Sandu thought it wise to stay on the edge of the forest, where they could utilize the animals and alarm systems and yet be close to the river, where there was a ready source of blood if any of them were wounded. The guardians patrolled the immediate area and then expanded their search for any hidden threats to Adalasia while Sandu and Adalasia sealed the air, earth and water against any spies Nera might send.
“Why are the guardians so nervous?” Adalasia asked.
“There were signs of the undead passing through this way not too long ago,” Sandu answered. “And Luiz De La Cruz makes even ancients nervous.”
Adalasia tapped her fingers against her thigh as she walked along the very narrow animal trail winding in and out of the trees. Luiz made her nervous, but now she felt guilty for feeling that way. He had healed Sandu when he didn’t have to. He’d given him blood over and over. He’d gone into the shadow realm with her to guide her, and when she asked him to trust her and not be seen, he had done so without ego, staying in her mind as a shadow rather than walking beside her in the open. That had allowed them to carry out their plan and use his strength to pull Sandu out of the realm and back into the land of the living.
She had been in Luiz’s mind more than the ancients had. He hadn’t given them access, although he had taken their blood when he had been healing Sandu. Adalasia thought about how many times Luiz had gone selflessly into Sandu’s torn and pain-wracked body. How many times he had fearlessly gone after the bacteria and parasites that were doing their best to destroy Sandu and certainly would have tried to kill Luiz, as well.
Luiz might have the De La Cruz shadowing in him very strongly, but he was an honorable Carpathian, and he was equally tough and disciplined. Whatever he had shown to the De La Cruz family that had prompted them to save his life in the first place and then after watching him to make certain they hadn’t made a mistake, taking him to the sacred cave of warriors to actually become a De La Cruz, had to have been all about honor, duty and loyalty. That’s what the De La Cruz code seemed to be, as far as Adalasia could tell.
“You are walking in circles, Sivamet,” Sandu pointed out, amusement in his voice.
“I’m thinking,” she said. She lifted her lashes to look at him. He was floating in the air in front of her, backpedaling. Showing off, as far as she was concerned, and smirking a little.
“What are you thinking about? We are alone,” he said. “The guardians have left us for the time being, and if you have great need of your lifemate . . .” He trailed off, his smirk turning into a smile that held a carnal lust that threatened to keep her knees from working.
She tried a glare. “I’ve already called to Luiz. Had you been a little faster in your suggestions, we might have had time to actually have some fun this evening.”
His eyebrow shot up. “Fun? Is that what you call what is between us? Fun?” His gaze dropped to her simple cotton top.
Breathable fabric. Covered everything. Light color to prevent attracting insects and heat. No fragrance. Perfect for being in the rain forest. Suddenly, the material was too tight over the swell of her breasts. Her breasts felt heavy and achy. Her nipples pushed against her bra. Adalasia had the mad desire to take her top off and drag his head to her breasts.
“Stop it, Sandu. We could have company any minute.”
“You do not think we can have fun?” he persisted, his voice a dark sin. Sheer temptation.
Adalasia was hot and slick immediately. The little boy shorts with the wicking panel weren’t going to be of much use in this situation. He looked so gorgeous and definitely sexy. She put one hand up as a defense.
“Stop right now, you have to stop.”
He looked like a feral jungle cat ready to leap on his prey and devour her. “I am not doing anything at all, ewal emninumam, just talking to you. Making certain you know how much I appreciate those little garments you like to wear beneath your clothing. I think about taking them off of you often.”
It wasn’t the words so much as the way he said them, the velvety voice he used, that robbed her of her ability to breathe. Images were crowding in her head. Adalasia standing in just her lacy pale blue bra and matching boy shorts and a pair of boots, surrounded by the trees. Sandu was fully clothed, circling her in the way of a great hunting cat, his glowing eyes feral as he took in every curve.
“Sandu, you have to stop,” she whispered to him, a little plea, when she wasn’t certain she wanted him to stop. She loved it when he was so playful. She rarely saw this side of him.