“IfI did,” he continues, “we would both end up in jail, especially with my sire turning people on a whim.” He drops his forehead to mine. “We have to be careful. They’re going to be keeping an eye on all of his creations for a while.”
My heart rate picks up, the monitor beating wildly. “Jericho.”
He kisses me with more meaning, holding my face before sliding it down to my collarbone, right over his bite mark. “Someday, Evan. I promise you, I will turn you,” he says. “Because Ican’tgo through that again. Iwon’t.”
My eyes well with tears. He’s right. We have to wait. There are very few—as invery, veryfew—circumstances where a vampire can turn a human without risk of going to jail.
But it is possible.
“Someday, then.”
He kisses me again. “Someday.”
The doctor chooses that moment to walk in. “Oh, good. You’re sitting up.”
Jericho climbs off the bed, hastily wiping his face while his back is turned before coming to stand beside me.
“How are you feeling, Evan?” the doctor asks, reviewing something on the machine.
“Like I just came back from the dead,” I say. “Groggy, but very alive.”
The older doctor chuckles before squeezing my shoulder. “Let’s not do that again, okay? You gave your family quite a scare.” He reaches for his stethoscope. “Let me do a quick exam. Lie back, please.”
I hold Jericho’s hand while the doctor does his thing, needing his comfort.
After a thorough examination, he lifts his eyes to Jericho, narrowing them with a playful smirk. “I’m onto you.”
Jericho blinks. “What?”
“Mmhmm. Don’t think you’re the first vampire who has snuck a few drops of blood into their mate to speed the healing process,” he says. “We all know the signs.”
Jericho bites his lip to keep from smiling.
“Anyway, you look perfect, Evan. Your heart is strong, your lungs are clear. You appear as if you didn’t just go through hell.” He cracks a smile. “You have a few more doctors to get through, but I’m writing you off for my part. If everyone else agrees, you might be going home tomorrow.”
I let out a breath. “Thank you.”
He squeezes my shoulder again. “Please don’t come back, okay?”
I laugh. “I’ll try not to.”
As soon as he’s gone, I smile at Jericho. “Is this where we get cheesy and confess we don’t really have a home, but that’s okay, because home is wherever I’m with you?”
Jericho sits sideways on the bed. “It’s true though. You are my home. You have no idea howoffI felt the entire time we were apart.”
I reach for him. “Yeah, I do, because I felt it too. You’re my person, Jer. You have been from the day we met. Being without you was hell.”
He leans in to kiss me. “Can I say something, though?”
“Hmm?”
“The Clearwater pack is starting to feel like home.”
I smile warmly, but before I can reply, the door opens again and several people stroll in. Jericho winks at me. He must have heard them coming.
Mom gasps when she sees me. “Evan!” She smacks Jericho’s arm on her way by. “Why didn’t you call me?”
Her gentle hug is a balm to my heart.
