“Did she say why?”
“She needs it to heal her queen.”
His brows drew down. “I’ve seen it.”
Julianne started and stared at him in surprise. “
Where
?”
“I don’t remember, but I vaguely remember thinking it was an odd place to put a necklace. I wasn’t interested enough to ask anyone about it at the time. Let me think. It’ll come back to me.”
He hooked his arm behind her knees, then lifted her into his arms, cradling her against his heart. “You need sleep, Sunshine. We both do.”
Julianne clung to him and placed a sweet kiss on his cheek. “The last thing I ever wanted to do was put you in danger, Zee. You of all people.” A shudder went through her body as she pressed her forehead against his neck. “But I’ve needed you so badly. Thank you for not letting me push you away.”
His arms tightened around her with a fierceness that shook him to the depths of his being. She was
his. His.
“You’re not getting rid of me, Julianne.”
Ever.
The pledge rang in his head, echoing in his heart.
Ever.
His mind tried to balk. He wasn’t talking about forever. He didn’t
do
forever. No one in his right mind promised forever.
But his arms only tightened their grip.
She’s mine.
With a sudden, startling clarity, he knew why he’d stayed away all these years. It was that very fear that she
was
his. That she was destined to be his mate. And he, hers.
He’d avoided the inevitable.
Goddess, what a fool he’d been. If she’d have him…
if
she’d have him…he was never letting her go again.
But right now, the only thing that mattered was keeping Julianne safe. He set her in the middle of the bed and climbed in after her, fully clothed. Pulling her into his arms, he kissed her forehead.
“Sleep, Sunshine. I’m not going to let anything happen to you. To either of us.”
She melted against him, her head on his shoulder. “Zee?” she asked sleepily.
“Hmm?”
“I love you.”
His chest tightened, his mind tumbling with joy, then pulling up abruptly as he remembered how she used to say those precious words to him every night when he tucked her in when she was a child, repeating a nighttime ritual she’d shared with the mother she’d lost.
“I love you, too, Julianne.” The same reply he’d given her every night all those years ago.
But the words rang in his heart, so much more than a simple ritualistic reply, or even the terms of deep affection they’d later become.
“I love you,” he whispered as she slept. And knew they’d come to mean the most profound feelings a man could have for a woman. For the woman he’d always been destined to mate. He’d known it. Even as he’d fought the knowledge, he’d known for years she was the one.
He’d stayed away, driven by that deep-seated fear of forever, certain that if he stayed away long enough, the need for her would eventually end.
He’d been a fool.
He loved her and would always love her. But would it be enough? He wasn’t at all certain she felt the same.
And even if she did, they faced an enemy he knew too little about. A creature of legend said to be able to devour men’s souls.
Goddess help them both.
Chapter Nine
Julianne looked up from the stack of books in her lap, her gaze going to Zeeland as he searched through a pile of his own. They were in the library on the main level of the mansion, searching for a book with a pocket hidden in the cover. Zeeland had finally remembered finding the necklace in such a pocket years ago. But which book was any-y body’s guess.
As she watched, Zeeland searched the books, one after the other, the strong planes of his face catching the light from the oversized window. She never saw him that her stomach didn’t do a little flip, freeing the butterflies to flutter around her in-sides. He was the most handsome man she’d ever known.
And she loved him.
She remembered telling him so last night. It had slipped out when she was falling asleep, but he’d responded in kind. Just as he always had when she was young. He was watching out for her and protecting her as he’d always done. But she couldn’t guess how he felt about her. He desired her, she knew that now. He loved her in his way.
She loved him more. So much more.
Even with her terrible secret out in the open between them, he never flinched. His fierce protectiveness of her never wavered. If it bothered him that she wasn’t fully Therian, he hadn’t let on.
Instead, he’d held her as she’d slept, watching over her. And she’d slept as she hadn’t since Melisande first arrived, secure in the warm safety of his arms.
Through with the books in her lap, she stood and replaced them on the shelf. She glanced back at Zee, pushing an errant lock of dark hair out of her eyes. He was reading.
