Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 141492 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 707(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 472(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 141492 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 707(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 472(@300wpm)
He lifted his head and looked down at her, his strangely colored eyes back to that swirling mercury. “Only because I have you,” he assured her. “Olen wäkeva—félért ku vigyázak.”
There was an instant lump in her throat. Tears burned again behind her eyes. “Staying strong for her.”
Petru leaned down and brushed kisses over each eye, the tip of her nose, her dimple and the corners of her mouth.
“Hängemért.”
“Only her,” she whispered, looking up at him, knowing the stars in the sky were reflected in her eyes.
“Only you,” he agreed and once more took her mouth.
CHAPTER
18
Safia couldn’t tear her gaze from the deep lines of concentration in Petru’s extremely masculine features as they stood together on the bluff overlooking the sea. He was so handsome he took her breath away. He would never be the accepted sense of the word handsome—he was too hard-edged for that—but to her, Petru was brutally gorgeous. If she were any kind of a poet, she would secretly add to the songs sung about him.
If she were being honest about adding lyrics, she might have to add lines alluding to his prowess in other areas as well. She was certain he was every bit as legendary as a lover as he was a fighter, although that might not be the best thing to advertise in a song. Other women might get it into their heads to try to persuade him to show off his skills. She would be forced to show off hers, so no lyrics about anything but war talents.
Every line in Petru’s face had been earned by the battles he’d engaged in with vicious vampires. He knew so many ways to ferret them out, no matter how adept they were at hiding. He never shirked from a fight. No matter how many vampires might be together or whether he was walking into a trap, he attacked. The lyrics to his song had to have refrains about courage. Bravery. Valor. Those were good words.
“It is not a trap if I am aware the enemy is waiting for me.”
Safia had to concede that was true. She glanced up at him. The moonlight illuminated him, bathing his head in a silvery halo. He was back to looking like a fallen angel. “You don’t need to stay in my head while I’m contemplating how you plan your battles.”
The trace of male amusement slipping through her mind sent sparks of awareness lighting her nerve endings.
“Is that what you were doing? I thought you were dwelling on how amazingly beautiful and masculine your lifemate is.”
She gave a little disdainful sniff. “You wish that’s what I was doing. I’m merely interested in how to rid the world of these pesky vampires.”
“Or adding lines to the songs sung in glory to your lifemate.”
“I believe your hearing is faulty.” She gave a little toss of her head, sending her hair flying. “That can happen when you get old.”
Petru turned the full focus of his strangely colored eyes on her. His gaze drifted over her face, moved down her body and then back up to look directly into her eyes. A slow burn started in her bloodstream, little flickering embers that grew, sparked and danced, moving like molasses but wreaking havoc with her heart and lungs.
She felt his smile start in his mind and slowly work its way to his mouth. Barely there, but that faint curve of his mouth melted her heart. Beautiful came to mind, even though she pretended to quash the idea immediately. The moment he caught that thought, the mercury color of his eyes lit to that brilliant silver she loved so much.
“I don’t believe you think there is anything faulty about my kisses.”
Deliberately, she tilted her head to one side and frowned. “Kisses?” One eyebrow went up. “Perhaps your kisses aren’t nearly as memorable as you believe them to be. I can’t seem to recall a single one.”
Petru loomed over her without seeming to move. There was not even a whisper of sound, but his larger-than-life body was against hers, arms locking her to him. He leaned his head close to hers, so she felt the warmth of his breath against the side of her neck, just below her ear, and the scrape of his silvery bristles along his jaw.
“I must have heard you wrong.” His teeth nipped her earlobe. “My faulty hearing again.”
His lips wandered down her chin to her throat and then back up to her bottom lip, where his teeth caught just as they had on her earlobe. He bit down, and heat rushed through her blood. Those little sparks leapt into flames as he bit down harder until there was a sting. She parted her lips, surrendering everything she was to him.
Instead of hot flames pouring into her, a wildfire out of control as expected, Petru gathered her into the shelter of his heart, placed his mouth on hers with exquisite gentleness and kissed her as if she were the love of his life. A miracle given to him. Her heart turned over. A million butterflies took wing in the vicinity of her stomach.