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)
Sarika didn’t want to talk to one of their women; she wanted to demand Luiz take her home. Get her out of there to somewhere safe, where no jaguar shifter and no Carpathian male could ever get to her.
She looked at her cousin. Reached for him, mind to mind. I want to go home. You promised me.
Luiz’s gaze flickered over her. She felt the conflict in him, but she wasn’t going to relent. She needed out of the situation, and the only way out was through her cousin.
You are truly his lifemate, Sarika. He is telling the truth.
I am not Carpathian. I will fight this every step of the way. I counted on you to keep me safe. You can’t just give me to him like I’m some toy you can pass around.
He didn’t like that at all. He actually winced. His reaction wasn’t outward, but she felt him; she was so tuned to him.
That isn’t how it works, Sarika, Luiz told her cautiously. You are putting me in a terrible position. We would have to fight our way out of here.
I didn’t put us in this position. She was absolutely certain of that. When dreaming of this place and meeting her cousin, her only living relative, she had never once conceived of a catastrophe such as what had taken place.
Tomas’ shadow suddenly engulfed her, and then he was towering over her. “You will not speak with your cousin mind to mind when you refuse to do so with your lifemate.”
“Choices,” Lojos said, his voice very gentle. “Isn’t that your belief, brother?”
“Sun scorch that idiocy,” Tomas bit out. He reached down and caught a fistful of Sarika’s red-gold hair. “Eyes to mine.”
It was a command, the kind she found infuriating, but she couldn’t stop herself from obeying. The moment their eyes met, she saw the terrible storm building there.
“Te avio päläfertiilam. You are my lifemate.”
She tried to shake her head in denial, because as far as she was concerned, she wasn’t. His fist tightened in her hair, preventing movement.
“Éntölam kuulua, avio päläfertiilam. I claim you as my lifemate.”
Not one man moved. Around them, the forest animals fell silent, as if they knew something huge was taking place. Her heart began to pound so hard her chest hurt.
“Ted kuuluak, kacad, kojed. I belong to you. Élidamet andam. I offer my life for you.”
His gaze didn’t waver from hers. Those brilliant, slashing eyes held her captive. Revealed too much. His stark, raw passion. His total commitment to the path he had taken.
“Pesämet andam. I give you my protection.”
She put up her hand to stop him, so afraid of the way he was making her feel inside, as if a million tiny threads bound them together. Strong threads. Unbreakable. “Luiz can protect me.” That was a plea if she ever heard one. She wanted to break eye contact and look at her cousin, but she was helpless to do anything but stare into his eyes. It was a little like being mesmerized by a cobra. Lethal. Frightening. Shocking. But she was frozen to the spot.
“Uskolfertiilamet andam. I give you my allegiance. Sívamet andam. I give you my heart. Sielamet andam. I give you my soul.”
With his free hand, he captured her outstretched palm, pressing it against his chest, right over his heart. His fingers began to move in slow caresses over the back of her hand, right over her bare skin. That was soothing. Gentle. So at odds with the raging storm in his eyes.
“Ainamet andam. I give you my body. Sívamet kuuluak kaik että a ted. I take into my keeping the same that is yours.”
At his declaration, she shook her head, horrified that he thought she would share her body with a man who was a stranger. Letters be damned. She didn’t care how gorgeous she found him or if their attraction was off the charts; she wasn’t going to just give herself to him.
“Ainaak olenszal sívambin. Your life will be cherished by me for all time. Te élidet ainaak pide minan. Your life will be placed above mine for all time. Te avio päläfertiilam. You are my lifemate.”
Sarika had been paying attention to the declarations as he uttered each one. The effect on her body was more frightening than anything she had ever experienced. She had a mad desire to jerk away from him and leap over the railing, taking her chances in the forest. There were too many men between her and the railing, and she knew it would be humiliating if she made a break for it and didn’t make it.
His thumb, stroking back and forth on her skin, left a trail of heat that seemed to just get hotter as the blood first rushed through her veins and then pooled low.
“Ainaak sívamet jutta oleny. You are bound to me for all eternity.”