Chapter 3
Ms. Hyde
The night is cold, dark, and dank. I'm sitting in my Jag in front of Kane's house with absolutely no memory of how I got here. I don't remember driving, or even waking up.
There's a hunger inside me that both confuses and excites me. It's not like anything I've ever felt before, and I can only think of one way to sate it.
I should be worried about the dark hair I see in the mirror right now. In fact, it should terrify me. The darkness isn't surfacing, so why is my hair a glistening onyx right now? Who knows? Who cares?
I step out of the car, wearing a tight pair of leather pants that had been in my closet, though I have no recollection of ever putting them on. The shirt is barely a shirt at all. The deep red pops against the black pants, leaving me dressed for the wandering eyes. My stomach and back are bare for several inches, and my cleavage is accentuated more than ever before.
I smile a vixen's grin as I stalk toward the house like I'm searching for prey. Deke, Zee, and Kane are lounging on the couches, eating popcorn and watching some gory movie, completely oblivious to my approach.
He has no idea what I have in store for him right now.
I watch patiently as the slasher film gets all the more disturbing and violent. Blood paints the walls, decorates the faces of the victims, and spills free from each new wound. I'm sure, to a night stalker, this is more like watching Food Network as opposed to a horror flick.
Feeling like a bit of a menace, I decide to test that theory and see if they're hungry or spooked. A devilish smirk spreads as I creep through the unlocked door. Their keen sense of hearing is drowned out by the screams exuding from the sixty-inch, flat-screen TV mounted on the wall.
My spell has given them so much security that they don't even worry about someone sneaking in. It feels good to watch them–like they're my prey instead of the other way around.
Devious images of things I could do dance around in my mind. I'm not here to play too many games though. I've got one thing in mind and it's time to announce my presence.
With a hard slam of the door, I watch all three of them leap from their seats, popcorn flying in response. Zee is the only one who screeches out in surprise, proving the slasher film might have been more of a horror for him than the others.
My seductress's grin stays intact as I stare into Kane's eyes. It takes him less than a blink to move to me, readying to attack, until he realizes it's me. He pulls his fist down from the air, and his glowing blues simmer down to his natural greens.
"Who the fu-"
"Alyssa?" Zee squeaks, interrupting Deke's question.
"Alyssa is light with blond hair," Deke says dismissively.
With Kane blocking their view, they can't see me right now. There's nothing light about me in this moment. I'm dark and I’m fucking love it.
"Alyssa?" Kane murmurs softly while tilting his head to show his confusion. "I thought I asked you to stay in tonight."
He pockets his hands when he doesn't know what to do with them, squirming uncomfortably as he appraises me and my attire.
"I felt like being rebellious. Complain much?" I quip while taking a sexy-strutted step toward him.
"What's going on? Why is your hair dark?"
His eyes greedily scour my body, taking in all the revealed flesh. I finally tire of the soft-spoken Kane. I crave the night stalker lurking within. I crave his bite.
Without giving him much time to react, I pull him to me, jerking his face to meet mine. He doesn't fight in the least. He grips me under my ass and jerks me up, pulling me tight against his firm body.
"O... kay... so... um...what's going on?" Zee chuckles.
Something almost erotically charged flows from my mouth to Kane's, making his eyes open and almost roll back in his head from the euphoric delight. He pulls back just slightly to savor the remnants of power, licking his lips for any lingering taste.
"That's new," he murmurs while showing me his glowing blues I wanted to see.
"Your room," I order, pushing my lips back against his.
He doesn't dawdle or argue as the wind rushes against the back of my hair. The door shuts, and almost simultaneously, I'm on my back in his bed. He's always the predator, the aggressor, the one calling the shots. Not tonight. This is my game, and I'll play it my way.
"Fuck, you taste good," he murmurs against my lips, feeding my need for his desire.
With a rough motion, I knock him to his back and climb over to straddle him. His eyes find mine, though he doesn't offer me true submission. I know it won't be long before his night stalker tries to rise up and take over one way or another.
With a swift motion, he rips my shirt over my head, exposing my bare breasts not confined by a bra. A few curses fall through his lips in a whispered, praising tone as his eyes rake over me.
My dark hair falls into place, obstructing his view slightly before I fall down to press my lips to his, hungry to taste that divine nectar once more. His tongue slips between my lips, showing his expert exploration abilities. One of his hands tangles in my hair, as the other grips the curve of my ass.
