Brie bit back a cry when his brilliant, white-blue eyes met hers. She’d only ever seen that color once before, in a vision abouthim. The strange, unnerving color had to be because of his hunter heritage, but she also realized something else…
She’d saved him from death in the cave and pushed him one step closer to the bloody fate she’d seen waiting for him. In her vision of him, his eyes were that color when he died.
She’d assumed it had been a trick of the light or a reflection of something she couldn’t see, but now she knew the truth. It was because she had made him something different.
This was no trick of the light; when he died, he would have eyes this color becauseshehad given them to him.
It scared her, but she bit back a sob as joy radiated through her. That fate was in the future, but here and now, he wasawakeand withheragain!
CHAPTERFORTY-EIGHT
She almost threwherself on top of him but wasn’t completely sure if he was aware she was there. Then, his eyes focused on her, and he blinked. They remained that startling, vivid color, but recognition shown in them as a smile curved his lips.
Asher still felt like every piece of him had been trampled by a herd of horses, but seeing Brie’s beautiful face leaning over him as her fingers traced the curve of his cheek made it better. Her ochre eyes shone with apprehension as her fingers stilled on him.
“Are you okay?” she whispered.
He opened his mouth to reply, but only a rough, choked sound emerged. He tried swallowing to get some saliva into his parched throat, but it remained arid.
“I can give you some of my blood; it will make you feel better,” she offered. “And you need blood to complete the transition.”
Whereas his mouth was as dry as the desert before she spoke, saliva crept in as her heart beat loudly in his ears. An unfamiliar prickle started in his canines. When he prodded them with his tongue, they lengthened and made it more real.
He was a vampire now.
That knowledge didn’t bother him as it would have ten short years ago, but it would still be an adjustment. He’d have to be careful and keep himself in check to ensure he didn’t attack anyone, but he could do that. It hadn’t been easy for his friends, but they made it, and he had his mate to help him get through it.
Or, if they didn’t complete the bond, to make him more unstable, but he didn’t think that would be an issue as she leaned closer and kissed his forehead.
“I missed you,” she whispered.
Asher rested his hand over hers and pressed it against his cheek. Love pulsed through him, but he still couldn’t find the words to tell her again.
“Would you like some of my blood?” she asked. “Or would you prefer to feed on a blood bag?”
Asher attempted to swallow again before croaking out, “You.”
She smiled as she brought her wrist to his mouth. He could feel his fingers again but still couldn’t lift his right arm, so he gripped her wrist with his left hand as he held her gaze.
His fangs tingled with their compulsion to sink into her soft skin, but he hesitated. He’d never done this before; what if he hurt her? Brie seemed to sense this and brushed the hair back from his temple while she spoke.
“Go ahead, it won’t hurt.”
That assurance was all he required to bite deep. His fangs pierced her flesh, and her blood rushed into his mouth. He never considered hewouldenjoyanother’s blood, but it tasted better than cheesecake, better than hot chocolate, and even better than steak as it ran down his throat.
Its power seeped into his body, filled the completely dried-out places, and eased the throbbing in his shoulder. He’d always been a fast healer, but her blood surging through him accelerated the process as his skin pulled taut over the wound.
No, he’d never considered the taste of blood could be delicious, but it was. What made it better was that it washerblood. She was a part of him, just as he became a part of her when she fed on him. They were joining, becoming one, and hecravedmore.
Releasing her wrist, he wrapped his good arm around her waist and pulled her closer. He hugged her against him as he fed until his hunger finally ebbed. Realizing he was probably taking too much, he released his bite on her and leaned back against the pillows.
“Did you take enough?” Brie inquired.
This time, words finally issued from him. “I don’t want to take too much.”
“You won’t. I drank a lot of blood to prepare for this, and Cabo brought us more than enough, so we’re good. If you need more, take it.”
Instead of lifting her wrist to his mouth again, he entangled his hand in the front of her shirt and tugged her toward him.
