Page 63

Vincent turned to face me and opened his mouth to reply, but I covered it with my hand before he could speak. “I know what you’re going to say. But no, it’s not about the feeding. It was how gentle and kind you were to me. It was watching the powerful vampire sit at my feet, desperately worried about my comfort despite his hunger. It was how you considered me in everything that happened here, even though you were strong enough to take whatever you wanted. I love you. I know it’s complicated, but I love you.”

Vincent shut his eyes and clutched me tightly.

“Vincent?”

“Yes?” he said, breathing into my hair.

“You’re trembling,” I said, brushing my fingertips along his back.

“I need you,” Vincent whispered, and I could tell he was holding back. Everything between us felt fragile, but it wasn’t. We weren’t as breakable as he thought.

“I’m yours,” I said, my lips grazing his ear.

Vincent let go, but only so he could run his hands over my body as he kissed me deeply. He was tender, and I could tell he was mindful of the sore spots on my neck and the strained muscles in my arms and back. I was the only one naked, though, and he was wearing entirely too much clothing. I needed to get my hands on his skin.

“Vincent,” I gasped as I managed to pull away.

He stopped immediately, staring into my eyes, worry on his face.

“I need you naked. Now.”

His expression cleared, and he gave me a fangy smile as he quickly undressed and tossed his clothes aside. Then he was on me, covering me, holding me down as if he could keep me with him in that moment, the weight of his body on mine. And I needed it. I didn’t feel trapped or pinned down; I felt safe. I felt like his.

Wrapping my arms around his back, I held him even tighter, savoring the feel of his strong muscles and cool skin. I moaned shamelessly as his hard length rubbed against mine, trapped between us. He growled against my neck, nipping and dragging his fangs across my sensitive skin.

It wasn’t enough. I needed him closer, and he seemed to understand. He seemed to need it, too. Moments later, he was inside me, moving with me, filling me, stroking me. He was everywhere, and it was sweet relief.

As his pace quickened and he grew impossibly harder, I turned my head and bared my throat, on the very edge myself. Vincent buried his face in the curve of my neck and bit down sharply as he came. The pain of his bite pulled me along with him. I shuddered, gripping his waist tightly as pleasure raced down my spine, spilling across my stomach between us.

Vincent collapsed on top of me, still inside. He’d stopped feeding and was sealing the bite when I finally caught my breath.

“I needed that,” I said as he kissed my shoulder, and it was true. Hearing Vincent say he loved me went a long way toward convincing me he was really here, that he hadn’t left with Nathaniel. But the physical connection soothed me in an entirely different way. I felt how much he wanted me, needed me too.

When he finally withdrew, he rolled to the side and propped himself on one elbow, looking down at me. “I did too,” he said. “I don’t know if you can appreciate how intense a vampire’s feelings for their mate are, but it nearly killed me to see you in danger. Holding you, having you, has helped convince the more animalistic side of me that you’re really okay. Thank you.”

“But if…” I trailed off. I wasn’t sure I wanted to bring Nathaniel into our bed, even in discussion.

“But if what?” Vincent pressed, a crease forming between his brows.

His worry felt more fraught than my question, so I pressed on. “If that’s how vampires feel for their mates, how was Anna able to leave Nathaniel?”

Vincent nodded. “I don’t believe there was ever an actual mate bond between them,” he said. “I’d suspected as much for a long time. She never really acted like a bonded vampire; I suppose he didn’t either.”

“He still loves you,” I said, meeting Vincent’s gaze.

“Maybe he does, but it was never that way for me. We were together many years ago, right after we met. He wanted more, but I didn’t feel the same. Then he left—for over a decade. When he came back, he was with Anna.”

“Did you turn him into a vampire?” I asked.

Vincent shook his head. “No, that was someone else. I’ve made four in my life.”

“Were any of them your lovers?”

“No, I tried for many years to build some kind of family, I suppose,” he said. “I was different back then, harder to get along with, and we grew apart.”

“Where are they now?”

“They all eventually died. At least I think so. Last I heard, only one was left, but that was a long time ago.”