Chapter 9

Carissa was trembling while Pierce kissed her. Her body reacted and for the first time she actually understood what the whole chemical attraction thing was all about. She was completely lost to him. His strong arms pulled her in close as he invaded her mouth. Carissa's legs grew weak, but he easily held her.

He broke away from the kiss and his head suddenly dipped down. She felt his lips on her neck and her head fell back. When she felt the lightest nip on her skin, Carissa realized what this meant. Amazingly, she didn't even think to stop him. White hot pain laced with intense pleasure swamped her. She felt as if she were floating in a haze of bliss.

Pierce almost groaned as the taste of her blood hit him. He wanted to stay at her neck forever, but he was careful to take only enough for an exchange. He licked the wound closed on Carissa's neck and continued to hold her mind. She would remember that he took her blood, but Pierce wasn't ready to let her remember feeding from him on her own. She was still human and he knew the thought would be too unsettling. He unbuttoned his shirt and then sliced open his chest. When he whispered the command for her to feed, he grit his teeth as she placed her mouth on him.

In his mind, he heard Samuel actually curse. Pierce knew it was from the same painful sweet ache he was feeling as Carissa fed. It took everything in him to remain still when all he wanted to do was take her to bed where he could explore every inch of her body. He reluctantly stopped her from feeding when she'd taken enough and he quickly closed the wound on his chest. He then bent down to kiss Carissa once more until slowly, he released her mind.

Carissa's heart was pounding and she felt dizzy. Opening her eyes, she found Pierce's warm eyes looking at her. "That was…amazing."

He smiled. although his body was still uncomfortably hot. "It is just a taste of things to come." Although how this would work with his twin was still a question.

Carissa's knees felt weak again. "I think I better go inside and get some sleep. I have to work tomorrow."

Pierce was tempted to point out that she never had to work again if she didn't want to, but he forced himself to put a chain on himself. She needed to do ordinary human things for some feeling of normalcy. "Will I see you again tomorrow?"

Carissa laughed a little, her stomach feeling like it was full of butterflies. "You've seen me every night this week."

He raised an eyebrow. "Lifemates are meant to always be together."

Carissa felt like she could spend every waking moment with him which continued to made her feel a little scared. She was losing herself to him. "It's still a lot to take in."

"I'm sorry. I don't want to rush you."

"I know. There's just some things in my past…" Carissa looked down, not really wanting to talk about her childhood.

"I understand." He still gave her a hopeful expression. "With the orchestra playing, we didn't really get a chance to talk more and I'm certain you have more questions." They'd talked a little about the term lifemate and what that meant in the Carpathian world. It was a challenging conversation as Pierce had to explain with his answers that there could be only one lifemate. He didn't specifically say one lifemate for one individual since he couldn't stand to outright lie to her with their situation.

Carissa gave him a shy smile. "Tomorrow is Friday. How about let me have at least one evening to myself and I'll see you on Saturday? Kylie invited me to go to a movie with her tomorrow night."

Pierce frowned a little. "Both of you alone?"

"We'll be fine. The theater isn't in a bad part of town or anything."

In the back of his mind, Pierce knew he'd just end up watching over both of them from a distance. But at least that way she would be able to spend a little time with her friend. It was unclear if Kylie could be in Carissa's life once she was converted. He sighed. "So I'll see you on Saturday." He bent down and kissed her forehead, then made sure she made it safely inside.

Carissa shut the door behind her and leaned against it. Pierce was absolutely amazing and terrifying to her at the same time. As Cujo greeted her, she glanced at the window to see him pull out of her driveway and head out into the night.

She jumped when the phone rang. He wasn't calling her already, was he? Wait, he didn't need to call her. Pierce had connected through his mind the other night. So who was calling this late? Worried that something could be wrong with Kylie, she picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Ms. Brooks?"

"Yes?"

There was a pause. "Ms. Carissa Brooks?"

"Yes," she answered impatiently, "who is this?"

"Do you work at a travel agency?"

"Yes." When there was silence again, Carissa became irritated. "Look, if you got my name from someone to book a trip, that's fine. But you can call the agency in the morning. This is my private number."

"Your home number?"

Carissa's sixth sense went off, not liking the sound of that question. "I'm busy with family right now," she lied. "You can call the agency in the morning."

The man on the phone gave a short laugh. "Rather late to be busy with family, Ms. Brooks. I'm calling to arrange a meeting with you."

"Who is this?" she demanded.

"Let's just say we are very interested in you."

Carissa slammed the phone down. Someone had to be playing a sick joke on her. What a terrible way to end her evening.