His arousal is evident; his firmness pressed between my legs. Straddling him in leather isn't ideal. I want to feel him closer, drink him in. More than anything, I want his fangs buried deep in my flesh and throwing me into that high—just not yet.
He gasps as my hands runs along the seam of his jeans, finding his button and then his zipper. The screams of the slasher film almost excite me, enticing the darkness within. Loud growls and the bashing of metal bars rattle out, reminding me the bitch lycan is locked downstairs. I can hear it, even though I shouldn't be able to. That room is soundproofed.
I almost feel like strutting in front of her and fucking the man I won't let her have right in front of her eyes. The vile thought only fuels my hunger, making me crave him in so many ways.
His breath hitches when I free his erection, and then his hand grips my hair almost too hard when my lips close around his hard shaft. Each stroke deliberate and teasing, I offer him pleasure in a way I never have before.
He moans, almost growling in the back of his throat as I continue to take him deeper, owning him.
"Shit, Alyssa," he murmurs through a surprised exhale, feeding my dark temptress.
Just when I think he's about to finish inside my mouth, he rips me up and throws me to the mattress, seizing control.
"Bite me," I murmur impatiently, running my finger over his exposed fang.
Apparently my dirty seduction has lured the night stalker out once again. He doesn't have to hide from me anymore, and I love the deadly, unguarded beauty in front of me.
He gives me his best scandalous grin as he nips playfully at my breasts, teasing me by pressing his fangs against the skin, but never breaking the surface. I don't like this game. I know what I want, and I don't like being teased.
"Patience," he murmurs as he starts his descent down my chest, moving to my stomach.
In an expert motion, the leather is pulled free from my lower body and tossed to the floor. His finger slides under the rim of my lacy panties, and I prop one arm behind my head as I watch him toy with me.
"Don't play with me, night stalker."
He gives me a curious gaze, and then he pulls my underwear down while pressing his lips against the apex of my thighs. Involuntarily, my head pops back when his incredibly wonderful tongue goes to work. He pins my hips when I try to squirm, and he forces me to endure all the sensations he offers.
Tidal waves of ecstasy flood my veins, bringing me to an all-time high as a powerful buzz enters the room. I feel as though I'm collecting sexual energy, feeding on it. It feels absolutely divine.
His eyes grow to be a brighter blue as he drinks me in, tasting me in the most intimate of ways. I arch my back, silently begging him to continue. Just before I find my release, I feel his body surging into mine, surprising me with his firm perfection replacing his tongue.
"What the hell is going on?" he asks, breathless as he takes me.
He presses his lips against mine, feeling confused, but it's quickly replaced with greedy passion. He rocks back up and jerks my head back, exposing my neck as he continues his almost violent thrusts, making me grunt involuntarily with each fervent stroke.
"Please," I almost beg, making him shake his head in amusement, as his eyes fall lower to watch himself moving in and out of my body.
I jerk him down, placing his mouth closer to my neck, and I feel a spark from my hand to his body. He groans loudly as the power charges him, forcing him to bend to my will.
The pain mingles with eroticism as his fangs sink deep into the flesh of my shoulder. A strangled moan escapes through his lips as I gasp for air. His venom feels so good as it burns through me, igniting every flame within.
He bleeds me, savoring my taste while fucking me without mercy. His rough, carnal touch is beyond exquisite. He jerks me up, and before I know what's going on, we're against the wall.
His weight presses against me as he holds me in the air, slamming me into the wall once more—making it hurt just enough.
"Kane, I lov-"
His lips crush mine before I can finish that sentence.
"Not while you've got my venom. You can't say that until you mean it again," he mumbles against my lips.
My moans become near screams in that instant, as the rushing flood of pent-up desire runs free, falling into the spiral of undeniable perfection.
His name becomes an unintelligible mumble on my lips as my body shudders against his, and I shatter in his embrace. He surges in hard one last time before stilling inside me.
Our tongues dance together as he carries me back to the bed and collapses with me on top of him.
The raving lunatic that has been controlling me is banished, letting the light return. I look down to see the proof when my blond locks take over the dark hair. Kane shakes his head while strumming his fingers through the familiar strands.
"What the hell is going on with you?"
His tone is breathless, making me smile. It had to be good to make an immortal strain for air.
I kiss the side of his neck, having a new appreciation for the beauty that burrows so much deeper than the surface. He could have turned me away after what I said to him earlier, but he was here for me when I needed him to be.
"I wish I knew." Though I do have an idea.
