I… I can breathe.
But the sensation of heat had me spinning again, my palms shoving against the hard male holding me.
He didn’t fight me, just let me go. I stumbled backward into a bedroom with lush curtains stretched across one wall.Hiding windows?I guessed.
“Yes,” Cam confirmed aloud, causing me to whirl toward him. He stood just inside the room, his robe partially open as he held another out for me to wear.
Because I’m naked,I realized.
I’d pushed not just him away, but the fabric as well.
I swallowed, uncertain of how to proceed. I didn’t want him to touch me, yet I craved his comfort at the same time.
His presence haunted me and soothed me.
Made me feel lost and safe.
This is what insanity feels like,I decided.So conflicted and confused.
“Let’s start by eating something,” he said, the words reminiscent of what he’d said in the bathroom.
His need to repeat himself almost made me angry. Mostly because I didn’t appreciate feeling this weak.
I’m stronger than this. I don’t crave death. I desire… my mate.
Except it was clear to me now that my Cam was gone. For good.
So now what?
“Now we find a way forward,” he murmured, once again holding the robe out to me.
I didn’t accept it.
But I didn’t try to move away from him as he approached me either.
Instead, I simply froze while he secured me in the fluffy texture.
He studied me for a moment, his expression giving nothing away. However, I heard the analytical thoughts rolling through his mind.
After a beat, he picked me up and carried me through the opulent bedroom and into a hallway that led to a large living area framed by a glass wall.
The lake view outside had me momentarily distracted, my brain short-circuiting and firmly grounding me in the present.
Where are we?I wondered, confused by the scenery. Because this definitely wasn’t Rome.
He’d shown me how he’d escaped, but not what had happened next.
Bled,he told me now.Slovenia. Hazel Region. Whatever it’s called.
Deirdre City,I replied, aware of Hazel’s sovereign and Deirdre’s chosen location. I’d kept up with the rewriting of the world map, memorizing where all the most powerful of vampire and lycan kind had ended up across the globe.
“Why are we here?” I asked aloud.
“Because we needed to leave the compound and Hazel Region was our best option by car.” His mind elaborated on how he’d come to that conclusion.
Cam had been going through my memories, gathering information from my psyche and filling in the gaps. Some might consider that invasive, but I welcomed his intrusion.
Because it meant the walls between us had finally disappeared. Except, with that breaking barrier came the confirmation of Cam’s permanent condition.
