the real thing.
“Isn’t it obvious?” he pushed off the door, taking a small step forward. “You.” She lifted her chin and he chuckled softly at the fire in her amethyst speckled eyes. There was passion in there and he was determined not to get burned. “You’re beautiful. Hasn’t anyone ever told you that?”
“I didn’t bring you up here to talk about me.”
“Then why did you bring me up here?” Elijah walked slowly around her, running his fingers lazily along a vine that had crept its way up the side of the greenhouse. The life force of the plant shimmered through him and he sighed, knowing it would not last another winter. Pity. “Let me guess. You want to talk about Harper.”
“Is there something wrong with that?” He turned to face her again and she hadn’t moved, her stance still defiant and tense.
“Maybe I don’t want to talk about my brother.”
“…What else is there to talk about?”
“Us. You. Whatever you want besides Harper.” She pushed her braid over her shoulder and crossed her arms.
“There is no us.”
“There could be.”
It was frustrating not being able to just tell her all that he knew. But Elijah knew it wasn’t the time yet. If he rushed things he would just end up pushing her away.
“I’m with Harper.”
“You don’t even know him.” He could see her lip trembling, saw the goose bumps raising the little hairs on her arms but knew it wasn’t from the cold. “The connection you feel is the blood tie. He did that to you when he gave you his blood. Hasn’t he explained any of this to you? That’s his job; to guide you and teach you after the change. But he hasn’t, has he?”
“I’m fine. I don’t need help controlling myself. And…Harper's been busy. “ Elijah snorted and turned away. “I don’t doubt that what you say is true, Elijah. But I don’t hold it against him. I couldn’t even if I wanted to. At least now I know why.”
“Everything you feel towards him is because of the blood. It doesn’t stay that way forever. Eventually the tie fades and you’ll be free of him. But I can’t wait that long.” The last part he muttered to himself, clenching his fists at his sides.
When she laid a soft hand on his arm he tensed, steeling himself against his needs.
“Elijah-“ He spun around and grabbed her arms tightly, getting in her face so that their noses touched. Tessa said nothing as she stared up at him.
“You may feel things for him but they aren’t real, Tessa. They aren’t. But this…” Elijah ran a hand down her cheek, the softest of touches, and she shuddered, her mouth parting slightly. He could see the glint of fang between her lips. “This is real. Nothing forces you to feel the way you do about me. Why do you think that is?”
“I…I don’t know. But I do feel something. This is all so confusing for me, Elijah.” He smiled and when Elijah spoke next his breath caressed her cheek he was so close to her.
“Then let me clarify things for you.” With that said he pressed his mouth to hers and Tessa gasped softly, her eyes flying open.
Her body was tense one moment then suddenly she was melting into his arms. Elijah tasted like sunlight and honey, his lips infinitely soft against hers. Everything about him was the opposite of Harper. One was moonlight and shadows who kissed her with a fanatical passion that seemed to almost burn. While the other hot yet sweet who seemed to need her like a drowning man needed air.
Elijah nibbled on her lower lip, teasing her mouth open under his and Tessa yielded, letting his tongue slide smoothly along hers. Her body arched against his and they fit perfectly against one another. His hands were on her sides, sliding along the curves of her waist as Tessa felt a tightening in her gut. Tessa's eyes snapped open as she realized something. Gasping loudly she broke away, staring up into Elijah’s hooded eyes.
“You-you have a heartbeat.” She slammed a hand against his
“Isn’t it obvious?” he pushed off the door, taking a small step forward. “You.” She lifted her chin and he chuckled softly at the fire in her amethyst speckled eyes. There was passion in there and he was determined not to get burned. “You’re beautiful. Hasn’t anyone ever told you that?”
“I didn’t bring you up here to talk about me.”
“Then why did you bring me up here?” Elijah walked slowly around her, running his fingers lazily along a vine that had crept its way up the side of the greenhouse. The life force of the plant shimmered through him and he sighed, knowing it would not last another winter. Pity. “Let me guess. You want to talk about Harper.”
“Is there something wrong with that?” He turned to face her again and she hadn’t moved, her stance still defiant and tense.
“Maybe I don’t want to talk about my brother.”
“…What else is there to talk about?”
“Us. You. Whatever you want besides Harper.” She pushed her braid over her shoulder and crossed her arms.
“There is no us.”
“There could be.”
It was frustrating not being able to just tell her all that he knew. But Elijah knew it wasn’t the time yet. If he rushed things he would just end up pushing her away.
“I’m with Harper.”
“You don’t even know him.” He could see her lip trembling, saw the goose bumps raising the little hairs on her arms but knew it wasn’t from the cold. “The connection you feel is the blood tie. He did that to you when he gave you his blood. Hasn’t he explained any of this to you? That’s his job; to guide you and teach you after the change. But he hasn’t, has he?”
“I’m fine. I don’t need help controlling myself. And…Harper's been busy. “ Elijah snorted and turned away. “I don’t doubt that what you say is true, Elijah. But I don’t hold it against him. I couldn’t even if I wanted to. At least now I know why.”
“Everything you feel towards him is because of the blood. It doesn’t stay that way forever. Eventually the tie fades and you’ll be free of him. But I can’t wait that long.” The last part he muttered to himself, clenching his fists at his sides.
When she laid a soft hand on his arm he tensed, steeling himself against his needs.
“Elijah-“ He spun around and grabbed her arms tightly, getting in her face so that their noses touched. Tessa said nothing as she stared up at him.
“You may feel things for him but they aren’t real, Tessa. They aren’t. But this…” Elijah ran a hand down her cheek, the softest of touches, and she shuddered, her mouth parting slightly. He could see the glint of fang between her lips. “This is real. Nothing forces you to feel the way you do about me. Why do you think that is?”
“I…I don’t know. But I do feel something. This is all so confusing for me, Elijah.” He smiled and when Elijah spoke next his breath caressed her cheek he was so close to her.
“Then let me clarify things for you.” With that said he pressed his mouth to hers and Tessa gasped softly, her eyes flying open.
Her body was tense one moment then suddenly she was melting into his arms. Elijah tasted like sunlight and honey, his lips infinitely soft against hers. Everything about him was the opposite of Harper. One was moonlight and shadows who kissed her with a fanatical passion that seemed to almost burn. While the other hot yet sweet who seemed to need her like a drowning man needed air.
Elijah nibbled on her lower lip, teasing her mouth open under his and Tessa yielded, letting his tongue slide smoothly along hers. Her body arched against his and they fit perfectly against one another. His hands were on her sides, sliding along the curves of her waist as Tessa felt a tightening in her gut. Tessa's eyes snapped open as she realized something. Gasping loudly she broke away, staring up into Elijah’s hooded eyes.
“You-you have a heartbeat.” She slammed a hand against his
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