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DAHLIA

“ I believe you promised to beg,” I rasp before cracking open my eyes to find Alaric staring down at me, pink-tinged tears streaming down his cheeks. A broken sound rips free from his chest, something between a sob and a laugh and suddenly I’m up and in his arms and his face is buried in my neck.

“Dahlia, Dahlia, Dahlia.” He says my name over and over, like a prayer. I wrap my arms around him, squeezing tightly. I can’t imagine what he must have been feeling all this time while I was…dead. I realize then that I truly must have died for the turning to have been successful—and the fangs in my mouth and the burning thirst in the back of my throat tell me that it was, in fact, successful. Holy. Shite.

This is a lot to process all at once, so I take a deep breath and try to focus on one thing at a time.

“I’m…I’m turned?” It comes out as a question, though I know that it’s true.

Alaric pulls away and cradles my face between his big hands, nodding and looking incredibly worried.

“Are you alright, love? How are you feeling? I know it can be overwhelming at first.”

I blink as all the new details of his face register, all the different colors in his golden eyes, the shades of blue and black in his hair. Holy fucking hells . I knew vampires had enhanced senses and thought I’d gotten a glimpse when I’d taken so much of Alaric’s blood after the attack on the road all those months ago, but I truly had no idea what it was really like. I can see dust mites dancing in the air, can hear hearts beating around us, can smell too many scents to even catalog or comprehend. It is overwhelming, every one of my senses being assaulted by too much stimuli at once, but it’s also amazing. I’m in utter awe of the beauty around me, of the fact that I can see and hear and smell everything so vividly. It’s like I’m seeing the world for the very first time—and what a brilliant world it is.

I don’t thank the gods nearly as often as I should, but I thank them now for giving me this gift. I will be thanking them every day for the rest of… forever . I gasp inwardly but shake myself. The thought is a little too daunting to think about right now, so I save it to ponder later.

“I’m…ok,” I say slowly, because I am. I’ll get used to everything soon enough, I know. I’ll find a way to adjust to these new changes in my body and mind and adapt to this new version of myself. The most important thing is that I’m alive. I’m here, with Alaric. I lean in to kiss him then, unable to stop myself, and his entire body shudders as our lips meet. Gods . If I thought kissing Alaric before was intoxicating, now it’s downright life-altering. The taste of him. The feel of him. Lust rockets through my body, but also… blood lust. My fangs snap longer from my gums, extending fully and nicking my tongue. I gasp in surprise and Alaric moans softly when he tastes the blood. I pull away and cover my mouth with my hand.

“It’s ok, love. It takes some getting used to, I’ve been told.”

I stare at him, the need for blood temporarily put aside as an intense, overwhelming feeling of love for this man consumes me entirely. A voice I’ve never heard before echoes through my mind, sure and demanding: yours .

“You’re mine too,” I whisper in wonder, realizing what the voice is, what these feelings mean. “You’re my mate. You always have been, really, but…well, now it makes sense.”

“Ok, ok, he’s your mate, but I’m your sister, and I need to hug you now,” Enid says as she rushes forward. I huff out a laugh and Alaric brushes hair from my forehead before leaning in close to kiss me on the temple.

He whispers, “be gentle with her, Keeva,” reminding me of my new strength. He pulls back and smiles before letting me go and sliding out of the way. He must have complete faith in me—Elias as well—that I won’t hurt her, and I try to take that as a good sign. I don’t want to be a danger to my human family and friends. I turn and Enid flies at me, wrapping her arms around me and sobbing into my hair. I can feel the strength roiling through my body and take Alaric’s words to heart, being as gentle as I can as I hug her back. I can also feel the lifeblood pumping through her body, can smell the sweet perfume of it and my mouth waters, but it isn’t the crazed, insatiable thirst that I envisioned. I don’t feel like an animal who might rip her throat out any second. Perhaps it had been that way once upon a time after a turning, but after so many years of replicated blood, of the need to hunt all but eliminated, they— we —must have evolved. The thirst for blood is there, of course, but it isn’t an all-consuming need .

“I was so scared, Lia,” she whispers. “I thought you were going to leave me forever.”

“Never,” I promise fiercely. “Never.”

We stay locked together, saying everything without saying a word, for long, long moments. Eventually she lets out a shuddering breath and I know that she’s ok. I pull away and eye her critically.

“Did I imagine you at the Plain??”

“Yes,” she says at the same time Elias says, “no.” She cuts him a killing look but I give her a pointed one and she throws up her hands in exasperation.

“Ok, ok, fine. Yes, I was there. I couldn’t let everyone else ride off to rescue you while I just ran away to safety, so I…might have evaded da, stolen a horse, and followed the army.” She shrugs and juts her chin out in defiance.

