"The thing is, at first your arrogant bossiness made me crazy . . ."
"Arrogant bossiness?" There was humor in his voice.
"You know you're arrogant, Aleksei, and you're definitely bossy."
The smile faded from his face. "I want you to know what you are getting into, Gabrielle. I am not the kind of man to carry on idle conversation with others. I have never associated with humans and I do not have tolerance for people and the way they think they are entitled."
She studied his face. He was very serious, but he wasn't telling her anything she didn't already know. "What are you trying to tell me, Aleksei?"
"I do not like that you think you are not a worthy lifemate for me. I will never put up with your mother, or anyone else, for that matter, intimidating you by throwing tantrums. Your father and your brother should have protected you. They did not. I will. If this woman, who I know you love, picks up an object and throws it at you or one of our children, I will take care of the problem once and for all. Do you understand? I do not want you to start our relationship thinking you got yourself someone nice."
She touched his mouth with two fingers. "I would never describe you as nice, Aleksei. You can be sweet, though. I realized you taking charge made me feel safe for the first time in my life. I love my father and my brother. I do. I adore my sister. But in my home, growing up, I never felt safe. I never felt as if any of them would stand up for me against my mother. I might be wrong, because I never ever challenged her, but I know you would. I know you wouldn't let her throw things and maybe hit one of our children with whatever she throws. I know if I were upset by her behavior, you would definitely stop her. So I know, for you, for that kind of protection, for leaning so heavily on your strength, doing what you asked would never be a burden."
His green eyes blazed down at her. Flared with heat. She felt his cock, deep inside her, jerk, stretch the tight walls of her channel, and it felt delicious. Perfect. So right.
"So you know I am not going to try to make people like me, even your family or friends. I do not care if anyone likes me." His face softened and he bit her chin gently, sending another ripple of fire through her. "With the exception of you. I would much prefer it if you liked me."
Gabrielle couldn't help it, she laughed softly. "I think you're safe, Aleksei. I'm pretty certain I like you."
"That is good." His body began a slow glide in hers. "I was worried."
"You weren't in the least worried. If you thought I didn't like you, you'd just order me to get over it." Her fingers dug into him. "You can't possibly start all over again."
"I think you are wrong, kislany. I am fairly certain I can."
Gabrielle burst out laughing, the sound ringing through the chamber. Her laughter was genuine and she realized she was happy. Really happy. She wasn't in a house with a white picket fence and a swing on the porch, she was in a cave high up in the Carpathian Mountains, and she was happier than she could ever remember.
She circled Aleksei's neck with her arms and pulled his head down to hers, her mouth finding his. He made it easy, and his kisses lit up her world. And she loved that, too. She gave herself up to him. To the fire he created. To the way he made her feel, safe and cherished. In a million years, she would never have believed Aleksei would have been the man to make her feel so happy.
She didn't know how much time passed. She was lost in his body, in the things he did to hers, but she felt it was all too soon before they were dressed and heading out of the cave. She paused at the entrance, looking back, knowing they were returning to the monastery, to that place of four walls and nothing else.
"Gabrielle?"
She turned back. Aleksei stood there, tall and wholly masculine, his long hair unbound, the wind moving through it just as she liked to sift her fingers through it. He held out his hand to her. She looked at it for a long moment. He had big hands, strong. So strong. She took a deep breath and put her hand in his. Aleksei pulled her to his side. Close. She liked how he always did that. He liked contact with her. A lot of contact. She slipped her arm around his waist.
"What is it?"
"I like it here. I don't like the monastery as well." Honesty was the only way to go with Aleksei. She knew if she tried to avoid answering him, he would stand there forever until she either told him or he lost patience and looked in her mind for the answer.
"We will not be there forever. I know your work is important. As soon as possible, we will make a home closer to where you do your research." He brought her hand up to his mouth, his lips skimming her knuckles. "We will have a beautiful home, Gabrielle. Anything you want."
