Chapter 5

Nicolae woke to a woman spooned up beside him. He could feel her soft breathing against him and he was thankful that she didn't wake earlier than he wished her too. The sun was almost setting so he released him command on her sleeping. He had hunted yesterday evening and left her safe here under his compulsion to sleep, when he was surprised by her waking up. She broke through the strong hold he had on her.

He had never in his life seen a human that possessed such a strong physic talent before. He had not prepared himself for her to not listen to his command. Then he had entered his room only to find a hysterical young woman curled up into a ball in the corner of his bed, with her knees hiding her face. She wept like she was being tortured and all he could do was try to comfort her through her pain.

He could feel all of the emotions she felt and he relived all of her worst memories with her. All at once he was being struck with pain and stress her work had caused her. It was flooding his mind while the agony of her parent's murder began to feed the fire. She had felt such guilt over her parent's death that she had never forgiven herself and never let anyone get close to her since.

She had begun reliving the attack and he felt her humiliation and shame. Thinking it was her fault again for the assault. The fear had begun to choke her so he breathed for her till the pain and exhaustion gave was to a deep sleep.

He dried away her tearstained face and finally found relief when he found her breathing on her own normally. It broke his heart in a million shards when he couldn't relief some of her suffering. He could heal her from the inside out but it would take time for her to heal emotionally.

She stirred in his arms and he brushed her hair away from her face so he could watch her wake. He brushed feather light kisses over her still bruised face and gently touched her mind.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Elena woke feeling rested for the first time in months. No night terrors plagued her mind and she woke with a man's arms around her. Nicolae. She remembered now.

His touch was soothing and she didn't turn away when he touched his lips to her swollen face. She didn't block him from entering her mind either. It was actually nice to share something so intimate with someone that not everyone can share.

She finally felt safe for once and knew that somehow he would always be there for her. But how could she know something like this and trust him so much when she didn't even know him?

Because we are life mates. He relayed the answer using the path their mind shared.

She opened her eyes and looked into a pair of dark warm ones. She could swim in the depths of those eyes forever and never leave.

"Good morning cara mia."

"Good morning." Her voice sounded husky and she could feel where the hand had gone around her neck to choke her the night before. Instead of focusing on her past events again she decided to revel in how warm his voice sounded in person. The warmth spread to the rest of her body and spread like a wild fire through her blood.

Then she remembered her dreams of him and how he distorted into the monster that killed her in the end. She stiffened in his arms and thought about the beast he could become.

"Please do not fear me Elena I would never harm you. You are the one person who can save me from the beast inside. You are my life mate. We are two halves of the same whole. Nothing will ever harm you again. I can do no other than to see to your happiness and well being." He waited just a moment for her to absorb what he had just told her. And on her own accord she began to search his mind to find the truth.

He welcomed the warmth of her gentle touch in his mind. And when she found the beast deep within, she had found it to be tame and welcoming to her touch. He was pleased that she was feeling comfortable enough to merge with him so fully.

"I know you won't hurt me or put me in harm's way. I can feel the good in you and I can see the truth in your mind. You spoke to me before about a "life mate", and I know what one is by seeing it in your mind but I don't understand how you can tell I am yours." She spoke the truth and she struggled with it because she wasn't ready to be anyone's woman.

He sensed her confusion and uneasiness about the responsibilities of a life mate, so he chose his words carefully. He reminded himself that she was a human and had no recollection to what a Carpathian culture contains.

"When Carpathian men lose their sight of color and their emotions leave them, it leaves the monster inside them vulnerable to surface and take over becoming the undead. But when their life mates are found, their color returns and the emotions flood back to them." He spoke to her softly and gently making sure she had a chance to absorb all he had said before he started again.

"There is only one true life mate for every male. One woman will hold the light to his darkness and forever keep the beast at bay. Two halves of the same whole will be united and in a sense…….live happily ever after." He saw her smile and laugh at his small pun of a joke. (He still couldn't believe that! He was actually joking with her.)

After a short time passed he watched her eyes gaze back up to his own and his heart melted. "I somehow already knew I think. I dreamt of you for so long and my life was so empty, but when I dreamt of you all that went away. I don't know why this is all making so much sense to me but it is. I trust you."

Nicolae felt his jaw go slack as he stared at her in amazement. He felt his heart turn over at her words. Her acceptance of him, beast and man, showed him great courage. He was so proud of her in so many ways he didn't know where to start

(Author's Note)

Here is a little teaser for the next chapter! Enjoy

She had no time to react when his lips brushed up against her own. He was gentle and patient with her inexperience, and he let her set the pace.

When his teeth found her bottom lip she yeilded and welcomed him deeper into the warmth of her mouth.

This next chapter is where the good stuff comes into play! ;-)