Stefan's Salvation(20)

him to smile or laugh, but his eyes darkened and there was no humor to be found

anywhere in him.

"You're joking, right?" He had to be.

"I come from a long line of vampires. My family is an ancient one that has existed

for century upon century. But in spite of all our powers, we are a dying breed." He

watched her intently, as if trying to gauge her reaction.

Laurel Rose kept her feelings hidden. She wasn't afraid of Stefan, but she was

starting to be concerned about him. If he really thought he was a vampire, then he

obviously needed help.

The corner of his mouth quirked up again. "I'm not delusional, Laurel Rose."

Tugging her hand from his, she shrank back against the pillows. Had he read her

mind or had he guessed her thoughts?

"You're very good at blocking your thoughts and feelings from others. But we are

connected now, and although you could probably still do so, you will find it much

harder to hide them from me. And truly, you are not trying to block your thoughts." He

stroked his fingers lightly down the side of her neck where it was still a little tender,

although that was rapidly fading. "I would normally respect your privacy and not use

my powers to invade your mind, but right now the connection is too new to ignore.

And I have also come to know you well. I do not always have to read your thoughts to

know what it is you are thinking."

Memory suddenly flooded back, bombarding her with unbelievable images. She

remembered telling Stefan to take what he needed. The sexual connection between

them had been explosive and then he'd taken it even further. Her entire body jerked as

she remembered the sharp pinch of something sinking into her neck. Had he drunk her

blood?

Her stomach roiled at the thought and her skin suddenly felt cold and clammy. A

large hand on the back of her head pushed it down toward her knees. "Breathe, Laurel

Rose," his deep voice commanded.

She focused all her energy on taking one breath at a time, on the slow rise and fall

of her chest, on the steady beat of her heart. She suddenly became very aware of

Stefan's hand cupping her head as his thumb wiped away a bead of sweat that trickled

down her temple.

Fighting her raging emotions and her growing fear, she desperately tried to

assemble her thoughts in a way that made sense. She recalled the growing weakness in

her body. The strength of Stefan's desire for her had swamped her and she'd had no

thought of denying him anything. She had yearned to give him everything he wanted.

Everything he needed. As inconceivable as it seemed, he had actually drunk her blood.

Just the thought made her shiver.

Her head jerked up when she felt the covers being tucked more tightly around her.

Stefan sat back and waited patiently for her to speak. But she really didn't have to say

anything, did she? He could read her thoughts if he chose.

He looked quickly away, but not before she caught a glimpse of the sadness in his

eyes. When he turned back to her it was gone, replaced by a hard green glare. She

recognized it as a protective measure. Just the thought that she could hurt him gave her

pause. Surely she didn't have that kind of power or effect on him. Why would what she

thought even matter to him?

She licked her dry lips and tasted a slight tang of something metallic. Blood. "Oh my

God. What did you do?" Accusation rang in her voice.

"What I had to do." There was no apology, no softening in his tone.

"I drank your blood, didn't I?" She could hardly put her fears into words. Her

entire body started to shake. Stefan reached for her, but she shrank back from him,

pulling her legs up tight into her body and huddling against the headboard.

He emitted a low growl as he jumped to his feet and towered above her. "Yes. You

drank my blood. I took too much from you and you would have died if I had not

replenished you with mine."

"Am I a vampire now?" She barely managed to voice her dread.

"No," he spat back. "It does not work that way."

Another thought occurred to her. "Karen, the waitress at the diner. You took her

blood just like you took mine. I'm no different than her." Laurel Rose wanted to yell

and scream. She'd thought she was special, but she was no different than any other

woman. When it all boiled down, she was no better than a snack to him.

A roar erupted from him, shaking the very foundations of the house. She cringed

back against the headboard, not knowing what to expect next. Fury was written in

every line of his body as he prowled back and forth in front of the bed, his eyes

watching her every move, cataloguing her every reaction. She'd almost swear that she

saw fangs flash in the corners of his mouth before they vanished.

