«I understand where you get the whole Neanderthal mentality if you hang out here all the time,» she mumbled, but she slid through the crack, careful not to touch either side of the rock.
She swallowed fear and forced herself to walk a little way inside, just enough for Manolito to get through as well. They stood close, his body heat warming her as she studied the numerous drawings of animals on the walls. It was like an art museum of work over centuries of time. Crude stick figures gave way to more elaborate and detailed work, all holding a unique beauty and giving off a sense of timelessness. The paintings depicted a society of jaguar people. Some were in human form, some in the middle of shifting and some fully in cat form.
«Do you think they lived together like this at one time?» MaryAnn asked, touching one of the drawn cat's ears with gentle fingers. «There's a campfire. Men have their arms around women, and children arc playing. Was it ever like this?»
«I never saw them that way, and I have been around a long time, but the jaguar and lycan really were secretive about their societies. I fought beside them a couple of times, but never saw them in their own environments.»
«You should show this to Luiz.»
He shrugged his shoulders. «Perhaps someday. It is a favorite resting place of mine, and we rarely allow anyone to know where we sleep.»
There was something in his voice, in his mind, she caught. A sadness. Wariness. She stilled, leaning back into him. «You're afraid Luiz won't make it.»
He wrapped his arms around her. «I find that having emotions, particularly fear, can be disturbing. I am worried about the possibility. I like the man. I thought I had converted him solely because you asked me to, but now I am not so certain.»
She turned in his arms, her hand sliding under his hair to curl around the nape of his neck. «If he doesn't, Manolito, it isn't your fault. You've given him every chance, more than he ever would have gotten. And thank you-whether you did it solely for me, for him, or because he is a friend-thank you.»
He kissed the tip of her nose. «You are very welcome.» He framed her face with his hands. «I have to check for myself that the vampire didn't leave anything behind that could harm you. I need a minute.»
«Riordan did a good job healing me. I'm a little achy, but other than that, the shoulder and my stomach feel fine.»
He didn't argue, merely let his physical body drop away and his spirit enter hers, taking his time to make certain not a single parasite had hidden from Riordan. When he came back to himself, she was tapping her foot.
«Are you satisfied?»
«Yes. For now. Later I intend to inspect every inch of your skin.»
«Fine. I'm doing the same to you.»
He grinned at her. «Come, let me show you this place.» He waved casually toward the entrance, and the crack in the boulders groaned and creaked so that she gasped and nearly climbed up his shoulders.
«What the hell was that?» She literally crawled up his body. «I think this cave is coming down on top of us, Manolito.»
He tried not to laugh. She clawed for a purchase on his shoulders, her head swiveling left and right, her eyes enormous. He couldn't help it-the laughter spilled out to become a full-blown roar. «I am closing the door.»
«Oh no, you're not.» She had her arms around his head, practically blinding him. «And stop laughing. This isn't funny. I'm not getting trapped in a cave, not even for you. Gorgeous can only take you so far.»
The two sides of the boulder ground together with a horrendous jarring, eliciting a screech of fear from her. The torches flickered and danced as if they might go out. She buried both fists in his hair and yanked. «Get us out of here.»
Manolito wrapped his arm around her and pulled her back down so her feet were once again on solid ground. «We do not want light shining through the falls. The idea is to be safe here. We have air. I'll take care of bugs. Trust me, MaryAnn, this is better than a five-star hotel.»
She stared up into his face. A woman could drown in the absolute love in his eyes. She let out her breath and found calm. «Well I want room service then.»
«I intend to give you anything you want.»
The velvet caress in his voice sent a shiver running through her body. «I don't know how you managed to get around all my defenses, Manolito, but you have.»
His slow smile made her heart nearly stop.
«I cheated. I will probably go to hell if there is such a place, because I fear I do not have the necessary remorse in me for my actions. I stole you, MaryAnn, right out from under the noses of our best hunters.»
She laughed. «You sound like you're boasting.»
He kissed the corner of her mouth. «Maybe just a little. After all, you have to know your caveman can bring home the dinosaur.»
She looked around suspiciously. «You'd better be joking.»
He tucked her hand in his back pocket to lead her down the long, winding tunnel. Torches lined the way, burning brightly and showing her he was keeping his promise-there wasn't a single bug in sight.
«I've been thinking a lot about this Carpathian-wolf thing we have going,» she said, trying not to keep staring at his butt. He had a nice ass.
His laughter was soft. «I was just thinking the same thing about you.»
«What?» She tried to sound innocent.
«Ass. Butt. However you want to describe that particular portion of your anatomy. Yours is quite nice. I was just thinking how you looked in those red heels. You take my breath away, woman.» She did a whole lot more than that. His body hardened and thickened with every step he took. With her mind firmly merged with his, knowing she was thinking along the same lines as he was only heightened the ache.
He wanted to get her out of her clothes and inspect every single inch of her body to make certain she was all right. And he wasn't going to let her out of his sight again-at least not for a long, long time.
He swung around and pulled her to him, kissing her hard, his tongue sliding into her mouth to tangle and dance and reclaim her all over again.
MaryAnn recognized the hint of desperation wrapped in the hunger. She pulled back, smoothing his hair. «What is it?»
Her voice. The way she effortlessly slipped inside his head, surrounding him with warmth and comfort, enveloping him in love-he felt it now, where it hadn't been before. He didn't know what he'd done to earn it, but he was grateful.
He pressed his forehead to hers and closed his eyes briefly, inhaling her scent. «They could not kill my physical body in the spirit world, so they tried to kill my soul.»
She felt the involuntary shudder that went through him. «How, Manolito? Tell me how.»
He knew she didn't have a clue that her tone held a hidden compulsion. She wanted to take the pain of those memories away. Her fingers stroked and caressed his hair, slid down to his shoulders and arms, and then
back up. Every touch was meant to share, to soothe. His MaryAnn. There was no one else like her. He caught her chin and bent his head to fasten his mouth to hers. She leaned into him, her soft body pliant, fitting him perfectly.
«Tell me,» she whispered.
He took a breath, fighting the images in his head. He couldn't go there again, couldn't let himself see her being brutalized. She gasped and he knew she saw, too.
«It's all right, Manolito. It didn't happen. Maxim tried to trick you.»
«He didn't know about the wolf,» Manolito said. «Your wolf.» He tugged at her curls. «Your wolf saved us all the way around.»