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‘I’m not,’ I insist.

‘Especially if you’re not feeling well.’

‘Having some of your blood will fix me right up,’ I say, offering him a reassuring smile.

The room tips and I’m flattened onto my back, the air leaving my lungs. Theo crawls over me, caging his arms around my body. He stares down at me, a handsome smirk dancing around his lips. His thumb curves along the soft skin of my throat, making me realise how hard my heart is beating.

‘I won’t let anything happen to you,’ he murmurs, his eyes sweeping down my face. ‘You are mine now, and no one takes what is mine.’

Mine. I like hearing him say that. It seems absurd that a vampire claiming me would turn me on, when the old version of me would be sick to her stomach at the thought, but with Theo, everything is different. My entire perception of the vampire race has been altered. I want to spend the rest of my life getting to know this man and conquering the world by his side.

‘I’ve never had anything I couldn’t live without. Until now,’ he whispers, before his mouth dives toward mine.

My arms loop around the back of his neck as I arch into his hard chest, clinging to him. Going back to Red Thorne is going to be dangerous. I don’t know who is going to survive this and walk out the other side. Tonight might be the only night I have with Theo before all hell breaks loose, and I want nothing more than to let go of all my worries and give in to this temptation.

I’m done holding back and being unsure. I’ve never felt like this about anyone and I can no longer imagine my life without him in it. We are forever intertwined now and there is no point denying it.

His mouth drags across my jaw, skimming down my neck. I tilt my head back, letting the waterfall of hair fall out of the way. His fangs slide easily into my skin. My fingers curl around the fabric of his shirt as a moan escapes me. A rush of endorphin-filled bliss ignites in my bloodstream, making the room around me slip in and out of focus momentarily.

His hands slide up my sides, pushing up my jumper. My skin is on fire. He is as cold as ice. He pulls the jumper up over my head and discards it to the side, where it lands with a soft thud on the carpet below. He groans, staring down at my bare chest. His mouth moves to my nipple and his tongue circles around it. I exhale as blood trickles down my skin and he laps it up, while his other hand pushes my leggings down my thighs. I lift my hips and they pull off easily.

Pulling back, he bites his wrist before pressing it against my mouth. The moment the blood touches my tongue, my breath catches. It’s somehow cool and warm at the same time, thicker and darker than any drink I would usually consume.

The world slows as the blood spreads from my mouth to my chest to my fingertips, like every nerve has just remembered it’s alive. I feel light, like I could float up out of myself. My heart races, not from fear, but from this wild, inexplicable joy. A sweetness blooms in my chest and shoots down my spine, as if I’m being kissed from the inside out. It’s overwhelming and intoxicating, relieving me of my earlier concerns.

His blood hums through me and my God, I want more.

‘Nothing has mattered to me this much,’ he murmurs against my skin.

Warmth oozes through me. My fingertips skate down his shoulder blades as he positions himself between my thighs. His gaze meets mine briefly, his eyes so dark, it’s as if they have consumed all the light around him. The nod I give him is all the confirmation he needs. Pressing his mouth against me, his tongue slides up my slit and I throw my head back into the pillows, hips jerking at the sensation.

His tongue moves slowly and sensually as he takes his time to explore me. My fingers grip the sheets as I’m overcome with sensations I’ve only dreamed about. I’ve only ever been with selfish lovers in the past, so someone dedicating time and energy into me now means more than I could ever say.

I lose track of time as his tongue ravishes me, his blood ebbing and flowing through me like a river. Everything inside me feels relaxed, dreamy and content. His fangs sink into the fleshy part of my thigh and I lose myself to the blissful haze once more.

My hands roam over his skin when he moves back up my body. His shirt is gone now, I don’t even recall him removing it, and his rigid muscles feel tight under my fingers.

‘Whatever happens, it’s me and you now,’ I murmur, voice barely above a whisper.

‘Me and you,’ he confirms.

‘It’s going to be them versus us,’ I say. ‘I’m going to fight for you. For this.’

‘Me too,’ he replies, voice hoarse. ‘I will fight for us.’

His kisses are slow and intentional, the kind of kiss that unfolds. Soft at first, then deeper, like he’s memorising the shape of my mouth. His hand slides to my jaw, and I’m not sure if I’m lying down or floating. He is kissing me like this is the first time he’s been given the chance, but also like it’s the last time, and I’m wondering if he fears what I do. That there may not be another time for us.

I’m addicted to the feeling of his hands as they ghost over my skin, touching the delicate lines of my body, tracing my shoulder blades, brushing across my spine. I’ve never felt a touch so sure but so tender at the same time. It’s as though we should be rushing, but also savouring every second of this moment.

I press my hips into his and he shifts, his endless gaze fixing onto mine once more. I nod again.

He pushes inside me, eyes trained on mine, and I sigh softly, feeling myself stretch around him. His arms are either side of me as he moves in and out, making me feel protected and safe, like nothing could touch me while he’s here with me.

Theo’s hand finds mine, his fingers slipping between my own as he thrusts into me, increasing his speed with each pump.

This is it. This is what I’ve been yearning for. The way he is looking at me. The way his forearms cage me in. The sensation of his skin on my skin. The movement of him inside me. It’s not about fireworks, or falling for the big bad vampire, or obsessing over him. It’s deeper than that. Almost like finding the place I didn’t know I’d been aching for. When he looks at me, it’s as though someone is really seeing me for the first time.

I haven’t felt what it’s like to belong or what it’s like to have a true family, but right now with Theo, he feels more like home to me than anything or anyone else ever has.