Total pages in book: 131
Estimated words: 118860 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 594(@200wpm)___ 475(@250wpm)___ 396(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118860 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 594(@200wpm)___ 475(@250wpm)___ 396(@300wpm)
Luiz sent him a sardonic look. “What I understand is you’re stalling to allow Mataias to get here.”
Lojos gave him a slight bow, acknowledging his statement was true. When he did so, fog rolled in and out of the porch, leaving behind a tall, broad-shouldered man with unusual-colored eyes. They were a metallic green and seemed to change color when different light hit them. He had a web of scars down his face and arm from what she could see. This was definitely not Mataias. This man looked every bit as intimidating as the others.
The tremors began all over again. Now her head felt as if it were being squeezed in a vise. There were too many men surrounding her, and all of them appeared menacing.
“I am Dominic Dragonseeker,” he announced, his gentle gaze on her face, taking in every detail, including her shaking hands. “I’m Solange’s lifemate. Jasmine told us what you did for her and our Sandrine. We will never be able to repay you.”
He looked menacing, felt that way, but he sounded completely different. She tried a tentative smile but feared she looked as freaked out as she felt. “I’m Sarika Silva.”
“My cousin,” Luiz said.
“My lifemate.” Tomas was equally as firm.
Dominic raised his eyebrow and glanced toward Luiz for an explanation of the standoff.
“I gave her my word of safe passage. She wishes to return home.”
Before Dominic could reply, Tomas did. “There can be no interference between lifemates. That is a sacred rule. If broken, it carries a death sentence.”
Luiz didn’t so much as blink. His expression didn’t change, but Sarika could see a flame building in his eyes. This was bad. Very bad. She sat there like the mouse she was beginning to think herself, her mind numb. Her fear amounted to terror. These men were predators. Every one of them lethal. She didn’t understand how her innocent visit, the visit she had planned for years, had turned into a battlefield. Especially since she didn’t understand exactly what was happening.
“I have my honor to consider,” Luiz said. “Sarika is my only family, and I’m entrusted with her safety.”
“No longer.” Tomas didn’t give an inch. “She is my lifemate.”
“He is correct, Luiz,” Dominic said. “Perhaps one of the women will talk with Sarika and explain things.”
“He has not claimed her, Dominic,” Luiz said. “She wishes to leave.”
“If that is all that you require, I will do so now,” Tomas said, his voice with quiet menace but so firm she had no doubt he meant what he said. She didn’t know what claiming was, but it was very clear that once he accomplished that task, she would be worse off than she was now.
She looked up at him. “Don’t.” Her voice was pitched very low, hopefully for him alone, but she knew the others heard. It wasn’t a firm command, the way she wanted it to come out; she was too scared. She was unable to keep her voice from pleading with him. In front of all of them, she was terribly humiliated that she couldn’t sound stronger.
Tomas’ eyes, a storm of vicious rage, turned soft. He curled his fingers around the nape of her neck and bent at the waist until his mouth was against her ear. “We do not want a war started here.”
“There doesn’t have to be a war, does there?” Looking at him made her feel as if she were drowning.
“Not when we can prevent it.”
Lojos moved very subtly, but the moment he shifted positions, moving away from her and Tomas, putting several feet between them, all eyes jumped to him. Mataias emerged next, his slashing gaze taking in her, his brothers, and then Luiz and Dominic.
Like the others, he addressed her first, giving her that elegant, courtly bow. “Sisarke, it is an honor to make your acquaintance. I am Mataias.” He didn’t wait for her reaction but immediately turned his attention toward Luiz and Dominic. “Gentlemen. Is there a problem here? Tomas’ lifemate is radiating fear so strong that I felt it miles from here. Between here and where I was, the forest is in an uproar.”
“She doesn’t want to be claimed,” Luiz said. “She wants to go home.”
Sarika knew instantly that the triplets exchanged a private conversation in seconds. Without warning, there was the brush against her mind, a light touch, but she knew someone was invading, and it wasn’t Tomas.
Mataias and Dominic exchanged a look, and she knew immediately both had invaded her privacy. That was so unfair. She detested that they could do that so casually, without giving a thought to whether she wanted to give them permission or not. These were beings far too powerful for their own good. Power corrupted; everyone knew that. She didn’t even bother to glare at them. What was the use?
“She is merely fearful,” Dominic said to Luiz. “Under the circumstances, that would be acceptable and normal. She knows little of our species and nothing about lifemates. I believe having one of the women come here and speak with her will take care of the problem.”