Page 9 of Dark Hope (Dark Carpathians #38)
Chapter 9
Silke tried not to stare at the Carpathian she was certain was her lifemate. He was intimidating. Terrifying. The scariest man she’d ever seen. She was exhausted, her body feeling like a limp dishrag. She knew these men, ancients, all five of them, had been programmed to kill her. They had come unseen into her community and spied on her. Had their original intention been to kill her? To use the villagers for their food and then devastate the population when the five turned vampire?
She wanted to be away from them until she was at full strength. At least she had managed to leave the Bootsma home and lead the men away from the village. She had no recourse but to use her own home for the confrontation. She’d sent Tora ahead to remove Fenja from the house, but Fenja had refused to go. Her mother sat quietly in the most comfortable chair in the sitting room. A shotgun leaned against the coffee table within easy reach, and a multitude of weapons were hidden in the chair.
“I am Benedek Kovak,” the scariest-looking man introduced himself. “This is Nicu Dalca and Tomas, Lojos and Mataias Smolnycki.”
Silke briefly closed her eyes against the sudden drop of her heart. She had known all along he was the stranger coming to claim her. There was a pull between them. A strong one. She hadn’t expected that. She found him physically attractive. She hadn’t expected that, either. Still, for all the attraction, she was distrustful of him and the others.
“I’m Silke Reinders, and this is my mother, Fenja. Tora is my friend.” She indicated both women. Tora, like Silke, was suspicious of the ancients. Silke had immediately shared with her what she’d found in the demons’ origins.
Silke kept her tone noncommittal. She wasn’t about to start a war in her own home with her mother right there. Annoyed that she could go into battle and keep her heart from elevating, but she couldn’t sit in the room with her potential husband without her pulse racing. That made no sense. She feared all of them could hear her heart accelerating. She knew from experience that a heart beating too fast made her prey. She shifted in her chair, her weapons at her fingertips.
“You must be wondering why we didn’t come to you the moment we arrived,” Mataias said.
“Thank you, slayer, for removing the demons from us,” Nicu added. “We had to fight the compulsion and were unable to feed on our own for fear of giving in to it. It’s been difficult.”
Lojos nodded in agreement. “We’re ancients, and in our world, we no longer even hear whispers of temptation, yet these parasites managed to infect us. We kept ourselves away from anyone we could harm. I add my thanks to Nicu’s.”
“And mine,” Tomas said. “We were attacked numerous times on the way here. As you must be aware, we hunt vampires and have throughout the centuries. We push parasites from our bodies all the time. This time, one remained, but none of us could locate it.”
“Because it was demon, not parasite,” Silke said. The demons had seemed very much at home in the four men chosen as hosts. She didn’t add that, but Benedek’s cool obsidian eyes jumped to her face, drifted over her almost possessively and then came back to look her straight in the eye.
More so in me than the others. Benedek pushed the words into her brain, confirming he was merged with her.
Silke shivered and rubbed her hands up and down her arms, uncaring if she gave away the fact that she was afraid of him. She lifted her chin, forcing her gaze to remain on his. Yes, it isn’t the same as the demons from the underworld. There is no taint, but there is something in you that is more than Carpathian.
She wasn’t judgmental. Fenja had made certain of that. There was no room for ego or judgment as a slayer. But she was fearful, not trusting any of them, especially the man who would claim her if she allowed it. She had no intention of allowing it. He was in her mind, just as she was in his. He could see that she had made up her mind they weren’t a good match.
You haven’t taken the time to know me.
Deliberately she raised an eyebrow. Do you want me to believe you aren’t more than a Carpathian ancient? You are well on your way to being the very thing Tora keeps behind the gate for the safety of all of mankind. Even Lilith fears what is kept prisoner behind the gates.
Tora continued a conversation with the other Carpathians. Fenja remained a silent observer. Silke had never known her mother to sit quietly when they had guests. She was a perfect hostess, always ensuring the comfort of visitors. It was disconcerting to have her be so quiet. She had her attention on Benedek, just as Silke did.
This man was the potential husband of Fenja’s daughter. The others were his friends. Fenja had always told Silke one could learn a lot about people just by seeing who their friends were. Supposedly, these ancients had traveled across foreign lands to aid them in the upcoming battle with Lilith’s army. It wasn’t as if they hadn’t suffered their own trials en route. Silke could feel, despite the expressionless masks, that the journey had been difficult. They didn’t seem to acknowledge how hard, not to each other and not to themselves. But she felt it for them.
