He didn’t look at Trixie, his fury-filled gaze focused completely on Gabrielle. He waved a casual hand toward Trixie and she stopped moving, her body going still, her mouth partway open, but no sound emerged. Gabrielle knew instantly Aleksei had frozen her there, and that was even scarier than the four walls filled with his wrath.
“Would you like to explain yourself to me?” He bit each word out between strong white teeth.
Gabrielle straightened her spine. Tears still clung to her lashes, she could feel them, making her lashes wet and spiky. Fat lot of sympathy she was getting from her lifemate. She moistened her lips, her heart pounding like a drum. “Not really, no.”
His head jerked up. If it was possible, his eyes went pure green, no other color. Glittering green. Like a green flame. He took her breath away. She was terrified, but he was still the hottest man she’d ever seen in her life. She bit her lip and tilted her head to one side, sweeping her hair over one shoulder, a nervous gesture she hoped Aleksei didn’t interpret that way.
“Not. Really. No.” He repeated each word as if he couldn’t believe what just came out of her mouth.
Gabrielle bit harder at her lower lip and once more shoved at her long, flowing hair, getting it off her neck because she was suddenly very hot.
Aleksei stared at his woman with unblinking eyes. That small gesture, that sweep of her hair, revealed her delicate neck, her throat, revealed her vulnerability. Looking at her neck made him want to sink his teeth deep, to taste her. Claim her. Her hair was everywhere, cascading around her like a waterfall. So much of it, wild and untamed and so peje soft he could barely breathe when he buried his fingers in it, just as she was when he touched her. She always withdrew from him after, but he knew, one touch, and he could ignite that fire. Turn her into the wildcat he knew she was.
“Aleksei,” Fane hissed, striding through the door. He didn’t slow down, moving swiftly into Aleksei’s dwelling.
Aleksei waved his hand to free the other woman—the one who had dared to invade his space and interfere in his relationship. “Your lifemate had no right to enter my resting place.” There was a definite threat in those words—and rightly so. To enter any of the ancients’ space was a violation of the monastery rules.
“I take back every single thing I said, Gabrielle,” Trixie snapped. She drew in a deep, shuddering breath, glared at Aleksei and opened her mouth again, clearly outraged at his behavior. Fane was there instantly, standing solidly between her and Aleksei. He grabbed her arm in a viselike grip.
“I am certain my lifemate, out of respect for you and for me, will apologize to you later, Aleksei. We will leave you to your lifemate.”
A single sound of protest escaped Trixie’s throat, but it was muffled and cut off as Fane marched her out of Aleksei’s designated resting place, leaving him alone with his very disobedient woman.
Gabrielle looked very pale, the heavy fall of her dark, gleaming hair emphasizing her soft skin. The sweep of her very dark lashes did the same with her soft gray eyes. He resisted reaching out and curling his fingers around the nape of her neck as he wanted to do. He waited until he was certain they were alone and then his raw fury vibrated through the dwelling.
“Repeat what you just said to me,” he snapped, making it clear that if she did, there would be hell to pay.
Her gaze jumped to his. Held there. He could see the trepidation. Her hands shook. Her body trembled. She leaned close to him, not away, surprising him. Her gaze remained steady on his.
“I’ve had enough and I don’t really care much what you do to me. I was trying—working through things for you. It wasn’t easy and I was terrified, but I was trying to find my way to you.”
He waited. Holding himself still. Locking his gaze with hers. Using a predatory, possessive stare he knew intimidated her. Still, she leaned even closer.
“I have a suggestion for you, Aleksei,” she bit out softly, her mouth inches from his.
“Be very careful,” he warned her. “You’re already in trouble.”
Her eyebrow shot up. “Then it won’t matter when I give you my honest suggestion one way or the other. So here it is. Why don’t you go to one of the cemeteries, you know, the really old ones, like say from the sixteenth century or even earlier. Dig yourself up another lifemate. There should be a lot of women to choose from. Breathe some life into her, or hey, maybe not. Maybe you should just prop her up in the middle of the carpet where she can’t give you any lip. In any case, dead or alive, she might actually obey you like a trained idiot far better than the lifemate you’ve got now, because I can assure you, I will not.”