I cast a glance at CK, and he raises an eyebrow at me. “My, my, he is yours, isn’t he? I believe you said the same thing to me,” he smirks in amusement.
“Not helping, D’Arcangelo!” I snap with indignation, my English accent more pronounced than ever.
He chortles at my usage of his last name, something I only tend to do when indignant, so I’ve been told.
“Baby, you need human blood,” I tell Cole. “In time, you will be able to live without it, but now, you need to feed.” I push the Feeder in front of him.
Reluctantly, he does as he is told as I watch expectantly. “Enough,” I tell him when he’s reached the limit and he lets go, retracting his fangs with ease as the Feeder scampers off out of reach.
His eyes meet mine and I grin at him. “How do you feel?” I ask again.
“Better,” he says grudgingly. “How long was I out?”
“Less than twelve hours,” I say proudly. “You did good, baby.”
He leaps off the altar and draws me into a deep kiss. He tastes of blood and Cole. I want to kiss him forever.
Everyone leaves us alone then. I hear CK mutter something about The Council and it reminds me of the prophecy. Nothing has happened yet, not that I know what to expect, so I keep my mental fingers crossed that nothing does. I take Cole’s face in my hands. “You seem under control. How does it feel?” I ask.
He pauses and thinks about it before saying, “Okay, I guess. I don’t want to go on a rampage if that’s what you mean.”
That makes one of us then.
“Good, sweetie. That’s really good. If you take a bit of human blood every day you will build up a tolerance for the cravings.”
He looks at me curiously. “I don’t feel any different. Except maybe with the senses. I can hear, like, everything!”
I smile at his words. “Wait until you decide to move!”
He grins and, in a flash, he is at the back of the chapel. “What, you mean like that?” he laughs.
I’m giggling in delight as I say, “Exactly like that!”
In an instant, he is in front of me again. Taking my face in his hands, he kisses me. “This…” he says, “this is different.” He leans his forehead against mine and sighs. “I get it now,” he says quietly, “what Devon feels for you. I love you completely, but there is this need for you. For you to love me, touch me, comfort me. I want to always be in your presence and do anything to make you happy.”
I shiver at his words. “It’s the bond, my love. We are bound together for eternity now. You are mine and I will love you until the end of time.”
He kisses me again, his tongue pushing against mine urgently, desperately.
Suddenly, he pulls back with a look on his face that I can’t read. “That’s how you feel about Constantine,” he states and steps back.
“Yes,” I say truthfully. “Now do you understand what I was telling you last night? That we are bound, and it will never go away.”
He looks away briefly, but then he nods resolutely. “I do,” he says softly. “I do get it. I feel it here.” He pats his chest. “I do get it now, your batshit crazy possessive relationship with Devon and your very weird, whatever-it-is with Constantine,” he grimaces.
“I love you so much,” I say to him.
“I love you too, but more importantly, I am in love with you,” he replies.
“As I am with you.”
We stroll out into the moonlight hand in hand, to a crowd watching us.
“All good?” Devon asks.
“All good,” Cole replies with a smile at me.
“Well, then. Welcome to the family, Brother,” Devon says and slaps him on the back. Cole looks slightly startled at the term, but then chuckles and punches Devon on the arm. “Yeah, I guess we are family now. Thanks, man. For everything,” he says.