Benedek sent her the faintest of smiles. Nothing showed on his face. Not with those chiseled lips or in the coldness of his eyes. It was in his mind, which made that small smile entirely too intimate. A little shiver of awareness crept down her spine.
Lilith is right to fear what is behind the gates. A Carpathian named Justice. He is considered legendary among our people. But he is no longer Carpathian. He has become far too powerful for any hunter to bring down should he escape.
The way those eyes of his stared into hers. No blinking. A steady focus as if he only saw her. She knew that wasn’t so. This was a man who saw everything. Nothing escaped him…
That isn’t the truth, he objected, proving he could easily read her thoughts . I didn’t find that tiny demon, nor did any of the others. You did.
She couldn’t keep talking to him so intimately. It was connecting them somehow, and she didn’t want any connection between them. They weren’t compatible.
“The times Tora and I fought a vampire, they always injected these horrid little parasites into us wherever we were wounded.” She gave him the information aloud rather than continuing to speak to him telepathically. “You were searching for parasites, not a demon bred just for the purpose of turning hunters vampire.”
“And killing slayers,” Benedek pointed out.
His voice was different. Very, very low and raspy. His harsh features hadn’t changed expression, but she felt waves of disapproval rolling off him. His focused gaze moved over her face again in a long, slow inspection. Again, that shiver of awareness crept down her spine. Icy fingers seemed to be gripping her. He moved in her mind.
Startled, she gave up every pretense of being relaxed and calm. What are you doing? What are you looking for?
Your encounters with vampires. You are the demon slayer, not a hunter.
Again, he sounded very calm, very matter-of-fact, but he didn’t feel that way to her. She felt threatened. Hunted. Judged.
She lifted her chin at him. She knew her eyes had gone stormy. She had never been able to control the change in color when her temper flared. That was a dead giveaway, but then if he was in her mind, he would know she was not in the least happy with him.
It is not necessary to be happy with me when I am seeing to your safety.
She lifted an eyebrow at him. She really wanted him out of her head. His voice was far too intimate the way it seemed to brush along the walls of her mind. Like everyone, she had her secrets. Mostly emotions she kept hidden. He was the last person she wanted to share her confidences with.
I am the only one you should share important emotions with. Or your dreams. You are my lifemate.
Again, so matter-of-fact. He could have sounded arrogant, but his tone wasn’t pitched that way. It was more as if their being together was a foregone conclusion.
About the lifemate business. I’m quite willing to hand over your soul and leave it at that.
It had to be said. He needed to realize that she had no intention of becoming his wife. Again, he gave her the faintest of smiles in his mind. No expression showed on his hard features. A glint of shine appeared in his obsidian eyes as if that rock were highly polished.
You have no idea how it works?
She didn’t. Not really. She should have learned as much as she could, but she’d swept the knowledge that somewhere out in the world was a man who had a claim on her far from her mind. Again, she lifted her chin. I had other, more important things to worry about. As long as I kept you safe, that was what mattered. No one, demon, vampire or Lilith, was going to take your soul from me. I knew it would be intact when you came to claim it.
Those unblinking eyes stayed fixed on hers. You have half of a soul. I have the other half. It is one soul, not two.
Exactly. Tell me how to return it to you and we’ll be golden.
He knew things she didn’t. She should be rude, the way he was, and examine his memories. She might learn what was hidden from her. She had the feeling pieces of the puzzle were missing and she desperately needed them.
“We’ll leave you two to get acquainted,” Nicu said, rising. He made a small courteous bow toward Fenja. “Thank you for allowing us into your home. And once again, Silke, we appreciate your removing the demons.”
Tora waited for the four Carpathian hunters to get to the door before she spoke. “No one has given an explanation for not simply coming to us and introducing yourselves.” It was a challenge. She leveled her gaze at Benedek when she made the statement.
The triplets exchanged a brief look, shot Benedek a quick grin and sauntered out. Nicu shook his head. “Would love to stay and help you, but I think you’ve got this.” He followed the triplets.
I am going to follow them and see what they’re up to , Tora said. Aloud she added, “I have an appointment. Will catch up with you later.” Lifting a hand, she went out the door.
Benedek didn’t seem in the least intimidated by the two women. If anything, he looked more comfortable than Silke felt. He was a big man. All muscle. It was the quiet way he held himself. Watchful. Observing everything. Missing nothing. She was certain if she asked him to close his eyes and describe the room, he could do so in perfect detail.
