Page 42 of Ravenous

He relaxed back against the sofa, and his ease drew her in despite herself. Outside in the night, autumn winds rattled the leafless trees. But inside her cottage, warmth curled around them like a spell.

“Nice place,” he said. “Any kids?”

“No. Not yet.” But she’d been thinking about motherhood more and more. All her cottage lacked was a cradle by the hearth with a little witchling inside.

Ache.

“Hard to manage that with no males around,” Lowell said. “But I heard your coven has some kind of arrangement with the warlocks of Umber.”

“Yes, they visit each season to procreate.” Maybe. The last few mating seasons had proved so lackluster and unfruitful that some witches wanted it canceled.

Her own fumblings with warlocks had disappointed her. None had moved her to try intercourse for the first time.Nope, not for me. Not until I’m ready to get offspring out of it.

Lowell already affected her more than any of those males had.

She supposed if the warlocks didn’t make their pilgrimage this year, she could journey to their stronghold and find a father for her child. The longing in her heart couldn’t be ignored for much longer.Despite the coming Accession, it might be time.“I’ll probably take the plunge this year.”

“Funny way of putting it. I was just thinking that process sounded…spawn-y. Makes me picture the salmon fighting currents in Craigdúr’s streams.”

She glared. “From what I’ve heard about cohabitation, it sounds like a lot of work to me.” So why did she dream of waking next to a mate? Sharing her home with one?

“With the wrong bloke, aye. And those are the ones you hear of—no’ of the steady ones quietly making females purr with delight.”

Purring? Speaking of which, she glanced around for Nettle, but the cat had disappeared. She wouldn’t have gone far in this blustery weather. “Doesn’t your Instinct force you to treat mates well?”

He laughed warmly. “Is that what they’re teaching these days inspecies studies?”

She raised her brows for an explanation. “Enlighten me.”

“The Instinct is no force, just an inner voice that guides us to what is best for us and for our pack.”

“Some in my classes think it’s a glorified subconscious.”

“More animalistic, I reckon.”

That made sense. The first Lykae had been a human in Gaia, bitten by a maddened wolf. The male had risen from the dead as an immortal with superhuman strength, a contagious bite, and an inner wolf. Lykae “humanity” was only a thin veneer over a lethal beast.

“What about you?” she asked. “Any kids?”

“I canna have pups with any but my mate.”

“And you could go centuries without finding her.” Or millennia. “How old are you anyway?”

“Thirty-eight and counting.”

“You must’ve just turned fully immortal.”

“Aye. Few years ago. You?”

She sipped again. “A little over a century.”

“You’ve beaten me out in age and beauty, lass.” His charisma simmered like a concoction over an eternal heat source.

Resist it!“You’re drinking slow.”

“Doona want our date to end. Hankering to make it last.”

“Date?” She drew herself up, assuming a businesslike demeanor. “This is diplomacy, wolf.”