Carpathian 20 - Dark Slayer

spot. In a kind of desperation, she gripped his arms and yanked him down. His body slid along the length of hers, sending a shiver of excitement spiraling through her.
    Razvan’s bare feet sank into the rich soil nearly up to his ankles. His fingers curled around her arms as they stood with only a breath between them. “Ivory!― Excitement shook him. “This is such a find.―
    Pleased, she shrugged. “It is not really my find. I was given the location by the earth when I was deep beneath the layers and fighting for my life. I crawled here. Inch by inch.―

    She swallowed the dark memories of those difficult days and leaned into him, unconsciously seeking the shelter of his heart.
    She hadn’t realized until that moment how much she already relied on him. It both frightened and elated her that Razvan had become so important to her so quickly.
    â€œI would crawl as far as I could when there was no moon to burn my skin,― she explained. “In the first attempts to rise for a few hours and start the trek, even the smallest light hurt my skin. The pack would guard me and then I would sink beneath the soil and recover until I could manage to gather the courage and endurance to go farther.―
    His arm swept around her and he brushed kisses over the top of her head. She wasn’t asking for sympathy, she simply was giving him the facts. Everything he was rebelled at the images of her crawling on her hands and knees, dragging herself over the rough terrain on her belly, using elbows and knees to propel herself forward. He hadn’t been there to aid her and the thought of her enduring such agony without him to help her left him sick.
    He traced the thin white lines segmenting her body, the one around her throat, the one over her upper arms and down the swell of her breast. He tipped up her chin, using two fingers, waiting until her lashes lifted and he was looking into her eyes.
    â€œI love you.―

    Her womb clenched. Her heart stilled. She could see it in his eyes. Feel the emotion surrounding her, swamping her, lifting her up. Her mouth opened, but nothing came out. He shook her with his love. His slow smile made her tremble and she veiled her eyes again as his mouth descended to take possession of hers. The earth trembled beneath their feet.
    Ivory tangled her fingers with his as he lifted his head. “I want to show you something. This place is a treasure trove of gems, but more importantly, metals.―
    Razvan looked up at the terraced walls with the veins of silver and gold. Along the walls and scattered throughout the dark soil, he could see evidence of sparkling gems.
    â€œIron. Not from ore, but from a meteorite. It is in its purest form, straight from the skies, Razvan. The protection properties are tremendous. And lead is here as well. I have been experimenting with lead to aid in lengthening the endurance of my coating with protection spells. I can make our weapons of natural metals that do well with magic so we can easily transport them. The coating is essential when we fight vampires.―
    â€œAmazing,― Razvan agreed. “This place is beyond important, Ivory.―
    â€œIt was entrusted to me and I have to keep it safe.―

    â€œI agree.― He crouched down even as he was looking around at the various properties she pointed out to him.
    Scooping up a handful of soil, he let it slide through his fingers.
    â€œThis soil is not contaminated.―
    â€œWhy would it be?― Ivory said. “Xavier has no idea it exists. No one does.―
    â€œThe microbes are in the ground, Ivory. They do not stay in one place. They spread. That is what he sent them out to do, spread to far lands and contaminate. That, coupled with the fact that they are nearly impossible to destroy, is why Xavier used them. You can bet he sent his microbes across the sea to every continent. Xavier is a very thorough man.―
    â€œHow do you know they are not here?―
    â€œI lived in the ice caves in the middle of the experiments for more centuries than I care to remember. I feel them.―
    â€œLike Natalya said Lara does.― She spun around to look at him. “But she is still mage; they believe she feels them because she is mage.―
    He shook his head. “No, she can hide her presence from them because she is mage. That is why they cannot convert her. She is the