«You don't know that.»
A small smile softened the edge of his mouth. «He is Dragonseeker. His every instinct is to protect his family, especially his women and children. If Xavier really possessed his body, using him to impregnate women, if he really murdered your mother in front of him as it appeared he did, and if he controlled Razvan, forcing him to take your blood, then Razvan has suffered the torment of the damned for centuries. That would be the worst a Carpathian male could suffer. Your father would have rejoiced to have you out of there and out of Xavier's control.»
She pressed her lips together. His hunger was beating at her, yet he stood there patiently trying to reassure her that leaving her father to be tortured and maybe murdered had been a good thing. «Let's go, Nicolas. I'd like to meet my aunt.»
«Do you want to try shifting? An owl, perhaps?»
Her jeweled eyes gleamed at him. He had said she was capable of shifting with his help and she wanted it to be true. She was certainly willing to try. «A dragon.»
He nodded. «Of course, what else would you choose?» He grinned at her, a teasing invitation to fun. She'd never seen him smile like that, and it made him look younger. «You are already familiar with the dragon's body. The most important thing with shifting-« He held out his hand to her and began to walk with her through the cavern into the labyrinth of tunnels. Candles sprang to life on the walls ahead of them
as they hurried along. «-is to remember to keep the image in your head at all times. It has to become automatic so that you do it without really thinking about it and that takes practice. I want you to keep your mind merged fully with mine. Once you shift, excitement and joy-I cannot even begin to describe the feeling for you-sets in and it is easy to lose what you are doing. So keep your mind firmly in mine so I can help you if you need it.»
She smiled up at him. «Don't worry, I don't exactly want to fall out of the sky.»
He laughed softly, shocking himself. He wasn't a man who laughed often-if ever. He was slowly discovering that with her companionship, Lara also brought a joy in the sharing of everyday things. He tightened his fingers around hers, keeping her close to his side as they moved swiftly through the tunnel. «I did not notice that you scanned the area periodically for vampires. It is very necessary for survival to make that a habit.»
«Isn't that a rather faulty system now?»
His eyebrow shot up. «You have been absorbing the information in my mind.» He was pleased with her. With everything going on, it hadn't occurred to him that while merged with him she would be seeking as much information as possible to help with her own survival.
«Of course. You seem to have a lot of experience hunting vampires.»
His boyhood story intrigued her and Lara had tried to delve a little deeper, at first to see if Nicolas always embraced the fight with the undead. Did he get a rush when he fought? When he killed? She had found the answer and it worried her, but it also fascinated her that he felt no fear-none-when he fought. She had spent her life afraid, always looking over her shoulder, terrified that others would discover her differences and condemn her, terrified that Xavier would find her again. She wanted to be like Nicolas, facing the worst without fear.
«Not all Carpathian males were raised to be hunters. In the old days we had a community and many men were craftsmen. They did woodworking and gem-calling. They worked with herbs and candles to develop our healing powers. Some were sword-makers. They did incredible, beautiful work with weapons. My family was bred as warriors. Much of the skills of our ancestors are imprinted on us. So if you are born into a lineage of warriors, you have skills and reflexes already built in. In other words, you already have an advantage before you even begin training. Where a gem-caller or sword-maker has other skills imprinted, those skills are not at all useful for fighting.»
There was a small trail of water running across the path. Without missing a stride, Nicolas caught Lara around the waist, lifted her over it and continued walking as though nothing had interrupted them.
When the small, secret thrill at the strength in his arms subsided Lara slipped her hand back into his. «And the darkness in you? How exactly does that come to be?»
His fingers tightened around hers. «Does it frighten you?»
Her gaze flicked to his face and then sought out boulders blocking the entrance to the tunnel. Excitement was building at the prospect of shapeshifting. «A little,» she admitted.
He lifted an eyebrow.
Lara shrugged. «Well, maybe a lot. You're very sure of yourself.»
«I have lived a long time.» He brought her fingers to his lips. «But all this is new to me and I have found that I am learning as we go. Feel free to clue me in when I am making mistakes.»
«Have no worries there,» Lara said. She tugged at his hand, halting him before he could avoid her question by bringing down the safeguards. «I really want to understand you better and I can't if I'm worried all the time that you might become a vampire.»
«That is no longer a possibility, Lara,» he assured. «You are the other half of my soul, the light to my darkness. Once found, your light guides and protects me. I have no doubt I will always be a difficult man, but I will not turn vampire.» He jerked his chin toward the boulders, his eyebrow raised in challenge. «Do you think you can remove the safeguards?»
A smile slowly formed. «A test. You're challenging me.»
«I am also timing you.»
It was her turn to raise an eyebrow. She spun around toward the entrance and lifted her hands into the air. Every stroke of the pattern he had woven was recorded in her mind. The aunts had drilled it into her to observe even the tiniest movement, a flick of a finger, a small nuance that made the difference of getting it right the first time and surviving.
She could feel his eyes on her and the intensity of his gaze sent a shiver of awareness tingling down her spine. She had to really concentrate to block him out, to make the long graceful movements and the short, subtle ones accompany her soft murmured words. It was a silly chant really, one she had made up and used repeatedly as a child to help her learn how to weave and undo warding spells. Her hands moved swiftly, gracefully, following each thread of unseen light, seeking out each knot and double checking the threads in the weave of the pattern.
Spider, spider spin your web, absorbing now these unseen threads. Spider, spider, throw your line, remove all that would harm or bind. Spider, spider, clear the way, protecting now this entryway.
The boulders rocked back and forth for a moment, shimmered and disappeared. Lara spun around, grinning at him. He was there-too close-right on her in fact. She hadn't heard or felt him move, but as she turned, she turned right into his arms, her face raised toward his. Their gazes locked. A frisson of awareness-of arousal-raced from breasts to thighs.
His finger curled around the nape of her neck, his thumb sliding over her cheek as he bent his head toward hers. His other hand slid down to the small of her back, urging her body close against him. Lara didn't pull away but neither did she lean into him, nervous and unsure of herself and him.
Do not be afraid of this, Lara. It is just a kiss. I am asking only that in this you do not fear me. His thumb feathered across her cheek, his black gaze holding hers.I do not want you to ever fear I will take anything from you that you are not willing to give .
His words played over her skin, floated on his warm breath. She could see the length of his lashes, the cut of his sensual mouth. He gave her time to pull back, lowering his head slowly, inch by inch, until his lips feathered over hers, back and forth, soft as velvet. Air backed up in her lungs and her heart beat too loud.