Fear trickled through her; she tilted her head back to look up at him. "Can you handle feeding from someone other than me?"
Ethan's hands tightened on her at the thought. "Yes, as long as I know it's for you, I'll be all right with it," he assured her. He hoped those words were true, but it didn't matter, it had to be done.
She rested her hand on his chest. "It won't hurt them, will it?"
"No more than it hurt you, and they won't even remember it afterward."
"Will I be able to change people's memories and control them after I'm changed?"
“It will take some time, but you'll eventually be able to do those things. You'll also be able to cloak your presence from others when your powers mature enough. The older we get, the more powerful we become and the better we can deal with our abilities. Your hearing, vision, and speed will also be greatly enhanced. That will take some time for you to get used to, but we'll do it together. You'll also be immortal, and you'll be safer."
He said the word safer with such reverence it made her heart ache as his fingers stroked her hair. She had no words for him as she cuddled closer. The steady beat of his heart, and the heat of his skin, warmed her and lulled her into sleep. Her eyes drifted open when he lifted her and carried her around the bed. She didn't know when it happened, but he’d stripped her bathing suit.
Pulling the sheets back, he laid her on the bed and climbed in beside her. A blissful sigh of contentment escaped when his arms encircled her, and he molded his body around hers.
Chapter Twenty-Five
"I'll be back in a couple of hours," Ethan said and kissed her on the forehead. The clean aroma of cucumber-scented shampoo adhered to the curling tendrils of her damp hair, but beneath the shampoo he detected her honeysuckle scent.
Emma clutched his forearms as she stared up at his strained face. "What's wrong?" she demanded.
He shook his head and dropped his forehead to hers. She remembered his words from before about how tough it was for him to be around people, and she suddenly understood the pinched look on his face.
"I can go with you if it will help you," Emma offered.
"I don't want you to see anything that will happen," he said in a strained voice.
"But you said I make it easier for you to be around people."
"You do, and I won't hurt anyone, but I can't have you around this. I'll be fine, Brian and Ian will be with me. Nothing will go wrong."
He was trying to reassure her, but he had no idea how all this would go down. He was counting on the knowledge of her being here, waiting so she could join him, to keep him sane and rational, and to keep him from killing anyone. If something went wrong, he didn't want her there to see it.
She held onto his arms when he went to pull away from her. "Ethan, there's nothing you can do to make me change my mind about any of this or you."
He cupped her cheeks and pressed a tender kiss on her lips. "I know, but there are some things I'd prefer you not to have to deal with, and this is one of those things. I'll only be gone for a few hours."
Releasing his arms, she hastily brushed the hair back from her neck. "Drink from me before you go, it will help to take the edge off."
"It's too soon for you."
A small chuckle escaped her. "You'll be taking it all tonight, Ethan; I don't think this will make much of a difference. Even if you only take a little it will help, and don't deny it."
There was no way he could deny that. Not when she was right. His gaze latched onto the bite marks still marring her skin, he could have made them fade with the healing agent in his saliva, but he liked seeing them there and having the knowledge they were his. Seeing them now caused his fangs to tingle as the driving urge to taste her washed over him. Her breasts pressed against his chest as she stepped into him. They'd made love upon waking this morning, but he could feel more than his fangs lengthening right now.
He kissed her as she slid her arms around his neck; lifting her, he pressed her flush against his body. A gasp escaped her, her fingers threaded through his hair as he ran his teeth over the tender flesh of her neck. Her bathrobe fell open to expose her breasts as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Feeling her body moving over his, he knew there was no way he would only be satisfied with taking her blood right now.
Adjusting his hold on her, he grabbed the tie on her robe and tugged it open. The rest of the material fell open to reveal her small, curvy body. Her dusky nipples were already hard as he took one in his mouth and sucked on it. A low moan escaped her; she arched her back as he leaned her against the wall and grabbed her ass with both his hands. Without thinking, he nipped at her breast, drawing blood from it. Certain he’d hurt her, he pulled away almost immediately, but he saw no discomfort in her eyes when they met his. Instead, he saw only desire.
"It felt good," she whispered in response to the concern in his eyes.
She wasn't lying either, though there had been pain, she found she enjoyed it, and it excited her more. A small smile curved his mouth before he
