Page 24 of Forty Deaths Till Us Part

“I do, but I need time to think about the bonding thing. Nobody should be forced into a decision of that magnitude, but I guarantee we will find an antidote. I have an idea. In this, I need you to trust me.”

Rene turned his head to meet my gaze. “I do.”

“Good. Tell me about the bonding ceremony. Is it like a wedding?”

He smiled slightly. “In some ways. It is performed on a full moon by a specific priest, if you will. But the attendees are those the bonding couple hold dear. It is a distinct honor to be invited to such an event.”

I smiled. “I bet you have been invited to a lot of them over the years.”

“Admittedly, as overseer, I have witnessed the ceremony on many occasions. There was little joy for me, knowing I would never have what they did. You changed everything. If this is the end of my life, then I want you to allow Cass to help you. Learn the beauty our world has to offer and enjoy it to the best of your ability. You are a gift to not only this clan, but our entire species.”

I touched his face, and my fingers trailed to his chin. “Don’t talk like that. You are not going anywhere. You promised to trust me.”

“With my life,” he whispered.

I leaned down so our lips touched. The kiss was slow, and my heart leaped with emotions I was not ready to explore. He was everything I ever wanted, and I was losing him. My hand slipped to his hair, and I clutched the silky strands as if I could hold him to me forever. When I finally released him, his gaze met mine with the same fire and passion he always had when in my arms.

“Consider my proposal. I want you no matter the circumstances. Whether it is for a day or a century. But I don’t want you to think I want to bond with you because I was infected with the compound. I have been leading you toward this from the moment I walked into the human morgue. I love you.”

CHAPTER 9

Lying there in our opulent but dimly-lit room, the weight of his words hung in the air like a brittle promise. I believed every word, and the response caught in my throat. Rene’s confession was wrenched from his soul like a bittersweet melody that mingled with the reality of our situation. The grisly compound continued to slowly suck out the undead life within him. His vibrant skin was stilled, mottled with patches of gray that increased in size with every passing second. His once-vibrant eyes were now clouded with doubt, and while he said there was no pain, I wasn’t sure I believed him. His gaze held mine with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine. As if he wanted my face to be the last thing he saw when he left this life.

It was an outcome I would never be able to live with despite his plea for me to carry on. I shifted closer to him, feeling the gentle warmth of his body against mine, yet unable to escape the cold reality that threatened to rip us apart. The tenderness of his words was in complete opposition to the harsh truth of his condition, a cruel reminder that immortality was an illusion, even for a vampire as powerful as Rene.

His voice held a weakness it hadn’t before, as if he accepted his death. His plea possessed a sincerity that had pierced the darkness of the situation and wrapped my soul in love and light. His confession of love was monumental on so many levels and I was frozen in place as I stared at his still, handsome features. And in that moment, the world seemed to pause, as if Mother Nature herself was holding her breath, waiting for me to respond.

My heart swelled, and emotions I thought I left in the past welled up within me like a tidal wave. I reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair away from his forehead, and my fingers traced the contours of his face with a mixture of affection and desperation. The truth in his eyes was undeniable, and it echoed the feelings I had harbored deep within my own heart. The ones I wasn’t ready to admit to, especially now. When his death was imminent if I was unsuccessful in my quest to save him.

Red tears formed on my lashes, threatening to overflow, as I struggled to find the words to convey the depth of my emotions. Honesty was the only defense in the face of adversity. In the face of his impending death, the vulnerability of the moment hit me like a lightning rod. “I love you too,” I whispered with my voice echoing a raw honesty that matched his own.

His lips curved into a smile that could stop time. There was a mix of relief and contentment in his expression, as if he had waited an eternity for this moment. One last triumph before he took his final rest. My soul clung to him in the midst of the uncertainty and reverence, and I found solace in the connection we had forged amidst the chaos of strife. The odds had been against us, and we had overcome adversity and prejudice. Now we just needed to conquer death itself. No small feat for any being, whether supernatural or human.

As I clung to him, his heart began to beat a steady rhythm against my palm. As if his soul wanted me to know that thislove was more real than any power he possessed. A single light in the midst of eternal darkness. It was a force that defied every obstacle put in its path. A flame that burned brighter no matter the shadows that surrounded it. And even as the cruel compound continued its vicious work of robbing Rene of his life force, I found strength in his admission. His love was forever, whether that was a moment, a day, or forever. I knew that no matter what happened in the coming days, we were united in this eternal war and nothing could break our conviction.

Rene touched my cheek. “Be with me. Tonight, while I still have the strength to give you the pleasure you deserve.”

My heart stuttered. “It might hurt you.”

Rene’s smile was like a cat that had caught a mouse. “You couldn’t hurt me. Your presence brings me nothing but pleasure.”

I loved his response, and my entire body vibrated. I felt his arousal against my leg, and excitement soared through me. I sat up and removed my clothes, but when he attempted to do the same, I placed my palm on his chest. “Allow me.”

His eyes flickered with red as I slowly removed his clothes. In truth, I went far slower than necessary, attempting to draw out the moment. This could be our last time together, and I wanted it to be special. To show him how much his faith in me meant. The truth of my words.

After I deposited his clothes on the floor next to mine, my hand traced the defined muscles of his chest, avoiding the patches of gray before I wrapped my fingers around his cock. The feel of him in my hand was empowering and made me feel sexier than ever. He was all hard flesh surrounded by silky skin and I moved up and down his long length, making him groan.

“Life held no meaning for me before you. It was an endless set of tasks I performed out of duty. There is nothing morebeautiful than you touching me.” His deep voice stroked me like a caress.

Rene had given me everything since the first time he saw me. I hadn’t realized the burdens of being the overseer or the isolation it inevitably created. I ran a finger over the flared tip, and moisture leaked onto my hand before I continued to stroke him.

I stopped what I was doing and stared into his loving eyes. He was fully engaged with what I was doing, as if he couldn’t wait to see what I would do next. “I love you and I’m not saying it because you were exposed to the compound. I have felt this way for a while, but it’s hard for me to... trust people. I haven’t exactly had stellar luck in the love department.”

“There is no measurement for what I feel for you, but we are going to leave Isra out of this. I cannot imagine another male touching you. And I struggle to control myself, even though I know neither of you would pursue a relationship again.” His words were punctuated with a growl that sent a shiver down my spine. But it wasn’t fear; it was arousal. His possessiveness in this one aspect made me feel cherished.

“Isra is my best friend and always will be, but he wasn’t who I was talking about. Isra is more attracted to you than to me.” I kissed his abdomen. “Perhaps I should be worried. He is awfully attractive.” I felt his muscles tense beneath my lips, and I could sense him smile.

“You are teasing me. Even now, you bring light to the darkness. I need you, Raven. In a way, that will take eons for you to understand.”