“Of course I will be dictating to you, Savannah. But please do not worry. I can assure you, I am quite good at it.”

“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.”

“What plan of action? What can be done? We can't fight the whole society.""I was thinking we could use you as bait and draw them into a trap," Gregori said, straight-faced.Gary's eyes widened in alarm. "I'm not sure I like that plan.Sounds a little risky to me." He looked at Savannah for support.Gregori shrugged his broad shoulders in a casual shrug. "I do not see a risk."Savannah's small clenched fist thumped his stomach in retaliation. Gregori glanced down at her with surprise. "Is this when I am supposed to say ouch?"Savannah and Gary exchanged a long, mournful groan. "Why did I want him to have a sense of humor?" she wondered.Gary shook his head. "Don't be asking me. You created the monster.”

“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.”

“I know what I am, Savannah, a monster such as the human world cannot conceive. But I have always had honor, integrity, and a talent for healing. I can make you two promises. I will never have untruth between us, and I will protect you with my life. I have said I will not take what is mine this night. We have time to calm your fears.”

“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.”

“Welcome to my world,Gary." Savannah was flashing a mischievous smile. "He considers you family and under his protection now, so he's bound to be impossibly bossy."Gary groaned. "I didn't consider that. Damn. You're right.He can't help himself;it's his nature.""Do not start,you two. I did not think what it would be like to have the two of you driving me insane." Gregori sounded disgusted, but Gary was beginning to understand him a little. He never really changed expression, and his eyes gave nothing away, but Gary could almost feel Gregori's silent laughter."You do have a sense of humor," he accused him."Well,do not blame me.It is Savannah's fault.She insists on it," Gregori replied in disgust. "Let us go and get you something decent to eat.""Am I going to crave blood, raw steak, that kind of thing?" Gary asked, straight-faced."Well,actually..." Savannah started."I do not have rabies." Gregori silenced her with a look. "I am not contagious.""All the books say if you drink my blood, I get to drink your bloodd, and them I'm like you." Gary sounded slightly disappointed."Some people grow bat wings," Savannah admitted, her teeth tugging at her lower lip. "That's where Batman came from. And capes,all those swirling capes. A regular epidemic. It's from our blood, a kind of allergic reaction. Don't worry,you would be showing signs already if you were one of those with a problem.""Is she always like this?" Gary aksed Gregori."She gets worse," Gregori said truthfully.”