Promise

now.'

I lifted my chin and firmly set my voice. 'If you're going to leave, if you're going back to them , then I want you to kill me.'

The fire dimmed, though, instead of brightening. I knew it was okay. I took his face in my hands again, ignoring the shock this time.

'But you're not going to. You love me and you won't hurt me,' I whispered. I pressed my lips against his. He remained unresponsive but I continued to kiss him, looking into his eyes the whole time. ' Please , Tristan. I know you love me. Please show me you're still here with me.'

I slipped my hands back into his hair, tugging at it, and moved my lips over his cheekbone, to his ear and down his neck, then back up around his jaw.

'Please, Tristan.'

When my lips returned to his, he opened his mouth slightly and I tasted him. I traced my tongue over his lips and slipped it between. He started to respond, moving his lips slowly with mine, tasting me. I moved my mouth over his face and neck again, kissing and sucking. I undid the buttons I could reach and gave up and tore his shirt apart, pressing my naked breasts against his bare chest. I felt his hands on my back, sliding down over my butt and back up again. I shuddered. Our mouths crushed against each other and we hungrily kissed and bit and tugged.

He pressed his hand against the small of my back and pulled me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist and he turned and sat in the chair. I traced my hands over his chest, down his torso and back up and over his shoulders and then pressed myself against him, electricity jolting through my body. My lower abdomen and groin tightened with excitement and anticipation. He unclipped my twist and let my hair fall, then pulled back on it, forcing my neck and chest up. His hand slid over and around my breast, squeezing it gently and then holding it as he kissed and licked and sucked, pulling my nipple tight, making it erect. He did the same with its twin. I ground my pelvis against him and I felt him hard underneath me.

'Ah, Lexi,' he groaned. He looked into my eyes and the fire burned in his. But I felt safe.

I started working frantically on his belt, getting it undone, then his jeans button, while I ran my mouth around his jaw. 'Make love to me, Tristan,' I breathed.

He slid his hands down my sides, over my hips and under me, his fingers so close to that one area throbbing the most for his touch.

'Argh! No!'

His hands suddenly grasped my waist and he lifted me up and tried to set me on my feet. But my knees buckled and I fell to the floor. Tears pooled again as I looked up at him.

'You really don't want me?' I whispered, a tear slipping down my cheek as that fear of rejection started to wrap itself around me like a black cloak.

He stared at me for a long, painful moment and then slid off the chair, down to his knees in front of me. I watched his eyes as the flames dimmed and the gold started to sparkle. He smiled as he put his hand under my chin and rubbed his thumb across my lower lip.

'Oh, I want you, my Lexi, ma lykita . I want you more than life itself.'

I breathed a sigh of relief.

'I'm ready. I'm ready to give myself to you. I trust you.'

'You don't know how happy that makes me.' He bent over and kissed me, long and gentle. 'But…I don't know that I'm ready and I'm not taking any chances with you.'

I stared at him as my heart settled down. I knew he could control himself. After what just happened, when the monster had been closer to the surface than I'd ever seen before, I knew he'd be fine. It was our love and my trust in him that would bring him through. That's what he'd needed all along.

He looked into my eyes, his full of love. 'We had a deal.'

'What?' Why did that matter now?

'We're waiting until we're married.'

I shook my head. 'That wasn't our deal. Our deal is we'll get married when we're ready. But if we're ready, why wait?'

He smiled. 'Because we're going to do this right.'

'Then let's get married.'

He sighed. 'You have another deal…with Sophia.'

'It's done. The novel's over there.' I flicked my hand toward the table where the manuscript lay.

'You won't submit it without anyone reading it.'

I searched his face. 'Why are you making this difficult?'

'Because I need more time.' He pulled me onto his lap, wrapped his arms around me and kissed me again.

'How can you just cut things off like that?' I asked, still feeling the warmth and pulsing throughout my body.

'Hundreds of years of practice. I've mastered control over that part. It's…the monster…I have to worry about.'

A chill ran up my spine, cooling the heat that remained. We sat there for a few more minutes.

'Are you…okay?'

He nodded. 'Yes, now that you're here.'

More silence. Then he said, 'I'm glad you're ready. That you trust me completely. Why did you change your mind?'

I swallowed. 'I didn't exactly change my mind. I just realized the truth that was there all along. When I thought I would lose you forever, I realized I would do anything to keep you. You are more important to me than any part of myself.'

He frowned. 'I don't deserve that.'

'It's not a matter of what you deserve or what I deserve. It just is. I can't live without you. I need you.'

He narrowed his eyes and cocked his head. 'It is I who needs you. Without your love, without you in my life, I am nothing but darkness.'

'We need each other, then.' I caressed his face. 'You and me together.'

He leaned his forehead against mine. 'Forever.'

He reached over to the table, picked off my ring and slid it over my finger.

'Think you can stand yet?' He smiled.

I sighed and wrapped my arms around his neck. 'If I have to. But I really like it here.'

His fingers trailed lightly up and down my spine and I shuddered. He nibbled at my ear and murmured, 'You really need to put your clothes on. Before I lose control.'

'You won't, though. I'm sitting in your lap naked and you're fine.'

'No, I'm not fine . You have no idea how hard it is for me,' he said.

I lifted an eyebrow, knowing exactly what was hard. A small smile played on his delicious lips, but I could see in his eyes he fought something inside—and not, I knew, just normal human desire. I didn't want to do that to him. I reluctantly stood up, picked up my clothes and headed for the stairs.

'Where are you going?' he asked, bemused.

'To bed, if you still have one,' I said over my shoulder.

He grabbed the manuscript and followed me. 'You're putting some clothes on.'

'Yes, sir, I am.'

His mattress and box springs leaned against the wall in his bedroom. Everything was in boxes. I looked at him sadly, realizing how close I'd come to losing him.

'It's an easy fix, my love.' He started putting the bed back together, lifting the pieces with ease, making me shudder again as his muscles rippled. I turned away before I lost control and found what I wanted—his suitcase. I dug around for one of his shirts, put it to my face and inhaled deeply. I slipped on my panties and pulled his shirt on. He raised an eyebrow and smiled. 'I like it.'

We found all the bedding and the big bed was quickly back together and quite inviting. I started to crawl in when I remembered Mom. I called to let her know everything was okay, he was staying, and everyone could relax. Then I finally crawled into bed and snuggled next to Tristan, who sat up against the headboard, already several