Trying to not let the caller bother her, Carissa switched back to thinking about Pierce. They actually kissed! After what happened in her childhood, she never thought she'd want a man to kiss her. Although she was technically still a virgin, men had groped and molested her growing up in the foster homes. Then after running away to live on the streets, men tried to buy her all the time. It was a miracle she hadn't been raped.

She sat down in a nearby chair, her stomach churning. How embarrassing that she was almost thirty years old and sill a virgin! She could never admit it to anyone. How could she admit it to Pierce? If he was more than a few hundred years old, there was little doubt he had experience with countless women. How could she even compete with any other women he'd been with when she was afraid to have sex?

Carissa warily got up and walked down the hall to her bedroom. She began to get ready for bed but her mind kept going in circles. Why was she meant to be a lifemate to Pierce? How could she ever be like him or have such power? She glanced at herself in the mirror and the beautiful dress he'd given her. Carissa frowned at the reflection. Of all the women in the world, how was she going to be enough for this one man?

Pierce parked the Mercedes in the garage and made his way up to their top floor residence. When he entered their residence, he saw Samuel's book bag tossed carelessly on the entry way table. Pierce headed down the hallway to find him when his cell phone rang. Answering it, he was surprised to see it was Aiden Savage, a hunter located on the west coast calling him.

"Hello Aidan. How are you and Alexandria?"

"Well, we'd be better if we hadn't just lost about a million dollars."

Pierce's chest grew tight. "Look, I know LogTech's stock is down…"

"Down? It's plummeted! What the hell gives? The majority of my wealth is tied up with wherever you decide to invest it!"

"Aidan, calm down. First of all, you didn't even lose that much money. Samuel and I moved the majority of your investment before anything could happen to all of it. I'm sorry to say yes, you still lost about fifty thousand. But we'll gain it back and then some."

"So you moved it."

"Yes, among a number of others who had their money there as well."

"So that's why the stock dropped so substantially?"

Pierce dropped his voice. "Well, it's not the only reason…"

"I read their sales are dismal. Aren't you and Samuel in charge of the board?"

Samuel's voice suddenly cut into the room. "Who's on the phone?"

Pierce ignored his brother. "Yes, and I can assure you, we are working on the problem. Aidan, it will be fine. I've made you quite a bit of money over the last fifty years." He glanced at his twin who got the point as to what the call was about.

Aidan drew a deep breath. "Yes, you have. Look, I'm sorry. It's not every day you suddenly see on the news one of your best companies take a nose dive like that."

Pierce swallowed hard. "Has Mikhail said anything?"

"He wasn't as concerned as I was."

"Oh?" he asked as his stomach tied into knots.

"He knows both of you are brilliant. Again, I'm sorry. I should have known that you and Samuel had everything under control."

"It's okay, Aidan. It's good for you to be aware of what's going on. We probably should communicate more to all the Carpathian people if a certain investment is in trouble."

Aidan laughed. "Well, it might help the next time I see you for us to share something so it's easier to privately communicate."

Pierce understood what he meant. Since neither had taken the other's blood, they had to be careful with any conversations on the common Carpathian telepathic link or over a phone.

"Besides," continued on Aiden, "since when do you have to communicate anything about your investments to us? Like you just said, you've made a fortune for all of us over the years. Without you and your brother, our people would never have three times the wealth we do today."

Pierce thanked him and ended the call. When he looked up, Samuel was still watching him. "We're lucky Mikhail didn't call us directly."

"Oh please, we moved everything like you said. We have a ton of investments elsewhere that are safe!" exclaimed Samuel.

"Yes. but when do you remember the last time something like this happening?"

Samuel turned and walked back down the hall to his office. "Well, it won't happen again. I told the board they've got two days to come up with a better action plan. I'm meeting with them on Monday."

Pierce followed his twin and stood in the doorway. "Look at you being all responsible and in control."

Samuel sat down at his desk. "Well, one of us has to be in control. Seems like you almost lost it for a moment there," he said referring to Carissa.

"No, I didn't."

"Oh yes you did." Samuel tapped his temple with a finger. "You think I can't see and feel everything when you're with her?"

Pierce shifted uncomfortably. "So you didn't feel jealous at all."

"Nope."

"Even when I took her blood? Or when she fed from me?"

Samuel sat down. "It was the most incredible thing to feel everything that you did. How long is it going to take to convince you that she is our lifemate?"

"How does this not bother you?"

"Of course it bothers me. But I'm also being realistic." Samuel suddenly laughed. "Hey, isn't that what you usually say?"

"What I usually say or talk about actually gave me a challenge with Carissa."

