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“I don’t know whether it runs both ways with a human. I’ve never heard of a Gulon trying it. Take it as a danger to both of us.”
“And you want to risk that with me?”
“Yes.” He doesn’t even blink.
I want to kiss him again, but I stay beside him with his hand in mine. I don’t think he’s done.
“The bond may give you my span of life. My people live more than three hundred years. I believe you could share that.”
Three hundred years. Fuck. “Could?”
“I believe it would. I can’t promise it.”
“You’ve already used two hundred of those.” I’m trying to get a fang out of him.
“Yes. I can’t tell you how many are left.”
I move my thumb over his knuckles. “I’d like a lot.”
“So would I.” He turns toward me, and his thigh pulls enough that he stops. I scoot closer instead and leave him room to stretch that leg out.
“Afterward, I’ll want you close. In the den. I’ll want to feed you and tend you, keep our scents in the bedding. More than I do now.”
I look at the stacked wood, the food cache, and the bow he made me.
“More?”
“Yes. It’ll be hard for me to leave you alone at first.”
“I promised to be home in two days, Rauk.” I turn back to him for that.
“I know. We’ll go.”
“Even if you want me here.”
“I won’t keep you here.” His ears tip back, and he looks at the outer passage.
None of that. I squeeze his hand until he turns to me again.
“You can bring food with us.”
One fang shows, and I lean my good shoulder against his.
We sit there for a little while with his leg stretched out. Now that we’ve both stopped talking, I can hear the trickle from the inner passage, and his breathing’s easier than when he put me down.
I want him at Mel’s table. I want to come back here with him afterward. I don’t know where we’ll live, or how often Keer will turn up to argue, and I’m going to have to tell him all of this myself.
I turn my face up to Rauk.
“Yes. I want to be your mate.”
His ears come forward, but he stays where he is.
“I want you to catch me. And I want what comes after. The mating, the marks, the bond. I know we can’t take it back once it’s done.”
His fingers move under mine, and I keep looking right at him.
“I know one of us could die and take the other along. I still want it, for however many years we get.”
