CHAPTER EIGHT

“ D o I look different to you?” Sage asked Ari. “Now I’m a vampire.”

This felt like a trick question. One of those, does my ass look big in these jeans, type of question. Ari wasn’t going to fall for it. He was old and wise, and God help him, he hoped those traits would serve him well in this relationship. Ari was confident of pleasing women in every physical way, but on a day-to-day basis when it came to an actual romantic partnership, he had zero experience.

Sage was his mate, but that didn’t mean he’d be any good at this stuff.

“No,” he said, going to her and dropping a kiss on her lips. “You were a beautiful human, and you’re still beautiful now.”

“Thanks, Romeo. What I mean is, has my body changed or my eyes? I see things differently now, so everything is enhanced. My skin looks flawless to me. Is it?”

Ah, that.

“You’re right. Your body is still undergoing minor changes as it heals and pushes out disease and toxins which humans are unable to do. Any impurities will disappear and often that shows in the skin. So yes, you are enhancing. Your muscles will become stronger and more defined, as will your tastebuds and sight.”

“My eyesight, hearing and taste are already different. It’s so...” Sage’s voice faded. “Never mind.”

Ari pressed his lips together. He knew what was going on and didn’t want Sage to feel guilty. She was a scientist, and it was natural for her to be curious and want to understand more. He’d never had an issue with that—it was what she might choose when she discovered what BioZen were doing that had been his greatest fear.

“ Mia, s tellina , you can study vampires if it is what you choose. There is nothing to be ashamed about. Perhaps it would be wise for us to take the lead on that piece of work, and not humans.”

Sage chewed her lip. “I don’t know. It feels wrong after what I saw.”

Ari smiled down at her. God, he loved her. How could he have ever questioned her morals and ethics? To be fair he’d only just met her, but it still seemed unthinkable now that she would partake in any experiments on anyone without their permission.

“You have forever to reconsider.”

She pulled out of his arms and walked to the fridge taking out a flask of plasma, then poured herself a small glass. Ari slipped his hands into his pockets and watched her. A small smile hit his lips as she grimaced.

“This, I don’t know if I can get used to.” She shivered and rinsed the glass. “I crave it, and yet it makes me feel sick knowing what it is.”

Ari walked to the table and sat. “I felt the same. In the early days.”

“You did?”

He nodded.

“Except Gio and I had to hunt for blood. We didn’t get nice little packets of it delivered to our doorstep.” He winked.

“Hunt. So, kill?”

“Yes,” he laughed. “That is what the word means.”

“Humans?”

He didn’t want to go into detail and freak her out, but she was his mate and he’d waited a lifetime to share his life with someone.

“Yes. Sometimes. Mostly animals,” he replied. “Those first few weeks and months were very confusing for us as we came to terms with what we were and how we could survive. There was no handbook. When the first craving for blood arrived, we took human lives, unable to control or understand what was happening.”

“How horrible.”

Yes, it had been terrifying, confusing and they had felt like outcasts. Like animals.

“The guilt was terrible but because we had each other to talk to, we soon worked out that animal blood was just as sufficient. And over time we learned that plasma was richer in minerals. We could hunt and consume less.”

Sage sat down next to him, and they turned to one another. “I’m glad I don’t have to hunt.”

He took her chin. “You should learn. If our lives suddenly changed for whatever reason, it is a good skill to have.”

“No, Ari.”

“One step at a time, darlin’. For now, we need to decide if you should remain in contact with your family and friends, or we tell them you are deceased.”

It had been just over two weeks since he had changed her. Her family would be expecting her back from their fake holiday and time was running out for a decision.

Not that he couldn’t buy them more time, but he’d seen enough humans changed to know this part of the process was important for them to move on with their lives.

“It will be temporary. Ten. Fifteen years at most. You won’t age and questions will begin to be asked, so eventually it will have to happen. Or you can decide to do it now.”

Sage nodded, and her eyes darted around the room, replicating the obviously busy state of her mind.

He appreciated it was a huge decision.

“It’s not like they can come here for Sunday dinner,” Sage said. “Perhaps it would be best if I died.”

Ari watched her for a long moment.

“We can control things, mia stellina . I can plant memories of a big house we live in and let them think they’ve been recently.”

More chewing of the lip.

