“Now, you’re all I could ever want or need. You trulyaremy beloved. My equal. My soul mate.”
He paused a little too long, so to encourage him, she said, “I feel that way about you too. Is there more?”
“Yes. Part of me thinks about losing you someday, and I picture the pain as insufferable. I don’t know if I could survive it. Physically, yes, but emotionally?”
Morgaine smiled weakly. “People can survive all kinds of things, Sly. Even losses we can’t imagine going through.”
“I suppose… But I’m not like most people. I’ll have to go through centuries, maybe millennia with only memories.”
“I know,” she whispered. “And even before that, you’ll have to watch me grow old while you don’t age a day, if we stay together.”
“Don’t you worry about that.”
“How do you know I’m worried?”
“I know women well enough to know what you’re thinking.”
She chuckled. “Maybe you do.”
“You’re my beloved. I’m never going to trade you in for a younger model.”
“So, you say now.”
“Morgaine, I’m serious. I’ve given this a lot of thought…”
Looking at his face, she realized he was holding something back. It was something important, so she’d better shut up and let him finish.
He ran a finger up her arm, making her tingle.
“Whatever you have to say, please say it before we get sidetracked.”
He grinned. “We do get sidetracked easily, don’t we?”
She smiled. “Yup.”
“Okay, no more beating around the bush. I was about to say that while I still have a believable birth certificate, I’d like to apply for a marriage license.”
Morgaine gasped. She knew she should say something, but the words got stuck in her throat.
“Will you marry a fifty-seven-year-old vampire, Morgaine? Will you be my wife?”
She still couldn’t speak so merely nodded.
He grinned and dove for her. Scooping under her torso, he rolled until she lay on top of him.
“You just made me very happy” she said with tears in her eyes. “I’ll do my best to make you happy too.”
“I already am.”
They shared a long kiss.
When at last Morgaine came up for air, she asked, “When did you turn fifty-seven? I thought you were fifty-six?”
“Well, actually my birthday is next month, but I figured I’d get used to the idea.”
“Whew. I thought I missed it. There’s still time to think of a gift.”
“No need. You just gave me everything I wanted.”
