That was the power Anastasia could leash and he was aware of it. That was why he decided to come here. In Ixoviya, she would have attracted enemies and created menace. Even though her anger manifested into unleashing her magic, she looked... stunning... gorgeous... like an image from his dreams come true.

He walked up to her and in a dulcet voice said, "Calm down sweetheart. I am getting turned on." He waved his hands and a portal of water was created in front of them.

Anastasia stared at him with wrath but the moment his face became clear, her expressions softened. She looked around and gulped. Her wings dropped immediately. What did he say?

"It's time to go back," he said softly to her.

Pulling her magic back, she willed herself to calm down. She walked towards the portal. With every step she took towards the portal, she could feel his gaze on her... his hungry gaze. As she stepped in the portal, an image flashed across her mind-of him entering her. Heat polled in between her thighs and she clenched her muscles when she stepped in Ixoviya, swaying a little. He stepped in the portal right behind her and scooped her in his arms. Cold, shivering and drenched from the rain, she wrapped her arms around his neck to snuggle in his warmth.

"You looked so beautiful out there, Anastasia," he said as he pressed her against his chest. He carried her all the way to their bedchamber. The servants were amused as to how come the guests were drenched, when there was no rain in Yelgra. In fact it was pretty warm.

A few hours of practicing in coldness and rain in the snow-clad Wilnyra Mountains had exhausted her greatly. They passed Daryn and he exclaimed, "Why do you smell like roasted potato?" Anastasia pursed her lips while Ileus ignored him. All she wanted at the moment was to reach her room and sit next to the fire. Ileus opened the door of the bedchamber and as soon as they walked in, he set her on the feet. Anastasia was surprised to see that the fire was already burning in the hearth. Shivering as hell, she was feeling like an ice cube. She touched her nose but couldn't even feel that. Ileus ushered her towards the fireplace as her teeth chattered and she clasped her hands against her chest. He took her hands in his and wrenched them apart.

"You did great," he said with an amused smile.

"Shut up!" she snapped.

He pulled her hands towards the fire. "Hold your fingers close to it." She did exactly that trying not to put her hands in the fire.

"I am going to draw a warm bath for you," he said and walked to the bath chamber. "I will warm you nicely."

"No need," she murmured.

"Don't worry, I am going to keep my hands to myself."

"Then how will you warm me?" she blurted. She regretted saying that immediately.

He grinned.

"I am used to getting warm... by myself."

"I remember someone clutching onto me just a few minutes ago."

She gulped awkwardly. "I am very hungry!"

Ileus frowned and then said, "Okay, let me first run the bath and then I will order the servants to get food in the chamber."

When he came back from the bath chamber, he found her looking at him. He prowled closer to her and said in a low, husky voice, "Don't look at me like that."

The sexiness in his voice once again made her thighs clench... hard. "Look at you like what?"

"Like you want to have sex with me."

Before she could say a word of protest, he had opened the door and walked out. Anastasia blushed a scarlet. Gods, he was shameless.

She returned to looking at the fire hearth, and realized how cold she was already in those clothes. She had to peel them off her before her skin froze. She removed her boots first, followed by her slacks. When it came to removing her full-sleeves cuffed shirt, she was at a loss. She wanted to tear it open because without Ileus' help it wasn't possible for her to remove it because of her wings. Her wish was answered almost instantly when the door opened and he walked in. With a smug smile, he helped her remove the shirt. Was their mental bond becoming stronger? How could he sense what she wanted and then tend to it within a minute?

"Yes sweetheart," he replied. "Your mental shields are low. We have to work on that too, especially if you have to go to Draoidh with me." After shackling her wings, he scooped her in his arms, kissed her lips and then took her to the bath chamber.

"What's the connection between mental shields and Draoidh?" she asked, surprised that he actually heard her through their mental bond.

He set her in the bathtub and Anastasia... groaned. Hot water spiraled around her. She immersed herself completely into it. When she surfaced and smoothed her hair back, she found him naked and... erect. She shook her head.

He came to sit right behind her and stretched his legs around hers. He pulled her closer to him and wrapped his arms around her forcing her to lean against him. He removed her hair from the shoulder bent down to kiss their mark. She shuddered wanting him to graze her with his fangs. Heat pooled in her belly... again.

"Do you know that once a werewolf claims and marks his mate, a mental bond is formed between them?" he explained. "I don't pry in your mind... haven't pried... but I want permission to communicate with you like that also."

She looked up at his face and his chin came into view. All her anger evaporated. She lifted her face up and bit his chin. His shaft pulsated in response. "You didn't answer my question," she said and rubbed her back on his member.

"I want to help you build your mental shields because some wizards have the ability to enter your cell... your mind. They can enter it and shred it to pieces." The best example was his mother, who was famous for this ability and was feared immensely.