"Yes, I took her blood. It is how I survive." His words were clipped, his tone curt. "I

hurt no one and they have no memory of my having done so."

Well that certainly explained why she sensed Stefan around Karen but could get no

sense of recognition in return.

"But you are different. You. Are. Mine." He spaced each word carefully,

enunciating them so she was left with no doubt.

"Your what?"

"My woman." Stopping by the bed, he crossed his arms across his massive chest

and glared down at her. This time there was no doubting the red glow that filled his

eyes. "The men of my family are cursed or blessed to love only one woman in all our

existence. I have waited for you for over five hundred years."

Laurel Rose shook her head in denial.

"I am immortal, but I can be killed," he continued, ignoring her mute protest.

"Direct and prolonged exposure to sunshine will kill me. A stake through the heart will

kill me. Beheading will kill me."

Her hands flew to her chest, clutching her heart. The thought of Stefan dying was

unbearable and unthinkable. "No," she whispered, unable to imagine him being hurt.

"The only other thing that can kill me is love," he continued ruthlessly. "Many of

my ancestors have given up in despair and faced the dawn when rejected by their only

love. Others have given up the hope of finding their woman, and after hundreds of

years of loneliness, they have chosen death."

He lowered his gaze from hers and rubbed the back of his neck. The gesture was

filled with such utter frustration that it touched her heart. But he wasn't finished yet.

"Some men live one human lifetime with their woman and choose death when their

mate dies." When he raised his eyes, she thought that he looked tired. Tired and

incredibly sad.

"But some Dalakis men are blessed and their chosen woman decides to take a

chance and remain with them forever."

"I don't understand. How is that even possible?" Laurel Rose didn't know what to

believe at this point. What he was telling her was almost too fantastic to believe. Yet her

own psychic powers were beyond the belief of many people. She was totally confused.

A throbbing began in her temples as a headache threatened.

"For now, all you need to know is that it is possible. For hundreds of years, I

searched the world for you until I finally stopped looking. But you are the chosen

woman for me. I will never find another."

"What happens next?" Although she knew in her heart that Stefan would never

hurt her, there was still a small part of her that feared him. If he was what he said he

was, then his power was staggering. He could do whatever he chose and no one would

be able to stop him.

His lips tightened into a grim line. "I will not leave you. What happens next is your

choice. If you try to send me away, I will not go. I will not force you to do anything or to

accept me." His mouth relaxed and a slow, sensual smile crossed his face. "I will,

however, do everything within my power to convince you to be a part of my life."

Laurel Rose could feel her entire body clench in reaction to his potent smile. It just

wasn't fair the way her body responded to him. A dark thought intruded. Maybe he is

using mind control to make me want him. But a more rational part of her mind reminded

her that if he were manipulating her thoughts, she wouldn't be aware of it, let alone

worried.

The circular arguments went around and around until she thought her mind might

burst. She was tired, her throat and head ached and she just didn't want to think

anymore. Burying her face in her hands, she tried to take a deep breath to settle herself.

This time, when she felt him sit beside her, she didn't draw away from him. He'd

had plenty of time and opportunity to hurt her if that was his aim. At this point she

didn't know what she did or didn't believe. But what she did know was that she trusted

Stefan. Deep in her heart, she knew he would do nothing to harm her, but even more

disturbing to her peace of mind was the fact that she wanted to be with him, wanted to

be part of his life.

He lifted her carefully, easing her down into the bed and tucking the covers around

her. "I know it is a lot to take in at once. And for that I am sorry. But I promised I would

not lie to you and I will not." He flicked off the bedside lamp but the room was no

longer as dark as it was. Dawn was fast approaching. "I must go. But I will be back

tonight and we will talk more then."

There were so many things she wanted to say to him. So many things that she

wanted to ask. But exhaustion was overtaking her body and her eyelids were suddenly

too heavy for her to keep them open.