CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

T he air was cool and fresh as Craig walked along holding Brianna’s hand. He’d talked her into a stroll because he wanted to talk away from the castle and any interruptions. Because it was time to face the truth about his feelings for her.

One look in the mirror and the signature mating ring around his eyes had appeared after they’d finished having sex that night. So now he knew. And now he had to tell his mate. Brianna. Jesus, just putting those words together in his head had him spinning.

He had two choices. To go down the path of asking Brianna to choose him like Brayden had with Willow, or he choosing for her. In other words, turning her and forcing the bond. She was already bonding to him; she just didn’t realize it.

When she had said she didn’t want to hear how he felt about her, he’d felt sick to the stomach. He knew her feelings wouldn’t be as intense as his until she was a vampire, but it still hurt.

“You okay?”

He nodded and moved his arm around her shoulders.

“I hope you still come out here and look at the stars when I’m gone.”

She turned and laid her hands on his pecs. He fucking loved it when she did that. It made him feel all tough and strong, which was ridiculous, because he was.

“ Bella .”

She feigned a swoon. “I love it when you speak Italian to me, vampire.”

He shook his head, grinning. “ Sei una ragazza stupida .”

“Hey! Stupid sounds the same in English and Italian, you meanie!” Suddenly, she sobered. “I’m going to miss you. A lot.”

Craig leaned in and kissed her. “No, you won’t, baby.”

“I know I won’t remember, but I miss you already.”

“You are one big surprise, my little witch.”

Her eyes dropped. “Are you going to miss me, Craig? Just a little bit?”

“No.”

He was being cruel, but he needed her to feel how she felt about him. It was the only way this could work. Or at least, that was his fucked-up strategy, which could bite him in the ass.

Enormous eyes looked up at him, a mix of anger and hurt. “Jeez, thank you very much.” A stray tear slipped out the corner of her eye, and before she could wipe it away, he beat her to it.

“Ugh, let’s go back. I can’t do this,” she said, turning from him.

He quickly smiled to himself before reaching for her wrist and pulling her back.

“Stop it, Craig.”

“Nope. We need to talk.”

She froze. Her eyes widened, nearly popping out of her sockets, and her face paled. “What?”

She began to walk backward frantically, and pulled her hand out of his grasp.

“Bri, what’s going on?”

Desperately, she began thrashing at him.

“No, no, no, nooooo. Please, Craig, no, I’m not ready.” She slapped at his chest and kicked him. “Let me go, no, I don’t want this.”

He grabbed at her, holding her as still as he could. What the hell had gotten into her? Did she know? Had Willow told her about the eyes? Had she spotted them?

“Brianna, stop it. What’s wrong?”

Panting, she clutched his T-shirt. “Please, Craig. Just a few more hours.”

Huh?

Oh.

“Oh, shit. No, Bri, I’m not wiping your memories, baby. No, fuck, not that.”

Immediately she relaxed, her body turning to liquid in his arms. She threw herself against his chest and clung to him, sobbing.

“Thank you, oh God. I just, oh my God, I thought you were going to make me forget you.”

After a moment, he pulled her away from him and peered down at her.

“Do you know why you felt that way?”

A small shrug of her shoulder was the only answer he got. Alright, at this rate they were going to be here all morning, and then he’d turn to ash, so that wasn’t a grand plan. The sun was already turning the sky a golden hue. He actually loved this time of the early morning.

“Marie wasn’t my mate,” he spat out without thinking.

Silence.

“What?”

He ran a hand over his mouth. “Yeah, she wasn’t my mate.”

Brianna went really still.

“How. Do. You. Know. That?”

They stared at each other.

“Jesus, Craig. Answer me.”

He looked beyond her to the trees, the skyline, and took a deep breath. His life was about to change in ways he didn’t know. She could run, she could hate him, or she could love him.

She wouldn’t hate him for loving her. No, she’d hate him for taking away her life. Because unlike Brayden, he was going to keep her and turn her into a vampire. He couldn’t and wouldn’t live without her. He’d lived with the pain of losing one female who wasn’t his mate. He knew he wouldn’t survive losing Brianna. There was no doubt in his mind.

And things could turn to shit amazingly fast.

If Brianna hated him, then Willow would hate him. And having a Moretti despise him would make his job difficult. Brayden would understand; this was the vampire way. But Willow was his mate. Would he have to leave the Moretti’s? It was a possibility. But in time, Brianna would forgive him.

Eventually.

“My eyes.”

She narrowed hers as she took in his green eyes, trying to pinpoint the change she saw but didn’t understand.

“They look different. What is it?”

He ran a hand over her face, soaking up her beauty, her skin so soft and creamy framed by flowing red locks. The tiny nose and big green eyes, and those luscious lips. He loved every damn inch of her, and looking back, he had done so from the moment he’d seen her. He hadn’t stopped aching for her since.

“When a male vampire bonds with his mate, a ring appears around the iris,” he croaked out. “You are my mate, Brianna.”

She gasped.