"Tell me how your lesson went. Was Lucia happy to see you?" He dropped his chin on the top of her head, nuzzling all that dark reddish silk.

Her fingers curled in his shirt. "Yes. Her face lit up when I went in with Lissa. Levi was there, and he wore an apron. It was all manly but I know he wore it for Lucia. I thought it was awesome that he'd do that for her."

"You like Levi."

"Very much. I had trouble at first, being around him. I don't usually go near men, but he's so wrapped up in Rikki, anyone can see that, so I didn't feel threatened. He hasn't been here that long, but he works wherever he's needed and he already feels part of us like a big brother looking out for us."

"That's good," Gavriil said. "What about Thomas?" Levi to Lev was an easy switch, but Stefan to Thomas was a little more difficult for him. He was going to have to work at getting used to that name.

"Thomas is more reserved than Levi. He's definitely crazy about Judith, but I don't know him as well."

She didn't realize that she was just as reserved as Thomas was. Gavriil leaned his head back again and closed his eyes, inhaling her scent. She would always feel like peace to him, like cool forest and the earth after a summer rain. Clean and fresh. She represented a new life. He was grabbing hold with both hands now that he'd made up his mind.

Lexi's body heat melted into his. It was a first for him to hold a woman on his lap, to simply cherish her. Offer comfort with no strings attached.

"And Maxim?"

"Maxim." She smiled. He couldn't see it because her face was buried in his chest, but he heard it in her voice.

"He's Mr. Tough Guy. He's not as intimidating to everyone as you are, because he has four shadows. Seriously, he can't take a step without the four children somewhere close. All of them look at him like the sun rises and sets with him. He tries to act like he doesn't like it. He gets all gruff, but you should see him with them. It's beautiful to watch."

"So you like him."

"I don't know him. He's only been here a couple of weeks, and we've had a few crazy things going on."

Gavriil remained silent, just waiting.

"Yes, I guess I do like him. How can you not like a man who takes on the responsibility of four children? I like Thomas as well. They definitely would protect all of us." She turned her head and looked up at him. "Tell me about your dogs."

"They saved my life. They gave me a reason to get up in the morning and to force my body to work when it didn't want to. They're the first real companionship I've ever had since I was taken." He hadn't known until that moment just how much he loved both animals. "The male is Drago and the female is Kiss."

"Kiss? As in the band KISS?"

"Kiss, as in Kiss of Death."

"Oh." She sat up and slipped off his lap. "You'd better introduce us. You need to go to bed. The sun's gone down, and you still haven't told me what happened to you this afternoon."

"You didn't ask," he pointed out.

"I figured you would tell me, but you're not getting to it."

She was very careful of his injured biceps. He noticed even when she melted into him, she didn't jostle him in the least.

"Because it wasn't important," he replied.

"I think you need to revise your opinion of what you consider important, Gavriil. When you come home with blood all over you and a wound that takes some fifty-six stitches to close, that's important."

She'd said, "Come home." He wanted to smile, but she had her little schoolmarm expression on her face and he figured she considered the conversation serious.

"I'm sorry. Yes. Of course. You're right. I should have told you what happened right away. It was more like a gunfight than a knife fight." At her gasp, he hastily amended his explanation. "It wasn't much of a fight at all."

"Gavriil Prakenskii, cough it up." She put her hands on her hips. "What exactly did you do now?"

He did laugh. "I'm not Benito."

"You could be," she said. "Spill."

"A couple of would-be assassins went after my youngest brother, Ilya."

"Oh no." Her hand flew to her throat. "Is he all right? Is Joley okay?"

"She was at her sister's house. He was with me."

She stood there a moment looking down at his face. She suddenly leaned down, framing his face with her hands, her gaze capturing his. "He was with you, meaning of course he's fine. Of course you took care of it, Gavriil. One of these days you aren't going to be fast enough and you're going to die. I don't want that. Do you understand me? I don't want that."

"If you keep looking at me like that, Lexi, I might have to kiss you, and then we'd have all sorts of problems."

She didn't stop looking at him, but she blinked a few times. "I don't know what this connection is between us, but I don't want to lose you, Gavriil. Please, for me, be a little more careful with yourself." She dropped her hands before he could move into her, stepping back and frowning at him. "And don't ever kiss me because you feel sorry for me. I'm not your sister."

He felt the slow burn start in his blood. "I wouldn't be kissing you if you were my sister. You told me you didn't want to be afraid I'd make a move on you, so I was politely warning you. You're not even making any sense."

She looked smug. "I'm a woman. I don't have to make sense. You need to be in bed, so eat and go to bed. I'm going to sit outside and contemplate what I'm going to do with you."

"You need to be introduced to the dogs. Kiss is pregnant and about to give birth to her first litter of puppies. I don't want her to get overprotective and not let you in the house."

"I'm quite happy on the porch. She can have the house. You do cook, don't you? When you're feeling up to it, you can cook me meals and bring them outside."

When she teased him, there was no way to resist her, no way to stop the spread of happiness slowly moving through him like some tsunami. "You really have a great sense of humor, don't you?" He grinned at her.