It was Fenja who broke the silence. “You didn’t introduce yourself to my daughter on your arrival?” Her voice was soft. No reprimand. No judgment. Just a willingness to listen to his explanation.
Benedek inclined his head respectfully. “With the exception of Mataias, we were compromised, ma’am. We were fighting inclinations we hadn’t felt in centuries. We know a war is coming, and to win it, we must be here for all of you to have a chance.”
He ignored the slight shake of Silke’s head and the way she shifted her body uncomfortably in the chair, but she knew he took in the signs of dissension.
“On the other hand, because we had been compromised and a dark temptation was on us all with the exception of Mataias, we deemed it better to stay away from the village until we knew we had driven out the parasites causing the compulsive urges.”
Silke couldn’t take her eyes off him. He was…extraordinary. She could see the warrior in him. The predator. The killer. He was definitely top of the food chain. This was a dangerous man, and Fenja and she were trapped inside a home with him. She had always been the one in authority, even when she was very young. She’d been born with the knowledge of her ancestors imprinted on her. She also was very aware she was extremely intelligent and her mind solved puzzles at a rapid rate. Silke was determined to be honest with herself. Did she reject the relationship with him because she knew he would always be the leader? It would never be a true partnership.
And then there was the romance. She was physically attracted to him. Who wouldn’t be? A woman would have to be dead not to want to be with him. It wasn’t that he was gorgeous in the sense of handsome. He had too many angles and planes, a little too much ice and stone in his eyes and too much cruelty around his mouth.
He had scars, one particularly intriguing one that wrapped around his throat as if, in the past, his throat had been cut. She couldn’t imagine anyone getting that close to do that much damage. The scars only enhanced his dangerous looks. Just looking at him brought every nerve ending in her body alive.
Silke didn’t trust her physical reaction to him. It was out of character for her. She was never going to be the kind of woman who would hold his attention. Not ever. She didn’t know the first thing about men in that sense. Even if she tried to please him, she had no doubt that throughout his long life, he’d had many women who were excellent lovers. There would always be a comparison.
She threaded her fingers together and placed her hands carefully in her lap to keep from giving away the fact that she was trembling. She wanted a home and family. Children. She’d come to that realization and even confessed it to Fenja. Now she knew it was an empty dream. This man was supposed to be her fate. Her destiny. A walking legend among his people. He was supposed to be her husband, the father of her children. Fate had played a very ugly joke on her. She knew if she missed this chance, she would never have another one, and she would have to pass on him. She didn’t have a choice.
She was too young for him, and that wasn’t because of age. It was because she would never catch up to him. She knew herself. She would knock herself out to take care of him. To give him everything he needed. She’d be in the exact same position she’d been in all her life. But there would never be safety. She’d always be lonely, but it would be worse because he would be there but not. It was far better for her sanity and peace of mind to stay to herself.
She glanced at her mother. Fenja had precognition, whether she wanted to admit it or not. She knew. It was there on her face when she looked from Benedek to Silke. If she wanted grandchildren, the man sitting across from them, looking like a lethal weapon, was her only hope.
“I understand why you wouldn’t want to be around the villagers, but why would you come unseen to our home and then follow Silke to the Bootsma home?” Fenja persisted in that same nonjudgmental tone.
Silke knew that tone and found herself nearly smiling despite the circumstances. She’d heard it a million times. Fenja would persist until she got an answer. She would be kind and sweet, but she would get her answer.
Benedek didn’t seem to be in the least uncomfortable. He didn’t even bristle at having the older woman question him.
“I’m not a trusting man.” He made it a statement. “I have lived centuries, and in that time, I have known betrayal often. I wanted to see the woman fated to be with me.”
“As you can see, she is beautiful.” Fenja gestured toward her daughter. If she was disappointed in Benedek’s answer, Silke couldn’t hear it in her tone, but she saw it on her mother’s face.
Color rose under Silke’s skin. She couldn’t control the blush no matter how hard she tried. At Fenja’s statement, Benedek turned his entire focus back on her. It felt like being in the hot glow of a spotlight. This time his gaze drifted slowly over her, as if committing every inch of her to memory.
“You misunderstood me,” Benedek said. “But you are right, she is indeed quite beautiful.”
