She leaned into him to kiss him. She’d been fixated on his eyes, but his mouth was equally as intriguing to her. He tasted wild. She loved that about him. He tasted dangerous. He was both those things and yet, he was hers. She had to be brave enough to look into his mind and see those terrible memories – the emptiness that drove men of honor to become the worst monsters on earth.

He kissed like sin. Like heaven. She indulged because she’d hated that look in his eyes, the one that said he thought she wouldn’t want him as he was. She indulged because he was just sexy and his kisses were hotter than the most out-of-control firestorm imaginable.

She laid her head over his heart. “I love you, Dragomir.”

“I know you think you do, Emeline. I know you’re my lifemate and you said I was your choice, but I’m not an easy man. I swear to you, I’ll give you everything I can, everything you want or need, but I cannot give you the right to fight at my side when I battle vampires. I will never be that man.”

She didn’t think she would ever be that woman. She was more the kind of woman who flung herself into danger without thinking it through because a child was in need. “There were so many on the streets, Dragomir. Kids, without homes. Boys. Girls. There was always some kind of trouble. Most of the time I ran, just like the others did, but sometimes, someone was caught and if I didn’t go back and help…” She trailed off, trying not to think about the dangers of being a child on the street. “It isn’t in my nature to want to fight, but it is to protect children.”

He smiled for the first time that evening and she realized she’d been waiting for it. Hoping for it. Needing it.

“Everyone, Emeline. You go out of your way to protect everyone. You may not want to fight physically, but you can’t help rushing in when others are afraid.”

He said it with admiration and that was a soothing balm when she knew he wouldn’t think twice about putting her somewhere safe if the situation ever came up again – and she was certain it would.

“What are we going to do about Amelia?”

She knew he changed the subject deliberately because there was nowhere to go with it, so she let him. “I don’t know if I can reach her, Dragomir, but if you take me to her, I’ll try.”

He got to his feet in that fluid, sexy way he had, pulling her up with him. He’d dressed her, and it was a long dress again, one that swirled around her ankles. It was an empire-waisted gown with bold black piping, a balloon hem and petal sleeves. The neckline was a vee, and not too low. She loved the way it felt on her, swirling around her ankles.

“Do you stay up all night looking in catalogues for dresses?” she teased.

He frowned, puzzled by what she asked. “I don’t know what that means, but I look into your mind and see images you have there.”

She burst out laughing. She’d been the one to look in catalogues. She had all her life because she couldn’t afford the kind of clothes she wanted. She didn’t need to afford them now, she could make them the way Dragomir did, although she rather liked that he was choosing dresses for her.

“I like this one,” she acknowledged, smoothing her hand down the fabric. “Why gray? I would have thought that was the one color you would avoid.”

“I thought so as well,” he agreed, taking her hand. “But the image in your head was gray, and it didn’t look the same as the shadowy world I lived in. This gray is vibrant, and against the black accent quite beautiful. I knew it would look beautiful with your hair and eyes.” He ran his hand down her side, over the curve of her hip. “I want you to always feel beautiful, Emeline. You have a list of favorites.”

“I do?” She’d forgotten she’d done that. It seemed so long ago. Everything had happened so fast.

“You do. You keep adding to that list for me. If it’s in there, I’ll use it.”

They stepped out her front door, and she was shocked to see everything looked the same. The lawn was green with no gopher holes. The flower beds were intact. There were no dead birds in the yard. The play yard was there, with swings, slides and climbing equipment. The stone dragons sat in there waiting for the children. The lake was as beautiful as ever.

“It must be nice to be Carpathian and be able to clean everything up after a battle with a wave of your hand.”

He laughed softly and brought her hand to his mouth, nibbling on her fingertips. “Emeline, you’re Carpathian. Everything I can do, so can you. Picture it in your mind and you can do it. We’ll work on the things you want most.”

She’d forgotten that. Color swept up her neck into her face, but she didn’t care. She loved the idea that she could do so many things by thinking of them. “I want to fly and then fly a dragon. The minute we have some breathing room, teach me.”

“I should have known that would be first on your list. Of course. That’s easy enough.”

“I thought the children lived in the house over there.” Emeline indicated the smaller house close to the water.

Dragomir shook his head. “Tariq and Charlotte want them living with them now. They’ve officially adopted them in the human world. In our world, they were already theirs. I think Tariq believes they’re going to have to convert Amelia soon. He doesn’t think she can get through this otherwise. The trauma has been too much for her mind. First the terror of what Vadim did in the underground city and then his using her to harm those she loves. They want the children close to them.”

Emeline shook her head. “She won’t convert as long as Bella remains human. We talked about it several times. She’s been looking after her little sister since the day she was born. She doesn’t want someone else to do it now.”

Dragomir shrugged. “I am not Tariq. These are his children and he has the right to do as he sees fit.”

“What does that mean?” She looked up at him, the knots in her stomach tightening.

“Just that I do what is best for my child regardless of what she believes she wants. If she needs to be converted, I would do so in a heartbeat. If Bella were mine, I would convert her as well. That way, when I rest, so do they, and I don’t have to worry they are up to no good.”

“And Danny?”

There was a small silence. “Danny is a problem. I wouldn’t have thought so, but I look at Gary and realize turning a male isn’t the same as turning a female. The male must be imprinted with the ritual binding words. The ancestors must accept him. The line must go back centuries. Danny would have to be accepted by Tariq’s ancestors. There would be a risk to him. It isn’t a small one.”

“What kind of risk?”

“I told you what happens to the male Carpathian when he loses his lifemate. All emotion and color is ripped from him. Going from that light to the ugliness of darkness so fast, without all the years of fading gently, causes a thrall. Insanity. That happened to the healer. From what the others have told me, it took the prince of the Carpathian people and his second-in-command, Gregori, to keep him from turning.”

“You think that could happen to Danny?” The thought was terrifying. “He’s only a boy.”

“I don’t know what would happen. In my day, there was no question of converting humans. It wasn’t done. I’ve never heard of a male child being converted. Our children remain so until they are fifty years. Danny is a baby in our world. He would have to die and be reborn Carpathian. His soul would split, and somewhere in the world a child would be born with the other half of his soul. If I was Tariq I would be consulting the prince and any other who might have knowledge to share on what would happen to the boy.”

“I can’t imagine Amelia converting if she knew any of this. She would stay with him.”

“Again, I wouldn’t give my child the choice. I would do what was best for her.”

Emeline pressed her hand over her stomach protectively. She would do the same for her child. Wouldn’t every parent? She sighed. Amelia was human, and Tariq and Charlotte were Carpathian. If they converted all the female members of the family, but not Danny, what would happen then? Eventually there would be a division.

“Don’t think about it, sívamet. Tariq is a wise man. The reason the others follow him, the reason I stayed when I knew I should go, was because of Tariq. There is something compelling about him, and I found myself wanting to protect him and what he’s trying to build here. He’s intelligent and he’s found a way to bring the Carpathian people into this century. He is loyal to our prince and makes certain to keep in touch with him at all times. Trust him to find the solution for his family, just as we will find solutions for ours.”