Cassie blinked against the rays filtering through the blinds of her windows. It had been a while since she hadn't watched the sun rise. She didn't recall falling asleep, but she must have, and apparently she'd slept through the entire night, without nightmares.

She didn't feel completely rested, but she definitely felt better. She also found a bit of peace for the first time in weeks. Tears of relief and heartache choked her as they fell down her cheeks to wet her pillow. Devon drew her closer as he nuzzled her hair.

"Don't cry love."

His words only made her cry harder. He kissed her cheek as he wiped away her tears with the pad of his thumb. Cassie rolled over to face him and buried her face in his shoulder as she wrapped her arms around him.

Gradually her tears subsided. She was beginning to worry they would never completely subside, at least not for a little while. Not until she truly grieved for her grandmother. Pulling back, she looked up into Devon's much loved face. His jaw was tense, a muscle twitched in his cheek. There was a flat, distant look in his eyes she knew well.

"You should feed," she remarked.

He managed a brief nod; she could hear his teeth grinding. Being this close to her was torture for him when he'd gone awhile without feeding, and he'd been so busy taking care of her last night he hadn't taken care of himself. As she studied him, a consuming need began to build inside of her.

"What about me?"

He blinked as he recoiled from her. "Cassie..."

"You can feed from me Devon."

"No!" He retreated further from her, but she could see the rapidly building hunger flaming through his eyes. He craved this as badly as she did, he was just being stubborn.

"It's ok Devon, you won't hurt me."

Rapidly moving away, he swung his legs over the side of the bed. His hands gripped the mattress so intensely the muscles in his arms stood out. His back was ramrod straight, but a small tremor shook him. Cassie touched his back, but he pulled away and she thought he was going to bolt.

"You won't hurt me," she said again.

He swung toward her, his eyes flashed from their beautiful emerald to a blood red that robbed her of her breath. "You don't know that!" he snarled.

Though he caused her heartbeat to speed up, the trepidation trickling through her was brief. "I do."

He shuddered again. "Cassie your blood, it's a temptation, I'm not sure I can refuse."

"You can," she said forcefully. "I want to take care of you like you take care of me. I want to know what you feel like."

He shuddered again, and she thought he was going to rip her mattress apart. She could almost hear his teeth grinding. Cassie sat up and pushed her blankets aside. She rubbed her hands over his rigid back. Though he stiffened, he didn't move away from her as she had feared. He was fighting with himself, but it was a losing battle.

"Cassie," he moaned.

"It's ok," she whispered. "I'm here and I'm willing. It's ok."

He finally turned to her; his gaze searched her face as he looked for any hint she didn't truly want this. "If I hurt you..."

"You won't."

A muscle twitched in his cheek, Cassie soothed it with her hand and pressed her forehead against his. "You're wounded now."

"And you've helped to heal me," she told him.

"Weakened."

She managed a small smile. "Not so much anymore, and I am still stronger than any human."

"If I lose control..."

"You won't."

She wrapped her hand around the back of his neck and kissed him tenderly. He remained rigid against her. She felt a brief tug of guilt, this was torture for him, but if she could ease his thirst she was going to do so. She yearned to be the one he turned to, and she desperately longed to know what it would feel like.

She was surprised the thought didn't repulse her more. Before she'd met him it would have revolted her completely, but now it thrilled and emboldened her. With him, it would be amazing. She was certain of that, even though she had no reason to believe it would be. Everything she'd seen of vampires feeding was gross, brutal, and deadly.

It wouldn't be so now.

Though he still didn't move against her, she felt a yielding in his body. Then, suddenly, his arm snaked around her and locked her into place as his mouth became pliant and demanding against hers. Cassie's heart hammered, her fingers tangled in his hair as he pressed closer against her. A gasp escaped her when he lifted her and laid her on the bed. He pulled back, his eyes questioning and hesitant but simmering with fiery longing. She managed a small nod and a smile.

When he came back to her this time, his kiss wasn't wild with urgency, but so sweet and tender it nearly broke her heart. Cassie savored the delicious sensations he aroused in her body, losing herself to him completely as he kissed her with leisurely thrusts of his tongue. His hands skimmed over her body before settling on either side of her head where he held her as he stroked her face and hair.

Little by little it began to change as his kisses became deeper and his body became more rigid against her. She didn't know when he'd last fed, but she suspected he hadn't been doing it as often as he should, and that was her fault. He'd been so busy watching over her, he hadn't been taking care of himself. Guilt tugged at Cassie as she became desperate to be the one to ease his torment.

Grasping his head, Cassie knew she would have to make the first move. He wouldn't go any further otherwise. Gently guiding his head down, she turned her head to allow him better access to her neck. His mouth was hot on her skin as his body became immobile against hers once more. Cassie's heart thumped loudly, each pulse was like a drumbeat in her ears.

