memories, with some folklore thrown in. Somehow our mate will stabilize the bond so that it provides all we need from each other. You would enable him to feed if it was needed and he wouldn’t risk his soul even if he drained someone and killed them.”
“Would I become like you?” Not that I was horrified by the idea but I was… I knew what I was and a change like that would be hard to contemplate.
“You wouldn’t have to, but it is possible if you ever wanted it.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Okay, that can be put off for the future.”
Alec drew back in shock. “That makes it seem as if you’ve made a decision.”
I hesitated. Had I?
Alec took pity on me when I stood frozen, unable to say a word. “Whatever you’ve decided or whenever you do decide… tell us when you’re ready.”
When he held his arms out, I dove into them gratefully, his embrace giving me a sense of comfort as I thought about a future that could rival any happy ever after I had ever read in a story.
* * * *
Two days later the power was out and we were making do for entertainment. I was curled up on the couch with an e-reader. While Samuel and Alec played some kind of poker, I think it was Texas hold ‘em, but honestly I wasn’t paying that much attention until Samuel ran out of money.
It seemed our resident demon didn’t like losing.
“Aww come on, Alec front me or let me trade something!” Samuel’s whining was kind of cute as he scrunched up that beautiful face.
Alec glared. “You never paid up from the last time, welcher!” He got up from the table to take their glasses to the sink and rinsed them out.
Samuel grinned. “Ahh well, it was worth a try.” He stood up and stretched his arms out.
My eyes were drawn to the way his shirt rode up, displaying his carved abs. I shot him a dirty look because now I knew exactly why he had worn that tight t-shirt.
He smirked at me, his gaze filled with teasing humor as he said, “What?” Then that bastard dragged a fingertip along the top of the worn jeans that fit him sinfully well.
Alec threw a dishtowel at him. “Enough. Some of us aren’t interested in your attributes.”
“Then don’t look.” Samuel tossed the towel back into the sink as he leaned against the counter.
I had to admit that I had never seen casually sexy done before but as Samuel stood there while he looked over to the wood pile by the fireplace I realized I was watching a master at work. How much was what he was and how much was simply him? As I mulled that over I started to understand that it mattered less and less to me.
When Samuel had come back from his shopping excursion the other day he had been almost giddy. It took a little while but I finally realized it was because nothing had happened between Alec and I while he was gone. He had truly thought that I would climb Alec like a tree the moment he was gone.
I eyed Alec’s muscled shoulders as he walked over to add another couple logs to the fire. When he bent over I had to bite my tongue as my hands itched to slide over the swell of his ass.
I tore my gaze away from Alec only to find Samuel watching me. He arched a brow at me as I shrugged. He gave me a slight, wistful smile.
The last two days had been fun as we had just talked about everyday things and memories. Slowly, the days spent playing with them as a child had come back to me. Little by little the reservations about Samuel had faded as I remembered the man who had carried me on his shoulders when I had tired during our walks. His gentle hands caring for every scrape I had gotten.
I put the e-reader down and walked over to the kitchen to get a drink. As I passed Samuel, I pressed an impulsive kiss to his cheek.
He looked at me quizzically. “What was that for?”
“I was thinking about the time I climbed the tree and the branch broke.” I smiled at him. “You caught me.”
Samuel shrugged at me. “It wasn’t a big deal.”
“Maybe not but I can see how you
“Would I become like you?” Not that I was horrified by the idea but I was… I knew what I was and a change like that would be hard to contemplate.
“You wouldn’t have to, but it is possible if you ever wanted it.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Okay, that can be put off for the future.”
Alec drew back in shock. “That makes it seem as if you’ve made a decision.”
I hesitated. Had I?
Alec took pity on me when I stood frozen, unable to say a word. “Whatever you’ve decided or whenever you do decide… tell us when you’re ready.”
When he held his arms out, I dove into them gratefully, his embrace giving me a sense of comfort as I thought about a future that could rival any happy ever after I had ever read in a story.
* * * *
Two days later the power was out and we were making do for entertainment. I was curled up on the couch with an e-reader. While Samuel and Alec played some kind of poker, I think it was Texas hold ‘em, but honestly I wasn’t paying that much attention until Samuel ran out of money.
It seemed our resident demon didn’t like losing.
“Aww come on, Alec front me or let me trade something!” Samuel’s whining was kind of cute as he scrunched up that beautiful face.
Alec glared. “You never paid up from the last time, welcher!” He got up from the table to take their glasses to the sink and rinsed them out.
Samuel grinned. “Ahh well, it was worth a try.” He stood up and stretched his arms out.
My eyes were drawn to the way his shirt rode up, displaying his carved abs. I shot him a dirty look because now I knew exactly why he had worn that tight t-shirt.
He smirked at me, his gaze filled with teasing humor as he said, “What?” Then that bastard dragged a fingertip along the top of the worn jeans that fit him sinfully well.
Alec threw a dishtowel at him. “Enough. Some of us aren’t interested in your attributes.”
“Then don’t look.” Samuel tossed the towel back into the sink as he leaned against the counter.
I had to admit that I had never seen casually sexy done before but as Samuel stood there while he looked over to the wood pile by the fireplace I realized I was watching a master at work. How much was what he was and how much was simply him? As I mulled that over I started to understand that it mattered less and less to me.
When Samuel had come back from his shopping excursion the other day he had been almost giddy. It took a little while but I finally realized it was because nothing had happened between Alec and I while he was gone. He had truly thought that I would climb Alec like a tree the moment he was gone.
I eyed Alec’s muscled shoulders as he walked over to add another couple logs to the fire. When he bent over I had to bite my tongue as my hands itched to slide over the swell of his ass.
I tore my gaze away from Alec only to find Samuel watching me. He arched a brow at me as I shrugged. He gave me a slight, wistful smile.
The last two days had been fun as we had just talked about everyday things and memories. Slowly, the days spent playing with them as a child had come back to me. Little by little the reservations about Samuel had faded as I remembered the man who had carried me on his shoulders when I had tired during our walks. His gentle hands caring for every scrape I had gotten.
I put the e-reader down and walked over to the kitchen to get a drink. As I passed Samuel, I pressed an impulsive kiss to his cheek.
He looked at me quizzically. “What was that for?”
“I was thinking about the time I climbed the tree and the branch broke.” I smiled at him. “You caught me.”
Samuel shrugged at me. “It wasn’t a big deal.”
“Maybe not but I can see how you
Similar Books
