Embrace the seductive call of the latest novel in Christine Feehan’s #1 New York Times bestselling Carpathian series.   Vasilisa Sidkorolyavolkva is a Lycan of royal blood. She knows what is expected of her, but all she wants is to be out from under her family’s watchful eyes. There is a fire inside her that is building. A restlessness coupled with a sense of growing dread. Every day she feels the weight of the legacy passed down through generations. The prophecy that says a man will come to claim her as his mate, and that she will guard his soul. She knows nothing about him except that he is hers. But nothing seems real until the night she meets him in the flesh....   Afanasiv Belan is a Carpathian, an ancient one. In all the centuries of his existence, no one has ever affected him like Vasilisa. He can see into her mind and feel what is in her heart. They are so alike, warriors bound by honor and plagued by secrets. They both know they must reveal the darkest parts of their souls if they hope to survive and protect the ones they love.   But if they claim each other as lifemates, it will change them down to the bone. They will become something more—something feared by both of their kinds.... "A powerful read that kept me hooked from beginning to end. It’s a story of unique storytelling, a plot with its challenging archs that will leave the reader breathless, and a romance that will intrigue and fascinate the reader in such a way that you will be charmed by their story and keep you yearning for more!"—Addicted to Romance "An exciting, tense and fun story, with a fantastic couple in Vasi and Siv, as well as all the wonderful secondary characters."—The Reading Cafe "The story feels fresh and new if a bit of dark. I can’t wait to see how the other ancients who accompanied Siv fare in their search for their life mates."—The Good, The Bad and the Unread Christine Feehan is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many novels, including the Carpathian series, the GhostWalker series, the Leopard series, the Torpedo Ink series, the Shadow Riders series, and stand-alone romantic suspense novels. Chapter 1 Vasilisa Sidkorolyavolkva stood for a long moment staring up at the sliver of silver moon in the dark bluish sky. She loved this time of night, when millions of stars were scattered like a blanket across the sky, and it was clear and perfect. She inhaled to take in all the scents around her, a habit ingrained for self-preservation, taught from the time she was a toddler. The pavilion was empty, a mixture of black and white squares where others often came to dance and party late into the night, but that hadn't happened for a long while. She knew her family wanted her to settle for a husband, and during every ball, they pushed eligible bachelors at her. She detested the disappointment in her brothers' eyes, especially her eldest. She knew if she didn't cooperate soon, he would demand she comply with his choice-and she knew she wouldn't. Andros, ruler of her family, was running out of patience with her. He thought she would do as he said, mostly because he was used to everyone doing as he said. Her other brothers-the twins, Garald and Grigor-knew her so much better. They knew her stubborn streak, and they watched her carefully after each ball. The more Andros pushed her, the more they kept their eyes on her. She had to smile to herself. She had her ways of sneaking out of their palatial home, and her brothers had never caught her. Not once. Not in all the years she'd been doing it. They lived in a small community in a very remote area in the Eastern Siberia boreal forest. The community had existed for hundreds of years. More. They had kept to themselves for generations, although now, the younger ones had left the villages to seek employment and service in more modern settings. They blended in seamlessly. The villages dated back so many centuries that they still considered themselves ruled by a monarchy rather than acknowledging the government, although every man and woman served in the military for the experience of it. Vasilisa came from that monarchy, and her brother Andros was the current ruler. Vasilisa had been extremely uneasy lately. Restless and moody. Edgy. She always maintained her serene composure. She was too skilled in battle technique to give anything away. That cool exterior didn't mean she wasn't burning hot with passion deep down. She needed an outlet. She knew she desperately needed out from under her brothers' watchful eyes. They'd felt it, too-that unrest in their land-which was why they were even more vigilant watching over her. She was particularly terrified of what that edgy, moody, wanting-to-snap-at-everyone-just-for-looking-at-her-wrong feeling actually meant. She had no power over the things that were changing. Things that could directly affect her. She needed a friend to talk things over with. Someone she trusted who would never betray her confidence. That