Page 27 of His Winter Wonderland

"She will. She's lost a lot of blood..."

Guilt and shame washed over him again.

"But, she's strong. She's powerful. More powerful than even I thought she was. It would take more than that to kill her."

"She can't die."

"Just because we're immortal doesn't mean we can't die. Immortal just means we're long living. It doesn't make us indestructible."

"I know that. What I'm saying is, she can't die. Not her. She can't. I won't allow it." My gaze was still on the door, hoping she'd hear my words and open it. "I won't let her die. She's mine. She belongs to me. I've claimed her already."

When Silvia and his brethren had pulled her out of his arms, he’d seen his mark on her neck. And he’d been ashamed of how viciously he’d staked him claim, how viciously he’d marked her. That mark should be worn with honor. It was supposed to represent the love, the bond, between partners.

Instead, it looked like a wound. He’d damn near ripped her throat out. That mark now presented pain, heartache, loss. And the darker side of him knew it. Rhen knew it. Winter knew it. That’s why she wouldn’t see him, wouldn’t talk to him.

He was no longer the protector she dreamed about. He now knew she was the monster who’d hunted her night after night. Fuck. He still couldn’t believe all of this was really happening. He swiped his hand over his face again.

“Sil, when will I be able to see her.”

“She has to heal. Physically and emotionally.”

Those words were like another punch to the gut. He was now one of those creeps. The jerks who hurt women physically and emotionally. Tears sprang to his eyes. He blinked them back. It wasn’t him. It was another part of him. The bloodlust. Vampires who’d lived much longer than him suffered from that also.

It wasn’t his fault. Even as he thought that, he knew he sounded like the creep he was. Placing the blame everywhere except where it needed to fall. On his shoulders. He did it. He was responsible. Which was why he needed to see her. He needed to explain all of this to her. She didn’t have to forgive him. But he needed her to know how sorry he was.

“Silvia, just let me talk to her for a moment. I need to. I have the right to. She’s mine.”

Silvia opened her mouth to speak, before she could, a voice from the other side of the door spoke up.

"I am not yours, vampire. Now fuck off, before I end you."

Yes! She talked to him. No, her words weren't the sweet words she uttered in his dreams. But at least they were words. And she sounded strong. That was the most important part.

"We need to talk," Rhen told her.

Silence. Shit. They were back to that.

"You should try apologizing," Silvia suggested.

"I already have."

"Try again."

Rhen nodded. "I'm sorry..."

“Fuck your sorry.”

Damn. “I didn’t mean to…”

"Shut the fuck up!" Winter yelled.

Double damn. He'd never heard her speak like this before. His lips parted as he was about to try and reason with her. He sealed them shut when the smell of her blood wafted through the air. His gums ached. His fangs longed to be deep inside of her. Fucking bloodlust. Don’t do this. Not again. Please. Never again.

"You should step out and get some air," Silvia told him, voice low.

His gaze turned to her. "I'm not leaving..."

"Your eyes, they're changing again?"