Page 23 of Taming the Beasts (Crooked Point #3)

He was acting like he’d been dying for there to be another vampire. And I’d done literally nothing but offer to become one for days now. “I don’t believe her.”

“Why? As soon as she said it, I realized I didn’t smell her.”

I just stared at him.

“She doesn’t have normal human blood. She’s definitely a vampire.”

“Maybe your noes is just off. She’s not a vampire. Because she didn’t really have any answers. She just agreed with what everyone else was saying. And have vampires really even been around that long? She’s ancient.”

“I didn’t know they went back that far from my research. But she’s proof that they do.”

“Or she’s lying. That disappearing thing? She...”

“What disappearing thing?”

I’d forgotten that he’d been talking to Bennett during that specific accusation. “We thought we saw her disappear. And she didn’t say it was from super speed until Huxley told her it was. What were you and Bennett talking about anyway?”

“He was asking me if I believe her. Which I do.”

I tried to hide my sigh. “But what was all that weird stuff about her daddy?” I shook my head. “I mean her father. Things just aren’t adding up.”

Callum smiled down at me. “I thought you wanted me to be cured?”

“I want you to be safe. And healthy. I don’t know if that coin has anything to do with that. I just have a bad feeling in my gut.”

“So what would give you a good feeling?”

I looked up at him. “Are you saying you want the cure?”

“Yes. I’ve been searching for it for centuries.”

“But what about your fears about a cure making you your true age and killing you?”

“If Kebe isn’t worried about that, why should I be? She’s clearly done a lot of research.”

I didn’t see that as clearly as he did. “Well I’m worried about it.”

Callum pulled me to a stop in the middle of the sidewalk. He lifted his hands and cradled my face. “You want our forevers to be aligned. I’m much more comfortable doing it this way than the other.”

“But this feels so much more dangerous, Callum.”

He shook his head. “No. If I change you, everyone around you will be in danger. It took me ten years to get control of this so that we could be together.”

And he’d almost slipped today. I wasn’t sure how close he’d been. But the bite mark on my shoulder was proof that he didn’t have full control. Even after ten years. Would I have to isolate myself for that long if I changed?

“This will be easier,” he said.

“But what if Kebe is wrong? What if it hurts you?”

“But what if it frees me?”

I pressed my lips together. If I knew for sure it wouldn’t hurt him, I’d want him to take it. I knew how long he’d wanted a cure. “I just don’t want to lose you again.” I felt tears welling in the corners of my eyes.

“Baby.” His voice sounded pained.

“You only just proposed. You promised me forever. I don’t want forever to be cut short.”

“It won’t be.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I trust Kebe.”

But I didn’t. I stepped forward, pressing the side of my face against Callum’s chest, being careful not to touch the gash across his stomach.

He knew what it was like to lose people he loved.

He’d lost everyone but me. So he knew what him dying would do to me.

But maybe he didn’t think 60 years of pain would be as awful as almost three centuries worth.

Being without him for just ten years had felt like hell. I couldn’t do 60. Maybe I’d been wrong for pushing this forever thing so much. I just wanted as much time as we had. I didn’t want to change anything.

I pulled back. “Can we maybe just take some time to think about it?”

He tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “But this would fix everything.”

I started to shake my head.

“You said you wanted kids. And I don’t know if I can give them to you when I’m like this. ”

“So let’s just ask Kebe about that. Maybe it is possible.”

“I can talk to Kebe about that. But I want this. A normal life with you.”

“We are having a normal life together.”

His eyes fell to the side of my neck. “I almost lost control today.”

I swallowed hard and his gaze intensified. “But you didn’t.”

“But I could have. I don’t want to live like this anymore, baby.”

I understood that. I really did. And I’d be okay with him taking the cure if we had found it on our own. I just didn’t trust Kebe. Not even a little.

I couldn’t stop Callum from taking the cure though. If that’s what he wanted. Even though I was terrified. “But we can take a few days?”

He nodded.

For some reason I burst into tears.

“Baby.” He cradled my face in his hands again.

“If something bad happens we were so close to our happily ever after. I’ll never know what it was really like to be yours.”

“You are mine.”

“I mean to be Mrs. Callum Walsh. I mean Mrs. Theo Gold. I’d never know what it felt to be completely yours.”

“Okay.”

I stared up at him. “Okay, what?”

“I don’t think anything bad will happen. But if something did...having my last name for the rest of your life would bring some kind of solace? ”

“I don’t know. I would just miss you so much. I feel like I can’t breathe.” It was the truth. I was having trouble catching my breath through my tears.

“Then let’s not wait.”

“Please, just think about the cure for a few more days...”

“I’m not talking about the cure. I’m talking about our wedding.”

What? I looked up at him.

“Normally the courting process takes more time. And I am old-fashioned. But technically I’ve been thinking of nothing but you for ten years. That counts toward courting, don’t you think?”

I knew nothing about courting. But I found myself nodding along.

“And all I want is for you to officially be mine too. Let’s move the wedding up. Besides we’re already living in sin.”

I laughed through my tears. I was pretty sure living in sin was the least of our concerns. “Are you serious?”

“What’s the point of waiting when we both know what we want? I want forever with you. Whatever length of time that means. Why not start that forever right now?”

“You mean today?”

He shook his head. “I want to give you everything. The white dress. The flowers. The party reception afterwards to celebrate. It’ll take us a few days to plan, I think. What about next weekend?”

As in one week from today? I didn’t even hesitate. I threw my arms around him. “A thousand times yes.”

He groaned .

“Sorry.” I pulled back and stared down at his stomach. “Are you okay...”

“I’m perfect.” He pulled me into a searing kiss. “I’m about to have everything I’ve ever wanted. You. And a cure.”

I liked the first part of that much more than the second.