“I think….” Mia’s voice broke as shegrappled to get her words out. “I think you could drink from metoo. My wrist, maybe. I think I can do that.”
His nostrils flared and red swirled aroundhis eyes as his need for her blood blasted against her. She didn’tfeel fear though, not like she’d felt when those other vampires hadgazed at her before they’d taken her blood. David would be gentle.He wouldn’t take more than he needed. He would see to her welfareabove his own, and looking at him she realized how badly he neededto taste her. How badly he neededher.
“You have no idea how much I want to shareblood with you, but I don’t want you tothinkyou can do it.I want you toknow. I won’t do anything to frighten you orrisk pushing you away, Mia.”
“But I can feel your thirst for my blood andI’ve been inside your mind. I know what you want from me.”
“And I can control myself until you’reready.”
“Even if we are mates? Will you be able tocontrol it until I can besureI can handle you feeding fromme? What if that takes months?”
He opened his mouth to say he could controlit for as long as necessary. Then he recalled Liam nearly losinghis mind before completing the bond with Sera. That had been overthirty years ago now, but the memory had been etched into his mind,as had the knowledge of what could happen to a vampire when themating bond was incomplete.
“Do you doubt we are mates?” he asked,because he certainly didn’t, not after what had transpired betweenthem. Not with the possessive way he felt about her. He alreadywanted her again, and he knew he’d never get enough of being withher.
Mia placed her hand over where his heartbeat so solidly in his chest. “I think it’s all moving very fast,but I can’t deny I’ve never felt like this about someone before. Idesire you in a way I’ve never desired another, but this is morethan attraction between us. This is more like….”
“Like what?” he prodded when her voicetrailed off.
“Like I belong.” Her sweeping black lashesfell to cover her eyes before she lifted them to look at him oncemore. “With you.”
“You do belong with me.”
The absolute assuredness of his voice luredher closer until she could feel the heat of him against her skin,but they didn’t touch. “Then you should feed from me too. If we’remates, it will make you unsettled if the bond isn’t completedbetween us. I’ll feed from you again while you’re doing it.”
David wanted nothing more than to sink hisfangs into her, to taste her blood and bind them for eternity. Toknow what it was like to be a part of her ineveryway. Hefound himself lured toward her as his eyes latched onto the veinthrobbing in her neck. Briskly shaking his head, he pulled awayfrom her as he tried to rid himself of the drive to feed fromher.
“Not until you’re ready to be bound to me.”He had no idea where he garnered the strength to utter those words.“Not until you’re sure youaremy mate and you’re sure I candrink from you without overwhelming you. You’ll have no doubts whenthe bond between us is completed.”
“Areyouso sure we’re mates?”
“Yes.”
His blunt answer startled her. She fumbledfor a reply, then found herself simply saying, “Well then.”
“And one day you will be too.”
She loved his confidence, his arrogance. Anyother man, she would have laughed in his face, but with David, shefound it sexy as hell. She smiled at him and ran her fingers overthe dark blond stubble lining his jaw.
“What makes you so sure?” she asked.
“Because you’ll never be able to get enoughof me. I know it. However, I’ll gladly stay in this bed with youfor as long as it takes to get you to agree with me.”
She laughed as she leaned closer to him. “Ifthat’s the case, I may deny it for the rest of my days.”
He smiled at her as he gripped the end ofher hair and gave it a playful tug. “Don’t tempt me, Mia.”
She placed her head back on her pillow andgazed up at him. She couldn’t deny that being mated to this mansounded completely appealing andright. She’d never getenough of the sensation of coming home when she was around him, andshe had a feeling it would only increase over time.
But would she ever be able to give himeverything he would need from her? Would she ever be what hedeserved, someone who could love him openly and not be overwhelmedby fear when touched? There was only one way to find out, one stepat a time. And she was determined to try.
“Tomorrow, we’ll go to meet your family,”she said.
“Mood killer,” he muttered, and she giggled.“You better get some sleep, then. You’re going to need plenty ofrest to deal with that brood.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
It astonished her to realize she actuallywas.
