Her eyes flashed at him. Green again. Green was her normal color, a dazzling emerald her red hair made deeper. Glacier blue was her power color then. There was satisfaction in discovering that small fact about her. He wanted to know everything about her all at once, but he had learned long ago the lesson of patience and it had stood him in good stead for hundreds of years. Time would reveal her secrets to him and each moment spent with her-finding out the little things, the intimacies of her true self-would bring joy to him.
He even enjoyed the unrelenting ache she brought to his body. It was another sign of being alive-of living and breathing and sharing his world with her. His soul had been so dark, so damaged, he had been unable to feel emotion, keeping pain at bay and guilt and shame, but it also kept away true life.
«You are a miracle to me. Maybe that is what you are seeing in my stare. Sheer wonder.» He kept his expression calm, not allowing his joy to overwhelm her, but he did inject the dark seduction of black velvet into his voice so that it caressed her skin and slid deeper into her body, lighting little electrical sparks from breast to feminine channel.
She stopped so abruptly in the open doorway of the inn he nearly ran into her.
Chapter 3
Lara scowled at Nicolas, her green eyes suddenly suspicious. «Are you a ladies' man? All sweet talk and syrup with no substance? Because I'm telling you right now, I've had experience with that kind of man and I can see right through flattery.»
She was lying. Looking him right in the eye and lying her pretty little butt off. She had no experience with men. And she couldn't stop blushing every time she looked at him. The smile started in his mind and
spread to his lips. Genuine. Spontaneous. A miracle in itself that he could smile-that he had a reason for smiling.
Nicolas wanted to carry her off to his lair and keep her to himself for a year or two, learning every detail about her. Desire rose sharp and painful. He kept his face without expression. «I do not believe anyone has ever said I talk sweet or that I am syrup in all the years of my existence.»
She gave a little undignified snort. «Maybe not, but I'll bet they called you a lady's man.»
«I am a Carpathian hunter of great skill but I am certain I will have the necessary skills to become your mate.»
She choked and turned away from him, stomping into the inn, her shoulders stiff. Nicolas moved in behind her, very close, aware as they entered that men turned to look at her. She was striking with her skin and hair, the glow many Carpathian women had, a sort of luminous quality combined with a fluid sexy walk that drew the eye. He flashed a message, letting them know without words that she belonged to him. Black eyes carried death as he looked directly at each man to emphasize the point. They looked away from her and two actually left, telling him the vibes he was sending out were just a little too strong. He was going to have to learn to manage his newfound emotions.
Nicolas followed her up the stairs to one of the rooms, taking the stairs two at a time. She reached for the doorknob. Nicolas's hand was there before hers. He inserted his larger body smoothly between her and the room.
«I will go in first.» He had already scanned the room. Two unknown human males and Mikhail, prince of his people. Still, even with the prince, he wasn't about to take any chances on her safety. He scented vampire blood.
«It's my room,» she objected, shocked at how smoothly, how easily he had taken over.
His black eyes moved over her face. «Yes it is and you seem to have a surplus of male visitors.»
He didn't wait for an answer, but pushed open the door, ignoring her outraged little squeak. Mikhail had been fully aware of his arrival, his gaze shooting past him, but Nicolas's much larger body blocked the doorway, preventing Lara from entering. Nicolas took in the scene, the man writhing in pain on the bed. A second man holding his shoulders in hopes to calm him while the prince seemed to be attempting to heal the injuries of the male on the bed. Nicolas stepped aside to allow his lifemate entrance.
«Nicolas,» Mikhail stepped forward to clasp both his arms in the traditional greeting of respect and honor between warriors. «It is good to see you.» He didn't show the worry he had to be feeling that Nicolas De La Cruz had traveled personally from South America to bring him news. He understood that news couldn't be good or word would have been sent through the chain of Carpathians to their homeland.
«I bring greetings from Zacarias as well as my other brothers. I hope you and your woman are well.»
Mikhail nodded. «I sensed a disturbance earlier.»
Nicolas didn't change expression, nor did he look away. Of course Mikhail had sensed a disturbance. Nicolas had been close enough to turning that he had nearly taken his own lifemate's life. Fortunately, she had a knife and hadn't hesitated to use it. The blood was gone from Nicolas's shirt, but Mikhail wouldn't be easily fooled.
Nicolas turned to his lifemate. «Mikhail Dubrinsky is the prince of the Carpathian people,» Nicolas explained to her before turning back to his prince. «Mikhail, this isavio palafertiil .» He put unmistakable possession in his voice even as he rested his hand on the small of her back.
Mikhail bowed slightly from the waist. «I am pleased to meet your lifemate, Nicolas, but what is her name?»
«Her name?» For the first time Nicolas looked bewildered.
«She does have a name, doesn't she?» Mikhail asked, clearly amused.
Nicolas looked down at the bright burst of red-gold hair and those brilliant jeweled green eyes. «What is your name?»
«You tied us together and you don't even know my name,» she scoffed, trying to ignore the scent of tainted, rotted blood in the room. «You're absolutely crazy, you know that? It's Lara. Lara Calladine. And you?» Her heart was pounding too hard, knowing her life had changed forever. She couldn't think about it yet, keeping emotion light until she had time to assimilate what had happened and what she could do about it.
His slow smile nearly melted her on the spot, a distraction when the room felt «off» to her.
«Nicolas De La Cruz.»
«You're Carpathian.» She made it a statement, looking from one man to the other. «You both are.» It was difficult to be conversing when she found herself shivering with cold, a little disoriented and slightly sick.
«As are you,» Nicolas replied.
Lara shook her head. «Part, but not all.»
His eyebrow shot up. «You are of the Dragonseeker lineage. No one could ever mistake your features or your eyes for anything else.»
Her heart leapt. «Then you know my aunts? Have you news of them?»
Nicolas wanted to give her good news. The joy and hope on her face was astonishing. «I am sorry, palafertiil , I know only Dominic as full Dragonseeker. There are two females, Natalya, Vikirnoff's lifemate, as well as my brother's lifemate, Colby, who carry Dragonseeker blood. It is a great lineage and one of the most revered in our history.»
Lara looked to Mikhail. «Have you heard of my aunts?»
Mikhail shook his head. «I am sorry. I do not know which aunts you speak of. There are no full-blooded women in the Dragonseeker line. Rhiannon was the last and she is lost to us. How are you related?»
She opened her mouth and closed it abruptly. She was part mage. She knew the story of Rhiannon, the last daughter of the Dragonseeker lineage. She had been the lifemate of a great warrior who had been murdered by Xavier, the high mage. Xavier had kept Rhiannon prisoner and alive, forcing her to give birth to his children. The triplets Soren, Tatijana and Branislava were born of the unholy union. Soren had