This darkness is slowly consuming me. Fucking Gage had more consequences than I could have ever foreseen. Maybe this is all a mistake. Maybe I'm just looking at this all wrong because my head is clouded with this stupid prophecy that can't possibly be true.
It's amazing to me that Kane was the one to break whatever spell I was under. If anything, he should have pulled me farther into the darkness.
"Start from the beginning," he murmurs before pulling back to press his lips to my shoulder, kissing the spot he bled and healed with the same venom.
"I don't know. I went to bed and woke up in front of your house with dark hair, crazy eyes going wild, and now I've got a little bit of a hangover."
I expect him to laugh, but he just studies me, regarding me with all seriousness as he brushes a blond lock from my face.
"Did you use your dark magic or something?"
It's actually nice he doesn't know as much as about me as everyone else seems to. It's as though we're on the same page at the beginning of the book so many others have already read. He hasn't been keeping daunting prophecies a secret.
Whatever just happened, it really was dark. I pray it has nothing to do with what Gage and my parents told me. It can't. But the terrible thoughts streaming through my mind during my moment of temporary insanity now come crashing back and make me visibly tense.
"Not that I know of, but I used a lot to kill Sylvia. It could be coming back to haunt me or something."
I shrug, pretending I'm not as shaken about it as I am. My fingers start tracing the outline of the newly acquired tattoo he got in order to keep spirits from possessing him. As I do so, a flash of another tattoo comes to life on his chest - one with a foreign language and symbols - but it fades almost just as quickly. I don't even have time to fully glimpse what it is before it's banished from sight.
"What was that?" I ask while pointing to the spot of skin that is hiding a secret.
He tilts his head, studying me more intently. I'm starting to worry I've gone completely crazy now.
"What was what?"
"There was something... a tattoo of some sort."
Dark hair, sleep driving, a sexual assault on a night stalker, ridiculous clothes, and now I'm seeing things.
His eyes narrow as he stares at me with a different sort of amusement. "You saw it?"
Oh thank God. I'm not that far gone in crazy land.
"So it's real? What is it?" I ask, strumming my fingers over his chest once more, trying to provoke the secret mark.
He sits up, making me slide off of his chest as he does so.
"It's a hexer's curse. No one's supposed to be able to see it. How did you?"
A hexer? I thought they only cursed witches and warlocks.
"What sort of curse is it? Why did they curse you?"
He shakes his head, leaning back to let his eyes focus on the ceiling. His hand slides over the hidden spot as he shrugs.
"Castine has a lot of enemies out there, but she's too strong for people to take on. So, they use her bonded changelings instead. I can only assume Castine did something to provoke her, because I had never seen her before. I suppose when she failed against Castine, she came after the youngest changeling she had at the time... me.
"She cursed me, but I don't know what it means. Nothing has ever really changed for me, so I'm assuming she either really sucked, or it doesn't affect me, just like a witch's power doesn't affect me."
I frown, worrying now what the curse might mean.
"What did she say?"
He looks down to meet my eyes, seeming unaffected by the whole conversation. "Her exact words?"
I nod, silently urging him to speak.
"If the light fades, darkness will come." He pauses for a minute, and then he continues with, "The rest was in a dead language I've never been able to translate. And believe me, I've studied every old book I could find. But, like I said, nothing ever happened, and that was a long, long time ago."
I sigh out slightly, trying to crack the riddle myself. It's too vague to cipher.
"What about the mark? A hexer's mark shows the words. I bet Drackus could help you translate."
Kane laughs, finding my words hysterical apparently.
"First of all, no one can see it... except apparently you. She was a bitch like that and hid it from view. I can't even see it. So, unless you can get a better, longer look, then that is rather pointless. Secondly, Drackus wouldn't exactly want to know why you were scoping out my chest close enough to see a hexer's hidden mark."
I frown, realizing he has a point. Still, I would risk it. Drackus is in the business of mending fences right now. He wouldn't do anything to Kane simply because he knows I'd never speak to him again if he did.
Kane's lips find mine before I can prod him further. I smile against the kiss as he pulls the sheet around our bare bodies.
"I'm not letting you go home tonight. It's dangerous with the red moon out there," he says while pulling back.
The mischievous smile he wears doesn't go unnoticed, and I stifle a girly grin while offering him a shrug.
"Good, considering I wasn't planning on leaving."
His smile broadens as he leans back down to resume the paused kiss, and I wrap a leg around him as he tucks us under the sheet, pulling it over our heads. The sound of the screaming massacre on the television has been muted, leaving us with just the soft music playing from his iPod dock beside the bed. I never even heard it while we were... um... getting crazy.
