by Jaide Fox
"Half-vampire," he murmured, again trying to step for her. "The change wasn’t completed. The oracle saved me in time."
"You’re supposed to help people. Why were you trying to steal my father’s formula?" she inquired. This time when he came for her, she couldn’t run. The sweetness of his voice made her will crumble.
"I was trying to stop you from selling it," he answered. She could read the truth of it in his expression.
"It was you, wasn’t it?" she whispered. "It was you who worked with my father when I was a child."
"Yes," he admitted. "I did."
Suddenly, Quinlan couldn’t take it. She rushed forward, her arms wrapping around his sturdy neck. Tears streamed down her face, as she said, "I thought I’d never see you again. I was so scared."
Nikandros’ chest convulsed with relief. He pulled her tightly against him and began to kiss her, never wanting to take his lips away.
"Why did you stay away so long?" she panted, running her hands all over his delectable body to make sure he was real.
"I had to convince the council to test you," he said. "It’s the only way we could be together."
"What test?" she sighed, pulling back to look into the solid dark depths of his eyes.
"To see if you would selflessly choose to serve others, regardless of the personal cost," he answered. "The oracle knew you would think you had nothing to gain by saying yes."
"I almost refused," she admitted. "What would have happened if I did?"
"You would have never seen me again," he replied. "You would have lived out your life as you have been."
Quinlan, hating the thought, pressed her body into his. She kissed him fervently, knocking him over to the ground in her passion for him. Nikandros chuckled in surprise at her ardor, but only pulled her closer.
"Never leave me again," she demanded, grasping his face in her hands. "I love you. I need you."
"I love you, too," he whispered.
As Quinlan leaned over to kiss him, Nikandros saw Korbin standing over them, grinning like a fool. Korbin winked at him, nodding his head as he shot him a thumb’s up. Nikandros frowned, waving his hand for his friend to get lost. Korbin disappeared as Quinlan broke the kiss and glanced over her shoulder.
"What...?" she began.
Nikandros rolled her swiftly onto her back. When she looked up at him, his head was surrounded by stars. "It’s nothing, just a pest."
At his comment, Nikandros felt an invisible kick to his backside, pushing him down fully onto Quinlan. Her body jolted in surprise. In the next instant, Nikandros knew Korbin had finally gone.
Quinlan smiled brightly, happiness flooding out of her onto him. Moaning, leaning up to capture his lips, nothing else mattered. He was hers and she was his. With tenderness in their hearts, they proceeded to make love right there on the lawn.
The End