Page 99 of Midnight Kiss

“Why?” I said, my breath hitching as his fangs grazed my throat.

“Because I wouldn’t be able to stop,” he said. “I would drink from you and become addicted. I’m already addicted to your touch.” Alex ran his hand down the side of my throat, cupped my breast, then looped his arm around my waist and pulled me into him. “Emily, you are endangering yourself by asking me such things.”

“I want it,” I whispered. “I’ve dreamed of being with a vampire. I want it all. I want you to touch me, I want you to taste me. I want you to turn me.”

Alex stepped away immediately. “No.”

“If you won’t bond me, then you can at least turn me,” I said. “That way I’ll be safe.”

“I’m not even sure Guardians can be turned. And even if they could, I wouldn’t turn you, Emily. Living like this is not living. Not really. It’s being trapped in a body that never ages. I can never rest, not truly.”

“But now, we have each other. And one day, you’ll outlive me because I’m still mortal. Don’t you get that?”

“It’s not up for discussion right now,” Alex said.

I stared at him, irritation thrumming through me. “Fine. I’m going to pack my stuff.”

Alex nodded and folded his arms.

He wouldn’t cave. And it was ridiculous. There wasn’t a chance that I was going to be in the paranormal world and not be something more than human. That was asking to be killed. I never wanted to feel weak again. After spending my entire life afraid, that feeling of power had been refreshing.

“I’m tired of being scared, Alex,” I said. “I’m not going to do it any more.”

“You don’t have to be afraid, Emily. I’m here to protect you.”

“That’s not what I mean, and you know it. I want to protect myself,” I said.

Alex huffed under his breath. “We can talk about this later, Emily. Right now, you need to pack your things so we can get out of here before anything bad happens. Got it?”

“Fine.”

He stepped out of the room, leaving me with thoughts of his teeth on my skin, his body pressed to mine, and questions about what our future would hold.

34

ALEXANDER

Icouldn’t give Emily what she wanted.

That much wouldn’t change.

I could love her and protect her, but turning her was out of the question. It went against everything I believed, and it would only lead to more pain and suffering. A part of me believed that Emily would eventually realize the truth. That I was, in essence, nothing more than a monster. A killer who had done terrible things before, and then, she would be trapped with me. Bonded to me against her will. It was too risky.

The sounds of her moving around in her bedroom tortured me. I wanted to go back inside, take her in my arms, and lay her down on her bed. I wanted to show her how I felt, but there was no time for us.

Karn might’ve been weakened by taking Emily as a thrall, but that weakness wouldn’t last long, and once he realized we had escaped and that Ezekiel was dead, they would come for her. For us.

I walked through to the living room and scanned it, searching for anything that Emily might want to take with her.

A knock at the front door drew me, and I opened it.

Michael stood on the threshold, his eyes narrowed. “Where is she?” he asked.

“Emily is fine. She’s packing.”

“Packing?”

“Correct.” I held the door and blocked the entrance to her apartment with my frame. “We’re leaving.”