"Will you be gone a lot?" She couldn't keep the trepidation out of her voice.
He frowned. "Gone where? Where do you think I will go?"
"You hunt vampires."
"I do not leave you. If I go somewhere, Gabrielle, you will be going with me." There was a hard authority in his voice, as if he thought she was trying to get rid of him.
She leaned into him, circling his waist with her arm and tipping her head up to look at his face. "I'm glad. I don't want you going anywhere without me."
"You know that Gary will not be working with you." He made that a decree.
"He didn't want Gregori to convert him, even though he was so close to death. He knew. I don't know how he did, but he said he was worth far more to the Carpathians as a human than as a Carpathian. He's a genius. His mind is incredible, Aleksei." For a moment she forgot what Gary meant to Aleksei and that he might not like her being so enthusiastic about him. She clapped a hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry." She whispered it. "I wasn't thinking."
He gently pulled her hand from her mouth and held it tightly over his heart. "That is the first time you spoke of him as if he was a colleague you admired and not the man you wanted to spend your life with. After seeing your childhood, and how your life has been since, especially after you were converted, I am grateful you had his friendship. To know you had someone who cared about you makes me happy, Gabrielle, not upset. This man will not be able to feel, but he will remember you, and if he is the man I see in your mind, if that is his character, he will check on you to make certain you are happy. He will stay in contact, even if from a distance."
"Will you be okay with that?" She didn't want Aleksei to be angry with her, or worse, fight with Gary.
"I have you. You gave yourself to me. A precious gift that I know you will never take back. I have you. He does not. And he never will. I know what it is like to love you, Gabrielle. He may not feel it, but he remembers it. That will always be very difficult for him."
She swallowed hard. "You love me?" She couldn't believe that. How could he possibly have fallen in love with her when she'd . . .
Aleksei tightened his hand over Gabrielle's, pressing her palm hard into his chest. "Do not, kislany," he warned. He was not going to have her keep blaming herself for something he did not feel was her fault. "We have put that subject to rest. How could I not fall in love with you?"
She didn't see herself as he did. She was highly intelligent. Gentle. Sweet. Vulnerable. She needed care, and he was a man who needed to care for a woman. He had enough darkness, enough demons, for more than one man. He needed a woman who was all light to bring him back from that edge when it got too close, not one who wanted to fight. He needed her to know he was often at that edge, that his demons didn't stand down and when he reached for her, to lose himself in her, she was welcoming, she reached back, knowing that was more important to him than fighting at his side.
Gabrielle was that woman. She abhorred violence. It made her sick. He was thankful for that. He would teach her to protect herself, because she needed to know how. For her. For their children. And for him. He had to know that when he wasn't right with her--which would be rare--she would be able to defend herself as need arose. Other than that, he wanted his Gabrielle. Vulnerable. Sweet. With enough attitude and a lot of intelligence to keep him very happy. Even more, she was scorching hot in his bed.
/> Gabrielle buried her face against his side. "I want you to love me, Aleksei. I swear, I will do whatever it takes to make you happy."
He smiled down at her. She didn't have a choice in the matter, because he wasn't going to give her one. He thought it might be prudent to keep silent about that. "Andre and Teagan are headed up to the monastery. We need to meet them there. Fane has gotten the ancients to agree to let Teagan try to heal them enough for them to get out and look for their lifemates. Andre has access to the database of psychic women through a boy called Josef. If you can connect with each of the ancients and try to be a compass with this parlor trick you spoke of, we may be able to give them hope of a future."
"If Teagan fails?"
He took a breath. Let it out. She was too intelligent not to know what would happen. He would have no choice but to remain at the monastery, becoming the gatekeeper as Fane had been. Fane had to be released from his duties so he and his lifemate could travel with Teagan and Andre back to the United States.
"I am sorry, little cat, I would have to stay and protect the ancients. We would remain here. I have seen your dream of a house and yard and children playing . . ."
