Page 59 of Dark Embrace

She rose up on her toes and pressed her mouth to his, then whispered, “I love you,” againsthislips.

Epilogue

One yearlater

Sarah snuggledclose against Killian’s side, languid and replete in the aftermath of their lovemaking. Reaching up, she dragged her fingers through the thick golden silk of his hair, loving the feelofit.

Lovinghim.

A year they had been together, and each day was a gift, a treasure. They had married in a church in a small ceremony attended by her father and Mrs. Cowden and Elinor. Killian had opened a small surgery in St. Giles and Sarah worked there alongside him, offering care to women the world had forgotten. Elinor had left King’s College for a position at thesurgery.

In that year, Killian had told her much of what it meant to be a vampire. The joys, the beauty, the freedom. The burden, the loneliness, thetemptation.

Nothing ever came without aprice.

But he had never again voiced the offer to make her what he was, and she had neverasked.

Untilnow.

Rolling so she lay atop him, she stared into his eyes, his beautiful pewter and ice eyes, then she leaned down and pressed her mouthtohis.

“It is time, Killian.” She drew her long hair to the side, baring the column of her throat. “It is time, my love. I want forever,withyou.”

He smiled, and dragged his fingers along her pulse where it throbbed beneath the fragile skin of herthroat.

“You arecertain?”

“I am. I would know the cool and wonderful beauty of the moonlight, the sweet music of the night,” she whispered, offering back to him the words he had shared so long ago. “You are no longer alone. I would be with you always, Killian. Always andforever.”

TheEnd