“You are not insane.”
“No, I gather that, but if you woke up remembering hardly anything, and having the most vivid dreams of your life about a bossy man who threatened to kill you at one point, what would you think?” I turned to him, a stab of pain piercing my heart at the pain visible in his eyes. “Oh, Baltic!” Without thinking I took his hand in mine, pressing it against my cheek. “I wasn’t avoiding you. I truly didn’t believe you were real until I saw you in the park, and then I knew I had to find you, to talk to you. You have to understand that it’s been very difficult to accept that what I was reliving weren’t just imaginings, but shadows of the past.” His fingers curled around mine, and he leaned forward to kiss my fingers as we drove up a paved drive-way to a rather squat, blocky white Regency-era house covered with ivy on the front. “When I saw you this afternoon — I thought for a moment that I, too, had gone mad.” I smiled and rubbed his knuckles against my cheek. “I had no idea you were real. You were watching the past?” “Yes. I do sometimes. Usually, it’s too painful.” Anguish appeared to rise within him at the memory, and once again, I was helpless against it. I wrapped my arms around him, holding him against the pain, wanting to bring only light to his darkness. “It saddened me, too, seeing them — us — so happy, knowing how things ended.” “Nothing has ended,” he said, his mouth moving across my temple with gentle little kisses that almost left me weeping. “You are here now. Life has begun again.” I turned my face into his neck, kissing his pulse point, but saying nothing.
The car stopped in front of the house, and I took a minute to gaze around before allowing Baltic to escort me inside. The grounds were pleasant, if a bit bare of anything but a tennis court and a hint of a swimming pool in the back.
Baltic led me inside, turning back for a moment to speak with the driver. I looked around, curious as to whether this home would be as soul-satisfying as the other. The entry hall was done in shades of white and egg cream, with white tile on the floor, an elegant staircase in white to the right, and a magnificent crystal chandelier. It was very pretty… and completely barren of warmth or soul or heart.
“Come,” Baltic said holding out his hand, having finished with the driver. I noticed that he, too, set the security alarms before escorting me to a room that opened onto the entryway.
I ignored his hand, needing a little distance to keep my mind — not to mention libido — under control. “So, this is — ack!” He leaped on me, positively leaped on me, pulling me down onto the couch, his mouth hot on my skin.
“Baltic!” I shrieked, trying to push him off me.
“We will now mate,” he announced, just like that was the end of the story.
“Like hell we will!”
He kissed me then, kissed me with enough fire that my feet were burning by the time he was done.
“Whoa,” I said, gathering my wits together enough to push him back. “I can’t do this. You have to give me some time. Besides, there’s something I haven’t told you about—” “There is no time,” he interrupted, sliding his hands beneath my sweatshirt. “I must claim you as my mate now, before another can do so.” “Now hold on here a minute!” I seized his wrists and stopped his hands from moving farther. “I agree that we have a lot to talk about, and I’m ashamed to say that I enjoyed that kiss more than I should have.” “There is no shame in what we do,” he interrupted again. “We are mated.” “We are not mated. We may have been mated in the past, but that was before you died. I don’t know for sure what happened to me, but—” “You died, as well.”
I stopped and stared at him. “You knew that?” “You died right before me.” Pain filled his eyes and he closed them for a moment, his face twisted with remembered agony. Without thinking, I moved closer, putting my hand on his chest. “I was in the tunnel beneath Dauva. Kostya had turned traitor and was trying to kill me. I was just about to disembowel him when my heart stopped, and I knew you had been killed, knew that bastard Constantine had finally made good his threat and destroyed you rather than let me have you.” “Constantine killed me?” I asked, goose bumps rippling up my arms and legs. “But… he said he loved me.” “He swore that if he could not have you, I should not. And without you, I would have no life.” His eyes opened and tears filled mine at the depths of pain so visible on his face. I pressed myself against his body, wanting to comfort him, wanting to ease the agony that time did not lessen. “My heart died with you at that moment, and I knew I would not survive. So I let Kostya kill me. It was easier than surviving the few remaining hours I had.” “I’m sorry,” I said, blinking back tears.
His mouth brushed mine in a gentle acknowledgment of what I offered. “It wasn’t your fault. I know now that you were only trying to stop the war. But you were once my mate, and you will be so again, now, this minute. I must claim you, Ysolde. We must mate as dragons mate, so that all will know you are truly mine once again.” I slipped out of his arms, my stomach sick and cold. “If things were different, if my life had not turned out as it had, I would accept your offer. But there is something you don’t know, and aren’t going to like.” “What?” he asked, gripping my arms tightly.
“I have a husband. He is an oracle.” Anger flared in his ebony eyes. “You have taken a lover?” “No, I have taken a husband. Had taken. I don’t remember marrying him, and for that matter, don’t particularly like him. In fact, I’m planning on divorcing him, because he’s a bastard. But I must have had nicer feelings for him at some point, because why else would I marry him?” A muscle in his neck twitched. “You said your memory has been destroyed. You are not to blame for taking a husband.” “I’m glad you think so, but he is my husband, regardless, and I’m sorry, Baltic. It may not be much of a marriage, but I would be less of a person if I were to be unfaithful. I can’t sleep with you until I am separated from him.” “You are my mate,” he repeated stubbornly.
“Yes, I think I would be, but I have some moral values, and one of those is to not commit adultery.” The muscle twitched again. “This is not an issue. I will kill this husband who dares claim what is mine, and then you will be able to give yourself to me freely.” I laughed; I just couldn’t help myself. He was so earnest, and it tickled my funny bone. “I appreciate the fact that you have absolutely no qualms about killing an innocent man, but that would be even less tolerable to me than straying. No. You will not kill my husband.” “Stop saying that word,” he snapped, releasing me to pace the width of the room.
“I’m sorry. I will endeavor not to talk about him.” It was an effort, but I managed to keep from smiling.
“I realize that you feel some mortal emotions toward this… person… but you are a dragon. You are my mate. You must be claimed. It would be dangerous for you to remain as you are.” “Dangerous,” I said, skeptical to my toes. I managed to keep from throwing myself on him, knowing if I did, I wouldn’t be able to resist him a second time.
“You are a wyvern’s mate. If other wyverns were to see you and know you for what you are, they could steal you from me,” he said, and I realized that he was deadly serious.
“I hate to break this to you, but unless there are some septs that I don’t know about, I’ve seen all the wyverns. I met them all at the sárkány. No one even looked twice at me, at least not in the way you’re implying.” “Nonetheless, you could be claimed by another.” He paced past me, his hands behind his back. “I can’t tolerate that. Once, I let you slip away from me — I have learned from that mistake, and will not do so again.” My heart warmed. I couldn’t help it. Oh, he was being arrogant and pushy and domineering, but none of that really mattered, not when I could see the insecurity and fear that he tried so hard to keep from me. “I appreciate the fact that you want to protect me, but it’s not necessary.” “Even now they are plotting to take you!” he said stubbornly.