Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 142916 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142916 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
She heard the ring of truth in his voice. He hadn’t demanded that she become Carpathian immediately. That seemed like a huge concession on his part. It also made that silly part of her that still had girlhood fantasies a little sad because it wasn’t necessary to him for her to be with him immediately. She couldn’t be, but she still wanted him to want to be with her. She knew it was all about returning his soul to him.
She decided to look on the bright side. The longer she was able to put off becoming Carpathian, the better it was for her. And it was entirely possible she wouldn’t survive the coming war. Lilith was sending demons specifically targeting the slayer.
As if he were reading her mind, and he probably was, he reached out and took her hand, pulling her arm across the space between them so he could press her palm against his chest. “I will agree to these terms only if you agree to be prepared to become Carpathian in an emergency. It takes three exchanges for the conversion. I want your consent for two exchanges. That way, should you fall during a conflict with demons, I would be able to recover you.”
He had such a strange way of putting things. She took her time studying every word just in case she wouldn’t want to agree.
“Blood exchanges?”
He nodded, his gaze fixed on hers, compelling her to agree.
“I want to agree, Benedek, but the idea is rather horrifying.”
“I assure you it won’t be. You are my true lifemate. We are very compatible. As I said before, you will find the exchanges erotic, not repugnant.”
She wasn’t so certain, but she was rather shocked to find the depth of her physical attraction to him. In any case, if she was agreeing to become Carpathian at some point, there would have to be an exchange of blood.
“You can write that one down.”
Part Three
(Left) Search for truth. Making important choices. Called to account.
(Right) Enter the darkness. Confront inner fears. Free yourself from chains that bind you.
Chapter
11
Silke met Benedek one hour after sunset on the outskirts of the forest, just as he had asked her to. She gave off such low energy, he wouldn’t have known how nervous she was if he hadn’t immediately merged with her the moment he awakened from his paralyzing sleep.
He didn’t trust anything different, and that included his strange emotions. The moment he became aware, his first thought was for Silke. His mind instantly tuned itself to hers. He had to know where she was. What she was doing. If she was alive and well. What state she was in. Had their negotiations really been successful or did she still want to run from him? The thoughts had flooded his mind instantly upon awakening.
It was normal to wake up needing blood. He had done so for centuries. It was not normal to be obsessed with a woman. Was she thinking of him? He had to know. She was extremely sensitive to the flow of energy around her. He was fortunate that he was as old and as experienced as he was. That experience enabled him to home in on her exact location and enter her mind without her knowledge.
He was concerned with his need to touch her. He didn’t trust that he was so invested in her—and he was. He didn’t believe in lying to himself. That moment of realization when he woke that it was as necessary as breathing to reach out to her was alarming.
The fact that she was nervous around him helped. He couldn’t find a single deceptive pretense in her when he moved through her mind. She was apprehensive about their meeting; afraid he would insist on binding them together. He had planned to do just that, but now, feeling her fears, he decided to give her a few hours to get used to him and the idea of being permanently tied to him.
“Silke,” he greeted, and deliberately leaned into her to press a brief kiss to her forehead.
A thousand sparks leapt between them at the casual contact. He hadn’t expected such a physical reaction to touching her. She felt it, too. He knew because she froze and her gaze leapt to his. He gave her that faint smile, the one she saw only in her mind.
“That was unexpected.” Admitting he felt the connection between them seemed like the only reasonable thing to do. He didn’t want to play games. As far as he was concerned, if this was going to work between them, they needed absolute honesty. Being in her mind, he would catch any lie she told.
Her long lashes swept down, veiling her eyes. “I think it would be far more likely that you would be the one to lie to me. Or at least be deceptive.”