CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

S he felt her consciousness returning. She wasn’t in a dream so much as outside of herself; not like in those movies where someone watched themselves during an operation or standing outside the pearly gates reflecting on their life.

No, this was more like floating in black space. Terrifying yet incredibly peaceful. Like a supercharged meditation session, except she wasn’t sure she could get back to her body.

There was a reason she should. She just couldn’t remember why. She barely had thoughts, so she just floated, enjoying the calm ease. Eventually, the desire to go back to her body grew, the reason for it still evading her.

Was she hungry? Barf, no.

She began to move parts of her body and felt different.

Voices. Male voices. It sounded like they were at the end of a tunnel. Echoey. A hand on hers. Warm, tingly.

Her reason.

She began to cough, then felt her body being tipped gently by strong hands. Forcing her eyes open, she began to blink. More blinking. She couldn’t see. It began to clear. A body. The man. He was in front of her. Staring.

Her reason.

“Hey.”

Blink, blink, blink.

“Hey, it’s okay. Willow, you’re back.” He placed his hand on her cheek.

Her name was Willow. Yes.

Holy shit!

She sat up and grabbed him, her body hurting all over, and she groaned.

“Whoa, baby, take it easy.”

“I’m alive,” she croaked out before coughing.

“Yes,” he confirmed, putting a straw to her mouth. She sipped on the yellow fluid and groaned at the delicious taste. “Do you know who I am?”

Her eyes flicked up to his. His forehead was creased, dread in his eyes. She smiled, her lips feeling tight as she did.

“The man I love.” An eyebrow rose. “Brayden, why would you think I don’t know who you are?”

He sat back on his heels, his head falling into his hands. “Thank fuck.”

“Sorry I scared you.”

He looked up, eyes full of relief. Then he launched at her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her to him on the floor. Willow’s body ached, but she didn’t care. She let him envelop her in his cocoon of a body and gently rock. That he was completely naked wasn’t lost on her.

“How long was I out?” she mumbled; her face squished into his chest.

“Approximately seven hundred and twenty million years.”

She let out a laugh.

“A week, Willow.” He let her go enough so she could look up at his gorgeous face. She laid a hand on his cheek. “How do you feel?”

“Achy. Happy. Strong.”

He nodded, smiled, and sighed. “I believe the aching will go away quickly once you start moving about. We heal fast.”

Brayden carried her to the shower and washed every inch of her body, kissing her tenderly as he went. She reminded him he didn’t need to be so gentle anymore. He shrugged. So, there’d be no changes in that department, then. Willow wasn’t disappointed—she loved the way he protected and cared for her.

She brushed her teeth and looked around at the world, which now seemed brighter and more vibrant. The desire to run for miles overcame her. She was now a vampire, and here she was, brushing her stupid teeth.

Oh. Teeth.

“How do I...?” She poked inside her mouth.

Brayden stepped up behind her. “It will happen naturally. You’ll learn to control them.”

“Where are they?”

He took her finger and pushed behind her incisors. Holy crap, they were sharp. A prick of blood appeared on her finger which Brayden sucked off slowly, holding her gaze. Heat pooled between her legs. Powerfully.

His eyes widened. “Wow, baby, I scent your desire.”

A split second later, Brayden had her on the bed and was on top of her. He’d used vampire speed. This time, though, it hadn’t been a blur.

Suddenly, he sat up. He stared at the wall behind them, frozen, then looked down at her.

“What’s going on?”

“Brianna is here.”

What?

“WHAT?”