Nicolae removed his clothing, removed hers and carried her down into the deepest and hottest of the pools. With his lips against her skin, he whispered to her softly to awaken. “I love you, my lady,” he murmured. Needing to say the words to her. She could reach inside him and find the emotion, deep and real inside his heart and soul, but he wanted to declare it.
She stirred. Her heart beat into his hand. Air rushed through her lungs. Her lashes fluttered. Lifted. Unbelievably, she smiled at him. “I was dreaming of you.”
He kissed her. He couldn’t help himself. His mouth lingered over hers, robbing her of breath, of air. “That would be impossible, little one. The sleep of our people is a mortal death. There is no brain activity.”
“Nevertheless.” She said it complacently. Her gaze drifted over his face with a touch of possession. “I was worried about you.” Her fingers found the blackened slash in his shoulder. “I felt this hit you. Does it hurt?”
He shook his head. “I am going to sit down in the water. It is hot, but it will do you good. I need to replace your blood.”
“You did not feed.” It was a chastisement.
“Vikirnoff wanted me to use Martin, but I thought you might give me a lecture. Having never experienced such a thing, I thought it better not to start off our life together that way. Do not worry, my brother will provide. He is feeding now.”
He sank into the water, taking her with him, holding her close as the heat pushed the ice cold from her veins. She gasped, stiffened, holding herself slightly away from him, trying not to struggle. The hot water on her chilled skin wasn’t comfortable, but within a matter of minutes she relaxed, subsiding against him, her body snuggling close, fitting into the cradle of his hips.
The water lapped at her breasts, fizzing over the tips, bubbling and cleansing, removing all traces of blood, all remnants of the poison. She closed her eyes and allowed her head to fall back, enjoying the sheer luxury of the hot pool and Nicolae’s strong arms. “Vikirnoff needs a swift kick where it will do him the most good,” she murmured, not bothering to lift her lashes. “But I’ll forgive his egotistical arrogance because he looks after you. You should have fed.”
“He will feed me. He went out hunting.”
“As soon as possible, I want to give him the picture of the woman MaryAnn told us about. We should also ask Father Mulligan and Velda and Inez if they have seen her. They seem to be the eyes and ears of the neighborhood.”
She nuzzled his throat. Hunger was rising, sharp and demanding. Her insides were burning, a terrible scalding from the inside out. The bubbling water and Nicolae’s nearness helped considerably. She inhaled his clean, masculine scent. Took his scent deep into her body. Held it there. She had been in a storm, a whirling, turbulent storm, but she had made it safely home. Nicolae was home. She settled in his mind. Her one refuge. She could admit it to herself now and not feel ashamed and humiliated.
“I did my best to push you away. I should have been stronger, but right now I’m glad that I wasn’t.” Her lips skimmed his throat. Her tongue swirled over his pulse. Her bare buttocks were nestled in his lap and she could feel there the strong reaction of his body to that small, erotic movement of her tongue. He hardened. Thickened. Pulsed with need. She savored the feeling, wanted to remember it forever.
His hand skimmed over her hair, tugged her long braid. “I would not allow you to push me away. I am tenacious when something matters to me.”
She smiled against his skin. She kissed the small, steady pulse in his neck. “Is that the word? I thought stubborn suited you better.”
“You are not in the best condition to try to do battle,” he reminded her.
She won the battle without a single word.
His head fell back as she took what he offered. The air rushed from his lungs, a soft sound of ecstasy escaping as the white-hot pleasure-pain rushed through his body. The intensity of his love for her shook him. His arms tightened possessively. She swamped him with warmth, with her need of him, the way she wanted him.