CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

W illow sat cross-legged on the bed which was covered in plastic. She had a towel wrapped around her.

“This is all kinds of fucked up.”

Brayden stared at her nervously. “Do you want to do it somewhere else? Another room?”

She dropped her head in her hands. “Can’t I get a sedative or something?”

Brayden crouched; his brows knitted. There was really no way of doing this without inciting fear. He could barely imagine how she must feel. “Willow, do you trust me?”

“Yes. No. I mean, for God’s sake, you’re about to kill me! How am I supposed to feel?” She jumped off the bed. “I need to ring Bri. I know you said I shouldn’t, but I haven’t spoken to her since the day we left LA...and can I go to the beach just one more time?”

Brayden ripped the plastic off the bed and folded it up. He had let her drive to the beach twice already over the past five days, each time during the day when he couldn’t go out. With Stefano on the loose, it had nearly killed him. He’d paced the castle and punched walls the entire time she was gone.

“No,” he said as calmly as he could.

He realized then, finally, he had been too accommodating, and it was to her detriment. It was one thing to give one’s mate the choice, but to ask them to lie down and have their life drained was pure torture. He saw it now. And it was time to be cruel to be kind. This was what unconditional love was about. A gift, and a curse.

“What are you doing? Are we stopping?”

He didn’t answer. There had been enough talking. Dropping the plastic into the cupboard, he took off his shoes and pants, then his shirt.

“While I appreciate this strip show, what are you doing?” He stalked to her, tugged on the towel, and as he knew she would, she let it fall to the floor.

“Oh, this is much more fun.” She grinned. “I like the way you think.”

He gripped a breast and tugged her to his lips. “I love you, you beautiful human.”

She purred against him and reached for his cock. He groaned. There would be no release for him tonight. His mouth moved along her neck, her delicate collarbone, and back up to her wet and open lips.

“I love your lips.”

He grinned. “You love my fingers too.”

“And your—” His lips swallowed her words as their tongues met and danced together in the now familiar way. Lifting her, Brayden laid her on the bed, her eyes questioning. He spread her legs; her eyes calmed. A lick, a satisfied gasp. He worked her clit in circles, flicking it with his tongue.

This could backfire on him, but he was out of options. An orgasm rolled out of her easily, and Brayden climbed up her body, wrapping her legs around his wide body.

There was risk in turning humans, he’d told her. Briefly. They hadn’t dwelled; he’d made sure of it.

Inside he went. Deep. Slow. He held her sparkling eyes, and they smiled at each other in the way lovers do, her tongue running over her bottom lip.

Then her eyes began filling with tears.

He blinked. She knew.

“I love you,” she said, a tear falling down her cheek.

“Willow...”

“Do it, Brayden. Do it, my love.”

He hesitated a moment, then dropped his head into her neck. His fangs expanded.

And he bit.