When she’d first arrived, I hadn’t been able to fathom why I’d allowed such a rebellion to exist. But now I was beginning to understand my choice.
Ismerelda intrigued me. She might be human, but she possessed a powerful soul. That was how she’d survived me this long, how she’d been able to match me in the bedroom, and why I’d indulged in her for over a millennium.
She’s destined for so much more,I thought.
Mira wouldn’t have known that. I wouldn’t have told anyone my true intentions where Ismerelda was concerned. But there was absolutely a reason I’d demanded that she be kept safe.
And thank fuck those orders had been followed.
The last nine days had been more pleasurable than any of my existence.
Any that I could recall, anyway.
How strange that I don’t remember this female,I thought, still holding her gaze.I should. I want to.I could…
All it would take was to remove the mental walls between us and delve into her mind, read through the memories of our past, see if I might be right about her being my intended partner in life.
The recollections would be from her point of view, but I should be able to glean the details I needed to paint a proper picture of our history.
Later, I told myself, my watch buzzing as though in agreement. “I have to oversee some of the trials with the Blessed Ones tonight,” I murmured, glancing at the message scrolling across my wrist. “Then I’m meeting with Mira and Michael to prepare for tomorrow’s presentation. And…”
I paused to skim Mira’s words about our meeting confirmation for five o’clock in the morning.
“And then I have a call with Helias. Assuming that goes well, I’ll be back soon after.” I flicked Mira’s message away from my wrist. “But I suspect something won’t go as planned today, which is why I’ll likely be delayed until closer to six or seven. You can eat without me.”
I opened my new laptop to key in the order for a pizza.
“Any toppings?” I asked her, aware that she was still staring at me. Probably because I’d just outlined my day to her. But if she was going to be my queen, she would have to become used to such schedules.
Because I would expect her to join me.
Or lead them on her own.
I didn’t want arm candy. I wanted a partner.
And while it hadn’t been something I’d ever really considered or sought in my previous life, it seemed I’d potentially found it over the last thousand years.
In Ismerelda.
It was the only thing that made sense. Why else would I keep a human tied to my soul for so long?
And why else would I feel so intrinsically protective of her?
Yes. I may need to pull those memories,I decided once more.But when I have more time to sift through them.
“Pepperoni,” she replied. “And olives. Preferably green.”
I arched a brow, then keyed in the preference. “Anything to drink?”
She mentioned a white wine rather than a red, then gave me a backup brand in case the kitchen couldn’t find the one she desired.
“I’ll have it delivered at five,” I told her.
“Thank you.”
My lips curled. “You can thank me properly later, little lioness.”
She swallowed, her expression seeming to go blank. A strange response to my innuendo, but she was probably too tired to consider another round right now.
