Dark Slayer

Elid elided-Life to life.

Siel sieled-Soul to soul.

Me juttaak, me kureak-Life to life.

Me juttaak, me kureak-We are bound together as one.

Triumph swept through Razvan. He was part of something. He belonged. Ivory's acceptance of him was far more reluctant than the alpha wolf's. The wolf respected her mate. Had fought in battle with him, saw no hesitation and that he was quick to shield and protect Ivory. Ivory might accept Razvan as a warrior-at least one to train-but as her mate, that was something altogether different.

Razvan hid a smile as Ivory turned away from them, frowning a little as she fed the females. She kept her back to Razvan, shutting him out as she talked to the wolves, allowing him to reach for the mind of the wolves himself. He found Raja to be very intelligent, a strong strategist and capable leader. His second in command, Blaez, was a very serious wolf. He liked Blaez's personality very much. And then there was Farkas, the male the vampire had attacked and injured so severely. Farkas's body had been repaired in the healing soil, but craved rich Carpathian blood to complete the process.

Razvan staggered when Farkas finally licked across the wounds to seal them. He sank down beside the wolf. «You do this every night?»

She shook her head. «We are very careful not to rise every night. It is probably unnecessary after all these years, but without three consecutive nights in the soil, my body refused to function properly, so I still am cautious. In truth, I have not had problems in a long while, but I do not care to risk it.»

Razvan's brows drew together. «What kinds of problems?»

Ivory sank to the floor beside him as the smallest female closed the laceration on her wrist. «Nothing big. Walking. Running. Coordination mainly. My muscles were cut into pieces and they need to be strengthened.»

«You should have told the healer.»

A faint, haughty look crept into her expression. «I have never needed the healer or anyone else to survive. If I have need of the soil, it is there for me.» She shrugged. «Besides, it is better for us not to be out much. The less we leave, the less chance of a vampire or hunter stumbling across the lair. I have much work to do here. We go out for a hunt and run, and then we stay in a few days. It has worked out well for us. I will need to go out to feed for both of us. It will take a few hours as I have to travel a distance from our lair.»

«Not without me.»

«There is no need for both to go. Xavier is actively hunting you, using every resource at his disposal. You cannot leave traces for him to find you.»

«Not without me,» he repeated, his tone mild.

She narrowed her eyes. «That is so silly.»

«So was refusing the healer's help, but you had your reasons. I have mine.»

«You do not like anyone giving you blood,» she guessed, shrewdly. «You are Carpathian. You need blood to survive.»

«I am well aware of that.»

His tone never changed. Reasonable. Pleasant. Gentle even. She gritted her teeth. Nothing seemed to get to him, and she had deliberately needled him, wanting to shake him out of his stubbornness.

«It is just smarter for me to go alone.»

«Perhaps. But we go together.»

Her teeth snapped together at that mild tone. «Are you always like this?»

«I do not know. I have not been around any other than Xavier. I did not upset the woman who gave birth to Lara as I am upsetting you. But, like me, she was a prisoner and neither of us could make our own decisions. I am able to make this decision, for ill or not. I go with you.»

She stuck her chin out at him. «I am your lifemate. It is my right as well as my duty to provide for you.»

«Are you willing to provide solace with your body as well?»

Her heart jumped. Leapt. Took flight right along with a million birds in the pit of her stomach. Even her womb reacted. Which was silly, because he never changed expression, not on his face and not with the tone of his voice. They could have been discussing the weather. «No.» The word came out a whisper. Maybe even a question when she wanted to sound absolute and distant. There was just something about him that moved her, called to her, a nameless need, a hunger in his gentle eyes, that stark aloneness that drew her like a moth to flame.

«Then there is no need to provide anything else. We work together toward a common goal. We both wish to pool our vast wealth of knowledge in order to destroy Xavier.»

He was right. She knew he was right. It was exactly what she wanted, yet hearing him say it aloud in that calm, matter-of-fact voice made her want to weep.

«You brought me here to learn what I have learned of Xavier and to show me the ways of a warrior. I accept those boundaries.»

«Good.» She stood up. «That is excellent. We need to go.» Her body gave a subtle shift and she stood in front of him in absolute perfection, her clothes revealing her smooth, petal-soft skin.