"In other words," said Samuel leaning back in his chair, "you didn't act like me. It's amazing she wants to see us again after you took her to some boring classical music concert."

"She was actually very interested."

"So she just slept when you weren't looking then?"

Pierce folded his arms against his chest. "At least I didn't try to scare her to death on a motorcycle."

"Don't you mean when you almost made me a crash a plane with her in it?"

"Well excuse me for not knowing we shared a soul!"

Samuel laughed. "So does that mean you believe she really is our lifemate, then?"

Pierce rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't even see how you can be so lighthearted about all this." He glared at his twin. "This is the worst thing that could happen and you still find a way to laugh about it!"

"Oh come on, Pierce. I'm taking this just as seriously as you are."

"Oh really."

"Of course." Samuel grinned. "We'll flip a coin as to who gets to be with her next."

Pierce turned on his heel and briskly walked down to their living quarters. He heard his twin call out after him, but Pierce ignored him. Stepping into the living room, he walked over to one of the secret compartments in the floor.

"A little early to be sleeping, isn't it?" asked Samuel from behind him.

Pierce knelt down ripped the compartment door open. He plunged his hands into the rich Carpathian soil and breathed in deeply while closing his eyes, hoping the sensation would calm him.

Samuel crouched down next to him. "Everything is going to be okay," he said in a soft voice.

"How?" He opened his eyes and looked at his brother. "This is wrong. We can't do this."

"What choice do we have?"

"The SongMaker," said Pierce in a ragged voice, "he can confirm this is real."

Samuel sat on the floor next to his brother. "Our flight is less than two weeks away. Somehow between now and then we have to convince Carissa to come with us."

"Yeah, good plan. We'll just let her know that we think she belongs to both of us. Yet of course, that's insane even in our world. But somehow we'll get her to travel with us to meet the oldest ancient of our race."

"Pierce…"

"And then," he continued, "either both of us will be outcasts by the entire Carpathian community or one of us will be condemned."

"You know the alternative."

"To not go? To live a lie to everyone and keep this a secret?" Pierce looked at his twin with a serious expression. "Do you really think you can? Samuel, I know deep down honor is everything to you."

Samuel reached down and grabbed a handful of soil. The earth clung to his fingers, it's beautiful dark minerals giving him a sense of peace, as well as a the truth he didn't want to see. "Yes, honor is everything to me." He slowly looked at his twin. "And so is she. Even if I stand before the SongMaker and he tells me that she is not my lifemate, that this whole experience has some other explanation, I regret nothing. For the first time in over a hundred years, I feel again, Pierce. I want to enjoy this time with her…and with you. Even if it's only for a short time."

Pierce was quiet for a moment, his heart sinking for his twin. Samuel was right. They had to live in the moments they had now, or what they had left. Thinking he should lighten the conversation a bit, he sat back. "And what if the SongMaker confirms we are her lifemate?" He tilted his head. "Other than the fact that we will be complete outcasts, of course."

"What of it?"

"Well, exactly how would we…"

Samuel gave way to a smile. "My brother, I believe you are actually blushing."

Pierce gave a huff. "Having a threesome that included my brother isn't exactly something I fantasized about when I thought of my lifemate. And although for some sick reason I don't mind you touching her, I certainly don't want you touching me."

Samuel pulled back from the soil and looked at his brother as if he were offended. "What? Are you saying you wouldn't want to kiss this handsome face?"

"Oh, shut it."

"I am so heartbroken. And here I even created matching boxers for us."

Pierce hit his brother's shoulder. "You're sick." But he couldn't help let out a slight laugh. He shook his head. "But seriously, how would it work? I mean…do we take turns? God, I can't believe I'm even having this conversation."

"Obviously you've never had a threesome, then."

"Have you?

Samuel's smile was now slow and secret.

"Are you serious?"

His twin laughed. "Not with another male!"

"But obviously females."

"Twins to be exact."

Pierce shook his head, rolling his eyes. "I wouldn't be volunteering that to Carissa."

"Well, she's the only one for me now," Samuel assured him. "Look my brother, I don't know all the answers. When the time comes, we do what feels right. Which probably means turning off that brain of yours. In the meantime, should things not work out, we need to make sure everything is set with the investments. You were right, Pierce. Something is way off with LogTech's executives."

"You think a competitor is trying to buy each of them off?"

"Maybe just one of them."

Pierce straightened. "Like a mole?"

"I don't know. But the CFO apparently didn't volunteer some highly confidential product their working on. I need to go back and look into his mind."

Pierce nodded. "We'll go together."