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“I’m sure,” I reply, reaching up to cup his cheek once more. “I trust you.”
He nods, then lowers his mouth to my neck, kissing the skin tenderly. I hold my breath as his teeth pierce my flesh, then shout in ecstasy as a powerful orgasm rips through my body. Jesse groans as he sucks at the wound, his body trembling as my blood begins coursing through him.
The aftershocks of my release begin to wane after several long moments, and my mind starts to float as my body grows weak. He’s never taken my blood so greedily, devouring every drop as it drains from my vein.
My hand moves in slow motion, reaching up to weave through his hair. I hold him to me, reveling in the euphoria of his venom. The high is delicious.
I feel my grip on him slip, my strength depleted, and my hand falls to the mattress beside me. My eyes close, and I feel myself drifting away on a sea of tranquility. I barely notice when Jesse’s teeth leave my flesh. I sense a slight tickle when he licks the wound to seal it.
As the darkness of death comes to claim me, a cool, metallic liquid gushes into my mouth. I try to flinch away, but strong fingers hold me still as the liquid threatens to drown me, forcing me to swallow. I drink it down, then everything fades away into peaceful, welcoming darkness.
“Why isn’t she waking up?” are the first words I hear as the darkness starts to fade.
“I told you it was too risky. How could you do this?”
My eyes flick open, and someone gasps. I sit up, the action smooth and effortless, and look around the room. Steph sits in a chair near the bed, and Bernadette stands by the door. There’s a duo of pounding sounds beating against my eardrums, and I shake my head to clear it, but the sounds remain.
“Eden?”
I turn toward Jesse’s voice and find him sitting on the edge of the bed next to me. The pounding sound picks up speed, and I look back over to see Bernadette edging toward Steph, her hand outstretched as if she means to throw a spell at me.
“God, what is that noise?” I moan, lifting my hands to cover my ears in an attempt to muffle it.
“Their heartbeats,” Jesse whispers, and I hear it as if he spoke directly into my ear.
With those two words, everything comes flooding back to me. Our conversation in the parlor about my ancestry. My attempts to get Jesse to turn me, and his eventual agreement.
My hand flies to my neck, but there’s nothing but smooth, cool skin. I meet his eyes, and he smiles.
“I’m a vampire?” I ask, my words soft and disbelieving.
“You are,” he confirms. “How do you feel?”
I take stock of my body. “I feel…perfect.”
My head swivels toward Steph as her chair creaks, and she freezes halfway up as she stands. She looks both relieved and terrified, and I offer her a smile.
“I’m okay, Steph,” I say trying to assure her.
“You are?” she says, straightening as Bernadette moves in beside her, her hand still raised in my direction.
“I am.”
She deflates a little, then gives me a wide smile. “I could kill you for risking your life like this.”
“You could try,” I tease, making her smile grow even wider.
“You’re going to be intolerable as a vampire, aren’t you?” she asks with a chuckle.
“We should give them some time alone,” Bernadette says before I can respond.
Steph nods, then gives me a wave as her aunt pulls her from the room. When the door closes behind them, muffling the sounds of their beating hearts, I look back a Jesse.
“You’re really okay?” he asks, reaching forward to touch my cheek.
“I’m better than okay,” I say. “I’ve never felt so…alive.”
He laughs softly, then leans in to give me a firm kiss. Then he lays down next to me and takes me into his arms.
I stare at him in wonder, noticing little nuances in his features my human eyes never saw. I wasn’t lying before. I have never felt more alive than I do in this moment.
And I can’t wait to start living this new life with Jesse. My love. My mate. My forever.
* * *
