He helped her between the blankets before sliding in next to her and wrapping it tightly around them. Cassie savored in the strength of his hard body, pressing herself closer to him as he enveloped her. She could feel the excited hum of tension radiating from him as she rested her cheek on his hard chest.
He ran his hand over her hair and face, caressing her gently. She lay with him for a long time, relishing in him, and his love. She lifted her face to his, kissing him gently, losing herself to the feel of his hard lips against hers, losing herself to the wonder of him. His hand tightened on the back of her head, pulling her tighter, deepening the kiss. Cassie’s body thrummed with excitement, her heart hammered wildly in her chest as she opened her mouth to his invasion.
His tongue swept in, caressing her, loving her. Cassie sighed softly, going limp against him as she gave herself over to his touch, smell, and taste. There was nothing as wonderful as he was; nothing as all consuming and needed. And she did need him, desperately. She needed every aspect of him.
He rolled her slowly over, pressing her into the sleeping bags as he continued to touch and caress her. Unlike the other times when things had become this passionate and intense, she felt no panic, no sense of self consciousness. She did not think about the many women in his past, but only of him and everything that he was to her, everything that he would always be.
“Cassie,” he breathed in her ear.
She shivered, her fingers curled into his back as tears of pure joy burned her eyes. His lips pulled back, his teeth brushed lightly over her neck as he scraped his fangs against her skin. Cassie clung tighter to him, shaking in anticipation of what was to come. She gasped, ecstasy filling her when he bit deep. Tears spilled down her face, her fingers dug into his hair as she cradled him against her. His contentment filled her; his hunger suffused her. He encompassed her completely, filling her with the golden warmth of his pure love and joy.
He pulled slowly away from her, not closing the wounds in her neck as he bit deep into his wrist. Cassie winced at the pain it must have caused him, but he showed not even a flicker of response. He watched her intently; his eyes ablaze with desire and need as he lifted his wrist to her mouth.
Cassie stared at him for a moment before grasping hold of him and bringing his wrist slowly to her mouth. His eyes widened and then narrowed with pleasure, his arm tightened around her as he pulled her closer. Cassie hesitated, it was blood after all, but it was the want in his eyes, the tension and desire in his body that drove her forward.
He groaned when she bit down, his eyes closed in ecstasy as he pulled her against his chest, holding her gently. The blood was strange, metallic tasting and warm, but it was not unpleasant, and in fact it had a sweetness to it that she found surprising. Cassie drifted on the contentment that flowed through her, drifted as he filled her. She could stay like this forever, never changing a thing, never leaving the secure embrace of his arms.
***
Devon watched Cassie as she slept soundly, curled up on her side, her hands tucked beneath her head. She was unbelievably beautiful and serene, her face lax, her features gentle and calm. It was the first time he had seen her at peace in so very long, even yesterday she had not slept soundly, but had tossed and turned and moaned as if she were in pain. Not today though, today she was an angel with no worries, no cares, and that’s the way he wanted to keep it. At least for a little while.
He cradled her gently, unable to believe that she was his, unable to believe that she gave her love and her blood to him so freely. Unable to believe that he had been blessed with such a wonderful person, especially after everything he had done in his long, miserable life. He nuzzled her hair gently, savoring in the sweet scent of her. Though he could taste the lingering remnants of Julian’s blood in her, he did not smell Julian upon her anymore which was a good sign that Julian’s blood was swiftly fading from her system.
It was his blood he smelled upon her now, his blood that pulsed through her system, marking her as his own. Even though he wanted her by his side forever, for now he was more than content to hold her, taste her, and love her. He glanced around the cramped room, grateful for its distance from the others.
When they were out of this mess, he would think about taking her completely. He might consider making her his forever, but not here, not in this place, and not with the horror haunting them outside of this building. And not with the uncertainty of what that change might do to her hanging over their heads. She deserved something special and wonderful, and she deserved the peace she had not experienced in years. And he sure as hell didn’t want her monster of a father anywhere near them when it happened.
She stirred slightly, her long lashes fluttered open. Her violet blue eyes were groggy with sleep, but she smiled beautifully up at him. He bent to her, kissing her gently, tasting his blood upon her lips as he relished in her. His body tensed as he fought the intense desire to lose himself in her completely. But he couldn’t do it, not right now anyway.
Pulling away, he caressed the silken curve of her cheek. “How are you feeling?”
“Wonderful,” she purred, curling up against him. “Simply wonderful.”
He couldn’t stop the satisfied grin that spread over his face. “Good. Are you hungry?”
“Not hungry enough to leave here right now.” He chuckled softly, pulling her tighter against him as he rolled onto his back. She lay against his chest, her hair spilling across the both of them. “When will you change me Devon?”
He stiffened beneath her, his hands clenched at her back. “Cassie, because you can handle vampire blood does not mean that the change would not have dire consequences for you.”
She yawned before shaking her head forcefully. “It doesn’t matter.”
He sighed softly, stroking his hand gently through her silken hair. He knew that it was what they both wanted, desperately, but there were more consequences than what might become of her. “And the fact that you will never see sunlight again?”
She bit her bottom lip, her eyes darkened as delicate frown lines marred her forehead. “It’s a small price to pay.”
“Cassie…”
She shook her head as she propped her chin on her hands to stare down at him. “I want this Devon, more than I have ever wanted anything. I want nothing more than to know that I will spend eternity with you.”
He groaned as he closed his eyes, fighting against his baser urges. Fighting to stay under control while her wonderful words echoed loudly in his head. “And if things go wrong?”