The shadows claimed her, and then they were back
in the cave. The cave was deep and cavernous with a gentle waterfall that trickled from the ceiling down rocks into the mineral heated pool which gathered below. There were tiny bubbles and the surface that glistened with the minerals in it. It was more than seven feet in width and depth. The rocks had gold buried deep inside of them that shone bright with the light. She could even see the simmer of gold under the surface of the water. There were several other pockets of small water pools scattered about with rock formed around them for sitting purposes. There were platters of food on a rustic table.
“Why has food been left?”
“My sister Tehdra is aware of my arrival.”
“Oh,” Saieke said softly.
He placed her gently on her feet, clasping her waist from behind. “You are my mate, and it is not something I can undo.”
He patiently waited while she gathered her emotions and thoughts. “What does being your mate mean and why am I your mate?”
“I do not fully understand how is it that you are my mate, as you are not a Darkan and have no beast to connect with mine. We have connected with you psychically and that can only be done with mates.”
She drifted away from him and sank into the heat of the water. She needed its comfort as she prayed that him claiming her as his mate did not mean what she thought it meant.
“It seems as if the connection was formed through the swapping of our blood.”
“You knew this would happen?”
“I did not.” A cold and remote statement. “No Darkan has ever mated with anyone outside of our kind before.”
“Are you sure I am your mate?” She queried tentatively, hoping he might be wrong.
“Your taste and scent calls to me and my beast. And more importantly, my beast wants to protect you above all. It has only ever wanted to consume and destroy.”
She absorbed that silently. “I’m frightened, Drac.”
“It is never my intent to let you fear.”
“What does it mean for me that you say I am your mate?”
Ours slid across her mind like a gentle breeze.
“You are the Princess of Boreas.”
Ours
“Am I changing into a Darkan?”
He lifted his brows. “That is impossible. You are born a Darkan, one cannot be created.”
“How is it that you know? I am seeing in the dark with perfect vision and I can smell your scent. Its driving me crazy and all I can think is that I want you inside me again and drinking my blood…which should be the furthest thing from my mind as I feel I can barely move from all that we did earlier,” she said, flushing.
She did not even startle when he appeared before her.
“I have never heard of anyone in Amagarie consuming the blood of my kind. It was a compulsion that rode me hard for you to taste me. It came from my beast and consumed me.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Legend on Earth claims that humans can be turned into vampyres when bitten by Darkans,” she retorted.
Amusement glowed in his eyes. “Our legends are far removed from what actual Darkans are.”
“Yes, but many truths lie in legends.” She glared at him. “What if that aspect is true? You have only ever taken my blood and you said never before in your history has any Darkan mated outside of their selves.”
“Why are you afraid?”
Saieke bit her lips hard. “I can feel your possessiveness. I intend to return to my kingdom and I am afraid that you will say that I cannot leave as you have claimed me,” she whispered.