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Donna
After breakfast was over, Jeanie and Mac went back to their annexe. I was apprehensive because I knew what was coming next. Antoine took my hand, and we walked to the library. My mind was working overtime at what was going to be in that book. I was already afraid of the conversion. A hand squeezed mine. Antoine studied me with anxious eyes.
“Nervous?”
I nodded.
A gentle smile caught his lips. “Me too.”
My eyes widened. “You? Why would you be nervous? You’ve been a Hybrid for centuries.”
He opened the door and led me inside. The door closed softly behind us, and after taking the book from the table, we sat on a two-seater sofa. His hands stroked across the old leather-bound book. My eyes followed his slow movements.Hmm, I know where I’d like those fingers to be.
“Donna, please.”
I shook my head. “Sorry. Look, this is difficult for me. My relationships with guys in the past have never been intense. And…” I stared at the book in Antoine’s lap. Then I looked at him, and his eyes were dark. “Well, let’s just say when it came to sex…”
He growled, his eyes going even darker. “Did any of them hurt you?”
Oh, boy. He was in full protector mode now. My body lit up at his possessive expression, desire curled tightly in the pit of my belly. It was hot. Really hot.
“No, nothing like that. Just… whenever I tried to talk about what I wanted, they weren’t interested. So...” I ran a hand through my hair. This was harder to explain than I thought it would be. “I used to go along with what they wanted. Their needs.”
Antoine placed the book on the floor beside him with a thud. He turned to face me and dispatched a tender kiss to my lips. When he broke away, his eyes were warm again.
“Listen to me, Donna. This bonding of ours is about so much more than sex. But…” He paused to fix his eyes on mine. “The pleasure is a shared experience, and like every other aspect of our relationship, we need to discuss things. And I meananything.Whether it’s what we want to eat, what position we’d like to try in or out of the bedroom, and anything else that concernsus.”
I placed one hand on the side of his cheek, and he closed his eyes. “Are you for real, Antoine?”
He turned to kiss my palm, then he took it away and placed it over his heart. “Yes, but only for you.”
He picked up the book again and opened it at the first page. “Now, before we start, are there any burning questions you want answered?”
There was one.
“Tell me about the twenty-four hours after mates exchange blood to complete the mating ritual. What happens, and is it true I could die?”
* * *
Antoine
Out of all the questions she could’ve asked, I shouldn’t have been surprised that this was it. As part of our induction into this new life, every potential Hybrid candidate had to read the histories. Had I looked at it since then? No, but maybe I should have. After Donna had first looked in the book, I’d taken it upon myself to do some research. I’d even spoken to Hybrids who’d mated and asked about the transformation… and it wasn’t pretty.
I took her hands in mine. “I won’t lie, Donna. In each transformation, there is the rare possibility that the mate could die.”
Her face went pale. “So, even if I agree to this, I could still end up killing you, Jeanie, and Mac?”
“Yes.”
Her hands flew to her face. “It’s a case of damned if I do, damned if I don’t, then, isn’t it?”
“How do you mean?”
“Either way, I could be responsible for three deaths plus my own. Those are not good odds, Antoine.”
I needed to make her see this wasn’t going to happen. “Donna, you’re strong. Itwon’thappen to you.”
She shook her head. “Right, tell me what happens to me after we mate. I read that bit, so I don’t need clarification. It’s hot sex, followed by drinking each other’s blood, right?”
