“Like what?” he snapped. “Tell me since you’re so wise.”
“Your family, for one.” He scoffed, but I pressed on. “You may not like them now, but their wealth and their power and their connections are useful tools. Your life would be far easier with them even if the marriage you end up in isn’t one you’d want. Could you really give up all that?”
“I don’t want it.”
“You might when you find out that I have nothing to offer you,” I said. “Besides myself.”
He furrowed his brows. “What do you mean?”
“I mean that I have no money, no power, and no connections,” I said, feeling the shame wash over me. “I’m not some wealthy vampire that lives in decadence like the others. I have to work for a living. I have no friends, besides Lila, and no connections in the paranormal world. I’ve practically lived as a hermit up until the past few years.” I let go of Archer’s collar, taking a step back. “So, you see, you have a lot more to lose than you thought.”
The words had barely left my mouth before Archer grabbed me, spun me around, slammed me against the wall, and was suddenly kissing me so hard that it took my breath away.
When he finally pulled back, both of us were breathing hard, his forehead pressed against mine.
“Do you really think I care about any of that?” he whispered, his breath warm against my lips. “Do you honestly believe that money or power or my family’s connections mean more to me than this? Than you?”
I could only stare at him, stunned by the intensity in his eyes, by the way his hands were still gripping my shirt like he was afraid I might disappear.
“Valen, I’ve spent my entire life being valued for what I could provide other people,” he continued, his voice rough with emotion. “My magic, my bloodline, my ability to make advantageous marriages and political connections. No one has ever wanted me just because I’m me. Until you.”
The words hit me like a physical blow, and I felt something crack open in my chest that I’d kept locked away for centuries. The loneliness I’d carried for so long, the certainty that I would always be alone, suddenly seemed less absolute.
“You don’t understand,” I said, though my voice came out weaker than I intended. “I’ve seen what happens when mortals tie themselves to immortals. The pain it causes when?—”
“When what?” he challenged. “When they die and you don’t? Is that what you’re afraid of? That you’ll outlive me?”
The blunt question made me flinch. That was exactly what I was afraid of, among other things. The thought of watching him age and die while I remained unchanged, of carrying the memory of his loss for centuries to come.
“Yes,” I admitted quietly. “You and I both know the Elder Council will never approve a turning.”
“Then love me while you can,” he said simply. “Love me now, in this moment, instead of mourning something that won’t happen for decades. Don’t rob us both of happiness because you’re afraid of future pain.”
The wisdom in his words, coming from someone so young, left me speechless. When had I become such a coward? When had I started choosing the certainty of loneliness over the possibility of joy?
“Archer,” I breathed, his name falling from my lips like a prayer.
“I love you,” he said again, and this time I could hear the certainty in his voice, the absolute conviction that made my knees weak. “Whatever that means, whatever it costs, I love you. And I think... I think you love me too.”
He was right. Gods help me, he was absolutely right. Somewhere between our first encounter in the fencing salle and this moment pressed against my living room wall, I had fallen completely head over heels for Archer. The realization should have terrified me. Instead, it felt like feeling the sun for the first time in centuries.
“I do,” I whispered, the admission torn from somewhere deep in my chest. “I love you too, darling. More than I thought possible. More than is probably safe for either of us.”
The smile that spread across his face was radiant, transforming his features into something so beautiful it made my heart ache. Before I could say anything else, he was kissing me again, and this time I didn’t hold back. I poured everything I felt into the kiss. All my love, my fear, and my desperate need for him.
When we finally broke apart, I rested my forehead against his, both of us breathing hard.
“So what do we do now?” I asked, genuinely unsure. Love was one thing, but the practical realities hadn’t changed. We were still professor and student, still vampire and witch, still facing a world that wouldn’t understand or accept what we had.
“Now?” Archer’s smile turned wicked, and I caught a glimpse of the rebellious streak that had gotten us into this mess in the first place. “Now you take me upstairs and fuck me like you love me. We’ll figure the rest of this shit out tomorrow.”
Heat shot straight to my cock at his words, and I growled low in my throat. “Is that what you want, darling? You want me to show you exactly how much I love you?”
“Please,” he breathed, and the need in his voice made my control snap completely.
I scooped him up in my arms, vampire strength making his weight negligible, and carried him toward the stairs. His laugh of delight echoed through the cottage, chasing away the shadows that had lingered since the attack on the school.
Whatever challenges we’d face tomorrow, whatever consequences our love might bring, we had this moment. We had each other. And for the first time in three centuries, that felt like enough.
