Page 107 of The Vampire's Mate

“It’s not possible,” Bernadette says. “The spell used to create the vampires was destroyed and stricken from all records. No one knows how it was done, therefore there is no way to reverse it. Besides, Jesse was turned by another vampire. There’s no way to guarantee a spell would work since his transformation was the result of vampire venom, not a spell.”

“But––”

“I should take you upstairs to rest,” Jesse cuts in before I can argue further.

I open my mouth to argue as I turn to face him, but the agony in his eyes has me snapping my mouth shut. I give him a small nod, and he sighs with relief as he stands and helps me to my feet. Setting my untouched coffee on the tray next to the carafe, I give Bernadette and Steph a nod of farewell before allowing Jesse to lead me up to our room.

“I want you to change me,” I say as soon as the door closes behind us.

“Eden, I can’t. The risks are too great.”

“Those risks are mine to take,” I say, standing my ground with my shoulders thrown back.

“And if you die?” he throws back, growing angry.

“I’m going to die, anyway, Jesse. That’s how life works. You grow old, and you die. It’s going to happen to me if you don’t change me.”

“But we will have had a whole lifetime together,” he says, his tone softening.

“A lifetime where you get to watch me wither away before dying, yourself. I don’t want that for you. I don’t want it for us.”

“I won’t do it,” he says.

“Then I’ll find someone else who will.”

The words barely pass my lips before he’s on me. I back up a few steps, and he follows until the backs of my legs bump into the bed. His anger is palpable, though I’m not really afraid. I know he’d never hurt me.

“You. Will. Not,” he says firmly.

Lifting my hand, I cup his cheek. The anger drains out of him as he leans into the touch. He turns his head, pressing a long kiss to my palm.

“I love you, Jesse,” I whisper. “And I want to be with you, forever. Please, just try.”

“And if Bernadette is right?” he asks. “If you die?”

“I won’t,” I say, firmly believing the words.

“And if you go mad?”

“Then you can lock me away where I can’t hurt anyone.”

“I wouldn’t be able to live with myself were that to happen, Eden. I love you too much.”

“You’ve always said you trust my gut, right?”

“Yes,” he says. “I do.”

“Well, my gut is telling me this is the right decision.”

“Eden––”

“Please, Jesse. Do this for me. For us.”

He stares at me for several long beats, then his shoulders droop. He takes a step back, then nods.

Hope floods through me, and I leap forward, pressing my mouth to his. He kisses me back, scooping me up in his strong arms and lifting me onto the bed. He breaks off the kiss as my head hits the pillow and hovers over me as his gaze probes mine.

“Are you sure?”