The Immortal Hunter(53)

Dani stared at him blankly. "1872?"

Decker nodded.

"But that would make her over a hundred and thirty years old."

"About one hundred and thirty-seven or thereabouts," he said, and then reminded her, "The law about leaving at least one hundred years between each child causes the large gaps."

Dani closed her eyes as everything clicked into place in her head. Decker telling Justin that he hadn't eaten since he was one hundred and twenty, his saying in the van that his grandparents had been treated with the nanos in Atlantis, and his telling her just moments ago that his family was using the name Argeneau this century. They called themselves immortals, and she was beginning to realize it wasn't because they were quick healers. Dani didn't know why she hadn't worked it out before this. She supposed she'd been too stressed out and worried about Stephanie, but she was beginning to understand now.

"Your people don't age and die," she said.

"We don't age," Decker agreed, "But we can die. I did mention that it was Nicholas's life mate's dying that pushed him over the edge."

"I assumed she was mortal," Dani murmured with confusion. "Sam is mortal, and I thought-"

"Sam is only mortal because she isn't ready to turn yet," he explained, and then shook his head and muttered, "I guess I didn't explain things very well last night." He paused and took a deep breath and then said, "The nanos will repair any damage including that caused by aging. They also kill off illnesses, but they travel through the bloodstream, so if you rip out the heart, they aren't going anywhere or repairing anything. The blood will die and so will they."

"So Nicholas's wife died in an accident that ripped out her heart?" she asked with disbelief. "What kind of accident rips out your heart?"

"No. Nicholas's wife, Annie, burned to death in a car accident."

"So fire can kill you too."

He nodded. "And decapitation."

Dani supposed that made sense, and asked, "But otherwise you don't die or age?"

Decker shook his head.

"And your sister is one hundred and thirty-seven?"

"Thereabouts," he agreed.

"And she's younger than you?"

Decker seemed to realize where her questions were leading. Lips twisting wryly he said, "I'm two hundred and fifty-nine years old, Dani."

"Two hundred and..."

"Fifty-nine," he finished.

Finding it just too hard for her poor brain to accept, she asked weakly, "You're pulling my leg, right?"

"No," Decker said solemnly, and then worry crossed his face. "Does the age difference bother you?"

Dani gave a short disbelieving laugh and then frowned and peered at him with concern. "Decker, you've told me about life mates, and I know you think I'm yours, but-"

"I don't think, I know," he said firmly, and then reminded her, "Dani. I can't read you."

"Yes, but-"

"And we're sharing dreams."

She stared at him with bewilderment. The only dreams she'd had since meeting him were the one where she'd been walking a flowered path with Stephanie, and-Dani froze, and then asked with dismay, "The tub?"

"I'm afraid so," he said with chagrin. "I fell asleep on the bed while waiting for you to finish your bath, and..." He shrugged.

She felt herself flush with embarrassment, but asked, "So I experienced what you were dreaming?"

"Not exactly," Decker said slowly.

"Well what exactly?" she snapped.

"From what I understand it's a shared sort of thing. Your brain was supplying what you were doing and my mind controlled me, so while I was soaping your breasts, it was you who turned and raised your face to kiss me and you who reached back to grab my-"

"I wonder if the rain's stopped," Dani interrupted in a strained voice.

She started to slide off the bale of hay, but he caught her arm to stop her, pointing out, "You can hear it's still pounding down."

"Oh yes," she murmured, licking her lips and avoiding his eyes. His words had taken her right back to the excitement of those moments, and his voice had deepened as he spoke, becoming so damned sexy... She wanted him to kiss her. She wanted to kiss him back. She wanted-Giving her head a shake, Dani pulled her arm free and slid off the bale. She immediately started walking for the open doors.

"It could rain for hours. We should probably go back and..." She paused in surprise as Decker caught her arm and spun her around.

"Don't run from me, Dani," he whispered, his expression intense. "I'll just give chase."

"I'm not running," she whispered, her eyes on his mouth.

"Yes," he growled. "You are." And then he did exactly what she wanted and kissed her.

A small explosion went off in Dani's head as Decker's mouth covered hers. She didn't resist or try to pull away. Instead her hands slid around his neck and her mouth opened for him without any urging. Dani moaned as his tongue accepted the invitation and slid in. It rasped across her own tongue, wrestling with it as he began to walk her backward, hands at her hips, guiding her as if they were dancing.