She waited breathlessly as with a small moan, he brushed his lips against the tender skin of her neck. Cassie's hands tensed in his hair as she felt the fluttering brush of his fangs, and then he struck.

Cassie arched off the bed, a small breath escaped as her. His hand entangled in her hair, pulling her head back he sank deeper into her to drink in deep, greedy gulps. Cassie turned her head to the side as the pain faded away and pleasure rushed forward to engulf her in waves that left her breathless and limp. Her grip eased on him as she became suffused in a world of ecstasy and pleasure.

It took her a moment to realize it was his pleasure she felt. It wrapped her within a cocoon of warmth. His love was so true, so pure it robbed her of all logical thought. It ended all her doubts, and any self-consciousness she’d ever experienced in his presence.

She suddenly saw herself through his eyes, and to him she was beautiful, loving and strong. He knew she wasn't perfect, and he loved her more for her faults. There was nothing about her he would change. Tears burned her eyes as her heart swelled to the point where she thought it would burst.

She could also feel the thirst constantly pulling at him. The battle he fought within himself every moment of every day, especially around her, to retain control of his murderous instincts was staggering. The control it took for him to be around her was far more than she ever could have imagined, and she loved him more for his ability to do so.

Cassie tried desperately to reciprocate her own pleasure and love to him, praying fervently he would feel it as clearly as she felt his. She cradled him against her, unaware of the tears of joy and love sliding down her face. "I love you," she whispered over and over, just in case her thoughts weren't reaching him.

When he bit deeper she felt no concern. She simply allowed herself to drift inside of his love, gratification, and delight. Though she knew he could kill her, this bond was so intimate and breathtaking she never wanted it to stop.

He broke away suddenly; his body shook, his head dropped onto her shoulder. Though he wasn't feeding upon her, she was surprised to realize the bond hadn't been broken. His emotions still thrummed against her, his love still enveloped her.

"I'm fine," she assured him. He lifted his head and turned toward her. His eyes gleamed as he tried to assure himself she wasn't lying to him. More power than she had ever seen radiated from him. Satisfaction and pleasure filled her at the realization it was her blood that had caused the influx of strength in him. "Did you take enough?"

He bent his forehead to hers. "Plenty," he whispered hoarsely. "Are you sure you're ok?"

Cassie slid her fingers over his beloved face. "I am so much better than just ok."

Seeming to finally believe her, he rolled to the side and drew her against him. Cassie sighed contentedly as she rested her hand on his chest. He rubbed her back as he idly played with her hair. "That was amazing," she murmured, her eyes drifted closed as serenity enshrouded her.

"It was."

Cassie yawned and burrowed herself against his side. "Is it always like that? Can you always feel other people's emotions?"

"We can keep people shut out if we choose, but the exchange of blood opens the pathway between the two minds."

"Do you always let people in?"

"Not in a while. I never cared what anyone felt when I thought it might be pleasurable for them. But sometimes..." he broke off, seemingly hesitant to continue on, but he did. "Sometimes I enjoyed feeling the anguish."

"Is it painful to some for long?" she whispered.

His body became taut against her, not liking this line of questioning, but he wouldn't keep anything from her. "It can be," he admitted.

She shuddered as thoughts of her grandmother blazed into her mind, but she quickly shut them down. This was only about the two of them, she wasn't going to let the outside world intrude upon the ecstasy she'd found here, no matter how brief it might be.

"Why wasn't it for me?"

His lips were warm against her temple and ear as he turned into her. Though his body temperature was lower than hers, he never failed to heat her. "Because you were willing. It's painful if you fight against it, which most people do, but if you are willing... things are different if you give your blood freely."

Cassie yawned again, her hand curled into his shirt over the place where his still heart was nestled. His hand curled up the back of her head to cup her as he dropped a kiss on her brow. "I have never experienced that before."

Cassie's head shot up. She didn't like to think about all of the many women he had shared blood with over the years, especially not Isla. "Really?"

He smiled at her as his fingers trailed over her shoulder. "Really."

She frowned at him. "How is that possible?"

"I've never met a willing human before, and I've never exchanged blood with a vampire."

"Why not?"

His hand stilled on her shoulder as his eyes burned into hers. "When vampires exchange blood with each other, the pathways open more. It is a very intimate thing, one only certain vampires share with each other and one I never wished to share with someone else, until now."

Cassie couldn't stop the goofy grin spreading over her face at his words. She couldn't deny the thrill of possession and superiority tearing through her. They finally had one thing that was theirs. He grinned back at her and pulled her down to kiss her lovingly. She was just beginning to lose herself in his kiss when he pulled away, dropped a chaste kiss on her nose and pulled her head down against his shoulder. "Rest."

She wanted to protest his gruff order, but his body was unyielding against hers. It was taking all he had to keep himself away from her. Plus, it was difficult to argue when her eyelids were drifting closed and her body settled against his.