"Why did I survive?"
"It could be because you're my True Match or because you were strong enough to fight through it. I really don't know."
"We can't just ignore this and hope it will go away. We need to confront the situation and deal with it."
Dylan wrapped his arms around Emmett and pulled him against his chest, holding him. "I'm not willing to take any chances. I won't put you in jeopardy. Gideon's pack welcomed us into their territory. We're safe here."
"You told me that finding a True Match was sacred. I don't believe that anyone would tear us apart, and I don't think the FPA would intentionally hurt you. They're your family. You changed me into a vampire to save my life. What you did wasn't a selfish act."
"My motives may have been pure, but I still went against the law. Changing a human into a vampire is unnatural. I knew what I was doing. And I knew what I was leaving behind. The FPA, the job, everything … it doesn't matter to me, not anymore."
"It does matter," Emmett told him, stepping out of Dylan's embrace. "I've heard you on the phone. They need you, and I know you want to go back, so just tell them the truth and get it over with."
"Emmett." Dylan reached out to him.
"Dylan," he interrupted, standing his ground. "I don't want you to give up your life, not for me."
Dylan pushed a hand through his hair, combing the wayward strands off his forehead. "I wish you would believe me. I'm not giving anything up. I choose you. I want you. You're the center of my world."
"Do you really think they would punish you for saving my life? Would the FPA prefer you lose your True Match over my becoming a vampire? I'm having a hard time believing that's true, especially since you've referred to those guys as family."
Dylan smiled. This time when he reached out, Emmett allowed himself to be caught. Dylan pulled him against his chest, and he wrapped his arms around the man's waist, placing Emmett's head over Dylan's heart.
"You're right." He petted Emmett's head, gently massaging his skull. "I let my fear of losing you consume me and assumed the worst. I shouldn't have done that."
"Tell me the truth. Do you miss it? New York? The FPA?" Emmett asked once again.
"Yeah." Dylan tightened his hold. "I don't know if I'm ready to leave quite yet though. It's been nice living in our own little bubble, just the two of us."
Emmett sighed. "I really like having you all to myself. I don't know if I want to share you."
* * * *
Dylan held Emmett, gently swaying side to side as the cool night air surrounded them. These last few weeks with his True Match had truly been the best time of his entire life, and that was saying something since he'd been alive for a very long time. Nothing compared to the love he had for Emmett. Love never existed before he laid eyes on the man. It was as if a new emotion now lived inside his heart. Emmett owned him body and soul.
"You don't have to share me. You own me, love."
Emmett lifted his cheek off Dylan's chest. He stood up on his toes and whispered, "I love you," in Dylan's ear before capturing his lips in a fierce kiss.
Dylan clasped the back of Emmett's neck, deepening the kiss. Emmett's moist, plump lips moved over his. Dylan slipped his tongue inside Emmett's mouth, and Emmett moaned, desperate for more. Dylan could feel the kiss slowly spinning out of control as the intensity increased. Realizing this wasn't the right time or place, Dylan forced himself to pull back.
Emmett pressed his mouth against Dylan's ear and whispered, "Am I a horrible person for wanting to take you home and strip you down and lick your entire body?"
"No." Dylan shook his head. "Absolutely not."
"Would it be okay if I wanted to sink my fangs into a juicy vein?"
"I'm all yours."
"Then, we should probably get out of here because I need you."
"Yeah," Dylan agreed. "We should definitely leave."
Dylan wrapped an arm around Emmett's waist and pulled him against his side. They walked past a small group of people that were still gathered outside of the Silver Bullet. Most of the crowd had thinned out. The only light that could be seen on the cloudy night were from the candles still flickering in the breeze, lighting a pathway toward the car.
Chapter Fourteen
They flew to New York in first class. Emmett thought he would need time to pack up his life, but Dylan assured him it wasn't necessary. He was immortal. There would be plenty of time to figure out all the details later. And it might be nice to have a place in New Orleans where they could escape and live in a bubble away from the rest of the world.
When the yellow cab pulled to a stop beside the curb at 56 Leonard Street, Emmett opened the door and stepped out onto the sidewalk. He stared up at the sixty-story condo tower in awe. The building was luxurious. It looked like a collection of identical cubes-one stacked on top of the other-at odd angles, rearranged to give the illusion that each condo stood alone, hovering in the sky. The entire thing was made of steel and glass, giving each owner a full view of the entire city.
"What do you think?" Dylan asked, stepping up beside him holding their luggage.
"Do all of the agents live here?" Emmett was impressed. The building was incredible. It was unlike anything Emmett had ever seen. "You each have your own condo?"
Dylan nodded. "We own the building." They stood there for a moment before Dylan tilted his head toward the entrance. "Come on. Let's go."
The doorman, an elderly gentleman wearing a suit, opened the door for them. "Good afternoon, Dylan. Welcome back."
"It's good to be back, James. How are you doing?"
"I'm good, thanks. How are you, sir?"
"Better than ever." Dylan grinned wickedly. "This is my True Match, Emmett Flowers."
"It's nice to meet you, Emmett. Congratulations to you both."
"Thank you."
Emmett followed his True Match through the lobby. He dragged his feet as he looked around, checking out all the large glass art pieces hanging from the ceiling and bolted to the walls. The afternoon sunshine streamed in through the windows, reflecting off the blown glass and sending bright splashes of color across the white walls.
Dylan pushed the call button on the elevator. There was a ding before the doors slid open. They stepped inside, and the doors closed behind them. He watched Dylan type in a six-digit password. When he was done, the elevator moved, gliding up at a rapid pace.
"All the residents have different passcodes. You have to punch it in each time you use the elevator. All you have to do is type in my password, and it will take you directly to our place. Its part of the security system we have. We take a different lift to FPA headquarters. It's in the underground parking garage. The security there is a bit more intense though-fingerprinting and biometric scans."
When the doors opened, Emmett stepped off elevator and into a private foyer. The floor-to-ceiling windows called to him, beckoning him forward. He strolled over and stared out across the cityscape, captivated by the view. Giant buildings surrounded them, gigantic towers that soared high up in the sky. New York was an architectural masterpiece.
"Wow," he breathed out. "The view is magnificent."
"Yeah," Dylan agreed from behind him. "You are."
Emmett chuckled. He turned around and faced his lover. Every time he looked at Dylan, his heart kicked into overdrive, pounding rapidly. "Do you have time to give me a tour?"
"Absolutely." Dylan held out his hand, and Emmett took it.
Dylan led him through the condo. The place was decorated with a rich color palette of jewel tones. All the exterior walls were made of glass and metal, and the interior walls were covered with photographs. It looked as though he were walking through years of Dylan's memories, many lifetimes in fact. One face stood out among the rest. The young man appeared over and over again.
Just seeing an image of Dylan with another man broke Emmett's heart, shattering the organ into tiny little pieces. He knew the vampire had lived and loved for many lifetimes before Emmett was even born, but that didn't mean he was immune to the pain. He didn't want to ask any questions. He didn't want to know who the man was or what he meant to Dylan, but he couldn't seem to stop himself from asking.
"Who is he?" Emmett pointed to one of the pictures. It was an image of Dylan and the man in question kissing on the beach.
"It doesn't matter anymore."
"It does matter," Emmett insisted. He didn't want this to be their first fight. Hell, he didn't even want to hear about the mystery man, but he couldn't stop himself from continuing. "It's obvious that he meant a lot to you. He was part of your life. He's in most of the pictures. How long were you together?"