Promise

He opened his eyes, braced my face gently in his hands and said, 'You are incorrigible!'

He stomped out of the bathroom and sat hard on the bed, his head falling into his hands. I hopped down and followed.

'What's wrong with me wanting to make love to you?' I asked.

'Three days ago you hated me,' he muttered into his hands.

My mouth fell open. 'I never hated you!'

I threw myself back on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

'You didn't want anything to do with me and now you're ready to rush off and commit yourself for life.'

I shot off the bed and stood in front of him, lifting his face with my hands and holding his eyes with mine. 'You're damn right I want to commit myself. I made up my mind and I'm ready now. I know you are, too. If there was ever a time you would've hurt me, it would've been the other night. You can handle it now. So what are you waiting for? Are you having commitment issues?'

Pain flickered in his eyes, as if I'd slapped him. 'Of course not! I just don't want you feeling like you have to rush into anything. You're only nineteen!'

I threw my hands in the air. 'Is that your argument? My age ? Does it matter how old I am if we already know we're together forever?'

'I'm just saying there's plenty of time. Don't feel rushed because of lust or because you think it'll be safer for me.'

'We could have sex right now and I wouldn't change my mind. And, yes, I would feel better if I knew you had every protection possible. Even if you don't think you need it, it would make me feel better. You are my life and the thought of losing you…' My breath hitched with the thought. '… horrifies me! I need you, Tristan. Whatever binds us closer together, I'll do. Now . Before it's too late.'

He pulled me into his arms and brushed his lips against my cheek. He lowered his voice to the loveliest of tones. 'Be patient, my love. We're not doing this out of fear or threats or others' demands. We'll know when the time is right. Our terms.'

I sighed with frustration. 'If we're making the decision, it is on our terms. But I've made my decision and now it's up to you. So I guess now it's on your terms.'

I didn't like giving that to him, but I knew he wouldn't like it either.

'Alexis,' he growled.

I ignored him. I picked up my bag and went into the bathroom, closing the door this time. I thought I heard something hit the wall.

Chapter 21

Over the next several weeks, I concentrated on summer classes and putting the finishing touches on my book. I felt the pressure of getting it done, a big obstacle in setting our wedding date. After a couple weeks of teasing Tristan, hoping he would come around, I realized I frustrated myself just as much. So I gave it up and decided holding off on nearly everything would make our wedding night that much better. I stopped spending the night with him and as soon as the loving kisses became passionate and hands started exploring—his or mine—I cut it off. It was, admittedly, quite maddening.

'You are infuriating, you know that?' Tristan teased one night as we snuggled on Mom's couch. 'I liked it better when you threw yourself at me.'

I laughed. 'Shouldn't have complained then.'

'Will you please do it again?' he murmured against the hollow behind my ear.

'Nope.'

'But I miss your body.' His hand slid along my side.

'Then you will enjoy it all the more on our wedding night.' I picked his hand up as it started sliding under my shirt.

'Are you trying to manipulate me? Because it might be working….' He kissed and nibbled my ear, driving me nearly over the edge.

I sighed. 'Not much longer, right? September First?'

'Five weeks, four days, eighteen hours.'

Feels like forever . I moaned internally. But I smiled anyway and said, 'Not long.'

We'd just decided the date that day when we mailed the first query letters for getting my book published. Mom was satisfied and it was far enough away that we could have a legal wedding and exchange Amadis vows at the same time. The Daemoni had been quiet, according to Stefan, who dropped in every now and then for coffee or dinner, so I had to trust Tristan would be okay in the meantime.

Less than a week later, though, Hell blew in.

Tropical Storm Edmund brewed in the Gulf of Mexico, projected to make landfall somewhere in our area as a category one or two hurricane. Long-time locals told us it wasn't much to worry about—'Board up and hunker down. You'll be fine.' Mom and Tristan seemed overly tense, though, considering they'd faced much worse than a relatively small hurricane. The first heavy bands of wind and rain came in as we finished boarding the cottage, having spent most of the day preparing the store.

'Something's going on besides this storm,' Tristan yelled over the wind at Mom.

'I feel it, too,' Mom yelled back. 'We're almost done here. Get Alexis to your house. We'll be there in a minute.'

Tristan and I ran for the car, leaving Mom and Owen to finish hanging plywood on the last window. Rain blew in sheets, looking like it marched across the road. We arrived at Tristan's house within five minutes, but in that short amount of time, the storm's intensity had already increased. The wind whipped at the trees, bending the palms at forty-five-degree angles, but the worst of the storm was still hours away. We pulled into the garage and as I stepped out of the car, I thought I saw something rather large blow under the closing garage door. Tristan saw it, too.

'Aw, shit! Alexis , back in the car NOW !' Tristan roared.

But I couldn't move.

Evil! Daemoni! Evil!

Someone grabbed me from behind and held me in a chokehold with one arm against my neck and a powerful hand clawed around my head. I didn't know if I gagged from the pressure against my throat or from the stench of rotten meat, vomit and feces. Flames exploded in Tristan's eyes. He swam in my vision, but I thought I saw him take a step toward me.

' Don't! Just a little twist of my wrist and she's dead,' said a sickening, scratchy, barely human voice that sounded far away though it was right in my ear. My pulse thundered in my head, nearly drowning everything else out. Whoever held me stiffened behind me.

'And one little twist of my wrist and you're dead.' I had no idea how she got into the closed garage, but I recognized Mom's voice. It sounded like I'd never heard it before. Low and vicious.

I was shoved to the ground, cracking my head on the Mercedes' bumper on my way down. In an instant I was in Tristan's arms. Each breath tore through my burning throat. I buried my face in his chest, trying to flush the reek out with his scent. There was a stomach-turning cackle and I turned to stare with fascinated horror.

The sordid creature barely resembled a human. Its eyes glowed red fire in its round, lumpy head and twisted, pointed teeth filled its misshapen mouth. I thought it might have been grinning, but if that was a smile, it was the kind that gives you nightmares. Black blood trickled down its neck where Mom held a blade, the point pierced into its skin.

'What do we do with it?' Mom asked, ignoring the creature's cackle, except for a slight dig with the knife.

'Take it upstairs and we'll see what it thinks it's trying to do. I'll be right behind you.' Tristan carried me up the stairs as we followed Mom, who held the knife at the creature's throat. My head throbbed with each step and I could feel a lump forming on my forehead.

A strange popping sound came from the living room and Mom froze at the top of the stairs. The creature