Total pages in book: 182
Estimated words: 165649 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 828(@200wpm)___ 663(@250wpm)___ 552(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 165649 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 828(@200wpm)___ 663(@250wpm)___ 552(@300wpm)
He couldn’t say such things to her. She would fall apart. Already she was weeping, pressing her face into his chest and weeping like a babe. They held each other for comfort, still rocking gently, her soothing, peaceful cocoon surrounding them like his shield.
You do not have to give me the words, Ferro. I hear them in your song to me. I feel them in the things you do for me. I especially feel them in your touch. She couldn’t tell him aloud because she would be sobbing if she tried to speak.
“Never think, for one moment, that I am ashamed of you. Any sacrifice you think I made pales in comparison to what you made for me. I could not feel. I had no emotions. You felt everything. Every lash of torture that evil creature thought up, the emotions of those he forced you to witness being tortured, you endured all of that—for me.”
Ferro suddenly caught her chin and tugged until she was forced to look up at him. His eyes glittered down at her, more rust than iron. He looked like what he was, a violent, dangerous predator, the legendary hunter the Carpathian people spoke of in whispers.
“I am privileged to be your lifemate, and you are more than worthy to walk beside me.” He sounded fierce. “Understand me, hän ku vigyáz sívamet és sielamet, you would always be my choice.”
He called her “keeper of his heart and soul.” Not his soul. His heart and soul. She felt her lips tremble before her smile broke through. Happiness blossomed.
“You are my choice, Ferro. You will always be my choice.”
Something moved through his eyes, something she couldn’t quite catch, but she wished she had because it was important, and then he bent his head to hers, his mouth brushing hers with that exquisite gentleness he had that turned her heart over. She parted her lips to let him inside and he kissed her. Really kissed her, going from gentle to possessive instantly.
The moment his tongue swept inside her mouth, he poured love into her. She felt his emotion in her throat, in her veins, rushing through her bloodstream until it spread to every part of her body. He was pure fire, flames licking at her skin and settling deep in her core all over again. Just when she squirmed restlessly, he lifted his head, those eyes of his glittering down at her, all liquid, silvery-blue, making her shiver with need.
“All right, minan piŋe sarnanak, we have more work to do. I want you to learn to fly in the woods. The more you practice shifting into the owl, the faster you will be at it and the more comfortable. I trust you studied her from every angle so you know exactly what she looks like down to the smallest detail.” He sounded steady.
She took a deep breath, trying to match his calm demeanor when she was a bundle of sexual nerves.
“Yes.” She was grateful she had honed her ability to pay attention to detail over the centuries. It had been necessary to keep her mind active, and Sergey insisted that she aid him in his fight against his brothers.
“Good. Go ahead and change for me.”
Elisabeta shifted into the form of the little female Western Screech Owl. Ferro had her shift dozens of times, just as he had the first time. He wanted faster. He wanted smoother. She didn’t protest, knowing he wanted her to be absolutely comfortable, to have the details so ingrained in her mind it would be second nature to her.
It is rather nice that she is larger than the male. She felt very daring pointing that out to him since he was an extremely large man. Carpathian women were tall, and she was no exception. The males were taller as a rule, but she noticed that the brethren seemed to all be extraordinarily tall and broad shouldered.
Male amusement filled her mind. I should have given you a few extra swats on your beautiful bottom while I had the chance. Fortunately for me, my ego is not fragile and the size difference does not matter in the least.
The female owl spread her wings and fluttered them as she hopped along the ground. I do believe you are protesting a bit too much. It is okay. I know you are used to being much larger and probably have trouble being so small.
Only attempting to squash certain body parts down.
That made her laugh hard enough that she had to shift back to her normal form. She landed abruptly on the ground with her arms out for balance, glaring at him. “That was not fair.”
You have to stay focused no matter what. He sounded very self-righteous. Shift back.
Elisabeta shifted immediately. I think that was cheating but it was funny all the same. Her little female turned her head this way and that, taking advantage of the ability to rotate her head about 270 degrees in order to see around her.