Just when I'm sure things are really about to heat back up, there's a knock at the door.
"You guys done in there?" Zee chuckles out.
"Nope," Kane says with a devilish grin.
"Well, you need to get dressed. Gage is on his way over here."
What?
Kane grumbles and swears under his breath as he pulls the sheet back.
"Why is he coming over here?" he gripes.
"Says he needs to talk to Alyssa. He called your phone nonstop until I finally had to answer. Sorry, dude. He'll be here in less than five."
Kane looks at me and shakes his head. "Does this mean we're together, or are you still with him? What was this?"
This? This was me waking up in a psychotic girl's mind. I don't know how this started, but now I can't let him go. Not now. I still love him, and I know that even without the venom still tainting my veins.
"I love you," I murmur softly, gazing into his cool green eyes. "I don't love him."
It's true. I never reached the point of love with Gage. Now I know I never can... unless I want to turn dark and destroy everyone... supposedly. I'm sure the prophecy is a hoax or something, but I dare not chance it. I want to stay a witch. That's all I am. A witch.
Kane's lips find mine with an eager passion, and then he grips me at the waist to pull me closer. His body feels so good against mine—so perfect.
"I hope that's not just the venom talking," he murmurs against my lips. "I love you."
I smile, finding it hard not to tell him again, and then I shrug. "Is it possible to get addicted to the bite?"
He starts laughing so hard he has to pull away. He stands to hurriedly redress, and then he shakes his head while speaking through his chuckles.
"Not that I'm aware of, but I'll look into it. You, my little witch, just happen to like the bite."
It was more than simply liking it. I needed it the second I got here, possibly even before I got here.
"Can you just make Gage go away?" I ask while wrapping the sheet around me. "And then come back in here with me?"
His fights hard not to show his smugness in his accidental smile, but he fails miserably. I can see the haughty grin only growing, and he turns his back to remove it from sight.
"Gladly. You want anything to drink?"
"No, but I want something sweet. I don't know why, but I'm craving sugar."
He laughs lightly, and then sits down beside me to await the dark user's arrival.
"You're in luck. We always get a pie from the diner on red moon movie nights. I'll bring you a piece."
"A night stalker's idea of a red moon evening is slasher films and pie?" I muse, wiggling in a little closer to him.
Snarling and howls come from the basement as the moon rises to reach its highest peak. Now I can tell the door to the basement is open.
Kane listens attentively for a second, making sure the two lycans downstairs don't break free. The cage rattles but holds steady, so he brings his attention back to me.
"Night stalkers have a terrible sweet tooth. I'm surprised you didn't notice all the sweets we devoured while you were living here."
Those weeks were so good. Falling asleep and waking up in his arms was incredible. I can't believe I was willing to just toss it all away.
"I noticed, but I didn't really link it to night stalker behavior. When the hell did you drink blood?"
He looks down, grinning, drawing my hand to his lips and then giving me a one-shoulder shrug. "Mostly when you slept, sometimes when you showered without me, other times when you'd talk on the phone. I've grown accustomed to keeping my secret, so it was easy to hide. I was going to tell you though."
"Speaking of telling me—why did you go after Castine? Why'd you delete all those pictures of the book I brought you?"
He takes my hand in his, flipping my wrist over so that my faded mark shows–Castine's locator mark.
"This. I'd seen this mark in the past on several of her victims, but I didn't know what it meant. I quickly began reading, furiously searching to find out what it stood for. Then I found out it meant that she could find you anywhere, especially when she was close. I was pissed you didn't leave like I told you, but I don't know if it would have done a bit of good with this thing strapped on you. I would have died if anything had happened to you because of me."
I kiss his chest, feeling close to him again—even closer actually.
"Alyssa, there's something...I've been trying… damn," he grumbles.
The doorbell interrupts him before he can continue—a frantic dinging sounding out repetitively.
"Showtime," Deke calls out.
Kane never bothered to put his shirt on. I'm sure that's partly to rub it in Gage's face what we've been doing. I hate that he's doing that, but maybe it'll make Gage more inclined to leave me alone.
"I'll be back. You can put the leather pants back on, but otherwise, I want you just like this," he teases before kissing me softly and climbing out of bed. "You'll have to let him in. I'm sure he's figured out by now that he can't just materialize in here."
As soon as the door shuts behind him, I wrap up in the sheet and move to listen in. It's pathetically cowardly of me to hide like a mouse from a lion, but he shouldn't be here.
