His Dark Embrace

She looked up at him, her eyes wide. “If you had taken too much tonight ... if I was dying ... would you have ... saved me?”

“Would you want me to?”

“I don’t know.” Life or Undeath? How could anyone be expected to make that choice? And yet, she had made it for Sam. And she would have done it again.

“I won’t turn you against your will, if that’s what’s bothering you.”

“Sometimes ...” She crossed her arms, her brow furrowed as if she couldn’t decide whether to finish her sentence.

“Go on.”

She looked up at him, her expression thoughtful. “Sometimes, when I’m with you and Sam, I feel like an outsider.”

“I can fix that,” he said with a rueful grin. “Come on. It’s getting late, and you’re tired. We should go.”

“What about Sam?”

“He’ll come home when he’s ready. Do you need anything else out of the kitchen?”

“The milk.”

“I’ll get it.” In the kitchen, Thorne pulled a carton from the fridge. He added it to the box of groceries, then carried the carton into the living room.

Sky was waiting for him by the front door, suitcase in hand. “Maybe it would be easier if I just moved in with you.”

“Probably.”

“But only if ...” Her gaze slid away from his for a moment. “Are we still getting married?”

“That’s up to you. Do you still want to be my wife?”

“Yes.”

“Well, then, what do you say we go to Vegas tomorrow night and make an honest woman out of you?”

“I say yes!” she exclaimed happily.

Her smile could have lit up the city, Thorne thought as he opened the door. It certainly lit a fire in his soul.

Chapter 40

Sky woke smiling. It was her wedding day! She glanced at Kaiden, sleeping soundly beside her. Before this day was over, she would be Mrs. Kaiden Thorne for better or worse, for as long as she lived.

Her smile faltered. As long as she lived. How many years did she have left? Forty? Fifty? If she lived to be a hundred, Kaiden would still look thirty. She fought down a rush of resentment. If Kaiden lived another four hundred years, he would still be young. And then there was Sam. He wouldn’t age anymore, either. Her brother and the man she loved would both be here long after she was gone.

She tried to ignore the insidious little voice in the back of her mind that whispered it didn’t have to be that way. That if she had the nerve, she, too, could be young forever. She could be more than just Kaiden’s wife. She could be his equal, a part of his world. She wouldn’t have to be on the outside, looking in, always wondering what it would be like to have amazing strength, to never be tired or sick. She would belong. And if, by some miracle, they could find the missing ingredient to Granda’s formula, she could have the best of both worlds.

Rising, she went into the bathroom to comb her hair and brush her teeth. Where was Sam? Only three of the rooms in Kaiden’s house were furnished—the master bedroom, where she and Kaiden had spent the night, the kitchen, and the living room. Was Sam spending the day on the sofa?

Curious, she walked down the hallway, peeking into the vacant rooms as she went. She paused, grinning, when she came to the room at the head of the stairs. Inside, Sam was sound asleep in his own bed, one foot hanging outside the covers. Apparently he had carried the bed over sometime last night. Must be nice, she thought, to be strong enough to carry a mattress, box spring, and headboard across the street and up a flight of stairs all by yourself.

Continuing on, she went down to the kitchen, where she made a cup of hot chocolate, then carried it with her as she wandered through the house, imagining how she would decorate the empty bedrooms and the dining room. Of course, there would be no children so they didn’t need four bedrooms.

She brushed the thought aside. She wouldn’t think about that. They could use the extra bedrooms for other things. One could be a library, one could be a workout room. Or they could just leave them empty. For all she knew, Kaiden might not want to live here after they were married. He had mentioned once that he couldn’t stay in one place too long. Maybe it was time to find another place to live. A place by the beach would be nice, or maybe up in the mountains.

She stood in one of the empty bedrooms, sipping her cocoa, as she tried to convince herself that she wasn’t bothered by the fact that Kaiden couldn’t give her children. Lots of couples were childless, many by choice. She had never really given much thought to having a family. She had just assumed that it would happen eventually.

With a toss of her head, she went down to the kitchen. She wouldn’t think about that now. Today was her wedding day. She needed to wash her hair, paint her nails, shave her legs, pack a suitcase. And call Tara.

After putting her cup in the dishwasher, she dropped into one of the chairs. Propping her elbows on the table, she rested her chin on her folded hands. If only she could tell Tara the truth about Kaiden. It would be so nice to have someone to confide in, someone with whom she could discuss the little doubts and fears she couldn’t share with the man she loved.

Thorne awoke as the sun began its downward descent. He lay there a moment, his senses expanding. Sam was still at rest. Skylynn was downstairs. He could sense her nervousness, her excitement, and a trace of apprehension. Just getting married was enough to cause a certain amount of anxiety. The fact that she was marrying a vampire was certainly cause for some uneasiness on her part.

If the truth were known, he was a little apprehensive himself. He had never been married before. Never even considered it. He had no idea what kind of husband he would be. But what concerned him the most was the fear that, in a moment of extreme passion or weakness, he would surrender to the ravenous beast that dwelled within him, and Skylynn would pay the ultimate price for his lack of control.

Was he kidding himself, thinking they could have a life together? It would only take one mistake on his part, one error in judgment, to put her life in danger or snuff it out altogether. She was beautiful, desirable, and oh, so fragile. If he hurt her, he would never forgive himself.

And then there was Desmarais. He didn’t know where the wily old hunter was, but one thing he knew, Skylynn would never be safe until Desmarais had been destroyed once and for all.

He rose, stretched, and headed for the bathroom. He showered and dressed, then picked up his suitcase and went downstairs in search of his bride.

He found Skylynn in the living room with Sam. Brother and sister both looked up as he entered the room.