As desperate asI was to tell Sam how I could take all this away from him, I wasn’t delusional in thinking he wouldn’t believe me, might freak out, or worse, become angry with me and push me away. Sure, I could tell him, he could be on board, and his conversation with his friends didn’t have to happen. Time wasn’t on my side with that, however. He was going to have to tell his friends what was going on.
I ran my fingers through my hair as I stared out at the ocean, the sun well and truly in deep slumber much like Sam was.
I knew what I was asking of Sam—there was a downside to becoming my eternal, becoming a vampire. Secrecy was paramount; he wouldn’t be able to tell anyone…he’d have to move as soon as people saw he wasn’t aging. From a distance, he’d watch all the ones he loved wither away and die. It made what I was asking of him selfish. The pain he’d endure would crack him in two, and if he died…perhaps starving myself would be less painful after all.
“Lukas?”
I spun and saw Sam leaning against the archway to the living room.
“Everything okay?”
His smile was soft; of course nothing was okay. He held his hand out. “Come to bed.”
“My mind is all over the place, Sam. I don’t want my tossing and turning to keep you awake.”
He made grabby hands that had me chuckling. “Who said anything about sleeping?”
Like a moth to a flame, I slowly moved closer to him. The light behind him made him look ethereal, like an angel. I slipped my hand in his and let him lead me to the bedroom.
We stood in the middle of the bedroom, silence surrounding us, and I couldn’t take my eyes off him. I never wanted to.
He reached out and unbuttoned my shirt, his hands sliding the fabric from my body. Nimble fingers unsnapped my pants, which fell to the floor. He had a T-shirt and boxers on, and he lifted his arms when I tugged the cotton off.
I kept my gaze on him as I kneeled before him. This was the closest I’d come to praying in a very long time. But I’d stay like this forever if Sam never felt a moment more of pain. I gently slid his boxers down and pressed my face against his stomach, kissing across warm flesh, so alive, so mine.
“Sam.” I sighed into his skin.
His fingers gripped my hair and he held me closer. For a few heartbeats, we stayed like that. In my hundreds of years being on this earth there weren’t many memories I cherished, weren’t many I remembered or bothered to. This one would forever be tattooed on my mind.
I took him into my mouth, relishing in his moan. His fingers never left my hair as I sucked, licked, and stroked him.
“Lukas, please.”
In one fluid movement I stood, scooped him into my arms, and carried him to the bed. I kicked my boxers off and covered his body with my own.
His legs wrapped around me, and his kisses became frantic. I swiped the lube from beside the nightstand, and soon I was pushing my fingers into him. He arched up and never had I seen anything so beautiful.
“More,” he begged.
I slid into him, and as cheesy as it sounded, I swore the Earth stood still and everything stopped. I kissed along his throat, over his face and his lips. He opened for me, every part of him opened for me and I took, and I gave.
When he came, I tumbled into my orgasm. Tears streamed along his cheeks, and I wiped them away. I didn’t say anything; I let him cry. I gathered him in my arms and held him.
Right before he fell asleep, he spoke so softly a human’s ears wouldn’t have heard it.
“I love you, Lukas.”
He fell asleep, not giving me a chance to respond, but I loved Sam, more than anything.
Natalie and Benwere on the boat headed to the island. I told Sam I was going to go make some phone calls, to enjoy dinner, talk with his friends, and come find me if or when he needed me. I went into my study, sat in my chair, and called Vincent.
“Usually, I’m the one tracking you down, but you keep calling me,” he greeted me.
“Yeah, well, I…” How did I start this?
“What’s wrong, Lukas? Something happen? Is it Sam?”
I snorted because yes, in fact it was about Sam. “I’m going to ask him to be my eternal, Vincent.”
