She tried to think but couldn’t concentrate.“I think so.From my lessons with Marm Scarlet.I’m not fully human anymore.Right?”
“Half human, half vampire,” he replied.
“I’m immortal?”she teased.
“Only in my heart,” he said, smiling.“The effects will last about sixty years, maybe longer, then it’ll taper off.”
“I’ll be with you longer?Win, win situation.”
He leaned forward and kissed her on her lips.“I love you, Adalyn.”
Her breath caught.“You love me?”
“I do.I think I fell in love with you the moment I saw you in that cage.I knew you were mine, and everything you’ve done has only made me love you more.You are kind.And gentle.And selfless.And you’d risk your life to save a vampire.How could I not love you?”
“I love you, too.”
He leaned his forehead against hers.“Don’t ever jump in front of a knife again.I don’t want to live without you either.”
She basked in his love.“What happened to Elgene?”
“There was no fire.She created the smoke to get me isolated.The king has sentenced her to death.”
“She pushed me the day I scraped my palms.”
“I don’t want her name to leave your lips ever again.”
“I want to talk to her.”
“What?Absolutely not.She tried to take you away from me.”
“She needs to know visually that she failed to kill me.”
“Adalyn—”
“Please.It’s important to me.”
His jaw tensed, but after a moment, nodded.“I’ll make arrangements.”
She held out her hand to him.Gareth rose and settled on the bed, wrapping her in his arms as she laid her head on his chest.
“Don’t ever scare me again,” he grumbled.
“I promise.”