“She’s as stubborn as you are,” Elias says, half irritated, half indulgent. It’s then that I realize that I can smell Elias all over my sister and I arch a brow in his direction. He merely grins, but when I cut my eyes back to Enid, her cheeks flush.

“We’ll discuss it later,” she says quietly.

“Oh yes we will. In detail ,” I add, smiling.

“Alright, let yer old da in for a hug why don’t ye?” da says gruffly, and Enid huffs out a laugh, moving so that da can wrap his arms around me. Soon, everyone is having their turns and the love I feel is nearly enough to drown me.

“I always knew you’d make a hell of a vampire,” Wesley says, grinning and punching me playfully in the shoulder.

“Now we can really train you,” Nova adds excitedly. “No more taking it easy.”

“ That was you taking it easy on me?!” I exclaim indignantly. “I could barely walk for the first week!”

“Oh yeah, that was nothing. Child’s play,” she says, waving me off and winking.

Fiona gushes about having a new sister, Sebastian greets me warmly and welcomes me to the Clan in truth now, as a vampire. Elias hugs me, thanks me for saving them all, and promises me that he’ll take care of my sister.

We hug, we cry, we laugh. A flurry of chatter erupts around the room, everyone talking all at once in small groups, and while I’m beyond happy to see all of them, I meet Alaric’s gaze through the throng of people, and I know that what I see in his eyes is mirrored in mine.

Need. An intense, unapologetic, all-consuming need that I’ve never felt before and can’t deny much longer. And it isn’t for blood.

“Out. Now,” he says in a low, quiet command.

Elias looks between the two of us, and quickly shoos everyone from the room.

“We’ll give you two some time,” he says quickly, giving us both knowing looks. “Try not to break the furniture, yeah?” Alaric growls at him but Elias merely grins, winks, and closes the door behind him as he leaves.

In a heartbeat, Alaric is there, kissing me fiercely and pinning me to the bed, his big body covering mine and pressing me down into the soft mattress. His tongue delves, rolling and thrusting as I rip his shirt off: literally. The fabric comes apart beneath my fingers as if it’s made of parchment.

“Fucking hells,” I whisper and he chuckles lightly, using a claw to split my own nightgown down the center, the silk falling open. He quickly moves downward, sucking a harden nipple into his mouth. I moan and buck, all of the sensations more powerful than ever before. He sucks hard, then releases me only to move to the other side and twirl his tongue. He trails his hand downward and quick as lightning, slides two fingers deep inside while he bites lightly.

“Fuck, Alaric!” I cry, tunneling my fingers into his hair, begging him not to stop.

“So wet already,” he growls in approval. I rock my hips upward, desperate for more, needing him to touch and taste everywhere, all at once. Everything is so new, so different. My mind is a roaring tumult of desire and need, needs I’ve never had before. A need to bite, a need to feed, a need to please my mate, a need to claim him. I whimper and writhe, claws and fangs flaring. I gasp as one slices into my tongue again.

“Mmmm,” Alaric moans, smelling the blood, and moves to kiss me once more, my blood mixing between our tongues like it did all those months ago, but this time, I understand the pull. I understand the power of the blood, the desire for it. I need…I want…I can’t…

“Alaric,” I whisper, somewhere between a frustrated sob and a plea. I can’t form the thoughts, let alone the words, but as always, Alaric understands me completely. His pants are gone an instant later, and he’s above me once more, hand gripping his cock and guiding it to the right spot. I arch my hips, desperate in a way I don’t truly understand. It’s something primal and animalistic. Something I can’t explain but need to obey.

Without hesitation, Alaric shoves his hips forward, gliding in to the hilt with one long, quick thrust. I cry out, my entire body bowing in utter pleasure. My fingers dig into the bed on either side of me, ripping the sheets and mattress beneath to shreds.

“ Fuck ,” he rasps.

“More,” I demand, nearly out of my mind.

He obeys, pulling back only to slam forward again so hard that my teeth clatter. It’s ecstasy. Again, and again, he thrusts. I claw at his back, begging him to move harder. Faster. I feel blood beneath my fingers, but he doesn’t seem to care. The scent of his blood makes my heart race and my mouth water, instincts flaring.

“Alaric,” I gasp, not knowing what to say or do. He pulls back to look into my eyes and whatever he sees there makes him understand. He shifts back, pulling me up with him so that I’m in his lap, legs wrapped around his waist. He grips my hips and moves me bodily, helping me to ride him while I grip his shoulders. He kisses me hard, our chests slick with sweat and sliding against one another with every thrust.

“Do it, Keeva,” he growls, his voice rougher than I’ve ever heard it. I meet his gaze and his eyes are practically burning in a way I’ve never seen before. “Take,” he rasps, turning his head to expose his throat to me. I don’t even have real thoughts now, just instincts roaring and directing me. I lean forward and lick his neck, making his big body shudder beneath me. I smile against his skin.

And then I sink my fangs into his flesh.