There was the merest hint of speculation in his voice. It was all Silke could do to sit still and not squirm under that intense stare. She was so right to keep to herself. She had mostly been alone, and she was comfortable that way. If she let herself trust him, if she let herself believe he wanted her for her, she would be lost when he was gone. And he would go. She tightened her fingers and forced air through her lungs.
She had choices. He couldn’t take her will from her. No one would force her to marry him. She just had to be strong and not be persuaded by the unfamiliar physical reaction she had to him. It was raw and visceral. Scary to her. She wasn’t a woman out of control. She had no idea why a man like Benedek would appeal to her—but he did.
“I wanted to know her character. That was what I found beautiful. Looks don’t matter to our people. Hunters don’t see in color or feel emotion, so physical beauty doesn’t come into play.”
Fenja studied the mask he wore on his impassive features. “You don’t see in color? Not ever?”
He inclined his head. “For centuries I lived in a gray world. Until I heard your daughter’s voice. That was how I knew she was my true lifemate. She restored my ability to see in colors. Bright. Vivid. So much so I have to tone them down, otherwise the colors can be disorienting. I must grow used to them.”
“How do I return what I have of yours to you?” Silke asked, cutting to the chase. She wanted this visit over. The longer he was in the room, the more the connection between them seemed to build.
The moment she asked the question, that once again brought her his full attention.
—
She absolutely was rejecting him. Rejecting even the chance to make it work between them. The irony of that was, in his mind, all along, he had rejected the idea of a lifemate. He didn’t have a heart to give her. He didn’t trust. Now that he was with her, since watching her fight demons and protect her friend and the fisherman, protect even the Carpathian ancients, although that wasn’t necessary, he found he wanted her.
If he was going to make a relationship with Silke work, Benedek knew he had to find a way to reach her. To persuade her they would be good together. He wasn’t going to do that through romance. Carpathians who knew him mostly avoided him unless they were hunting vampire. He was a nightmare, a question mark, a man who had lived too long and was morphing into something else. There was no denying the fact, and he had always been scrupulously honest with himself. He had been deteriorating at a rapid rate. And she was a demon hunter.
Silke wouldn’t be getting a bargain when it came to romance. But he was loyal. Intensely so. That was what he needed to find in her. That trait. He would need her at his back always. Never question that she would be there. He would do the same for her. That was his kind of romance. Unswerving loyalty.
He wanted her. He hadn’t thought he would, but the more he was around her, the more he was in her head, the more he respected her. Being physically attracted to her was an added bonus. But she was certain they wouldn’t work. He understood because there had been that same conviction on his part.
Silke feared him with good reason. She was sensitive to the growing beast in him. She was a demon slayer and feared she might have to kill her own husband if they were together. She also feared losing herself in him. She didn’t want to be swallowed up by him. He couldn’t blame her for that, and he couldn’t possibly know how their dynamic would work. But he wanted her, and he wanted the relationship to work between them.
“Unfortunately, Silke, you cannot just hand over what you guard. There is only one way for me to retrieve it.”
Her long lashes swept down to veil her eyes. She had beautiful eyes. That was one of the first things he’d noticed about her looks. She was soft inside and it showed in her eyes. She depicted herself to the rest of the world as strong, confident and able to stand on her own feet because she was all those things. But deep inside, where no one could see, she was vulnerable. She longed for a partner and family. She wanted to be able to depend on a partner to aid her in decisions and shoulder some of the responsibilities. Not of demon slaying, but the everyday problems that cropped up in life. Benedek was that man. He knew he was.
“I will allow you two to talk privately if that will help facilitate a conversation between you,” Fenja offered.
Benedek considered how much the older woman should be told about the Carpathian species. It wasn’t as if their enemies didn’t already have the information. He decided Silke needed her mother in the room to get through the next few minutes and properly process what he was about to disclose.
“If you don’t mind staying, ma’am…”
“Please call me Fenja.”
“Fenja, then. I think it will be easier for me to explain it just once. You’re her mother. Knowing what returning to me the other half of my soul entails would be information you will need to help Silke decide what she is going to do.”
Fenja’s eyebrow went up. She knew about Carpathians. She’d had Tora in her life from the time Fenja was a child, but she’d never heard about anyone taking the other half of their soul.
Benedek explained to her how the soul was divided and a woman held the other half for them. She was tasked to keep it safe. He was tasked to find her. The information that a human woman with psychic abilities could be a lifemate to a Carpathian had been lost to them until the prince found his woman.
