“If it pleases you to think so of yourself,Gregori,that's fine with me. You are arrogant enough for several males; you don't need me to feed you compliments.”

“The bath is ready. You can tell me these rules while we relax in its warmth."Her eyes widened. "We? I don't think so. YOu may be in the habit of bathing with women,but I can assure you, I don't bathe with men.""That eases my mind," he replied dryly, amusement curling in his mind, but the urgency of his need building. "I have never bathed with a woman, Savannah, so the new experience should do us both good.""In your wildest dreams.""There is no need to be shy.We are both of the earth.""Spare me the garbage, Gregori. I'm not going to bathe with you, and that's final.”

“Say it,Gregori," she bit out between clenched teeth. "I need to hear you say it."I am saying it, lifemate. Can you not hear me?”

“What if I can't do this, Gregori?" She sounded close to tears. "What if I can never do this?""No one is making you do anything, ma petite," he replied gently, kissing her stomach. "We are just exploring possibilites.""But,Gregori," she tried to protest, attempting to bring his head back up so that he could see her very real fear for him, for their life together."If I cannot persaude you otherwise, mon amour, I am not much of a lifemate, now am I?" The words were muffled in the tight silky curls, the intriguing little triangle at the apex of her thighs."You don't understand,Gregori." Savannah closed her eyes against the waves of fire racing through her. "It's me who is no real lifemate.I don't know how to please you, and I'm so afraid of this.""Relax,bebe." He breathed warm air against her, inhaled her scent. "You please me far more than you will ever know.”

“The dawn will be upon us in a couple of hours. We need to leave this place.""I won't go with you," she insisted stubbornly."If your pride dictates that you must fight me, you may try to do so." His voice, with its Old World cadence and formality, was almost tender.Her eyes deepened to purple. "Stop giving me your permission! I am Mikhail and Raven's daughter, a Carpathian like yourself and not without my own powers. I have the right to my own choices!""If it pleases you to think so.”

“Why are you so weak, ma petite? This is not acceptable."She waved his concern aside. "Is it acceptable for you to play around with other women?" She didn't stop to think why it infuriated her, but it did. "I've been taking care of myself for five years, Gregori, without your assistance. I don't need you, and I don't want you. And if I do have to have you around, a few rules are going to be followed.”

“How did you find me?""I always know where you are, every moment.Five years ago you said you needed time, and I gave it to you. But I've never left you. I never will." There was a gentle finality to his words, an echo of the resolve in his mind.Savannah's heart lurched. "Don't do this, Gregori. You know how I feel. I've created a new life for myself."His hand,gentle in her hair, sent butterflied rising in her stomach. "You cannot change what you are. You are my lifemate, and it is time for you to come to me.”