“No, I haven’t. All we’ve done since we met is train and fight vampires and mercenaries.”
“Sweetie, I’m not a flowers and chocolates kind of gal,” she said, leaning into him. “Well, maybe the chocolate.”
“I was going to say.”
She laughed. He had seen her put away a lot of chocolate. “I don’t need flowers. I don’t need jewelry. I don’t need . . . whatever other frilly things men give the women they’re dating.” She hadn’t dated anyone long-term since Michael and couldn’t remember what men usually brought their girlfriends. “I need weapons. And you have given me some beautiful weapons.”
She no longer carried Lisette’s weapons. Étienne had, over the weeks, gifted her with her own personal arsenal. Shoto swords. Katanas. Daggers. Throwing stars. Glock 18s. Sigs. Her very own uncomfortable rubbery suit to wear if she had to venture into daylight.#p#分页标题#e#
“We’ve talked for hours,” she said. “We’ve laughed and flirted and teased.” She nipped his chin. “Seduced.”
“You’re very good at that,” he said, voice deepening.
“Which one?”
He began to move from side to side, the two of them swaying to slow, nonexistent music. “All of them.”
She smiled. “You see? We’re even dancing.”
“Is that what this is? I was just enjoying the feel of you against me.”
She shrugged. “That’s what we called it at my high school prom.” And she was loving the feel of his hard body pressed to hers.
“Dancing was very different in my day.”
“Would you teach me?”
“I would love to.”
A throat cleared.
Cam and Sean stood in the doorway.
Cam raised his eyebrows. “Should I call and tell them you’ll be late for the meeting?”
Smiling, Étienne shook his head. “No. And you were wrong. It wasn’t a catastrophe.”
Krysta grinned. “We’re engaged.”
Sean’s face brightened. Striding forward, he hugged her and shook Étienne’s hand. “Congratulations.”
Cam did the opposite, hugging Étienne and shaking Krysta’s hand.
“Listen,” Sean said, “while we’re talking about the future . . .”
“I hope you’ll stay with us,” Étienne said, then looked to Krysta.
She nodded. “Absolutely.” Unlike many siblings she knew, they rarely fought. And, since Cam already lived with them, it wasn’t as if Sean would be intruding upon their privacy or anything.
Sean tucked his hands in his pockets, a nervous gesture she hadn’t seen him make in a long time. “Actually, I’ve come to a decision.”
She didn’t like the sound of that, nor the somber look on his face. Had he changed his mind about working for the network? He had seemed very happy working with Dr. Lipton these last few weeks.
“Étienne,” Sean said, “I would like you to transform me.”
Krysta’s jaw hit the floor. “What?”
Sean held up his hands. “Now, hear me out—”
“That would be awesome!” she practically shouted.
Sean blinked. “What?”
Jumping up and down, she tugged on Étienne’s arm. “You have to do it! That would be so cool! You have to do it! You have to do it!”
Étienne hesitated. He didn’t want to disappoint Krysta or squash her excitement, especially after she had just made his existence by agreeing to be his wife, but . . . “Are you sure?” he asked Sean.
“I’m sure. If you doubt me, read my mind.”
Étienne did and found, to his relief, absolute certainty.
“I’m as proficient with weapons as Krysta is,” Sean said, “so I wouldn’t require a lot of training.”
Krysta nodded. “He’s good. He really is.”
Étienne smiled. She was like a child trying to convince a parent to buy her that one special toy she wanted for Christmas. “What about medical school?”
Krysta sobered. “Oh. Crap. I forgot about that.”
“I didn’t,” Sean said. “Since I’ll be able to do everything faster, including read, I can finish my studies in record time under Dr. Lipton’s instruction. She has already agreed to oversee my education and I can serve my residency at network headquarters.”
Étienne was impressed. “Sounds like you’ve considered everything.”
“I have. When I’m not studying, I’ll be able to hunt instead of having to sit on the sidelines as I have for the last six years.” His thoughts revealed just how much that had bothered him. “I’ll be able to heal—Krysta or anyone else who needs it—without risking my life. And I could potentially live forever.”