Carpathian 20 - Dark Slayer

and accurately on any problem. Razvan spent a great deal of time in her mind, going over what she knew of vampires and learning how best to fight them. She was a wealth of information, and as much as Nicolas loved her, he would never see her true value.
    He sees me the way you see Natalya. She is a warrior and yet you wish only to protect her and keep her safe . There was amusement in Ivory’s voice.
    Her tone felt like velvet stroking over his skin. Perhaps little sisters should never grow up, but simply stay young for their brothers . He matched her teasing tone.
    I am grown up. A woman . Her amusement faded to be replaced by something altogether different. When we leave this place of comfort and healing—and we will soon to join the real world with its hardships and cruelty—I will miss our closeness . There was real regret in her voice. The thought of going back to her lonely existence after intertwining her mind so deeply with his was disturbing to her.

    Hän ku vigyáz sielamet—keeper of my soul, you are also, hän ku kuulua sÃvamet—keeper of my heart . We are bound together, lifemates for all eternity. When we rise, ready to fight our enemy, we rise as lifemates. I asked you if that was what you wished and your reply was clear to me. We do not separate.
    We face the future together, whatever it should bring .
    Ivory sighed softly. I am prepared to do that. I just meant ... She trailed off and he felt her searching for the right words to express whatever troubled her.
    When she was silent for so long, he reached for her mind, his touch as gentle as a lover’s caress. Once again he took her into another realm, his mind in hers, leading her away from pain and what they both knew they would have to face when they rose.
    His hand slipped into hers and he walked with her, side by side, his body brushing against hers, walking into the night, taking her to his garden, the one place he was familiar with, the one place he loved and could share.
    Flowers cascaded down the terraced rock and covered arbors of white. The fragrances mingled, rising above the mazes of shaped hedges and bushes. Trees formed small groves of oranges and lemons with taller evergreen towers on the corners of the stone-fence-wrapped garden. Weeping willows stood at the edges of the blue-green pond, while a few ducks swam lazily, dunking their heads beneath the rippling surface and coming up to shake the water from their feathers.
    Ivory looked around her. “You grew up here?―
    He brought her fingers to his chest, over his heart. “It was our mother’s family home. We lived here for some time after she passed away. And then my father disappeared and Xavier took us away. But this was where we were together and happy.―
    â€œIt’s beautiful.―
    â€œI used to believe it was the most beautiful spot in the world, but I think you managed to create that in your home.― Razvan looked around him and inhaled to drag the scent of lavender into his lungs.
    â€œ Our home,― Ivory corrected. “It is our home now.―
    He felt the instant reaction in his heart to her words. Home .
    What would that be like, to feel as if he had a home, a woman to share his life with? They had a purpose for living, for suffering the fires of hell: to rid the world of its greatest evil—Xavier. For a short time he could simply be with Ivory, enjoy walking with her through a beautiful garden.
    Ivory glanced sideways at him and then quickly averted her eyes, her long lashes hiding her expression.

    Razvan stopped to push the long fall of silken hair from her face and back over her shoulder. “You are hiding from me.―
    Color rose, turning her pale skin to a soft rose. “Maybe. A little.―
    â€œI had no idea you were a little shy. You are such a fierce warrior and wholly confident, I thought you would be that way in all things.―
    She shrugged. “I have little experience with men—most of it long ago and not good.―
    He grinned at her, a slow, heart-stopping smile that revealed his straight white teeth, and suddenly seemed a little shy as well. “My body has a tremendous amount of experience, but not my heart—and not me. Truthfully, I feel like a young boy on his first date.―
    She lifted her chin. “It is my first date.―
    He regarded her steadily, his dark eyes drifting over the exquisite