Dark Lycan (Carpathian)

He leaned down to kiss her again just because she looked so radiant there in the night. Her skin looked flawless, her mouth generous, seductive, oh, so alluring he couldn’t possibly resist her.

“I think kissing you while dancing is a very good idea, my lady,” he murmured when he lifted his head. “Are you certain you don’t just want to have a private dance right here?”

Tatijana laughed. “We’re just feet from the entrance. I’m certain eventually someone will come along.”

“We’ll be doing them a favor, properly educating them in the ways of love,” Fen persisted with another stolen kiss.

“You are going to properly dance with me,” she said.

He laughed and took her hand, walking her right up to the cliff side of the mountain. The cave entrance was narrow, a mere crack between two jutting boulders. Carpathians had no trouble slipping through to the wider corridor leading down to the well-lit chamber where the gathering was being held. Torches were lit high up along the cathedral ceilings, casting glowing, dancing lights around the enormous chamber. Steam rose from a warm pool in one corner of the room where water spilled from a series of cracks in the wall above it.

The sound of children laughing tugged at Fen. He hadn’t been around a Carpathian child in centuries. His heart did a curious somersault the moment he walked into the room and saw two identical twin girls playing with a little boy near a miniature playhouse inside of a jungle gym for toddlers. Another little boy with a riot of chestnut curls hurried over to the other three, a bucket in his hand. Wolf cubs followed the four children everywhere they went.

Several older children were grouped together around a fire pit, their eyes bright as an adult male told them a story. The boy who looked the oldest wrapped his arm around the youngest little girl when she gasped and drew back at whatever the storyteller said. The sight brought back memories of his youth, when Carpathians gathered together and stories were a big part of the night entertainment.

He hadn’t realized then how much history was being handed down to him. It was only later when he needed information on fighting vampires or suddenly he’d remember how an ancestor had flown between two close rocks that he realized the stories had been a way to teach him. Clearly that tradition was still in place.

Tatijana slipped her hand into the crook of his arm, her body sliding closer to his as if for protection, bringing his attention back to her. Most of the adults in the room turned to look at them as they entered. The atmosphere was welcoming and celebratory. That also felt familiar to him, the faded memory suddenly leaping to the surface. Carpathians had taken many opportunities to come together for a night of fun.

“I’m so glad you came,” Mikhail greeted them. He had his arm around a short woman with clouds of dark hair and unusual, almost violet eyes. “This is Raven, my lifemate. My son, Alexandru, is over there.” He gestured toward the toddler playground. “Raven, you remember Tatijana, of course, and this is Fenris Dalka, Dimitri’s older brother.”

“Tatijana,” Raven exclaimed, holding out both hands. She also wore a long gown that swirled around her curvy figure. “You look lovely tonight.”

“She’s hoping for dancing,” Fen said.

“So am I,” Raven admitted.

“Thank you, Raven,” Tatijana answered. “I’m so glad you thought of this. I love the entire idea of the community coming together for a party.”

“I thought we all could use a little fun after . . .” She trailed off and looked at Mikhail.

He shrugged. “You can say it, we got our butts kicked.”

“You’ve been saying it often enough to Gregori,” Raven teased. “He so loves to tweak our son-in-law.”

“It’s good for him,” Mikhail was unrepentant.

Raven just laughed, her hand sliding down Mikhail’s arm to his wrist in an intimate gesture. She turned to Fen. “I wanted to thank you for tracking the rogue pack. We would have been in far worse shape if it wasn’t for you.”

“I’m glad I ran across them,” Fen said honestly. He looked at Tatijana. “I might have missed meeting my lifemate.”

Raven laughed. “I honestly think if it’s meant to happen, it does. Fate or destiny must put us on the right path. When I came out here all those years ago on my own, just to get away, I never dreamed I’d meet a man like Mikhail. He was very intimidating to a woman who knew nothing about Carpathians.”

Tatijana joined in her laughter. “He can still be intimidating when he wants.”

“Not so much to me anymore,” Raven said. “Come meet our daughter, Savannah. She’s lifemate to Gregori. Our two adorable granddaughters are right over there, and they definitely have their daddy wrapped around those little fingers of theirs.”

The love and affection for her family was obvious in her expression, her tone of voice and the tenderness in her eyes when she looked at them. Fen turned to see Gregori scoop up a little girl just as she made a daring leap from a slide to the top of the playhouse.