Her gaze moved over him. His arm was chewed up, bloody, now that he was awake. She’d done that. I’m sorry. I should have checked for traps in all the places I was going to take you before I shared the dream.

You are extraordinary, Emeline, and you don’t even know it. You didn’t even hesitate facing the shark. You’ve been mapping Vadim’s waterways since you were a child and you know them better than he does. There was pride in his voice. Respect.

She found herself smiling at him. I can’t swim. Not really. I’m afraid to be in the water because I know what’s down there. It was a confession. She was slightly ashamed that she couldn’t be like other human beings, swimming on a hot day – or night.

I think you have courage enough for ten people, Emeline. Any more and I would spend an eternity being terrified my woman would do something crazy.

He made her feel whole and happy even in the midst of knowing Vadim and his army could move unseen throughout San Diego. How were they going to destroy him if they couldn’t find him? If he had so many exits?

That is the job of the hunters, Emeline. You did your job. You have supplied us with valuable information. We can find and destroy all the places he has built here. There are many of us now, more than he knows. Thanks to you, we have places we can start. From those places, we will find trails to others.

She took a deep breath. It is close to sunset. Just once, I would like to have a night with you when the children, or someone else, are not in danger. Just one night.

His laughter was soft in her mind. I would like that as well. It will happen. We have eternity together. Soon it will be a baby interrupting us at every turn.

Charlotte told me you are making a crib with your own hands. She said Tariq is helping you.

His sigh was heavy in her mind. Then male amusement. Charlotte shouldn’t have told you. It was my surprise for you. I like to give you things, and the thought of making something as Tariq has done, made by hand, was appealing to me. I thought about what I wanted it to look like as well as what we could incorporate to keep Carisma safe.

She said dragons.

You like dragons, so that seemed something I could use. The male was easy enough to carve, but the female, making her look beautiful and deadly at the same time, capturing that look in wood has been a challenge.

When are you doing this? You are always with me.

We really don’t have quite as many warrior councils as I’ve led you to believe.

She found herself laughing. Laughing. It had to be closer to sunset than she realized because the sound filled the basement beneath her home. She licked her lips. “You’re terrible.”

“You fell for it.”

“I thought lifemates couldn’t tell lies to each other.”

He rolled. Stretched. He looked delicious with his muscles rippling powerfully beneath his skin. “Only, apparently, when surprises are involved.”

He bunched her hair in his fist and turned her face fully toward him so he could take her mouth. Heat rolled through her. His mouth was paradise. He knew how to kiss, and she gave herself up to the exquisite beauty of his mouth on hers. Kissing over and over. Igniting a fire in her that couldn’t be put out unless his body was in hers.

He gathered her into his arms and then she was floating, his mouth working hers. Commanding. Demanding. So hot she was afraid she’d catch fire and burn before they were on the bed, their bodies clean, his healed. She loved that they could do that. Simply think about being clean and fresh and then they were.

He all but tossed her in the middle of the bed and came down on his knees, his hands on either side of her head. “Did I mention I love you?” Even as he asked the question he leaned down and licked at her nipples. First one then the other, making them peak. His mouth closed over her left breast, suckling, pulling strongly, and then her right.

She was sensitive, and his mouth was merciless, hot enough to scorch. He used the edge of his teeth and instantly her body was spilling liquid heat in invitation. He caught her ankles and twisted, rolling her over onto her stomach. He leaned forward again and bit her left cheek.

“You look lovely and very tasty, Emeline. I don’t know whether I want to devour you or be inside that hot, tight body.” He caught her hips and yanked her bottom back toward him so that she was on her knees. He pressed her head to the mattress with one hand, fingers circling her nape to hold her in position. She was supporting herself on her forearms, her face pressed tight to the mattress, looking back at him over her shoulder. Her body pulsed in anticipation. He hadn’t had to do much – just wake up – and she wanted him.

His hand was there, testing her readiness. She heard his growl of satisfaction. “I love when you’re like this. So wet for me.”

She pushed back against his hand. “I’m totally wet for you,” she whispered. “I want you so much I can barely breathe.” That was true. Her lungs burned for air. She felt raw. Exposed. She didn’t care that he knew how much she wanted him. She knew he was the same way. She loved the way he held her so easily, his fingers stroking and teasing, bringing her close, moving away so that she cried out in demand, her fists gathering the comforter into her palms. It was a beautiful ache. A hunger that grew and grew. She loved that so much.

Then his mouth was there, his tongue wicked and sinful, stroking, flicking, stabbing deep. He suckled, drew out honey and then raked her clit gently with his teeth.

“Dragomir.” She could barely get his name out. A demand.

“Don’t know what you want, sívamet. You’re going to have to be specific.”

She loved that, too. More liquid heat spilled out for his tongue to catch. “You in me.” She was panting so hard, her breath so ragged she could barely talk.

“My tongue is in you,” he said and lapped at the fresh wave of honey. “Mmm, you taste so good. Maybe you want my fingers.” He replaced his tongue with first one finger, then two, pushing deep into her scorching-hot, very tight sheath.

She gave a groan of sheer frustration. “Not your fingers. I want your cock.” She blushed when she said it, but she knew that was what he wanted, and in giving that to him, she found her body hotter than ever.

She couldn’t tear her eyes from him as he knelt up, his hand circling the girth of his cock, his eyes on her. She wiggled, pushed back, trying to get him to hurry. He leaned down and bit her again. The shock of that sting sent another fresh wave of honey spilling out so that she was certain her inner thighs were glistening.

“Please, honey,” she whispered. “Right now. Hurry.”

“You want gentle?” He lodged the head of his cock in her entrance, giving her just enough to make her feel as if he was stretching her, but not enough to fill her.

Frustrated, she pushed back again, trying to impale herself on him. “I’m going up in flames. I need you right now.” This time, along with the pleading little sob there was demand.

He laughed and surged into her. Hard. Fire streaked through her. White lightning. At the angle he had her, holding her helpless, he could power deep, his shaft a piston, moving in and out while flames poured over her skin and into her veins. It was good, so good. Better than she could ever have conceived.

She loved that teasing laugh. Almost carefree. She’d given him that. She watched the beauty on his face. Those hard lines and the scars softened, only to be replaced by a mixture of lust and love carved deep. There in the molten gold of his eyes. It was beautiful to see. That tension rising in him just as it coiled in her. Hot and bright, a fierce loving burn.

Then she couldn’t think, only feel. He took her up so high, only to stop just short of letting her tip over the edge. Over and over again, until her body was so ready, so coiled. Until tension stretched her beyond her breaking point. She could hear the sob in her voice. The demand. The promise of retaliation. But the look on his face, that fallen angel skating so close to heaven, to paradise, was as much a reward as the desperate hunger in her body.

Tied vogyok, ainaak. Tet vigyázam. Peje míca.

He murmured something. She caught the words Tet vigyázam and knew it meant “I love you.” She wasn’t certain what else he’d said, but the way he’d said it was beautiful. His hair fell around his face like a beautiful Renaissance painting. He stole her breath. Her heart. Her soul. She knew she did the same for him. She didn’t know why or how, only that for him, she was special. He made her feel that way every moment.