by Mary Abshire
He touched his nose to mine and brushed my lips. "Before you give me your gift, I want to give you mine."
Oh, so no fair. My body tingled for his loving touch and he wanted me to wait? No. Unacceptable.
I slid my tongue along his bottom lip. He opened his mouth wider, no doubt tempted by me. I licked his upper lip and noticed his twin incisors were in place, ready to nibble, bite, and feed. I curled my tongue around one of his sharp canines. The thought of him gently nipping my clit made my nipples achingly hard. A warm tingle zinged through my body. I needed my vampire.
His hands slithered over my ass before he groped me. "You are dangerous for me."
I loved the feel of his stiff cock pressing against me. I wanted it in my hands. I wanted it to fill me. I gripped his sweater and tugged on it. "I'm thirsty and horny. Give a girl a little satisfaction." I lifted the shirt over his head, then dropped it on the floor.
Drake kissed my neck while he squeezed me to his body. The feel of his solid flesh touching mine intensified my starving ache. My legs quivered, wanting him to touch me.
"Please, Drake," I said, but it sounded like a plea.
He rose, then created space between us. "Wait here one minute while I prepare for your gift." He backpedaled toward the bathroom.
My mouth hung open. Seriously? Wait? Was he insane? My gift could wait. My needy body couldn't.
He disappeared into the bathroom and I wondered what he had to prepare for. Maybe he wanted to undress and clean up. Okay, I'd give him a few minutes. Feeling deprived, I sat on the bed and waited.
He finally strode from the bathroom. In his hand, he held a glass full of dark fluid. I jumped to my feet.
"For you," he said.
I greedily took the glass from him, then drank from it. As I swallowed the liquid I'd been craving, my body awakened. Cool energy strengthened me. My heart thumped faster, stronger, yet with a steady rhythm. Every cell in my body thrived with new life. My body felt charged, fueled, and ready to move, to act, to do…something satisfying. After the last drop touched my tongue, I was more than ready to act on what I wanted to do.
"I hope you're prepared for an active morning," I said as I handed the empty glass to him.
He set it on the dresser. "I am always, always ready for you." A wide smile formed on his face. On his way back to me, he shoved his hand inside the right front pocket of his dark pants. "Now for my other gift."
I raised a brow.
Drake knelt on one knee in front of me. He took my hand. "Jessie Garrett,"—he slid a ring on my finger—"will you marry me?"
I stared with wide eyes at my lover. My heart pounded. Shock claimed hold of me and I lifted my hand to my mouth.
"Will you honor me with your love if I promise in return to love and honor you while we walk the Earth and beyond?" he asked, staring deeply into my eyes.
I wanted to cry and scream for joy at the same time. I never would've guessed he would propose to me. Yes, I knew he loved me and I had agreed to spend eternity with him. But marriage? The idea never occurred to me.
"Oh, Drake." I glanced at my hand. The silver ring with a blue diamond in the center brought back the memory of the one I'd looked at in the mall. Now I knew why he’d disappeared while Dani and I shopped.
"Is that…yes?" he asked.
I sat on his knee and wrapped my arms around his neck. "Yes, yes." I kissed him. "Yes!"
He laughed as we embraced each other. "You have no idea how happy I am."
Happy didn't seem like a strong enough word for my emotions. My warrior vampire was mine—all mine for eternity. And I planned to enjoy every minute with him. He had my heart and soul. No one could pry me from him, not even the devil. Screw the demon ceremony. Screw the belief that my blood tied me to serve the devil in Hell. The angel Nicodemus gave me faith. Drake gave me love, faith, and eternal bliss. I controlled my life, my actions, every thought and deed. The choice to spend life and death with the only man who would love and cherish me was an easy one to make.
I held his face in the palms of my hands and gazed into his loving eyes. "You are the only man for me. I will give you my love and so much more."
Drake pressed his forehead to mine. “Thank you for making me feel complete, for the best Christmas in over eight centuries, for giving yourself, your love, your passion, your heart to me. I will never let you down.”
I pressed my lips to his. “I love you, Drake. Always and forever.”
The End
www.mary-abshire.com
Evernight Publishing ®
www.evernightpublishing.com