She looked around her and then tilted her face up to his. “Thank you, this was so thoughtful of you. I use the bathtub to relax. Sometimes my mind is very chaotic, trying to piece together puzzles, and I have to shut it down. This is the only way I’ve found to do it.”
He found himself smiling down at her as he reached for the hem of her shirt. “Let me consider other ways that might help you relax. In the meantime, I’d like to wash your hair and give you a massage. It will be a first for me. You’ve given me quite a few already, but this is important to me.”
She let him pull her shirt over her head. Next, she kicked off her shoes and dropped her hands to the cargo pants she was wearing.
“Let me.” He nudged her hands aside gently and found the waistband of the cargo pants.
“You want to undress me?”
It wasn’t exactly a protest, but there was trepidation in her voice.
“Yes. I would like that privilege. I want to savor every single thing about your bath ritual and share it with you. If this is something you love, we will need to incorporate it into our daily life. Just preparing the room and bath for you gave me tremendous and unexpected pleasure. Undressing you would be a gift.”
“But you can take off clothes with just a thought, can’t you?”
“Yes, but I am discovering that your ways have value. This is one of those times when I believe it is important for me to experience every aspect of this ritual, including taking your clothes off. It is a powerful aphrodisiac even thinking about it, let alone doing it.” He made the confession sincerely, hoping she understood she was safe with him. That this meant a great deal to him.
She studied him from under her lashes, her expression thoughtful, and then she nodded slowly. He bent his head to brush a kiss along her temple before he pushed the cargo pants over her hips. His fingerstrailed over her bare skin, lingering. Taking her into his mind, absorbing the way all that soft skin felt under his palm, the pads of his fingers, he knew he would never forget this first time.
He felt the small tremor that went through her as he removed her bra. “You’re safe with me, Sarika. I’m not going to push you any faster than you want to go.”
He led her to the tub and helped her step in. The water was deep and steaming. Because the room was lit with candles, the surface took on a glow, but beneath that layer, there was a purple effect, much like the color of midnight.
Sarika made a small sound of content. “This is heaven.”
He picked up the handheld sprayer, checked the temperature of the water and instructed her to lie back against the wall of the tub. He thoroughly rinsed her hair before pouring a small amount of the shampoo into his hands so he could massage it into her hair.
Tomas allowed himself to read her thoughts. She was relaxed, enjoying herself, eyes closed and hopeful he would massage her scalp. He did so, taking his time, tuning to her every reaction.
“I love this, Tomas, thank you.” She murmured it with her head back, eyes closed, and a feeling of peace stole into the room. “I try not to be afraid of us, but that fear creeps in. I tell myself I’ve made up my mind to be your lifemate, and then something happens, and I want to run. I don’t like that trait in myself, but I can’t seem to stop the behavior.”
His fingers were strong, massaging her scalp, producing the sensations his lifemate needed. “You have to be kinder to yourself, Sarika.” He liked that she felt comfortable enough to tell him how she was feeling. “You’re putting too high a demand on yourself. You expect to learn our ways and accept the way we exchange blood without having the time to process. I think you’re amazing.” He poured his genuine admiration into her mind.
“Do you intend to do another blood exchange with me?”
“I do.” He was truthful with her. She was his lifemate, and onenever deceived one’s lifemate. “It takes three blood exchanges to bring you fully into our world. If you have two and we are attacked and you’re hurt, I would be able to save you by giving you the third exchange.”
She was silent while she contemplated what he said. “I think we are going to be attacked, Tomas. I know none of you feel the threat the way I do, and I don’t blame you for not believing me, but I know in my gut I’m right.”
“I’ve never said I don’t believe you. I am in your mind,sivamet. I can see this worry and feel the growing dread in you. I have searched your mind to find the source of your fears and cannot find it. Have you discovered who or what is going to attack us?”
She kept her eyes closed, enjoying the feel of the warm water as he rinsed her hair. “They will attack the women, not any of you. Or at least, that’s my first guess.”
Tomas’ gut tightened. He felt that the threat to his lifemate was very real. He not only believed her that they would be attacked, but after being in her mind, his warning radar had gone off with equal strength.
“How would that be possible if we are always with you?” Tomas wanted to hear her theory. He knew she had one. She had an intelligent mind. He’d read every letter she wrote to him, and even as a child she had grasped a problem and come up with not only one solution but several. She would have considered how the enemy might try to get to the women and children.
“I’ve given it quite a bit of thought,” she admitted. “If they are going to strike, they must realize they would have to kill all of us in one fast blow. If they missed, the Carpathian males would be on them, and they wouldn’t stand a chance.”
Tomas couldn’t conceive how the enemy would be able to get to the women and children. It just didn’t seem possible. “Dominic and Solange’s home is safeguarded,” he pointed out. “With the threat and all the women gathered in one place, all Carpathian ancients will add to the safeguards. There would be no possibility of getting through those protections.”
“I disagree, Tomas. You’re very used to being so powerful that no one ever really challenges you. It doesn’t always have to be a big thing that is the downfall of the strong. It can be so small one can’t see it.”
She was making sense when he didn’t want her to. He wanted to believe that with so many ancients close by, nothing could ever harm their women—in particular, his lifemate. A part of him wanted to catch her up in his arms and vanish from the forest until all threats had passed.
“You are very sure, Sarika. With each passing minute, you seem to get even more certain.” He made it a statement, not an accusation. She was coming back to herself, that courageous woman who had the self-confidence to face down a jaguar who was both angry and hurt.
“I think I was born at least once before, centuries ago, and it didn’t end well for me.”