"Apparently. Fine. I'll meet your dogs, but if they kill me, it's on you."

The little tremor in her voice told him she was just a little afraid, now that she had taken care of his injury. Before, she'd been worried about him, but the dogs were large and intimidating.

He didn't feel like getting up and introducing her to the dogs. He considered just sleeping right there so he wouldn't have to move. His body hurt and his nerve endings burned until he felt raw and used up. But there she was, standing in front of him, looking nervous and determined, so beautiful she made his heart ache.

Lexi moved away from him to reach for the light switch. Dusk had turned to night, deepening the shadows he was more familiar with, more comfortable in.

"Don't," he said softly. "Leave them off."

He saw her take a deep breath before she nodded. "Just tell me why."

"We can see outside unless the lights are on. With them on, anyone outside has a bit of an advantage."

"I can put the blinds down."

"Solnyshko moya, you said you wanted me to stay. I know it feels as if I'm taking over, but I have to know we're safe. I prepare. I stash weapons around a house, and I know that won't bother you because I found your weapons. I leave money and passports in various places just in case. I've never spent more than a couple of nights in one place until I went to the mountains and forests to recover from this." He swept his arm over his body, indicating the stab wounds. "I want to be here. On this farm. With you. I have a chance to find something else here. It may be a slim one, but I'm willing to try. I just need..." He broke off, a little helplessly.

He didn't know the first thing about explaining himself to anyone. The conversations with her were the longest he'd had with another human being in more time than he could count.

"It's okay, Gavriil, I understand, I do. And I'm grateful to you for all the lessons in safety. I want to feel safe in my own home and I haven't. Not ever." She shivered and rubbed at the goose bumps on her arms. "Your dogs are just a little intimidating and they're black. In the dark I would think they would give someone a heart attack."

"Are you afraid? I wouldn't allow them to hurt you."

"A little."

"I'd shoot them before I'd allow them to harm you. And that's saying a lot, Lexi," he said quietly. "I owe my life to them."

"Tell me what to do." Her voice trembled but her chin was up.

Pain radiated from his biceps up to his shoulder, down his back and through his entire arm. He was going to have to lie down soon, there was no question about it, and he couldn't have the dogs killing her if she moved around the house.

Lexi thought she was going to sleep outside in her usual spot on the porch, but he had other ideas. She felt safer on the porch where she could see anything coming at her, but the house was safer with him in it and now, with the dogs and their incredible sense of smell and natural protective instincts, he could better protect her.

"Sit in the chair over there. I'll be on my feet. You won't pose a threat to me seated, especially when I'm standing."

"You aren't going to fall down are you? You're swaying a little. I've probably got some pain pills around here. If not, I can call Blythe and she'll call Libby. Libby's a doctor and she can -"

"I don't take painkillers. They dull the senses and I prefer to be sharp."

"Gavriil, you aren't going to heal fast if you hurt like that."

"You're going to heal me. I can feel the power in your hands. You'll do it, Lexi, so no worries. Sit down and let me call in the dogs. Then I'm going to bed."

"Have they already eaten?" she asked, her teeth chewing on her lower lip. He couldn't help but notice how full and perfectly curved her lip was even when he was making his way to the door.

Lexi sank into a chair and he called the dogs through, murmuring softly to them in his native language. He told them she was a friend, although, since he didn't have any friends, he'd never used that particular word before, so he changed it to his mate and introduced her as a pack member.

The dogs immediately went to her, smelling her. Her scent was on him and all around them. She belonged. Gavriil continued in his soft, commanding voice, every now and then running his hands over the two animals to reassure them all was well. He sank down onto the arm of her chair, his legs unable to support him.

Lexi slipped her arm around his waist. "You need to get in bed."

"Call them by name. Let them smell your hand. If they push against you, pet them. If not, just talk to them, let them get used to your voice."

Lexi followed his instructions, as well as his example. She spoke to the dogs in a low, calm voice. Drago smelled her hand and looked at Gavriil, and then, as if he understood, pushed his body against Lexi's. She dropped her hand into his silky, wavy coat. She smiled as she stroked the animal.

"He's beautiful, Gavriil."

Gavriil thought so as well. The male was sturdy, with strong bones and good conformation. Kiss was beautiful as well. Her body was heavy with puppies. Lexi was careful to make a fuss over the male and wait for the much more reluctant female to accept her.

Lexi was patient, taking her time talking to the male and allowing the female to check her out thoroughly. Gavriil let his breath out when Kiss finally signaled her acceptance of Lexi into her life. He had her pet Kiss, touch her, run her hands over the pregnant female while his hands mirrored hers to make certain Kiss accepted her fully.

"When will she have her puppies?"

"Very soon, any day. I tried to get her here, thinking I'd leave them with my brothers, so I'd know they were well taken care of."

"Before you sacrificed your life." Lexi shot him a look from under her long lashes. "Let's get you to bed."

He wanted to smile, but she had her little schoolmarm look on her face again. Every time they referred back to his original plan of leading Sorbacov's assassins away from his family, she got that particular expression. He was becoming rather fond of it.