“Can we still get married?”

“Of course.” He took her hand and lifted it to his lips. “I know what it is to be human. To want those things, and I promised you I would give you everything.”

“So we can have a wedding and invite my parents and sister.”

“Yes. If that is what you desire.” Ari nodded.

Sage’s face lit up. “It is.”

“Then that’s what we will do. I’m sure a few of the females in our extended family would love a human wedding event.” Ari laughed.

Sage grinned and nodded.

“I guess I better propose to you one day, then,” Ari said, smirking.

“We’re mated,” Sage said, frowning.

“I know. But I am going to do it just as if we are humans. So, come with me.” Ari rose from his seat.

Sage let out a nervous laugh. “Where?”

Had he been prepared for this conversation? Yes.

Was he nervous? Also, yes.

As ridiculous as that sounded. He hadn’t been human for over fifteen hundred years and yet... he was suffering from nerves.

“What are we doing?” Sage giggled.

Ari pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her lower back, and whispered. “Close your eyes.”

She did and he teleported them right to the top of the Space Needle in downtown Seattle.

“Oh, my God!” she gasped, as the wind flapped her hair around. “Ari.”

He dropped to one knee, keeping a hold of one of her hands, and gazed up at his one true mate.

“Sage, mia stellina .” He squeezed her hand to capture her attention, as her eyes were darting all around.

“Ari, we are going to die up here.”

He laughed. “Vampires, remember?”

“Still,” she said, stepping closer to him.

“I’ve got you, baby.” He waited until she finally dropped her gaze and felt her connect with him. Out of his pocket he pulled a gold ring with a five-carat oval diamond and baguettes on the side.

At least, that was how the man in the jewelry shop had explained the design.

“Holy shit,” she exclaimed, her free hand flying to her mouth.

“Sage Roberts, will you be my wife? My mate, my partner for all the rest of the days we’re alive?” Ari asked and felt his entire body buzz with the intensity of the moment.

He had dreamed of this for so damn long.

Soooo fucking long.

“Oh, Ari.” Sage threw herself into his arms. He caught her with an oomph and wrapped his arms around her.

“You have to say yes, sweetheart. That’s the next bit.”

She pulled back and began nodding with a stupid grin on her face.

“Say it, for God’s sake, woman.”

“Yesyesyesyesyesyesyes.”

“Thank fuck.” He pushed the ring onto her finger.

Sage held out her hand and gaped at the ring for a few seconds, then her eyes returned to his. “Kiss me and get me the hell off of this thing.”

Ari burst out laughing, then pulled her into his arms, kissing the hell out of her, before teleporting them back to the mansion. This time he chose the garden, where the night was calm, and the sky was full of stars.

Sage patted down her hair and then stared at her ring some more. “It’s so beautiful. And huge.”

“You deserve everything.”

“I have everything. I have you. That’s all I truly want.” Her voice was thick with emotion.

“Well, you’re getting more than that.” He was going to give her the world and more. No one alive could truly understand what he had been through to get to this point in life. His life had been one long experience and while he valued every moment, loneliness was one of the most difficult things anyone could experience. Especially when it was as endless as his.

Fifteen hundred long years.

He didn’t feel like his life had just begun now that Sage was in it, but it felt enhanced. Complete.

“So, I’ll tell my family we got engaged on holiday,” Sage said. “And we’re getting married at Christmas.”

“Sure. A winter wedding.”

“Can we wait a few more days? I need to get my head around this. Prepare responses to all their questions. Prepare to lie to everyone.”

“Take as long as you like,” Ari said.

He had already given her new bank cards and explained her mortgage was paid. She wasn’t going back to BioZen after being drugged by them. And, you know, experimenting on his race.

“There’s a lot to adjust to,” Sage said, looping her arm through his as they walked back to the mansion.

“I know. Let’s just take it day by day. We’re creating our life together, sweetheart. There is no rush. I’m just happy to have you in my arms and to have your forgiveness.”

Sage turned to him, and he cupped her face. “There really was no choice. I love you more than life, Ari. You are the only one for me.”

“That is all your family will want to see. Show them that and they will ignore any other oddities their human minds pick up.”

They continued walking, his heart bursting with joy.

“I’m going to be a bride!” Sage yelled to the sky, and he grinned as wide as the moon.