With a wry look, she planted her hands on her hips. “That doesn’t look like searching book covers to me.”
He glanced up at her with a faraway look in his eyes. “Just reading something that caught my interest.” His eyes seemed to focus on her, a glimmer of humor in their depths. “You’re a harsh taskmaster, woman.”
She’d been teasing him. Sort of. In truth, she was desperate to find that necklace. It was already midafternoon, and they’d barely searched half the library. The rest of the enclave was busy preparing for the big Valentine’s party, and she’d already put off Serenity’s and Cambria’s requests for help. She was feeling guilty. And desperate.
Zeeland closed the book and set it aside. “Okay, let’s find that thing.”
A half hour later, Zeeland rose, holding the ancient-looking volume he’d been reading tight against his chest. And a book of fairy tales, one of the books she’d brought with her from New York.
“I found it,” he said quietly. “Along with information that might come in useful.”
Julianne’s eyes went round. Melisande had claimed Julianne had the moonstone. Apparently she had, though she hadn’t known it. She’d never known the book had a hidden pocket. She said nothing as he held out his hand to her and helped her up. She replaced her small stack of books on the shelf, then turned to him.
“Let me see.”
“In your room.”
With a nod, she took his hand, feeling the relief to the soles of her feet. He’d found it. When Melisande returned, she’d give her the necklace and pray that was the end of it. With any luck, Melisande need never know of Zeeland’s involvement…or knowledge.
And if Melisande figured it out?
She gripped Zeeland’s hand tighter, a fierce and furious protectiveness rising inside her.
Neither of them was going down without a fight.
“I’m ready. You can turn around, Zee.”
Zeeland rose from the chair in Julianne’s room where he’d been reading about what little was known of the Ilinas while Julianne dressed for the Valentine’s party that was already in full swing downstairs. He refused to leave her alone, now, even to prepare for the party, but she’d refused to let him watch her get ready.
He turned and stilled as he beheld the vision that was Julianne. She wore a silky red dress with tiny straps over her slender shoulders. The form-fitting dress skimmed her slender curves as it fell to midcalf, setting off her figure to perfection. A pair of sexy, red, high-heeled sandals lengthened and accentuated the fine shape of her legs. She’d swept up her dark hair in a casually elegant knot, a few artful wisps brushing her neck, eliciting a need in him to press his lips just there.
Beautiful.
“You steal my breath, Sunshine.”
A sweet blush stained her cheeks, but the smile she gave him sent the blood in a wild tumble through his veins.
He closed the distance between them in three long strides, covering her bare shoulders with his hands. Her scent wrapped around him. His grip tightened.
“Forget the party,” he said huskily. “We’ll have our own party right here.”
With a small musical laugh, she twirled out of his grasp. “Not a chance.” She came to a stop, meeting his gaze, fire lighting her eyes. “At least not yet.” A smile of seductive innocence lifted one corner of her mouth. “I want to dance. And have a glass of champagne. Besides the others would never forgive you if you missed this party.”
There was also the small matter of her being untried. And the party he had in mind was far too carnal. Another night, perhaps. Maybe another time.
He reached for her hand, then hesitated. “The moonstone.”
Julianne’s smile died. “What if Melisande comes for it while we’re gone?”
“Unlikely. But I was thinking that someone in the enclave might know what it is. Or what it does. We might get some valuable information if someone recognizes it.”
A flash of alarm crossed her features. “If you start asking, it’ll raise too many questions.”
“I agree. That’s why I think you should wear it.” He shrugged. “It goes with the dress.”
A small smile of understanding lifted her lips. “If anyone asks where I got it, I’ll say I found it in the library.”
“The absolute truth.”
She retrieved the moonstone and handed it to him. He placed it around her neck, letting the small stone, framed by fine silver filigree, settle against the satin perfection of her skin. Unable to resist the temptation, he placed a slow, lush kiss on her shoulder, drinking in the scent and taste of her. Goddess, but he wanted to stay right here and explore every inch of her with his mouth.
