Swallowing hard, never taking her eyes from the monstrous red eyes peering down at her with so much malevolence, she eased her death grip on the ice axe, transferring her weight to one arm. She’d climbed since she was practically a toddler and had the body strength, but it was cold and she was losing strength. She kept her movements slow, not wanting to trigger an attack. Her fingers closed around the hilt of her knife secured in her belt. She eased it out slowly.
Arms caged her against a hard chest and Traian’s scent filled her lungs.
I’ve got you,
he whispered in her mind.
Power snapped and crackled as the energy built around her. Relief made her sag against him. There was no controlling the terrible trembling that started. Flames burst from Traian’s hand, a fiery ball that blasted straight down the creature’s throat. It screamed, a loud, long, drawn-out piercing cry that shattered icicles. A volcano of parasites burst from it, on fire, falling like ash around them.
Joie buried her face in Traian’s chest. “They’re in my hair.”
“Ssh, I’ll get them off of you,” he soothed, his voice gentle. “Your helmet prevented them from getting into your scalp.”
She felt the soft warm air he used to rid her of the debris that had rained down on her. The thought of the tiny maggots crawling over her skin was worse than the sensations of the thousands of crickets moving over her in the ice chute. She forced air through her lungs and made herself reach out to retrieve her ice axe.
“Are you hurt? Any bites? Did those parasites get under your skin?”
She shook her head, clinging to his strength, not bothering to pretend the encounter hadn’t shaken her. He moved quickly through the air, so fast the cold air bit at her face, numbed her arms and tore tears from her eyes. Joie buried her face against his chest again and pushed her body tightly against the unnatural warmth of his, allowing herself a few moments to recover before she faced her siblings.
“You are teaching me the meaning of fear,” he said.
“Really? I thought it was the other way around. I don’t think your world is the calm environment a woman like me should be in.” Her voice shook, embarrassing her. “Frankly, Traian, this is a very terrifying place. And I’m not known for finding environments or situations terrifying. I don’t want Gabrielle and Jubal to see me like this. And it’s a little humiliating that you are.”
“Having courage does not mean being unafraid.”
“True, but everyone doesn’t have to know I was shaking in my boots. Literally.”
“I am not everyone. I am your lifemate, the other half of your soul. We do not hide things from one another. I need to know how you are feeling or if you are injured in any way.”
“I have no idea what that means. Nor do I have any idea of this kind of existence. What was that thing?” She shuddered again. “I’ve been in caves all around the world and I’ve never encountered anything like we’re finding here.”
“I have no idea what it was. I have never seen one before either. I was on my way to my homeland when I encountered the packs of vampires. That was unusual enough that I needed to learn more about them. Unfortunately, there were more of them than me and with three master vampires, I ran into Armageddon. Masters are very old and very experienced. They use newer vampires to hunt for them and to weaken prey before they move in for the kill.”
“I don’t like the sound of the word ‘prey.’ ” Another shudder went through her. “We’re going so fast, I would have thought we’d cross over the crevice fast.”
“We discovered traps all along the strip leading into a tunnel. I had to take them further into the mountain. We’re going to enter it soon and it is very narrow. Getting your brother through it was difficult.”
“I’ll bet.” She took a cautious look around. The bridge appeared more fragile than ever with a deep drop off on either side. The ice appeared solid enough on either side of the bridge, but she could see a hole about five feet in. She drew in her breath. “You tried to set them down there to come after me.”
“Yes, your brother went through. I caught his arm and jerked him back. The ice only looks thick. It is an illusion as is much of the ice bridge.”
Joie shook her head. “This cave system is one huge death trap.”
Traian paused outside the entrance to the tunnel, hovering just above the cap of ice. He touched her face with gentle fingers. “I cannot believe you came to find me. I still have a difficult time believing you are real and not an illusion,” he said softly. His lips moved against her cheek, a brush lighter than a butterfly wing, yet she felt it all the way to her toes. That small caress sent blood rushing through her veins, her heart leaping; his touch warmed her as nothing else could.
