"But I'm not human, Merry, and your experience with vampires hasn't been the best. I'm worried that you would regret getting involved with me."
I relaxed against the wall. My foot brushed his leg as I leaned back. He didn't pull away. "I know what you are, Marcus. What's more important iswhoyou are." I swallowed around the sudden lump in my throat. "Would you regret getting involved in a human? You said you hadn't dated a human since you were one yourself."
His hand came out of the water and brushed my cheek. "I wouldn't regret getting involved with you."
I leaned into the caress. "Then, we don't have any obstacles, do we?"
That hint of a smile returned. "I think we have plenty of obstacles."
"Outside obstacles," I argued. "And even humans have those."
He seemed closer as he lowered his hand to rest on the ledge next to my ankles. His chest made contact with my shins and I realized he had moved, just a bit.
"Merry, I don't think you realize what having a vampire lover means," he stated.
"What are you talking about?"
"We bite our lovers. It's intimate and it strengthens our connection."
"Oh my God, you want to bite me?" I gasped dramatically. He scowled at me, but I ignored him. "I understand that part, Marcus. I'm not naive."
"But—"
I put my fingers over his lips, stopping the words before he spoke them. "You're different. You treat me differently as well. I trust you. Probably more than I would a human man."
He blinked several times before he reached up and removed my fingers from his face. "I want to take you at your word, but I'm afraid to."
"Why?"
"Because it will hurt if you don't mean that. Or if you change your mind."
"You could hurt me, too," I pointed out. "A lot more than I could hurt you."
He fell silent and we stared at each other from inches away.
"You'll have to trust me," I said. "Just like you want me to trust you."
"You have a point," he agreed.
When he didn't say anything else, I nodded my head. "And?"
"Just that. You have a point. What else can I say?"
"Nothing, I guess."
He smiled at me, not a small one this time, but one that reached his eyes and lit his entire face.
"Are you angry with me?" he asked.
"Annoyed," I answered.
"Why?"
"Because you've seen into my mind even more than I've seen into yours. I know how you feel about me. You have to know how I feel about you."
"I do," he replied.
"Should I back off? Is that what you want?"