“You believe Silke guards your soul,” Fenja said, acknowledging that she understood.
Benedek found it interesting that the older woman didn’t question him or act as if she didn’t believe him. She seemed to accept what he said, which was amazing to him. Ordinarily he would have thought what he told her would be impossible for a human to believe. It sounded like something out of a fantasy novel. But then, he was something out of a novel. No one believed in vampires or Carpathians, yet they existed.
“There is no question that she is the guardian of my soul and my true lifemate. Only a lifemate can restore color and emotion. Silke did that for me.”
Once again, he allowed himself to look at the woman who would be with him for the rest of his existence. He had made up his mind that she would be. It was a matter of how. He was in her mind, silent, but there. He had to be careful because she was highly sensitive, but it was necessary to know her. He had to be able to trust her. And he needed to find the right way to appeal to her.
Silke’s eyes met his and then she looked away with a little shake of her head, faint color stealing into her cheeks. Now that he’d had time to really look at her, he could see she had amazing bone structure. He was particularly drawn to her mouth, the shape and fullness of her lips. That stubborn little chin. He definitely could fixate on that chin of hers. She had a slender neck and his gaze jumped to the pulse pounding there. Her hair was thick and wild. In his mind, he thought her hair was perfection, a definite clue to her personality. Untamable. But that was the challenge, wasn’t it?
“How would you recover your lost soul?” Fenja asked.
Benedek shook his head and turned his attention back to Silke’s mother. “My soul wasn’t lost, Fenja. Silke took great care to guard it. She’s kept it safe for years, never allowing anyone to know it was in her possession. Had a vampire, mage or Lilith managed to gain possession of it, I would have been a slave to them. Worse, I would have been close to impossible for hunters to destroy. Silke kept me safe.”
“How is it she came to have your soul when she is a mere babe by your people’s years?”
“My soul was passed from mother to daughter until I could locate my lifemate and claim her. Silke was always meant to be my lifemate. It is why she never married or wanted another man. She already had a man.”
He shifted his gaze to catch Silke’s reaction to his declaration. He’d made it a statement because everything he said was the simple truth. She didn’t like it. She knew she had never been with another man because she belonged with him, she just didn’t want to see it that way.
“That’s not true,” she denied.
“Silke.” He said her name softly. Gently. A reprimand. “There is no question, and you are very aware of that fact. Why would you deny it?”
She lifted her chin at him. “Because we aren’t compatible.”
He allowed the faintest of smiles to slide through their merged minds. “I think we have plenty of time to determine that.”
Fenja waved her hand to get their attention. “How can Silke give your soul back to you?”
“There is only one way. When I bind Silke to me, the two halves will bind as well.”
Silke was already shaking her head. “No binding. I don’t like the sound of that.”
Fenja frowned at her. “Be calm, Silke. We are merely getting pertinent information. Please continue, Benedek. How do you bind my daughter to you, and what does that mean?”
“Every male Carpathian has the binding ritual imprinted on him before his birth. When he meets his lifemate, he must say the vows to her. Those words are powerful and essentially make the two of them one. Once the vows are said, it is impossible to reverse the fastening between man and woman. It is our marriage ceremony, and it is for eternity.”
Again, he was very matter-of-fact. He didn’t try to pretty it up. It was what it was. Silke was going to have to face the truth whether she was ready or not.
Silke shrugged as if she wasn’t worried. “Just say the words, get your soul back, and we can part ways.”
“You deliberately weren’t listening to me,” Benedek said. His voice was tired. That happened sometimes. He preferred not to talk if he didn’t have to. The damage to his vocal cords had never healed properly. It didn’t bother him. The attack had been centuries ago, when he was very young. He had been lucky to live through getting his head nearly hacked off. If his vocal cords were the sacrifice, he got the best of the exchange. He’d lived to bring down some of the most depraved Carpathians, vampires, demons and even humans.
Sitting in that chair, looking across at the woman fate had chosen for him, he realized this was no longer about his soul and getting it back. This was about the woman. In the close confines of the room, he inhaled her scent. She belonged in his lungs. Although he had muted the colors until he was nearly seeing only in gray, she was still vivid to him. Bright, like the full moon. Hair silver and gold. Eyes the color of true sapphires. Yeah, he saw her in color when everything around her was gray.
“What happens if you don’t reclaim your soul? If Silke doesn’t cooperate?” Fenja asked.
