Page 419 of Primal Bonds

In desperation, he tried to pulse life-energy through the mate bond. But he was blocked by the shield he himself had erected between them.

He dropped back his head to stare up at the darkening sky. If he were a wolf, he’d have howled in anguish. Rosana was dying, and taking his heart with him.

Her breasts pressed against his chest. By some odd coincidence, their pendants had lined up side by side, his quartz touching her chest, her amethyst against his breastbone. He felt her reaching out to him—mate to mate—and knew what he had to do.

He’d rejected the bond to protect her. Now he had to accept it.

In the end, it was easy. He simply let the shield drop.

The shining strands leapt toward each other, his blue intertwining with her sea-green.

Rosana jerked. Mumbled something.

His stomach dropped. Her thread was so thin and weak. A shimmer so fragile, it hurt him to see it—and yet also incredibly beautiful, glowing with Rosana’s very essence.

He poured his love into that fragile green strand. Willing her to feel how much he cared.

Willing her to live.

To his astonishment, a new thread shimmered into being, a gossamer gold that belonged to both of them. Together, they twined into single bright cord.

Rosana’s breath shuddered in.

Hope leapt in him. He pressed kisses to her face. “That’s it, love. Come back to me.”

Her eyes opened. As she focused on him, a wondering look spread over her face.

She touched his cheek. “Ric. You—we—”

“Hey there, angel.” Rubbing his lips over hers, he pulsed life-energy into her. This time, it worked, moving right to the deepest parts of her, healing her from the inside out.

She heaved a breath. They remained like that for a long minute.

When her lips curved in a smile, he felt it clear to his soul. “We’re mate-bonded. But—” She frowned, shook her head. “I don’t understand.”

“I’ll explain later. Can you stand now?”

When she nodded, he set her on her feet in the pond. She blinked around her. “We’re outside. In the water.”

“It’s a pond at New Moon. Big enough for your dolphin.”

“Oh. How—?”

“Go ahead.” He gave her an encouraging squeeze. “Shift.”

She blinked again—and then released him to sink beneath the surface.

She barely had enough juice to shift, but he remained connected to her, urging her on. That and sheer grit got her through. The dark waters glittered, and then she was a river dolphin with a long beak and charcoal gray body.

He watched tensely while she lolled in the water, sucking air through her blowhole, until she revived enough to give him a feeble nudge with her beak.

His whole body sagged in relief. He set his cheek against her smooth gray face. “Go. Swim. Catch some fish for me.”

She cast him a worried look, clucked a question. Somehow he understood.

What about you?

“It’s okay. You can find me later.” He pressed a kiss to the edge of her beak. “I love you.”

---