Page 95 of A Vampire Bewitched

Gazing over his shoulder at his lovely mate, he caught her pulling the quilt up to cover herself. She’d dragged it with her every time she’d gotten up during the night, and he was losing his patience.

“Don’t do that,” he commanded harshly.

Emma’s eyes flew up . “Nik…I…”

He stood and stalked over to her side of the bed, pulling her up with him. He took the comforter from her, leaving her as naked as he was. Gently pushing her along in front of him, he ignored her protests and walked her into the bathroom.

Flicking on the light, he turned her so she faced the mirror and he was standing behind her. The top of her head barely came up to his shoulder.

Emma kept her eyes down. “Nik, please don’t do this,” she whispered.

When she tried to leave, he wrapped his hands carefully around her upper arms and held her in front of him. “First of all, don’teverhide yourself from me again. I love looking at you.”

Still refusing to look up, Emma scoffed. “You can’t mean that.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, sweetheart. I’ve never meant anything more. Look in the mirror, Em.” When she refused, he shook her slightly. “Look in the mirror, Emma.”

Sighing heavily, she raised her eyes and visibly cringed.

Nik gave her a second to take a good look. “Do you know what I see in that mirror? I don’t see a woman who is flawed, or imperfect. I see a strong woman. A woman who defended herself. A woman who fought for her survival against all the odds and won. A woman who never gave up on finding her sister. A woman who didn’t crumble under pressure. A woman who took meetingme, a vampire, in stride.” He caught her eyes with his in the mirror. “That woman makes me proud. That woman is a warrior. That woman is amazing. That woman is sexy as all hell. That woman is the most beautiful and precious thing I’ve ever laid eyes on.Thatwoman, Em, is YOU.”

“Don’t ever hide yourself from me,” he said softly. “I couldn’t stand it. I love you. All of you. I only wish I’d been there to protect you.” Lowering his head, he wrapped his arms around her and whispered in her ear, “I’ll never let anything like that happen to you again. I swear it.”

Emma turned in his arms, and this time he let her. Wrapping her arms around his lean waist, she told him, “I love you, too. And I’m going to hold you to that.”

He hugged her to him, letting himself enjoy the moment, then ran his hands up and down her back. “Come on, woman, we need to get a shower. Then I need to find a place to hole up for the day. After I call to secure our flight back to Seattle.”

“I have a cellar, you can stay down there—” she began. “Wait. Seattle?”

With one last hug and a kiss on her adorable nose, he reached over to start the shower. “Yeah. I have to get back. And you’re coming with me.”

Joy lit up her face. “Okay.”

When the water was warm enough, Nik turned back to her with a grin. “So, we still have about an hour before the sun comes up,” he said, running his eyes up and down her lithe body.

Emma turned to walk away. “I’d better get packing then. Is it cold in Seattle?”

She squealed as Nik grabbed her with one arm from behind, dragging her under the hot water with him. Bending down, he nibbled on the side of her neck before breathing in her scent. “Oh no, you don’t. You’re not running away from me again.”

“Never.”

With a groan, he pierced the supple skin of her throat. And as her sweet blood filled him and she wrapped her slender arms around his neck on a sigh, Nik sank into his female.

And knew his life was only beginning.