“Zeeland.
”
Reluctantly, he released her and held out his hand. She looked up at him, meeting his gaze with a look of dark passion and deep affection, stealing his heart all over again.
“I should warn you, Sunshine. I’m a jealous man.”
She grinned at him. “No, you’re not.”
He smiled, unable to do otherwise when his heart was near to bursting with pleasure just from the sight of that smile on her face again. “With you, I am. I was about to bust some heads last night even before Jag approached you.”
Her brows lifted. “Why?”
“Because they were all looking at you, wanting you as badly as I did. I could see it in their eyes.”
“I didn’t notice.” Her expression turned warm and serious. “You were the only one I was paying any attention to, Zee.”
“Good.” He kissed her cheek. She was his. Whether she knew it yet, or not. He held out his arm for her and led her down to the main level of the house, then down another open flight of stairs to the basement, which had long ago been finished as an expensively appointed club. Known among the Therians as Club Alex, the room possessed a full mahogany bar, a first-rate sound system and dance floor, two pool tables, and more than a dozen small round tables for the audience to sit and drink and enjoy the entertainment.
Tonight, red and pink hearts hung from the ceiling on accordion streamers that ran from one end of the room to the other. Pop music blasted from the speakers.
And every pair of eyes in the house watched Julianne as she accompanied him down the stairs, every male eye shot through with a mix of raw male appreciation and jealousy.
With a savage smile, he understood. For five years she’d been of age and never once taken any of them to bed. For five years, they’d vied for her attention and failed.
No wonder the sorry suckers were jealous.
His chest swelled with a pride and satisfaction he couldn’t contain. She was his, dammit. She’d always been his.
Always.
Hawke broke away from the crowd and was the first to greet them. He met Zeeland’s gaze with warm approval before turning to Julianne. He bent to give her a quick peck on the cheek.
“You look lovely, Julianne.”
“Thank you, Hawke.” She smiled at the Feral, then turned to grin up at Zeeland, letting him and everyone else know that not even a Feral Warrior could steal her attention from the man at her side.
Grayson slapped him on the back, joining them. “About time you two got together. Nice dress, Squirt.” He winked, earning a feminine roll of turquoise eyes.
“Thanks, Gray.”
At least Grayson didn’t seem to be standing in line to attract Julianne’s attention. Then again, Grayson and Ryland were the only ones who’d known why he left the enclave ten years ago. Both had known how he felt about her.
Perhaps better than he had himself.
He’d figured it out, finally. He just prayed to the goddess, it wasn’t too late.
Chapter Ten
Julianne saw Cambria waving her over, Daniella at her side, like a couple of gossiping schoolgirls. She knew what they wanted, of course. To know what was going on with Zeeland and her.
If only she could figure that out herself.
Zee was acting protective and loving, much as he always had. And very, very interested in her sexually, which was entirely new. But he’d said nothing about staying in Alexandria. Nor anything about her going back to Britain with him.
With a sigh, she knew it no longer really mattered. If things were different, if
she
were different, she’d have being hoping and praying he would someday come to love her as she loved him. That he might even, eventually, wish to bind himself to her, taking her for his mate.
But she wasn’t who they’d thought she was. She wasn’t fully Therian. Her entire life, up until now, had been a lie. And would have to remain a lie.
What kind of life was that? What kind of future?
A future alone. It was the only way.
As long as Melisande never found out that Zeeland knew. If that happened, Julianne wouldn’t have any future at all.
The thought brought her mood crashing to the ground, but she struggled to mask her unhappiness with so many eyes on the two of them. She didn’t have to make any decisions tonight, but now that she had the necklace, the decisions would have to come soon.
Leaving the enclave and those she loved loomed all too large as the only way to save them.
She looked up at Zeeland, wishing things could have been different. He was breathtakingly handsome tonight, in black pants and a matching black turtleneck sweater. Tall, dark, and sexy as hell.