Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 64030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 320(@200wpm)___ 256(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 320(@200wpm)___ 256(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
I knew he was sorry and had given up power to get me back my freedom, but was it enough? Did I love him?
Sure, I was drawn to Stark. I wanted him and missed him when he wasn’t around, but every time I thought of letting myself fall, something stopped me. Probably the fact that Montgomery Stark was a ruthless vampire.
That was the crux of it. Our natures were on opposite ends of the spectrum, and I didn’t want to change. Can you sense what I’m feeling, Stark? If yes, I don’t know how you and I could work.
It was like I’d said before, there was no bigger sin than betraying yourself. If you believed in something, you had to stand up for it. If you loved someone, you had to stand up for them. It wasn’t easy to fight for what was right, especially in this day and age where everyone ran around trying not to offend the fragile masses, but it was our obligation. Otherwise, what kind of world would we be leaving behind? But to do that, a person had to be honest and true to who they were. Our hearts were where our true strength came from. Betray that, and it was like betraying your very soul.
He sighed and took my hand, placing a soft kiss on top. “I cannot wait to see what you do with all of your goodness, Masie. Because if I have learned one thing over the years, it is that becoming a vampire does not change who you are on the inside. Only love can do that. And you have changed me.”
Wow. Maybe he didn’t realize it, but he was listening to me on some level. It had to be our connection. There was no other explanation.
He leaned over and kissed my lips. His were warm and soft just like I dreamed of every other night. It was a memory I couldn’t let go of. The first time he kissed me was the night he cooked that awful chicken dinner. It was a great kiss that left me breathless. The second time he kissed me was the night he took me to his house to test if I was his Anna. The kiss made my blood rush.
But the third kiss, outside the bathroom at the great hall on the night of my final test, that was the kiss I remembered most. He’d poured his heart into that kiss and told me he loved me. Not because he thought I was Anna, but because I wasn’t. I was Masie, the woman he wanted.
But this kiss? It jolted me deep inside my core. This kiss was pure love, no expectations or demands. He just wanted me to know how he felt.
Suddenly, my heart started to twitch. Then I felt a beat. Then another. Oh Lord. What’s that?
Thump, thump! Thump, thump! Thump, thump! Heat surged through my chest. My veins began buzzing and tingling with life. Oh, Lord. Thank you! Thank you! I was coming back as a human. I was healing.
I gasped, sucking in a deep, glorious breath. I didn’t care how it had happened, but I’d never take being human for granted again.
“Masie!” Stark jumped to his feet.
I sat up, drinking in the delicious air.
He jumped forward and scooped me up in his arms before kissing me. I kissed him back, savoring the sensation of his touch.
I slid my hand to the back of his neck and deepened the kiss, our tongues mingling. The tip of my tongue slid over the sharp tip of his fang, getting an unexpected prick.
“Ow.” I covered my mouth and giggled.
“I cannot believe you came back to me.” His eyes glowed with joy.
Should I tell him it was his kiss that kick-started my heart? I stared at his beautiful face and sensual lips. Nah. Another time. I pressed my mouth to his and threaded my fingers through the back of his silky long hair.
“I am never letting you go,” he said between passionate kisses.
“Not even if I run you out of town?”
He smiled. “I was never far from you, Masie. You had to know I would not abandon you again.”
That was sweet. And, thankfully, I was back. Heartbeat, breathing, alive! I didn’t know why it took so long, but I didn’t care.
Stark laid me back on the bed and began removing his shirt.
Oh. We’re doing this. Honestly, I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate. He said a lot of things tonight, but it was that kiss that changed everything. A kiss that brought me back to life.
I pulled off my shirt, and he stared at the swells of my breasts as if hypnotized.
“You can touch them, you know,” I said.
Excitedly, he kicked off his boots and slid off his pants, leaving himself completely nude.
I drank in his naked body illuminated by the firelight.