Gage can come in.
"Where the fuck is she?" Gage blares as the door slams shut behind him.
I cringe at the fury in his tone. He's acting possessive, more so than he should be. I didn't plan this out too well. Of course, I didn't plan out any of this at all.
"She's in bed... resting," Kane says with his smug tone.
I roll my eyes at the pissing contest in play.
"Get her out here right now, or I'll go in after her."
Crap.
"This is my house, the last time I checked. You try to go in and I'll drag you out. She asked me to handle this."
With a wave of my hand, the abandoned clothing appears on my body. If he comes in, I sure as hell don't want him to see me in a sheet. It would only hurt him worse.
"Kane, I'm only asking nicely once more," Gage growls through what I assume is gritted teeth, not sounding as though he's asking nicely at all.
"You're welcome to try something. I'm faster than you realize, and I can pull you out of a vaporized state before you can attempt to zap her out. As a matter of fact, I can remind you just how strong I am."
"Try it. I wasn't prepared for you last time. I am now," Gage seethes.
Realizing I can't continue hiding, considering they're on the verge of throwing fists around—or magic—I finally open the door. Zee tilts his head curiously and Deke joins him in bemusement.
"It's blond again?"
Gage doesn't even acknowledge the question as he vaporizes past Kane and wraps me up in his arms. Kane's jaw clenches audibly, and I cringe against the contact.
"I've been worried to damn death, Alyssa. Your dad called and asked me if I was with you. I let him know you were here the second someone answered a fucking phone," he says, ending on an irritable note as his eyes fall back on my fuming night stalker.
"Gage, I'm fine. Just go. I still don't want to see you," I grumble while pushing him away.
Kane relaxes a little, though his hands are still fisted at his sides. I know he's only holding back because of me.
"Alyssa, I know it's scary, but it's only half of the prophecy," Gage murmurs while stroking my cheek with his thumb. "Don't freak out and run back to him simply because you're scared."
Kane's whole demeanor changes as pain sweeps his eyes. Gage is doing his best to be vague and misleading.
"That's not why I'm here, and I'm not fully convinced that prophecy is about me. I don't care what any of you say."
Deke starts fanning himself beside Kane as sweat forms on his brow. Zee seems to be burning up, too, along with Kane and Gage. I'm not hot.
"Is Dice with you?" Zee grumbles, wiping away some of the sweat.
"He's in the car," Gage says dismissively, never breaking eye contact with me.
"I'm going to go tell him to put his power away. I know he loves a good conflict between old lovers, but this shit is ridiculous," Zee continues, walking toward the door.
"We're not old lovers," Gage corrects. "Alyssa just won't accept the truth."
"Alyssa, what's he talking about?" Kane finally asks with pained eyes, unable to bite back his questions anymore.
I sigh, stepping away from Gage and walking over to Kane. "Gage, you can go. I need to talk to Kane."
The dark user holds his ground, not ready to be dismissed.
"Your dad wants you to come home. The Were council is still undecided on whether or not they're buying the imposter spirit story. They want to have a meeting, and Drackus wants it to be done at his house. He's telling them it's because you don't wish to involve the light."
"I think I should be there if that's the case. This involves me as well," Kane interjects, not meeting my eyes.
Gage shifts, his jaw now making crunching noises. "We'll handle this. Drackus will just intimidate the shit out of them, and I'll do the same. You might not know too much about me, but they do. They'll back down."
"I said I'm going," Kane asserts, taking a step toward Gage.
I quickly step in between them, and I place a hand on both of their chests to push them apart. They relent, and allow their immortal bodies to shift back.
"Gage, just go. Tell Drackus I'll be there. I need to talk to Kane, and if he still wants to come after I tell him about all this shit, then he can come."
Gage cracks his neck to the side, and then he vanishes from sight. Kane walks over to drop in a chair, massaging his temples with his fingers. Deke quickly makes an exit when he sees the seriousness going on, and he disappears into the open doorway to the soundproof room below.
When he shuts the secret door behind him, it's quiet in here for the first time all night.
"Care to explain?" Kane asks while leaning back in the chair, keeping his voice low.
Crossing his arms over his chest, he studies me, watching for any change in my face as I sit down on the arm of the chair beside him. When he makes no move to touch me, I can't help but dread the worst. I decide to throw it out there like I'm ripping off a Band-Aid.
"Long story short, there's a prophecy stating someone like me and someone like Gage will end up together. My family thinks it's the two of us. I'm not ready to play puppet to old prophecies though. Kane, I meant it earlier when I told you I love you."