He waved the dogs back and rose slowly from the arm of the chair, feeling as if a saw was cutting through his arm right down to the bone, and not a particularly sharp saw. Lexi stood up with him and slipped her arm back around his waist to steady him. He didn't need her help, but he liked the feel of her body close to his.

He couldn't believe the way she made him feel. His entire life he'd been closed off from human associations. He'd never wanted to be close to anyone, never could find a way to trust a woman far enough to be vulnerable around her. The first time he'd seen Lexi, he'd known. The earth itself had trembled beneath his feet and his heart had done a curious melting so that he was lost before he'd ever had a chance to retreat.

She left him at the bathroom door, and he heard her moving around the bedroom, pulling back covers and making up a bed for the dogs. The sounds were vaguely comforting. When he emerged, he wore nothing but a towel. He stood leaning against the door, watching her as she built a nest from blankets, presumably for Kiss.

She glanced up and went still. He knew he was devouring her with his gaze. She was beautiful to him. Everything about her, especially the care she was giving his animals. He hadn't prepared her ahead of time for them, but because they were his, she'd welcomed them.

"Thank you, Lexi," he said.

Lexi found she couldn't move. Gavriil leaned against the wall, a towel riding low on his hips, his eyes alive with pain, drifting over her possessively. No one had looked at her quite like that. He didn't look as if he owned her, but as if she was his, cherished and treasured and beautiful to him.

His face was ravaged with pain. Lines were etched deep. His shoulders were broad, his chest heavily muscled, his waist and hips narrow. He looked, in spite of his injury, invincible. He was battle-scarred, and right now, she could see exhaustion in every line of his body, but it didn't matter. She was completely and utterly captivated by him.

"Gavriil, please get in bed. If you don't, I'm going to sit on the floor and cry, right here." He was so wracked with pain he could barely move, yet he didn't seem to acknowledge it, or know how to just lay it all down for a while. "You've got the dogs, and I'm pretty good at keeping an eye out. I won't fall asleep, I promise."

There was something about him she just couldn't help but be drawn to. He was tragic, yet he didn't know it. He needed saving, but he didn't know that either. He was so alone standing there. He didn't know how to love, so broken, just like she was. She didn't know how either. Or maybe it was survival mode they both lived in, and they didn't dare allow anyone else in because if they were ripped apart a second time there would be no fixing either of them.

"I want you to lie down on the bed with me. Just stay there. I'll sleep under the sheet and you can have the blanket, but stay with me."

She was already shaking her head, an automatic reaction. She didn't sleep in a bed where someone could climb through the window and put a knife to her baby sister's throat. The air left her lungs and she couldn't catch her breath.

He moved so fast he seemed a blur, pushing her head down, his hand at the nape of her neck, strong, making her aware he could break her neck easily.

"Are you so afraid of me that you panic at the idea of lying on the same bed with me? Even when I have assured you that you're perfectly safe with me?"

There was no accusation in his tone, only a soft inquiry. His presence helped her to push air through her lungs. She shook her head and slowly straightened, her heart still pounding, blood still coursing through her veins, but she could breathe.

"It isn't you. It isn't, Gavriil. I'm sorry I made you think that." She glanced toward the window. He was so omnipotent and she felt fragile and a little hysterical with her panic attacks. She made up her mind to just tell him. Let him see what he was dealing with.

"He came through my bedroom window. Into my home. My sister was asleep in the bed next to mine and my parents were just down the hall. I had two older brothers and their bedroom was across from mine. They had cult members stationed at each of the rooms and if I didn't go with him, they would have gone in and killed all of them right there." She pressed her fingers against her mouth tightly.

Gavriil very gently laid his hand over hers, closed his fingers around hers and pulled her hand to his mouth. He kissed her fingertips, as if she had burned them. "Don't be ashamed because you don't like sleeping in a bedroom. That worthless excuse of a human being took your feeling of safety away. A home is supposed to be a sanctuary, a place that should never be violated. He took that away. You sleep on your porch to compensate. Why should that make you embarrassed?"

"Look at you. Intruders broke into your home. They ripped your family apart just as Caine did mine. They murdered your parents just as Caine did mine. You're strong and you don't have panic attacks..."

"Silly woman."

His voice twisted at her heart. There was a note in it she couldn't quite identify. Silky and soft. Tender.

"Look around this room. It's an armory. There are weapons stashed in every conceivable place, not only here in this bedroom, but throughout the house. I've brought two very protective dogs with me. I intend to build a safe room as well as an underground room to store more weapons. I'll turn our home into a fortress, and still that won't be enough for me. To protect you, Lexi, I'll go to lengths that will make you crazy. What's the difference between us? Not much if you ask me."

She couldn't help the smile. They were both so broken it was terrible, yet wonderful at the same time. She wasn't alone, and he didn't care about her panic attacks or her inability to stay in the bedroom all night.

He tugged at her hand. "You don't have to sleep here. Just lie down with me. I need to feel you next to me. You give me courage."

Lexi followed him to the bed, more because the fingers shackling her wrist hadn't let up for one moment. He wasn't holding her tight, but his hold was firm.

"I think you're the most courageous person I know."