Page 126 of Wedlock

“I do think better of you,” I murmur. “But Falcon, I’ll never agree to you biting me. NEVER!”

He stares at me.

“Can you believe that hupotasso would be, between us, a loving bond? A link rather than a thrall? That I would do it only to keep you with me forever?”

“No.”

“You fear returning to me because you worry I’ll control you as my father controlled my mother.”

“Yes.”

He steps closer and takes my hand in his again.

“If you don’t wish hupotasso, then so be it.”

“Falcon,” I snort and roll my eyes, “without the bite you’d only get one human lifetime with me. What’s the point? I don’t believe you.”

“Believe me. I won’t force you. Your thrall under Viper will extend your life,” he shakes his head, “you’ll age at around half the rate of a normal human woman.”

“What?”

“I’ll have double a human life with you,” he smiles gently, “and love every minute of it.”

“Double? But I’ll still age. What about when I’m old and decrepit?”

“Even then,” he takes my hand and stares into my eyes. “Even then I’ll want you, Angie.”

I cast my mind around wildly, looking for an out. At every turn he has an answer, a sacrifice he’d make to keep me. But still, I can’t accept his hand. I can’t return to him.

“Jag told me you broke vampire law by not biting me on our wedding day. How will you explain my ageing to your queen?”

“I’ll always have something to explain to that hag,” he shrugs, “I’ll work that out when the time comes. I can brave any storm with you beside me, Angie. Say you’ll come back to me.”

I close my eyes and shake my head. Nothing I say seems to be working, and his words remind me of Mom’s assertion that if we loved one another we could slay our demons together.

But there are some demons that can’t be beaten; they can only be evaded.

“Falcon, I don’t want one lifetime with you. I don’t want two. I want to live a normal human life in the real world. I don’t want all the intrigue, the scandals, the fear. I don’t want to live in a world where I have to be protected from your queen and yourenemies. I love you, I admit it, but not enough to sacrifice any more for you.”

“You want no part of my life,” he murmurs. “Not the wealth, the immortality, the status or the titles…”

“No.”

“But you love me.”

I sigh and look down at our joined hands, and nod.

98

The whole flight home, my heart soars, then plummets, then soars again.

She loves me.

She finally admitted that she loves me. Just a nod, just a barely perceptible nod, but still, she does have feelings for me.

But she won’t live in my world.

And I won’t live in it without her. I’ve done that now for three years, suffered the burn, craved her, ached for her.