“When Meara was in her sixth month, the Soul Eaters attacked Dunluce. We’d been betrayed by one of our own whose treachery went as far as allowing them entry to the castle, and we were caught completely off guard. The assault began at four in the morning when they used our own cannon against us to destroy the walls, insuring there would be no protection from the sun when it rose. Meara shepherded the women and children to the relative safety of the dungeons. There is no telling how many lives she saved. But she went into labor. It was too early and she was bleeding. I was above, engaged in the fight, pinned down and outnumbered when my blood felt her alarm. By the time I could get to her, it was too late. The newling was gone and she’d hemorrhaged so badly feeding her could not save her.”
“I’m so sorry,” Shayla said. Could she ever replace such a woman?
He turned his face and kissed her hand, still stroking him. “Thank you, but that is not why I told you about her. You asked what I thought of your need to act on behalf of your sister. I understand it, completely.”
His words stole the breath from Shayla’s throat and wrapped themselves around an old, damaged part of her soul. He wasn’t only her dream. He was her dream come true. She threw off the covering of his robe, embraced his big shoulders and climbed into his lap, straddling him. She swallowed his groan as her center ground against his cock, already waking under her. The kiss was intense and sensual, full of compassion and shared grief and understanding.
Kael pulled back and rested his forehead against the bridge of her nose. Then he met her gaze again. “You must understand, though, my dearest heart,” he began in a strained voice. “I could never expose you to the kind of danger that took Meara from me. My intention would never be to stifle your dreams or impose my will as if…”
She lifted an eyebrow. “As if you were my king?”
One side of his full lips quirked up. “Is it wrong that I like the sound of that?”
The heat of a blush warmed Shayla’s cheeks. Truth be told, she did, too. “No, as long as you don’t think it’s going to get you your way in everything.”
“Sometimes, though?” His fingers made slow, teasing drags up and down her spine, igniting delicious shivers and chills.
She grinned. “Maybe.”
“Maybe.” He threw his head back and laughed. His expression grew serious again. “I only mean to say, I understand your need, Shayla, but I could never tolerate you out there…exposed…fighting.” He grimaced at the words. “My warriors are many, strong, well-trained. They will fight for you. As will I.”
His words were a promise, fierce and true and utterly male. She knew he was right about the fighting, but her heart ached at the idea there wasn’t something she could do. “I know, but, isn’t there anything, anything at all—“
“Of course there is.” He crushed a lingering kiss against her mouth. “You can stand by me, and give me the strength to face the fight. You can advise me—I’ll never hide from you the difficulties we face. You can facilitate our relationship with the Electorate Council, and secure the alliance between vampires and humans. You can feed me, and make me strong. You can feed me, so, in turn, my warriors will feed more frequently, as they must, as they should’ve been doing all along. You can bear our children, and bring new warriors into the fight.”
So much passion imbued his words they brought tears to Shayla’s eyes. He made her believe she really could make a difference. For Dana. For herself. For him. “Oh, Kael.”
“And, another thing, I spoke with Simon while you were asleep. I wanted to assure him of your well-being, well, after earlier.” The lightest of blushes colored his cheeks. He shook his head. “I have learned you are quite a scholar, Shayla, of the history, culture, and languages of the British Isles, of the Celtic people in particular.”
She was almost embarrassed at the pride filling his voice. She hugged herself and nodded. “Yes. Though, how would mating impact my ability to finish my degree? Would I have to give it up?” The thought made her stomach flip-flop. On the one hand, he personally embodied the very history and culture that had fascinated her all these years. On the other, her twenty-first-century mindset balked at giving up her education and career to marry and have babies. Not that she didn’t want those things, for she truly did. And Kael’s words only bolstered that desire.
“Simon suggested the reminder of your studies might be doable through telecourses. We have archival collections and rare books here you could use for your research. Maybe you could even impose some order on our library, insure the records of my people are known among us and well preserved. And—” he twisted his lips and looked down “—we could send security along with you on any trips you might have to make to complete your degree.”