Joie closed her eyes for a moment, savoring his touch. “I have no idea what’s going on between us, but I feel it too. I just having a difficult time believing that any of this is real,” she admitted. “And what’s up with the wolf? Telepathy, okay, I can accept that. Even your strange little blood fetish, but don’t you think changing into animals and flying through the air might be going a little too far?” She knew she was being flippant, but she did think maybe she was bordering on crazy just a little bit. She felt caught in a horror story.
His arms tightened possessively. “You do not enjoy flying?”
“I don’t enjoy anything when I’m not in complete control.”
His arm was curved around her, pressed against the underside of her breasts. “You will not be in complete control when I make love to you, Joie,” he told her softly.
She closed her eyes at the velvet sound of his voice. Danger surrounded them. Her family was close. It didn’t seem to matter. She was so aware of him, her body ached with need. With hunger. With absolute longing. She felt edgy and hot; a terrible pressure building inside her.
I feel the same way.
She often spoke with her brother and sister using telepathy, a secret they all shared, but this was different. So much more. An intimacy that whispered of erotic nights and appetites that would never be sated.
Why? Why with you?
I am your other half. We belong together. I have searched the world for you. Waited lifetimes for you.
Joie tightened her grip on his shirt, burrowed closer to his heart. She was a woman who knew herself well. An adrenaline junkie. A feminist. A believer in justice. She loved her life. Traveling from country to country. One assignment after another taking her into danger. Her recreation time was spent caving, white-water rafting, or skydiving. She was not a woman who wanted or needed a man. She was not a woman who clung to a man and yet already, she couldn’t imagine herself without him.
Joie looked up at Traian, the light from her helmet shining on his face. He had changed her very existence for all time. “I’m not altogether certain I approve of you.”
Laughter rumbled in his throat. “Fortunately, your approval is not strictly necessary. Lifemates simply are. We have no choice in the matter. We are like two magnets that cannot be torn apart.”
“Great. I don’t know a thing about you except I can’t exactly bring you home to my mother and father. My family is very close, by the way.”
“I had not noticed that at all,” Traian said with drawling amusement.
He took her into the narrow opening leading to the left. He was staying with his initial plan, choosing to go left to find a way out.
“You can bring me home to your parents.” He said it softly, honestly, as he followed Jubal and Gabrielle through a narrow hail. “I would never embarrass you, or frighten them. I want to meet them. Anyone important to you is important to me.”
Joie tried to prevent her heart from going crazy. She was no young girl, but a fully grown woman. A man shouldn’t have such an effect on her, yet he did. There was honesty in his voice. A simple sincerity that shook her. She knew nothing about him, not even what he really was, yet she knew everything. She knew what kind of man he was. The knowledge was instinctive, the one thing she was certain of.
“Where is your family?” she asked.
“I have only my people. My prince.” His eyes were a deep black in the soft glow of the helmet lights. “You are now my family. Your brother and sister have become my family.” He arched an eyebrow at her. “And we have only just met. A very strange concept for you, but completely natural to me. Lifemates are two people who meet and need to be together, two halves of the same whole—married in your world—but more. Finding a lifemate is what every Carpathian male dreams of and longs for and fights to keep our world together for, yet few of us ever gain such a treasure. I never thought to experience such an earth-shattering event.”
“Are you disappointed that I’m not what you thought I’d be?”
Traian looked down at her. “You do not yet understand the concept of lifemates. I am surprised and even shocked by the idea of a human lifemate, but I could never be disappointed with you. We were made for one another. We complete one another. You are fascinating to me. You always will be.”
Joie liked the sound of it. She couldn’t imagine ever growing tired of Traian. She needed to climb and find new places to explore. It was as much a part of her as breathing. She needed a man who would welcome challenges. Traian had already proven he was more than up for the task.
The narrow opening widened, spilling into a chamber that clearly widened into another gallery. Jubal and Gabrielle stood close to one another, their faces anxious as they waited for Joie. Traian put her carefully on firm ground. Jubal and Gabrielle rushed to her, flinging their arms around her and hugging her close.
