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."Barstow, Brent Barstow.He comes through our village several times a year.He says he's on business, but?" The innkeeper trailed off shaking her head.Vikirnoff glanced at her sharply."But he makes you uneasy.""Very uneasy," Slavica conceded."And he's asked questions of my daughter Angelina.I didn't like his questions.""Questions about?" Vikirnoff prompted.Natalya felt his pain as if it were her own as he stood there swaying, probing the innkeeper.She had the urge to just knock him unconscious, throw him on the bed and be done with it."He wishes to know about the people residing in this area," Slavica answered.The moment Vikirnoff sank down onto the soft blankets he turned his face away, but not before Natalya caught another much sharper ripple of pain he couldn't quite hide.She couldn't prevent herself from brushing strands of black hair off his brow."Slavica's a nurse, a healer.She can help you.""She must attend your injuries first," he decreed.Natalya snatched her hand away."There you go again." She was angry with herself for the silly melting sensation touching him produced in the pit of her stomach.Could she be any more pathetic? "Don't be giving me orders." She winced at the harshness in her tone and turned away from him to fuss at pulling the heavy drapes over the windows and balcony door to block out the morning sun.Slavica sat on the edge of the bed."He will need other things, Natalya.In the kitchen there is a wooden bowl in the cupboard.Take that and fill it with the richest soil you can find in the garden." She leaned forward and swept the strands of hair that had so bothered Natalya from Vikirnoff's forehead, her fingers lingering against his cool skin."You've lost far too much blood.I must send for your prince.He'll want to know you require aid."Vikirnoff caught her wrist."You know what I am." He could read that she did.Few humans knew of their existence, not only for the protection of the Carpathian people, but also for the humans.If Slavica had knowledge of their species, she was under the protection of his prince."Who are you?""I'm Slavica Ostojic.My mother's name was Kukic.And you are?"Before answering he took a long, careful probe of her mind and was shocked to find she had a friendship with the prince of his people.He had heard rumors that Mikhail Dubrinksy had friends in the human world, but it was a rare occurrence to trust humans with the secrets of their species."Vikirnoff Von Shrieder." He gave his name reluctantly, unable to fully overcome his natural reticence.He believed in few words, keeping his own counsel and taking action when necessary.This was an unfamiliar situation and he was feeling his way."This inn has been in my family for a hundred years.Mikhail Dubrinsky helped my mother to keep it when things in our country were complicated.He has always been a friend to our family and we have treasured that friendship."Vikirnoff had trouble focusing on the woman's explanation.Hunger nearly overwhelmed him.The heartbeat of the women reverberated through the room and echoed through his head.The scent of blood nearly overwhelmed him and every instinct he possessed demanded he feed to save his life and that of his lifemate.Slavica bent close to him and his gaze immediately riveted on her pulse.It beckoned and seduced, that small throbbing rhythm.His mouth watered and his incisors lengthened.He leaned toward her neck for a long moment, needing.Simply needing.Abruptly he pulled back.He would not take from one under the protection of his prince.To shut out the terrible hunger, he tried to concentrate on his lifemate.Natalya fussed with the curtains, but all the while her confused emotions battered at him.The room shifted and whirled as he listened to the ebb and flow of blood moving through veins.His even' instinct was to protect her, to claim her.His body and soul roared for hers, yet she tried to stay closed off to him.Her scent drove him to a fever pitch."I must send word to the prince," Slavica repeated."He would be annoyed with me if I did not."Vikirnoff closed his burning eyes in weariness, realizing his injuries might prevent him from keeping Mikhail.Dubrinsky safe for some time."The prince is in danger.Send him that message.It is far more important than worrying about my wounds.I will heal.I have had worse and will again no doubt."Hearing the tired note Vikirnoff couldn't hide, Natalya glanced at him.She had been studiously avoiding looking at him, but now she saw the lines of pain etched deeply in his face, the blood on his chest as Slavica cut away his shirt.Her heart seemed to skip a beat and then go crazy as she viewed his terrible injuries.She knew his back would have rake marks, long deep furrows where her claws had rent him from shoulder to waist.She was ashamed of herself.She'd been too slow in stopping the attack when he had dropped from the sky between her and the vampire, yet she could find no blame or resentment in Vikirnoff's mind.His body was hard and muscular and ravaged with pain.Everything in her cried out to touch him, to ease that pain.She became fascinated by the way Slavica's hands moved over Vikirnoff's bare skin.Soothing him.Examining.Touching.Natalya's breath caught in her throat.The hands mesmerized her.Infuriated her.Something dark and ugly stirred inside of her.The curtains slipped from her hands so that the early morning light spilled over her.Vikirnoff, sensing sudden danger, turned his head, eyes wide open to see Natalya fading into the wall, the streaks of light camouflaging her body so that it was difficult to see her without straining.In spite of the pain movement caused, he turned on his side, gaze narrowing to focus more fully on her.Natalya's entire demeanor had changed.She no longer appeared fully human, instead she had become a dangerous, powerful predator.Even her sea-green eyes had changed color, taking on a pearlescent appearance, fixed and focused on Slavica as if on prey [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]