"Dreams change, Aleksei," Gabrielle said, pressing her fingertips to his lips. "That was a child's dream. You are home to me. You. Not a house and a yard. We can turn wherever we are into a home because we're together. My work is important, though. I really feel we've made a tremendous amount of progress. Shea's a great doctor and she has a way of putting us on the right track when we're all throwing out ideas, but with Gary gone, I'm needed."
"Then if we stay, we will have to get together a laboratory for you to do your research in at the monastery."
"You would do that?"
He smiled down at her, shaking his head. "Kislany. I am a selfish man and want you all to myself. I will not ever apologize for that, but I am not so selfish that I would not want you to do important work that only you can do for our people. If we return to the Carpathian Mountains I might even offer my services to the prince. I have not sworn my allegiance to him nor did I think I ever would, but I have a family to think of now."
She burst out laughing. "Such a chore. Swearing allegiance to your prince."
He gave her a mock scowl when her laughter was the most beautiful music in the world. "Woman. I have been on my own for centuries. I take no orders from any man."
"You could just beat your chest," she suggested, still laughing.
He wrapped his arms around her. "We are heading up the mountain, back to the monastery. Just for that crack, you can regulate your own body temperature."
Gabrielle snuggled into Aleksei's arms, realizing immediately that almost from the moment she had gone to him to give her allegiance to him, he had been ensuring she remained warm and comfortable. She hadn't thought about it. She'd struggled with the whole temperature control thing, as well as keeping the volume down. It took practice, and her head was always filled with her work. Until Aleksei. Now it was filled with him. She also realized he was a puzzle her mind tried to work out and she probably would never find an entire solution to him, but that was okay with her. She loved that he'd regulated her body temperature.
She didn't say a word, but as they moved through the cold air up farther into the mountains where the thick mist swirled ominously, she deliberately didn't keep herself warm. She waited. Shivered. Instantly, she was warm. She smiled to herself. Aleksei. Taking care of her even when he threatened not to. She loved that even more.
The mist was disorienting and felt heavy against her skin. She heard voices whispering, warning, and she recognized the power of strong safeguards. She remembered moving through that mass on her own, seeking Gary. She'd been so afraid. Now, with Aleksei holding her, she wasn't afraid at all. She realized he hadn't had her shapeshift to go through the mist. He had noticed it bothered her and held her close to him, once again making her feel safe.
She had never considered that Aleksei could be so thoughtful. I'm falling in love with you. She had to give him that. He'd told her he loved her. He'd put himself on the line and he'd handled her with care once he knew she hadn't been born Carpathian. How could she not have intense feelings for him? She wasn't all the way there; she'd spent too long believing she was in love with Gary, not realizing how she loved him.
Trixie had been right all along. There was a difference. She had no doubt in her mind that had she and Gary never been converted, they would have lived a happy life together, but it wouldn't have been anything like what she had now. She wouldn't have missed what she didn't know, but still, she wouldn't have had Aleksei. She sent up a silent prayer that Gary would find his lifemate and when he did, that he would be every bit as happy as she was now.
She felt the brush of Aleksei's lips in her hair.
Best not to tell me that when we are in the air, little cat. You giving that to me makes me hard. I suppose we could manage to have sex in flight, but keeping you warm, and making you shatter for me, it could be difficult keeping us from crashing.
She turned her face into his chest and laughed. Everything makes you hard and I have no doubt you would have no trouble making me shatter many times, keeping me warm and keeping us from crashing. You're just that talented.
At last. Glad you recognize that.
Okay, that beginning-to-fall-in-love was heading toward definitely-there. She loved that he had a sense of humor and could tease her and that when she teased him back, he was all right with it. More than all right. She felt his answering laughter. She loved the sound because she knew he hadn't laughed often--if ever--before he claimed her.