"Is that all?" he asks, giving nothing away.
"Basically. I'll let you read that stupid book some time. Maybe you—"
His lips find mine and silence my rambling. He grips me tighter, pulling me close enough to feel his immortal heat, as I'm slid over onto his lap. After a breath-stealing, bone-shaking, heart-pounding kiss, he releases me enough to meet my eyes, but I'm still trying to remember how to breathe.
"Then I don't give a damn. If you want me, I'm yours. I've never been much of one for prophecies or destinies, in case you haven't noticed. Let's make our own destiny."
I can't help but let my girly grin free. Every bit of me wants him in so many ways.
"I do want you."
His goofy grin grows to match mine. "Good. Then stay with me tonight, and I'll drive you home in the morning. The Were Council won't come out tonight. It's the red moon, so they'll be locked up just like the wild ones downstairs. They'll be too vicious to be out unchained. Only the alphas are unaffected by the glow of the red moon, and an alpha won't go out to Drackus's without his betas."
I nod, realizing he's right, and then I reach over to pull his phone from the small table beside us.
"Do you care if I use this? I have no idea where mine is."
"Of course," he says with a shrug, keeping his hands pinned to my waist.
Drackus picks up on the first ring. "Where's my daughter, night stalker?" he growls.
Kane stifles a laugh as I roll my eyes. "She's right here," I roll out with a little attitude.
"Alyssa, your mother has been worried sick, and quite frankly, so have I."
"That's Alyssa?" I hear Mom say. "Give me that damn phone."
I take a deep breath and ready myself for the unavoidable scolding wrath of Calypso.
"Alyssa, I swear I'm going to kick your ass for running off in the middle of a red moon night!"
"I didn't run off, Mom. I... well, I sort of did some sleepwalking—and driving—and then I woke up here at Kane's house. I'm staying here tonight since no one from the Were council can meet with us yet. I'll be back in the morning... with Kane."
She curses in a whisper, not meaning to let me overhear. "From dark users to night stalkers—have you completely lost your mind?"
Kane rolls his eyes while leaning back in the chair. Sierra and Amy's howls get louder, their growling becoming more rampaged as Deke opens the door to rejoin us.
"What the hell is that?" Mom hisses.
"That would be the two lycans that are locked up downstairs."
"Lycans?" Mom shrieks.
Ignoring her, I continue, "I'll be home in the morning, no negotiations. I don't want to ride back with Gage following me."
She goes mute for a moment, realizing I need to stay away from the dark user promised to lead me into a destructive destiny. I may not believe it, but she does.
"Very well. Call me when you start home," she says after a long pause, sounding regrouped and calmer.
"I will. I love you, Mom."
"I love you, darling. I'm here when you need to talk. I'm not going anywhere ever again."
I shiver as the past few months come winding around my mind. Kane's arms tighten around me, but his head tilts to show his bemusement. Hanging up his phone, I lean down to press a chaste kiss on his lips. Deke heads outside, leaving us alone for the second time.
"Your Mom is with Drackus?" Kane asks as I lean back up.
"Again... long story. Someone's posing as her, but I'll tell you all about that later. I need to go tell Dice and Gage to head back without me."
"I'll come with," he chirps, seeming rejuvenated. "Then you can cure me from my blood addiction before I feel the effects."
Um... that would be okay, if I didn't have twisted fantasies haunting my every thought.
"Or you could just stay addicted to me, since I don't plan on that being the last bite I get."
He trips over his own feet, but quickly recovers, trying to hold a straight face and not show how rattled I just left him.
"When did you get so bold?" he asks, laughing loudly.
Seriousness takes over my playful expression, and I turn to lean against the door before he can open it.
"When I found out I'm in love with a night stalker instead of some fragile human I would have to leave. It was killing me before, when I thought of having to leave you once I turned."
His eyes soften, losing his amusement as he moves in closer.
"Well, now there's immortality just around the corner. How long until you change?"
"I don't really know. I just know it's going to happen within a year or so, based on my hair—though that's proving to be a bit deceitful—and my growing powers."
He runs his fingers through the strands of blond, and then he tilts my head up to show me the mischievous glint in his eyes.
"In less than a year, I'll show you how much better it is to be immortal."
I shiver noticeably, making him grin his dark, sexy smile, and then he pulls my hand into his.
"Let's get this over with, and then you can tell me all about everything that happened before you showed up tonight."