"I smell water."

He turned and winked at her. "Very good."

He led her into smaller tunnel that opened up into a huge cavern. He tapped a small sphere to his left, and all around them soft golden light filled the cave as the glow spheres turned on. Her breath caught. "Oh Adriel." Before them was a small lagoon and high waterfall. "It's beautiful."

"I discovered this cavern a couple hundred years ago. The men know it is my special place so they leave it alone. I come here to meditate and do yoga."

She looked at him. "You do yoga?" She laughed. "I should have known; you're stocked in wheat germ and hippie food."

He frowned. "It is not hippie food. It is very good for the body."

"Your body maybe. Mine runs on beer nuts and taquitos."

He shuddered. "That is frightening."

"Show me."

"Wheat germ?"

"No, your yoga."

He smiled and began to unbutton his coat, his shirt, and then his pants. He carefully folded his clothes and took off his shoes and socks. Wearing only his boxer briefs, he stepped onto a smooth round dais. She wondered if he'd had it made, or if hundreds of years of use had smoothed it down.

Eva got comfortable, pulling her legs to her chest and resting her cheek on her knees. He started slowly, raising his arms up. Then he seemed to fold in on himself as he lowered his body to the ground. He easily lifted himself using only his arms and swung his legs in the air. He lowered himself again in an inverted push up. She was a shifter, a feline shifter at that, but she had never seen anyone move with such grace. It was as if his body was made of water.

Every time he inhaled, he moved; every time he exhaled, he turned. It was as if he was dancing in mid-air. At first, she thought he was using his ability to fly to keep himself balanced impossibly upright, but she saw the way his muscles bulged and moved under his skin. The way beads of sweat trickled down his chest to drip off his chiseled jaw.

With every movement, he seemed to be thanking the universe, worshiping it with his body. It wasn't until he lowered himself into a seated stance and brought his hands up to his chest that she realized she was crying. She had never seen anything more beautiful in her life.

She stood and began to remove her clothes. She wanted him. She let her clothes fall all around her as she walked slowly toward him. When he opened his eyes, she was standing directly in front of him. His eyes shifted from tranquil to heated in seconds.

"How do you feel about yoga now?"

"Please, my mate," she whispered.

He reached up, took her hand, and gently pulled her down beside him. As she lay back, she let the cold stone cool her heated skin. He pulled away for a moment, removing his boxers. Smiling, he returned and placed both forearms on either side of her head. He lifted his body over hers and then, with infinite strength, lowered it just enough to graze her body. She arched her back, needing contact, but he rose up farther out of reach. Over and over again, he lowered himself, letting his rigid length tease her before lifting again.

How could he possibly affect her so much by touching her so little?

The next time he lowered himself, she wrapped her legs around him and pulled him close to her core. He looked down and grinned. When he lifted again, she felt her body lifting off the floor. He lowered them again, this time allowing the tips of his toes to rest on the floor. He planked his body over hers. Arching his back, he lowered his hips. She reached down between them and guided his pulsing cock into her. When he flexed his hips, she hissed in pleasure.

Over and over again, he snapped his hips forward filling her completely. Yet no other part of his body touched hers. She needed more. She opened her eyes to find that he was watching her intently; the intimacy of the moment caused her to look away.

"No," was his single word command.

She turned her head and stared up at him. Without breaking eye contact, he gently pulled his body back and slowly entered her. She felt tears make their way down her temples. Slowly and ever so gently, he made her his.

"Please," she said softly.

"What do you need?"

"You. I need you."

"Perfect answer, my love."

Finally, he lowered himself. She felt his strong muscled legs nestle between hers. She immediately pulled them chest-to-chest by wrapping her arms around him. She locked her ankles above his firm ass as she tried to get every inch of their bodies to touch.

Her body craved his. Stroke after stroke, he built a fire, but it wasn't enough. Half-crazed, she looked up at him.

"I know what you need, and I will always give it to you," Adriel whispered against her neck. She convulsed as shivers raced down her body. When his fangs plunged deep into her neck, she screamed. Now! Now, they were one! Her body finally reached the pinnacle she had been racing after and exploded. He lifted his head and ran his tongue over his bite. "I love you Eva Mae Miller. I loved you before you were born, and I will love you after we've both left this existence to explore the hereafter. You are my solace, my peace, my strength, and my home."

Eva smiled up at his handsome face as gray spots started to collapse her vision.

"Ditto, cowboy. Ditto."

*****

When Eva woke up, she instantly became aware of two things. One: they were still in his cave. And two: they were in water. She turned in his arms and looked around. He had carried her into the water and was lazily floating around with her.

Laughing, she dove under the water and let her tiger free. When she broke the surface, her mate was smiling. She swam past him and nudged his back with her nose, causing him to shout.