The monastery gates loomed ahead as they emerged from the mist. She twisted her fingers into Aleksei's shirt. "You weren't very nice to Trixie, Aleksei," she pointed out. "You might want to repair that damage."
Aleksei set her down right outside the gates. "And I should be worried about this because?"
She heard the challenge in his voice. He had laid it out for her earlier, letting her know in no uncertain terms he didn't care if people liked him or not. Not her family. Not her friends. Anyone. She had to handle this carefully. She ran her hand up his chest, staying close.
"Trixie helped me. A lot. I needed to talk to someone . . ." She broke off when his body hardened, every muscle locked down. "Aleksei, just listen to me for a moment. I know it's important to you that we work things out, you and me, together. I want that, too, but I was so frightened of you and so ashamed of myself and feeling guilty that I couldn't talk to you."
"You can always talk to me, Gabrielle. I am the person you should talk to."
His hand came up, sifting through her hair in the caressing way he had that always made her so aware of him as a man and her as a woman. "I know, I know," she said hastily. "But right then, I was grateful to her because she listened to me when I didn't think I was making sense and she told me had I been in love with Gary, and he with me, we wouldn't have been able to keep our hands off each other."
She risked a quick look at his stone face. He definitely looked as if he could have been carved from granite. She sighed. "I'm making things worse. I just wanted you to know she helped me. That's all, honey. I needed to sort through everything in my mind, and she helped me do that."
His hand slid to her face, cupping her cheek. "You called me 'honey.' You have never once used an endearment of any kind." His green eyes moved over her face and her stomach did a slow somersault. "I like that, kessake, I like it a lot."
He was so sexy. Everything he did. The way he touched her. The way he looked at her. The sound of his voice, caressing her, mesmerizing her.
She sent him a quick smile. "Maybe it isn't so important that you get along with anyone else. I can live in the monastery and just stare at you all night and be happy." She bit her lip. Hard. Had she just blurted that out? Aloud? Faint color crept up her face.
His smile sent a minor quake to her sex, and her breasts actually tingled. He didn't have to do anything at all, not even open his mouth,
and she just melted.
"In case I have not told you this rising, kessake, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen." He bent his head and brushed a kiss over her mouth. "Andre and his lifemate will be here in a couple of moments," he added in warning.
She felt it then, the disturbance in the mist. She didn't know if she was enough in Aleksei's mind that she felt his warning system, or if his lessons in being Carpathian were bringing out other things in her as well. She hoped so. She was in his world and now she wanted to embrace it.
Seconds later, a great owl landed on the ground, a few feet from them. Aleksei instantly glided between her and the bird as it shapeshifted. He made the movement seem natural, as if he was stepping forward to greet Andre, gripping his forearms in the traditional way of Carpathian warriors, but Gabrielle knew it was more than that. He had once again used his body to shield her.
She waited while they spoke softly in their language, but when Aleksei made no move to let her greet Andre, she started to step forward on her own. She'd seen Andre on more than one occasion, although she didn't talk to him. He had been there when she'd tried to persuade Gary to go away with her. She wasn't looking forward to facing him, but she figured now was a better time than later. No one else was around. She was completely unprepared for Aleksei to move again, cutting her off. Again, it was a subtle step, but she couldn't move around him.
Wait until his lifemate joins us.
She didn't understand that, either. Outwardly, Aleksei appeared calm and friendly, but she felt the tension coiled in him, like a snake, ready to strike. I thought you two were friends.
Yes. But I never risk you. Never. He can bring his lifemate out into the open before he has access to you.
Gabrielle reached up and bunched the back of his shirt into her fist. Connecting them. Holding on. Forcing herself to push down the natural peacemaker in her and stay where she knew Aleksei wanted her to be. In a way, it was easier. Knowing Andre witnessed her betrayal of his friend--and Aleksei was his friend--having him know just how close she'd driven Aleksei to madness was beyond mortifying. She hated that he knew how she'd rejected Aleksei's legitimate claim on her.