He gave her the stark truth—just not all of it. “I would have the choice of suiciding or becoming vampire.” He didn’t mention the third choice—simply binding Silke to him without her consent. In their world, that third choice was expected by both parties.
He heard Silke gasp and immediately gave her his full focus, moving through her mind to read her thoughts. She refused to consider he would make either of those choices. She rejected them completely.
“No.” She said it firmly. “There has to be another way. You spent centuries fighting for your people. You lived with a code of honor. You can’t turn vampire at this late date. And suicide is out. What are your other choices? There have to be more.”
They were getting somewhere. And she was opening doors for him. Giving him answers. “The more is to come to an agreement with my lifemate. One she can live with. One she’s willing to live with.”
Her long lashes fluttered, drawing his attention. For some unexplained reason, his gut tightened. Blood moved through his veins in a heated rush. She definitely was ensnaring him. He would need to call on his centuries of discipline if he was going to win this most important battle.
Silke shoved her hand through her thick hair. He could see she was trembling. She didn’t try to hide her reaction from him. He had the unexpected urge to pull her into his arms in an effort to comfort her. He didn’t think at this stage that was a good idea, so he stayed still and waited.
The tip of her tongue moistened her lips. She glanced toward her mother and then took a breath. Her fingers were twisted together so tightly he feared she might break them. That chin of hers went up and his body hardened, blood pooling low and wicked. This woman could break him if he wasn’t careful.
“If I’m hearing you correctly, just saying the words to me is all it would take to bind us together.” Her gaze met his without flinching.
Benedek inclined his head. She was getting it. He knew she would.
“It wouldn’t require my consent to work, would it?”
“No.” That was honesty.
Fenja gasped, her hand going protectively to her throat. Strangely, the answer seemed to bolster Silke’s confidence, not create more nerves.
“But you haven’t done that, even though you know I object to our union.”
“You object because you haven’t given yourself time to understand. If I were in your place, I would be feeling exactly what you are.”
“That doesn’t mean you won’t resort to taking the choice out of my hands,” Silke said.
He didn’t bother to answer. She already knew.
“I am a demon slayer,” she reminded.
He nodded and steepled his fingers together, regarding her over them. “Which is why we will work. I propose we negotiate a contract between us. We can sit down together this next rising. Your mother can be with you, and I’ll have Nicu with me. We each state plainly what we want, need and expect from the other.”
Silke looked thoughtful. “Like a business deal.”
“Exactly. You appear not to believe we can have a romance together. I value certain traits above all others. I believe you have those traits and the capability of being my partner. The best way to find out is to sit down together and discuss what we want and need in a relationship.”
Silke glanced at her mother. “What do you think?”
Fenja’s brows had come together. “Silke, this is for the rest of your life. Only you can decide whether negotiations appeal to you. I will say, many good relationships have started out as business deals.”
Silke bit down on her lower lip, lowering her lashes in the hopes that Benedek couldn’t read her thoughts, which was silly when he was in her mind. Still, he remained quiet, not showing his presence. She was suspicious—as she should be. He liked that she was willing to stand up to him. There weren’t many, humans or Carpathians, who were able to.
“What aren’t you telling me?”
“I’ve told you the truth of the situation. It is really quite simple. I have no recourse other than to claim you as my lifemate if I am to keep my honor. I will state very plainly that should I lose the battle and become the undead, there is not a doubt in my mind that I would kill many good hunters, men needed, men who have been my friends, before they take me.”
He was matter-of-fact, not looking for her sympathy, although she was compassionate and it might be a good idea to play on that. He didn’t think so. He was still getting a feeling for her character. She valued courage and duty. She didn’t believe in romanticizing a situation. She would never believe he wanted her for herself as a woman. She needed to see him as a warrior with a code, one who had fought valiantly for his honor over the centuries. He had Tora to thank for that. Silke at least knew that much about his culture.
Silke was silent for a few minutes, and he didn’t hurry her decision. He would have quite a bit of explaining to do the next rising if she agreed to his terms. On the other hand, if she refused him, his choice would be to bind her and hope the lifemate bond worked in his favor.
“I agree to negotiations.” Silke capitulated. “Tomorrow evening. I’m very tired and need to sleep.”
He stood immediately and gave a slight courteous bow toward Fenja but kept his gaze fixed on Silke. “On the rising, then. I look forward to it.”