“What the hell happened?” Jubal demanded. “I knew something was wrong when we were trying to find a safe opening. Traian nearly went as ballistic as a man like him can go.”
“But he wouldn’t say anything,” Gabrielle added, sending a look of reprimand at the Carpathian.
Jubal ran his hands over his sister. “Are you hurt?”
Joie shook her head. “There was a very disgusting creature with teeth, venom, and parasitic worms,” she looked at her sister, “they looked like maggots, but worse.”
Gabrielle looked more intrigued than scared. “Did you get me a sample?”
“I didn’t think of it, sorry,” Joie said. Now that she was away from the creature, she couldn’t believe she hadn’t collected a sample of the worm. They all carried containers for just that purpose. Gabrielle came with them for the express purpose of collecting specimens more than because she loved climbing or caving. Joie hated disappointing her after all that had happened. “I should have . . .”
Gabrielle laughed unexpectedly, the sound almost shocking in the cavern. “Don’t be silly. I would have run for my life. I’m just glad you’re safe.”
“We are not safe yet,” Traian reminded. They were all shivering and didn’t seem to notice, but even with his help and their good ice-climbing clothing, the temperature was getting to them. “We have to keep moving.”
Joie immediately sat down to put her crampons on her boots. She wasn’t going to take any more chances without them. “Let’s find a way out of here,” she said, standing.
“Wait, Traian,” Jubal objected. “We found something—something really important. You said those vampires were hunting something. You have to take a look at this. We’ve never seen anything like it.”
Traian caught Joie’s hand as they followed her siblings through the chamber into the open gallery. She felt a little silly holding hands—she’d never really done it, not even in high school, but there was something warm and comforting, something extraordinary about being close to Traian.
The chamber opened into a high-ceilinged gallery and someone—or something—had carved out rooms and alcoves. Sconces adorned the walls, very high up, and they had no idea how to turn them on, or even if they worked. Joie frowned and looked up at Traian hoping she might find answers to how there could possibly be an ice cave occupied by someone. It had taken time to carve the great columns of ice and all the recesses.
Jubal turned toward a shallow alcove in the wall, directing his headlamp onto the ice. There was a sudden silence as all of them caught their breath. The creature encased in ice was large, an enormous beast with scales covering its body, a wedge-shaped head, a serpentine neck, and a long tail ending in a sharp spike. The wings were folded in close along the body. It had sharp claws for rending and tearing. One eye was wide open and staring at them through the more than ten-feet-thick wall of ice. The ice was so thick, the creature was somewhat distorted.
Joie let her breath out slowly. “That’s no dinosaur.”
“It has to be,” Gabrielle said. “It can’t be a dragon. Don’t tell me it’s a dragon.” She looked to Traian for answers. “Please tell me it’s possible that the air is bad down here and we’re all having a mass hallucination. That there aren’t vampires. You can’t change your shape, and there aren’t dragons.”
“I wish I could, Gabrielle,” Traian replied gently.
She shook her head and touched the ice with a gloved hand. “It is truly beautiful. No one will ever believe us either.”
“Is it real, Traian?” Jubal asked. There was awe, even reverence, in his voice.
“Yes. It is real. I had no idea it was down here.” Traian approached the ice wall, his gaze moving over the large dragon. Like Gabrielle, he put his hand on the wall, but there was something much more intimate, more than awe, more than reverence, a kind of loving tribute. “I have not seen a dragon in hundreds of years.”
Gabrielle gasped and stepped away from him, moving closer to Jubal as if for protection. They exchanged a long look, but Traian didn’t seem to notice. Joie couldn’t take her eyes from the rapt look on his face.
“Do you think this is what the vampires are looking for?” Joie asked.
Traian shook his head. “They have no interest in the remains of a dragon. But this is definitely a cave the mages use or used to use. I suspected as much. It could be a gold mine of information for our people. Mages have incredible power and knowledge. They probably are the ones to capture and ultimately kill and preserve this dragon. As a rule, dragon-kind destroyed all evidence of their existence.”