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She makes another lap around the room. The marble floor’s been polished so much that Maddy can practically see her own face in the surface when she bends over. Sylvan’s off having a final meeting with the leaders of the Fae who are hiding out in the mortal realm, and Maddy’s unwelcome in the inner sanctum or whatever they call the meeting place where the leaders meet.
For the hundredth time since she ran away, Maddy’s thinking about Caleb, wondering what he’s doing, and (foolishly) anxious to know if he misses her. If he misses her half as much as she misses him, he’s miserable, too. Her heart cracks, and she sniffs back a rush of tears. Nothing in their lives is turning out like she imagined it would, but at least she can help defeat Orion. That’s the best way to make Caleb safe, and she’s prepared to do whatever it takes to keep him and the people she loves safe. No matter how much it hurts her.
Sylvan finally appears at the end of the hallway and marches toward the foyer, his footsteps echoing in the large space. He’s wearing a belt with weapons in it, though Maddy isn’t sure what the weapons are exactly.
Passing by her, he stops at the front door. “You ready?”
Maddy purses her lips, tilts her head, and puts her hands on her hips. “Maybe.” She gestures toward the small table. “Do you have more of that to take along? It might make me easier to deal with.”
The corner of his mouth pinches, and he smells of amusement. “How much do we need to carry-on?”
“Two or three human’s worth,” she guesses, trying to sort out how she knows the warm, only slightly spicy smell from him is amusement.
“It’s being prepped with our supplies.”
“So, do you actually know where the weapon is, or are we just heading out without a destination?”
Sylvan shakes his head but doesn’t answer because an alarm interrupts whatever he’d been about to say.
“What’s that?”
“Intruders…” He rushes past her and looks through the transom to the blurry window to the left of the door.
“Intruders? Is it Malcolm?”
“Not intruders,” he says, his lips tightening. “They’re visitors.”
Maddy hurries to the window on the right side, but Sylvan shoves her away from the glass and back toward the center of the foyer with more strength than she anticipated. She bumps into the table in the center, knocking it over along with the trash can beneath it. A few drops of blood dribble out onto the marble floor. Maddy drops to her knees swiping at the crimson traces as Sylvan throws the door open, letting in a burst of sunlight.
A moment later, Vera steps inside, and rage immediately burns through Maddy. She forgets the mess of table and blood and launches herself at the vampire who turned her into one against her will. She sails through the air, and Sylvan lunges at her to pull her away. He bellows Maddy’s name but misses snagging her ankle.
Vera barely reacts to Maddy’s attack, only putting up her hands long enough to slow Maddy’s assault so she can step to the side. That’s when Maddy sees…she sees…him.
The whole world slows, yet everything is turning and spinning. Caleb lifts his chin, and his pupils dilate when he focuses on her. Warmth fills Maddy and surrounds them both. Love and relief scent the air, and he opens his arms to take her in them.
He’s so close. So…here.
She can’t stop, doesn’t want to stop her descent into his arms. “Caleb!” His name escapes her before she can retrieve it, pull it back, and the sound is filled with every miserable moment on the beach. “Caleb!”
“Maddy,” he whispers, and he’s different…less…sure of himself, less strong, and it breaks Maddy’s heart, but she can’t bring herself to pull away from him. His arms close around her, as tight as a vice and as strong as forever. He’s warmer now, more…pink. More mortal, but every part of him is still him. His blood pulses in him, surging with each heartbeat, and her mouth waters. But he’s here. He’s stroking her hair and whispering her name over and over as though he hadn’t been sure she was real. “You’re here. You’re here.”
“You shouldn’t be here,” she rasps. “It has to be over between us. Don’t you get that? You’re human, and I’m…I’m…this. I can’t keep you safe like this… I don’t know how. We have to end it. We can’t beusanymore.”
He places his hand on the back of her neck and presses his forehead to hers. “You never gave up on me, Maddy, and I’m not going to give up on you. We can learn how to control your vampiric nature…together. Always together.”
Oh, how she wants to lose herself in his eyes and happily submerge herself in the unending love there. Like this, in his arms, she’s ready to believe they can make it work. They can figure this out. All of it. How can Orion defeat their love?
God.How long has it been? For a moment, it doesn’t matter, and all the hurt falls away. She gasps as Caleb brings his lips to hers, and then they’re lost in their reunion. His lips smooth against hers, and she’s hungry for him, devouring every inch of his mouth. His tongue hesitates over the new, sharper points of her teeth, but then it’s the way it’s always been, the way it always was.
Fire builds between them, and hunger churns through her. It’s more, so much more now. His desire fills her mind, fueling her own. Every sensation is deeper, stronger, and every sensory part of her is overwhelmed. She wraps her arms around him and pulls him closer, yet close will never be close enough.Caleb, Caleb, Caleb.His name pounds in her head in time with his heartbeat. Nothing will stand in the wake of their love.No one.
She draws him closer, unable to remember why they’d ever been apart.
Vera clears her throat, and slowly, Maddy becomes aware of someone else saying her name, a stranger’s voice she doesn’t immediately recognize.Oh. Sylvan.
“We don’t really have time for you two to get a room,” he says.
Slowly, regrettably, Caleb slows their kiss, but he doesn’t stop, not right away. When they finally break apart, their chests heave, and his cheeks are flushed. His heart beats wildly, and he’s still the only thing in her mind. He wipes her cheeks, and she’s surprised they’re wet from tears she didn’t know she’d been crying. She’s glad for the five pints which doused the bloodlust for a moment.
