out of the holes and stood on their hind feet. Not gophers. Something else.

“Emeline, we’re going to float to the house.” It is starting. Get to Liv. He called to the other Carpathian hunters waiting.

“What is it?”

Overhead an owl screeched. The trees around them shook, the limbs sagging under the weight of hundreds of birds settling on the branches.

“Another attack. I need you safe in the house. Once you’re under cover, I can aid the others.”

Emeline turned back, trying to pull away from him. “The children.”

His hold on her didn’t loosen in the slightest. He kept moving them toward the house, refusing to let her struggles soften his resolve.

“Dragomir,” she began.

He took her to the front door, yanked it open and thrust her inside. “You are to stay.” He waved his hand at the doors, and then in a circular motion, sealing every door and window. Even if she tried to use her Carpathian abilities, she wouldn’t be able to leave the house. He caught a glimpse of her furious little face and then he turned and streamed out into the yard.

Vadim wouldn’t make the mistake of exposing Amelia, but he had threatened the children, and he would want to show Emeline he could get to them, even with the Carpathian hunters around. With their added safeguards, it didn’t make sense that Vadim could strike, even with his splinter in Amelia. They had safeguarded the children, allowing Amelia and the others to come together as they often did in the evenings, but the hunters remained especially vigilant. Liv was with Amelia. Nearest to her. She was Carpathian and a lifemate to one of the hunters. She would be his first target.

The birds took wing, flying low, a heavy migration, so heavy the air seemed to groan and there was little to breathe. They flew at the children, the Waltons and Genevieve. Pecking, ripping at them with beaks and talons. Dragomir threw a hasty shield over them as he burst past them. He saw Tariq materialize and with him the healer, Maksim, and the triplets, Tomas, Mataias and Lojos. Dragomir’s job, along with the other ancients, was to get to Liv and Amelia.