Dark Tarot (Dark Carpathians)

Sandu didn’t believe in arguing over important issues such as the life and death of his lifemate. He knew he had to take the time to explain everything to her and get them on the same page as soon as possible. He couldn’t blame her for the mounting suspicion. He had sent her to sleep in the bed, but instead of going to ground to heal his wounds, he had carried her to their waiting plane. She was placed in the bed inside the aircraft’s bedroom.

Caskets lined the floor, locked in place with bars. Each casket was filled with mineral-rich soil. Once they were in the air heading toward their destination, they entered the caskets, first safeguarding the plane, the room, and lastly, each casket. It was the best they could do in order to protect the pilot and themselves from accidents or enemies.

Waking Adalasia, even with the others out of the room and off the plane, wasn’t the best of ideas. He’d hunted already, satisfying his need for blood. The pilot was sleeping. Sandu should have taken her out of the room, where there were no caskets to look at. Instead, those were in plain sight when she sat up, pushing at her long hair, looking drowsy, sexy and way too frightened of him.

Her gaze slid around the room, taking in everything and then settling once more on him. She touched her tongue to her lips. “Are the others still in those caskets? Is that where they sleep? Is that where you slept?”

“No, they aren’t in there. And yes, we sleep in them on the plane. It’s the safest way to travel and stay with the sun blocked out and the soil around us.” He could hear her heartbeat reverberating so loud and fast he feared she would have a heart attack. “Adalasia, slow your heart down.”

Her hand came up. “Don’t tell me what to do. Not right now. I’m going into the bathroom to get dressed. And no, I don’t want you to help me with that. I’ll shower and change myself. I need time away from you to process all this.” She scrambled off the bed and, without looking at him, disappeared into the small bathroom off the master bedroom.

Sandu shook his head and sauntered out into the larger part of the aircraft. His woman was getting set to rebel in a big way. He couldn’t blame her. He would have rebelled as well—done more than rebelled. He needed her to know he would try his best to work things out with her and give her every answer so they could work together from here on out.

He wandered around the plane, knowing when one had lived as he had, it was more than impossible to change what was so deeply ingrained in him. His character traits were set too deep. He was that animal she saw and secretly feared. She tried not to think too much about the demon she saw in him when he battled the master vampire, but it was nearly impossible for her to hide that kind of fear from him.

Sandu sighed. He had known, as did all the ancients that had secreted themselves behind those monastery walls, that their time had long since passed. Most modern women could learn to live with the younger generations, such as the prince. Some of his brethren had gotten lucky in their lifemates. Their matches suited them because of their backgrounds and also the way they were all tied together.

Maybe that was a key component he had yet to explore. Andor’s Lorraine shared more than her lifemate bond, and although she was very modern, she seemed to be able to accept the ancient ways. Julija, lifemate to Isai, was mage-born. Dragomir’s Emeline was different from many of the more modern women, wishing to give Dragomir whatever he wished for. Ferro and Elisabeta had just come together and were working out their relationship gently and carefully. Elisabeta, like Emeline, tended to be very old- world.

Adalasia’s scent filled the small confines of the room, unexpectedly causing Sandu’s body to react almost before his brain. He turned slowly to watch her enter. There was both trepidation and determination on her face. Her gaze swept the large room, taking in both exits before settling on him. He had deliberately dressed casually for her, sweeping his long hair back and securing it with leather cords.

“Good evening. We’re on the Washington border, up in the mountains. Andre Boroi, one of my brethren, settled here with his lifemate, Teagan. The area is fairly remote. Andre found it difficult to live in the city, although he did try for Teagan’s sake. She wanted to live near her grandmother Trixie. They lived in California for a short while, but it was too difficult for him. Teagan was amenable to moving. He is one of the older of our kind.” He kept his voice neutral, giving her facts.