"You still have not confided to me on what you are basing your theory that a human woman can produce a female child in good health." He needed to know. He needed to believe as much as Gregori did. This time Gregori's silver eyes warmed into mercury, a self-mocking humor that wasn't real shimmering for a brief moment. "Need. Pure need, my old friend." Mikhail's eyes gleamed with answering humor. Need was as elemental as hunger. Even the earth itself needed. "If what you suspect is true, perhaps we need to conduct a search for likely candidates. We could take out single ads in newspapers across the world for all Carpathians." "Your woman would like that," Gregori agreed. Mikhail nodded. "She says we need to be brought into this century." Mikhail's laughter was genuine. "All my latest technology has failed to convince her that I am a modern man." Without thought, his mind reached for Raven's to share the joke. Instantly Raven flooded his mind with her soft musical laughter. For a moment, the severity of his people's problems slipped away, and he was surrounded by her love. Gregori's silver eyes glittered ominously, dragging Mikhail back to their present dilemma."