Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 121146 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 606(@200wpm)___ 485(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121146 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 606(@200wpm)___ 485(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
“Why do you call me that?” Celia asked, looking up at him. In the darkness, she could see his eyes glowing faintly. “I mean, it sounds like something from the Renaissance Fair.”
“It’s a term of respect,” Hold said gravely. “Do you dislike it?”
“No, I think it’s sweet.” Celia smiled up at him, knowing he could see her even in the dark. “But I still want to know what ‘lelka’ means.”
“That will be for Fierce to tell you, since he chose it as your second name,” Hold said.
At that moment there was a rustling at the front of the tent and then the flap was thrown back and Fierce crawled in, shivering.
“Goddess damned cold out there!” he growled as he shut the flap. “Did I hear the two of you taking my name in vain?”
“Celia was asking again what ‘lelka’ means,” Hold explained. “Do you want to tell her?”
“Oh, what the hell…” Fierce shrugged. “A ‘lelk’ is actually an animal on Twin Moons—one of the rare single animals with no double nature or second face or twin.”
“It’s very independent but also sweet and cuddly, when it chooses you as its person,” Hold went on, continuing the explanation. “In fact, it’s rather like your Earth animal, the cat, if I’m not mistaken.”
“And when a lelk is small, we call it a lelka—the ‘ah’ sound on the end just means ‘sweet’ or ‘tiny’ or ‘adorable,’” Fierce said, picking up the narrative again. “So in a way, it’s a little like calling you ‘my sweet little kitten.’”
Celia stared at him.
“That’s the nickname you chose for me? Cute, cuddly kitten?”
Fierce shrugged again.
“You just seemed so tiny and delicate in my dreams. Besides, kittens have claws, don’t they? I knew you had some sharp points—I was just hoping I’d get to see the cuddly side of you, too.”
Celia didn’t know whether to be offended or charmed by the Dark Twin’s assessment of her.
“I don’t know how I feel about that,” she said at last. “I’ll have to think about it.”
“What was the noise outside, anyway?” Hold asked, changing the subject.
“Oh, one of the little portable dryers you put on the wet clothes was clanking against a pebble. I moved it and checked the perimeter—as far as I can tell we’re the only living things in this grotto.” Fierce shivered. “Also, it’s damn cold out there. I need to lie down again and get warm.”
“Come back to bed, Brother,” Hold told him. “We all should try to get some sleep—we have an early start to get back to the Mother Ship during the few daylight hours tomorrow.”
“Well now that I know we’re not being stalked by some horrible monster, I think I can sleep.” Celia sighed and lay back down beside Hold, who was already getting comfortable on her left side.
“Wouldn’t mind some more sleep myself.” Fierce lay on her right but Celia gasped and jumped away when his muscular arm came into contact with her side.
“Madre de Dios—you’re freezing!”
“Sorry about that, sweetheart,” he growled sarcastically. “Hunting around in the dark to make sure another V’ranna isn’t sneaking up on your luscious ass is chilly work. Don’t worry—I’ll stick to my own side.”
“No, wait…” Celia suddenly felt guilty. “Come here,” she said and motioned to Fierce.
“Why?” The Dark Kindred hung back, though he was turned towards her.
“Dios!” Celia blew out an impatient breath. “So I can help you get warm, of course!” Determined to do as she said, she scooted over and pressed herself against him, making sure they were chest-to-chest. His skin was extremely cold and her nipples went tight immediately, but she hung on grimly, pressing her body firmly against the big Kindred’s.
“Mmm…You know, you don’t have to do this, lelka,” Fierce murmured, but he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her even closer as he spoke.
“Yes…yes I do,” Celia said, trying not to let her teeth chatter—he really was freezing. “You two warmed me up when I was nearly frozen to death and I’m sure that couldn’t have been fun because you did it without your shirts on.”
“That’s because body heat travels best when it’s spread by skin-to-skin contact,” Hold murmured. “Without anything in the way.”
“Oh, really?” Celia frowned. “That makes sense I guess.” She was still pressed against Fierce, but she could feel a shiver running through his big body. He really needed to get warm and since he and Hold had warmed her earlier, she wanted to repay the favor. In fact, she was determined to repay it, by any means necessary.
“Here—let me go for just a minute,” she said to Fierce. She wiggled free of the Dark Kindred’s embrace for a moment and pulled the thermal shirt over her head. Then she came back to him again and pressed her naked body against his broad chest, trying to make as much skin-to-skin contact as possible.