reject him and what he
was; she would do anything for him, well almost anything. She
simply could not give him that.
Her gaze ran over his glorious face,
savoring every detail. He was everything that she had ever dreamed
of, and more. No one else would ever make her feel like he did, she
couldn’t imagine even kissing another man, let alone having them
touch her. The thought repulsed her almost as much as the idea of
becoming a vampire. “You are that person. I could never be with
anyone else,” she said fervently. “Never.”
Anguish flashed across his face.
“Cassie…”
“You can control yourself,” she
whispered. “I know it.”
Resignation settled over his features,
his thumb began to gently stroke her neck again. “For a little
while yes, but I don’t know for how long Cass. You affect me too
much, and my need for you grows every day. I know that it will only
continue to grow. If I lose complete control, I could hurt someone,
or I could force the change on you and that is the last thing that
I want to do. But I feel that it might come to that if I continue
on this way.”
She bit her bottom lip, trying hard not
to start sobbing again. “You will have to make a choice
Cassie.”
She closed her eyes as she nodded,
unable to meet the hope and fear that radiated from his gaze. Even
if it meant losing him, she didn’t think she could do what he was
asking of her. In fact, she knew that she couldn’t. Her heart
constricted, an ache bloomed throughout her body, seeping into her
limbs. It felt as if a hundred needles were piercing her skin,
driving the pain into the very marrow of her bones.
She shuddered, her blood having turned
to ice, her heart labored to push it through her flayed veins.
Slowly opening her eyes, she met his gaze, trying her best to hide
the grief tearing through her. She didn’t want to hurt him, she
didn’t want to lose him, but this was an impossible, shattering
choice that she wasn’t capable of making now. If ever.
In his gaze she saw the realization,
the hurt, but there was nothing that she could do to ease it. She
could not assure him that he would be the one that she chose. She
could not assure him that she would give up sunlight and life, for
a cold existence of death and darkness. Not all vampires may be the
monsters that she had once believed them to be, but she could not
become the thing that had murdered her parents. She could not
become the thing she had been birthed to destroy.
All she could do was hope that he was
wrong, and that he would be able to keep control of himself. It was
selfish of her to put him through such torture; it was so much to
ask of him. Yet, it was also a lot to ask of her. She refused to
let the knowledge that their relationship was doomed seep into her
brain. If she did, she would completely break down, and she
couldn’t do that. Not in front of him. Not now.
For now she was still able to hold him,
be near him; love him. Right now she had to cherish every moment
they had together, for they were far more limited than she had
realized.
Reaching out, she gently stroked the
face that she loved so much. Beneath her hand she could feel the
fine bristles of his stubble. “I love you Devon.”
Light and hope bloomed in his eyes;
they glowed with warmth and love. Though she knew he did not hope
for her to change her mind, the hope nearly unraveled her. Pulling
her gently forward he dropped a soft, lingering kiss on her
forehead. “I love you too. I’ll love you forever.”
Tears slid down Cassie’s face as she
leaned into him, savoring in his strength, his warmth, and the
eternal love enshrouding her.
CHAPTER 8
Cassie studied the crowd crammed into
the restaurant of B’s and S’s. A few diehards remained settled
around the picnic tables outside, but for the most part the crisp
mid October air had chased everyone else inside. The heat from all
the bodies, and the noise was almost more than she could tolerate,
but unfortunately they had to be
was; she would do anything for him, well almost anything. She
simply could not give him that.
Her gaze ran over his glorious face,
savoring every detail. He was everything that she had ever dreamed
of, and more. No one else would ever make her feel like he did, she
couldn’t imagine even kissing another man, let alone having them
touch her. The thought repulsed her almost as much as the idea of
becoming a vampire. “You are that person. I could never be with
anyone else,” she said fervently. “Never.”
Anguish flashed across his face.
“Cassie…”
“You can control yourself,” she
whispered. “I know it.”
Resignation settled over his features,
his thumb began to gently stroke her neck again. “For a little
while yes, but I don’t know for how long Cass. You affect me too
much, and my need for you grows every day. I know that it will only
continue to grow. If I lose complete control, I could hurt someone,
or I could force the change on you and that is the last thing that
I want to do. But I feel that it might come to that if I continue
on this way.”
She bit her bottom lip, trying hard not
to start sobbing again. “You will have to make a choice
Cassie.”
She closed her eyes as she nodded,
unable to meet the hope and fear that radiated from his gaze. Even
if it meant losing him, she didn’t think she could do what he was
asking of her. In fact, she knew that she couldn’t. Her heart
constricted, an ache bloomed throughout her body, seeping into her
limbs. It felt as if a hundred needles were piercing her skin,
driving the pain into the very marrow of her bones.
She shuddered, her blood having turned
to ice, her heart labored to push it through her flayed veins.
Slowly opening her eyes, she met his gaze, trying her best to hide
the grief tearing through her. She didn’t want to hurt him, she
didn’t want to lose him, but this was an impossible, shattering
choice that she wasn’t capable of making now. If ever.
In his gaze she saw the realization,
the hurt, but there was nothing that she could do to ease it. She
could not assure him that he would be the one that she chose. She
could not assure him that she would give up sunlight and life, for
a cold existence of death and darkness. Not all vampires may be the
monsters that she had once believed them to be, but she could not
become the thing that had murdered her parents. She could not
become the thing she had been birthed to destroy.
All she could do was hope that he was
wrong, and that he would be able to keep control of himself. It was
selfish of her to put him through such torture; it was so much to
ask of him. Yet, it was also a lot to ask of her. She refused to
let the knowledge that their relationship was doomed seep into her
brain. If she did, she would completely break down, and she
couldn’t do that. Not in front of him. Not now.
For now she was still able to hold him,
be near him; love him. Right now she had to cherish every moment
they had together, for they were far more limited than she had
realized.
Reaching out, she gently stroked the
face that she loved so much. Beneath her hand she could feel the
fine bristles of his stubble. “I love you Devon.”
Light and hope bloomed in his eyes;
they glowed with warmth and love. Though she knew he did not hope
for her to change her mind, the hope nearly unraveled her. Pulling
her gently forward he dropped a soft, lingering kiss on her
forehead. “I love you too. I’ll love you forever.”
Tears slid down Cassie’s face as she
leaned into him, savoring in his strength, his warmth, and the
eternal love enshrouding her.
CHAPTER 8
Cassie studied the crowd crammed into
the restaurant of B’s and S’s. A few diehards remained settled
around the picnic tables outside, but for the most part the crisp
mid October air had chased everyone else inside. The heat from all
the bodies, and the noise was almost more than she could tolerate,
but unfortunately they had to be
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