Page 66 of Into The Light

Mark shrugged and nodded. “Valid on the last one.”

“I’m at least going to offer it to her. If she doesn’t want it, I’ll wait a little longer and bring it up again.”

“This is a big step, Aiden. Huge. Are you sure she’s the one? I know you guys have some serious sex chemistry, but this is eternity, Aiden. It’s more than sex.”

“I can’t explain it, Mark. It’s like she’s a part of me I never knew I was missing. I can’t breathe without her nearby. It doesn’t make sense, I know, but this is how it was with Isobel. Instant, powerful, and all-consuming. It’s just how it is when you find your person. There’s no rational explanation for it. I need her.”

Mark clutched his chest again. “She’s your lobster.”

“What?” I snapped my brow together.

“Your lobster! It’s from a Friend’s episode but... ugh, never mind! She’s your lobster. Your true love.”

Love. There it was again. I felt it buzzing through me and compelling me to her side. My world began and ended with her, my need for her, my undoing and my salvation all whirled into one. The spark I’d felt explode inside when we had connected flooded me with feelings so intense, I’d felt I might combust. Now they begged for release, to run wild and free me from the prison of pain and agony I had lived in for hundreds of years. Love didn’t ask permission, and it didn’t always make sense. When it was true and real it was demanding and unyielding until you submitted to its will. I gave up my fight and sighed.

“I love her.”

“Oh, my God.” Mark bit his lip. “It’s amazing.”

“I never thought this would happen to me again. And it’s happening so fast.”

“I’ve never made it past lust, so I can’t say I have any ideas what you’re feeling. The closest I’ve come to true love was with those fabulous Prada loafers that came out last spring.” He closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath. With a shake of his head he snapped back to reality. “But I do know I can see the difference in you. It’s good, Aiden. Really good.”

As the truth of his words sank in, I breathed a sigh of contentment. I was different. Happy. I was happy and smiling for the first time in centuries. The betrayal I felt for falling in love with someone other than Isobel faded when I realized she would be even happier for me than Mark was. With her zest for life and love she would have been furious watching me brood my way through the centuries, barely alive. This was the life she would have wished for me, and I knew she would love Emilia as much as I did. I could almost feel her blessing while I closed my eyes and said goodbye to her for the last time. I would always cherish our memories, but it was time to move forward and let go of the life I once had. Isobel was my past, but Emilia was my future.

“Can you—” I started, but Mark cut me off.

“Set up a romantic candlelight dinner for just the two of you? Yes, and it’s already done. Emilia will be down soon.”

I chuckled and shook my head. “Impressive, Mark.”

“Impressive enough to turn me, too?” He waggled his eyebrows.

“We’ll talk.”

“Yes!” He pulled a fist to his side and followed it up with a clap. “I’m gonna make the best vampire, Aiden! You will love having me around for eternity!”

My laugh deepened, and I shot him a staying glance. “We’ll talk.”

“Fine, fine.” He tossed up his hands. “We’ll talk. Now, get off to dinner and I’ll give you two lovebirds some alone time. And you two better not start excluding me all the time. If you won’t turn me into a vampire so I can go do sexy vampire things myself, I’m not going to sit in a corner while you two play house. I’m more than happy to be a third wheel, but tonight... tonight is just for the two of you. You have some things to figure out, so I’ll keep my distance.”

“Thank you, Mark.”

“Now, off you go. Her dinner just arrived and yours... well, you can drink her whenever you’re ready.”

Mark grabbed a book from the table. “By the way, the performance with her shitty ex last night has gone viral. Fucking brilliant.” Mark grinned and gave me a round of applause. “That was without a doubt the best use of your vamp powers yet. I’ve had it on repeat all day.”

“Your suggestion at the end really made the whole performance.” I smiled back.

“It did, didn’t it? We make a good team.” He closed his fist and held it in the air, presumably for one of those fist-bumps, but I just rolled my eyes.

“I’ll see you later, Mark.”

He dropped his hand and smiled. “Go get our girl.”

He didn’t need to tell me twice. I moved out into the hallway and tried to stop my feet from running, the pull to see her and tell her how I felt drove me forward. I didn’t have a plan other than I needed her to agree to become immortal and stay at my side forever. Not exactly a small feat when I let the weight of my request sink in. I slowed down my pace as I started to lose confidence, my mind drifting back to Mark’s words. We had only been on one official date.

Sure, I’d spent time with her around the estate and our feelings for each other had grown daily since she’d arrived, including that incredible kiss in the hot tub, but if I sat down at dinner and dropped a lifetime commitment on her head tonight, she could take off and write me off as a lunatic.