Christine Feehan - Dark Celebration 17

She flicked a quick glance at Julian, who tried to catch her eye, but she refused to meet his gaze. Julian reached out his hand and took hers, bringing her palm to his heart. If you choose not to get pregnant this night, so be it, Desari. I would never take away your choice.

Desari turned her head away from the prince, blinking back tears, rubbing her cheek along Julian's shoulder as she did so. I do not know if this year is special or if returning to our homeland has caused a leap in fertility, but many of the women have said they can get pregnant, though few wish to try.

Desari, we will have children when you are ready. If the miracle happens, and I believe it will, it is meant to be. If not… Julian shrugged his shoulders and sent her a wealth of love and reassurance. So be it. He was not a man to follow the path of others. If Desari didn't want to chance the heartbreak of losing children, he was not going to take her to task, or point out her duty to their people.

Desari smiled at him. She knew he would never pressure her, and she loved him all the more for his patience-for his complete faith in her.

«Julian, I ask again that you reach out to Dimitri,» Mikhail said. «I am on my way to speak with Darius. I wish to question him more on how he kept you all alive.»

Julian nodded in agreement, and watched as Mikhail shimmered into transparency and streamed upward through the snow toward the house Darius had chosen to stay in. He dropped his arm around Desari's shoulders, sweeping her long hair away from her neck. «We are actually alone.»

A slow smile teased the curve of her mouth. «Really?» She quirked an eyebrow at him. «We may be alone, but since you ruined my contribution to tonights feast, I have to cook. Or better yet, you should do the cooking.»

His golden eyes gleamed at her. «I would very much like to oblige.» He swept her into his arms, tossing her over his shoulder as if she weighed no more than a feather, and sprinted for the house.

«Julian! You savage!» She gripped him around the waist as he vaulted over the railing and kicked open the front door. «Stop being a caveman.»

«Ha ha ha.» He brought his hand down on her squirming bottom as he strode through the house toward the bedroom. «As I recall, technically you are a Savage as well.»

She laughed and deliberately wrapped her arms around his waist, fingers sliding over the front of his jeans in a stroking caress. The action distracted him immediately so that he nearly stumbled, losing his long strides. Desari took the opportunity to dissolve, leaving him holding empty air as she streamed through the house, a comet of flashing colors. Her soft laughter teased his senses, while her fingers seemed to brush over his face and down his chest.

«That's not nice, Desari,» Julian objected, following the prism of colors at a more leisurely pace. «And definitely unfair.»

Back off big boy, she warned, trying to give the impression of a snarl, but instead it came out laughter. Can I help it if you re so susceptible to a little accidental touching?

«Accidental? I think not.» He raised his hands and wove a complicated pattern in the air. The streaming colors collided with a solid net, and immediately Desari's natural form landed on the floor. She sat at his feet laughing, blinking up at him, her dark hair spilling all around her making her look more alluring than ever.

Julian's heart clenched in his chest. The sensation was so strong that he pressed his palm over his aching heart, drawing in a deep breath. «Every single night I wake up thinking I cannot possibly love you more, Desari. And every single night, when you awaken and look at me, the love I have for you grows stronger-so much so that sometimes I think I cannot contain it.»

The bright laughter faded as she extended her hand to him, allowing him to pull her up, to pull her into the shelter of his arms. She framed his face with her hands. She was tall, but he was taller, forcing her to look up in order to meet his burning gaze. His eyes had gone

from amber to burnished gold, the hunger there taking her breath away. «You are my beloved, Julian, always my beloved.»

«I hold you like this, safe in my arms, your body fitting so perfectly into mine.» He turned his head away, ashamed of the welling emotion he could never control in spite of all his centuries of discipline. «And you sing to me as we lie together and there is no other peace in the world like the peace you bring to me.»

She took a deep breath, love shaking her with its strength. «Do you want a child, Julian? Do you want to try when we know the heartache that most likely lies ahead for us? Are you willing to take a chance that the greatest sorrow-losing our son or daughter-will take from us what we have?» She had to know the truth before making a decision. There was a part of her that wanted a child, a boy with bright blond hair and gold for eyes-a child who would play pranks on her and tease her, reminding her all too much of the man who was her other half. But the price was so high. So very high.

«Is that what you think, Desari? That if we lost our child, we would lose what we have between us?» He shook his head. «Never. It is impossible.»

«Our love is so strong, Julian, the emotions we feel so intense, the sorrow of losing a child would be devastating.» The lump in her throat threatened to choke her.

«Any parent knows losing a child is devastating,» he replied gently. «The sorrow would be great, yes, but if you're asking me would the risk of that sorrow be worth the chance of having a son or daughter with your eyes and your smile-then I have to say it would be worth it to me. But the decision is yours to make. You are enough for my happiness. A child is a miracle, but I will always survive as long as I have you.»

«I'm not a coward, Julian,» Desari said, her fingers tangling in his hair. She rested her body against his, laying her head over his heart, listening to the steady rhythm. «I'm not hesitating because I'm a coward.»

He stroked a caress down the length of shining black hair. «I could never, for one moment, think of you as a coward, honey. We will have a child when we're ready, not one second before. I have done my duty for my people-a thousand times over-and I will not have a child out of duty. Our child will be conceived in love and wanted more than any other by both of us.»

Her heart matched the rhythm of his. Her blood heated in her veins. She lifted her face to press kisses along the column of his neck, nipping gently, her tongue tasting his skin. «Well, then, since I would love to have a baby, I say let's go for it. Let's try, Julian, and enjoy every moment of conception and pregnancy and not let worry rule us. Our child will be our Christmas present to one another.»

His body was already stirring, his blood heating to match the fire in hers. «You're certain, Desari?»

Her mouth took his, pouring love into him along with her sweet, addicting taste. Every cell in his body responded. He lifted her into his arms without breaking the kiss. Christmas may really bring miracles.

Her loving laughter teased his senses. Don't think this will get you out of helping me come up with something else to cook for tonight's celebration.

Tonight's celebration is happening right now, he told her.

Chapter 6

Darius Daratrazanoff glared at his lifemate as she very accurately threw several rounds of snowballs, peppering him in the face and chest. «Tempest, I am giving you a direct order. Come back here now!»

Tempest packed the next snowball tight and launched it at his face. «You and your silly direct orders.» She tossed her snowflake-covered red hair and gave a sniff of disdain. «Honestly, Darius, I'm not one of your brothers or sisters who do whatever you tell them. You made fun of me, you snake. Just because I blew up the oven doesn't mean I can't cook.» She threw another tightly packed missile, running backward as she did so. «Take it back.»