I don’t believe you.

How did I know you two were up there? The entire top of the mountain glowed right through the mist. You can bet it caused quite a stir down below with farmers rushing out to make certain the volcano wasn’t about to blow and kill them all.

Ha. Ha. You’re so funny. Zev was beginning to grow just a little uneasy. Fen sounded amused, but not necessarily as if he was making it up.

Not three inches. We didn’t melt the entire glacier. Although they could have. Branislava had burned hot enough to melt the ice cap.

Don’t bet on it, bro. And go to ground. Both of you are exhausted.

Zev gave him the mental equivalent of rolling his eyes. Dimitri had warned him about Fen’s penchant for being the older brother and how he’d forget that Zev and Dimitri were not only entirely grown-up but had been around for centuries.

Zev wrapped his arms around Branislava, holding her close. “I thought we’d be safe up here, mon chaton féroce, but already, Fen is asking why the lake below has risen three inches. He claims we melted the glacier.”

“He’s such an exaggerator,” Branislava countered, content to bury her face in his neck. She lay quietly for a moment. “He is joking, right? We didn’t really melt the glacier, did we?”

“Hell if I know,” Zev said, too content to move and go check. “We could have.”

“What else did he say?”

“The mountain glowed red through the mist, and the farmers all thought the volcano was active again. But you know he likes to tease.”

She started laughing. “You have to admit it would be kind of funny if it was the truth. Can you imagine the prince asking everyone for reports? Worse, what if he told Gregori to do a flyby to make certain the mountain was safe?”

“He’d get an eyeful with the two of us lying here naked,” Zev said. He glanced up to the sky. Dawn was breaking, light penetrating through the clouds of mist. “We do need to go to ground and heal a bit, Branka. Your spirit and my body. We’re both a bit battered.”

“I suppose so. This feels like such freedom to me, Zev. Thank you again for finding this place for us. I really love it.”

He tipped her chin up with his thumb and kissed her thoroughly. “Open the ground, mon chaton féroce, and let’s get some sleep.”

Branislava waved her hand and opened the ground close to them. “If we did melt part of the glacier, you know we’ll never hear the end of it. My sister and Fen and Skyler and Dimitri will never stop giving us a bad time.”

He floated them into the deep hole. “Let me just say, Branislava, if we did melt the glacier and the lake has risen three inches and we’re teased for the next ten centuries, it was so worth it.”

Her soft laughter told him she agreed with him.

15

Branislava stared down at the deep blue lake shimmering below her. She studied the water lapping at the shore very closely. I don’t think there’s more water in it than there was last night, she told Zev, but her voice indicated she wasn’t certain.

Zev moved up beside her. They hovered together over the body of water, two trails of vapor, looking a little like comets in the night sky. Laughter welled up. Take a look at the reeds and the trees. They’re in the water, Branka, and they weren’t like that last night.

You can’t possibly know that, she protested, but again she didn’t sound sure.

Of course I can, he said, keeping as sober as possible. Elite hunters have to notice every detail around them. I registered the lake last night . . .

She stirred in his mind, giving him the impression of a raised eyebrow. I thought you were entirely focused on me.

Exactly, he replied smoothly. With the small exception of noting the water and shoreline as we passed by.

Her laughter teased at his mind like the brush of butterfly wings. I will concede the reeds seem to be a bit more under water than I remember them. And maybe the two trees on the southern end look as though the waterline moved up, but that’s all. I checked the snow pack and there’s absolutely no problem with it, and the glacier is totally intact.

I’m certain the prince will be happy to hear that. And we can reassure him that the volcano remains dormant. Zev’s voice was droll.

She laughed again, sounding carefree, a sound which he hadn’t heard from her ever. He loved that he’d found a way to get her to relax, to forget about what she’d seen and heard in Lyall’s mind. Lycans and Carpathians would have to find a way to ferret Xaviero out and rid the world of him, but Zev wanted to keep Branislava as far from the mage as possible.

They took their time, hunting leisurely for sustenance, dropping down near a farm to talk casually with the farmer and his wife. They laughed together at the antics of horses, and Zev helped the farmer put a tire back on his broken cart. When they had fed, they left the couple sitting on their front porch, smiling happily, remembering the nice couple who had stopped by to inquire about the beautiful handmade quilts the wife had hanging up to sell for extra money. Her pocket was fat with cash and one of the quilts was missing.

“That was fun,” Branislava said, hugging the quilt to her. “They’re nice people.”

Zev took the quilt from her and threaded his fingers through hers. “I agree. We’ll have to check on them once in a while. It’s always a good thing to make friends with neighbors and locals. Mikhail is quite charismatic and he takes the time to fit in. Those living in the village are very loyal to him.”

“Are we going to make our home here?” Branislava asked.

He caught the little note of apprehension in her voice. He brought her hand to the warmth of his mouth, his teeth nibbling at her knuckles. “I told you we would always stay close to Tatijana. I like it here, and if we use these mountains as our base, with our ability to fly, we can get to places very fast if need be.”

He stopped walking, turning to plant himself directly in front of her. “When I said I would cherish you for all time, Branka, that I would put your happiness above my own, I meant it. You never have to do anything you don’t want to do.” He slung the quilt over one shoulder and tipped her chin up with his fingers. “I treasure each moment we have together, I do, but if I have to go off hunting rogues, or tracking vampires or the Sange rau, it will always be your choice whether or not you leave our home and accompany me.”

Tears swam for a moment in her vivid green eyes but she blinked them away rapidly and managed a mock scowl. “If you think I’m going to let you go off somewhere hunting rogues, vampires or Sange rau without me, you’ve got another thing coming. Someone has to look after you.” She reached up to circle his neck with her arm and pulled his head down to hers. “You take too many chances, Zev, and I’m not willing to let you go. So stop.” She punctuated each word with a fierce kiss.