Page 12 of Saving Her Vampire

“Marie. I am Sebastian. Everyone calls me Bash,” he says. “You are my mate.”

“You don't want me to be, though,” I say, tilting my head to study his face. He fascinates me.

“Not for the reasons you think.”

“Why then?” I wonder if he would be able to turn his back on me, walk away and ignore that I am his mate. I shove down the panic that thought causes.

“Reasons I don’t want to talk about.”

“Will you ever?” I ask.

“I don’t know,” he admits.

“Okay,” I simply say.

“That's it?”

“I won’t force you.”

“You don’t want me for a mate,” he says.

“How do you know?” I ask. I weirdly want to prove him wrong.

“I’m messed up.”

“Aren’t we all,” I say with a small smile.

“You aren’t what I was expecting,” he says. My smile disappears. “Not for the reason you think. You’re beautiful.”

“Don’t you have to say that because you are my mate?” I tease.

“No, I don’t say anything I don’t mean.”

“That’s a change,” I say dryly. “I deal with men every day that lie out their ass.”

“Who?”

“I investigate cheaters and abusers. I take pictures of them, remember the details, and help the women move on.” He tilts his head, getting closer to my face so his lips are a breath apart.

“It’s dangerous,” he states. His eyes move to my cheek.

“Sometimes,” I admit.

“I admire it,” he says.

“Really?” I ask, grinning.

“I don’t like it, though,” he says.

“I don’t care.” I shrug.

“What if I walk away? You would be better off,” he whispers.

“What if you didn’t?” I challenge. Something clicked into place when I locked eyes with him. I can’t help feeling that with him is where I’m supposed to be.

He moves his hands from the wall, grabs my hips, and lifts me so I am face to face. “I don’t think you can handle me.”

“You don’t know what I can handle,” I say.