Stefan's Salvation(41)

waited for her to scream, to turn and flee from him.

Her eyes widened. "That is so cool." She took the final step that brought her beside

him and placed her palm in the center of his chest, right over his beating heart. "Can I

do that?"

He frowned, his brows drawing together. Why wasn't she running in terror?

"Given time and practice, you will be able to shift. The wolf is the easiest form for us to

take, but you may be able to shift into others as well."

"That's just amazing." He could see the awed expression on her face as she stared

up at him. Her hand was rubbing small circles on his chest and he realized that she had

no idea she was doing it.

Back in human form, his body immediately reacted to her presence, tightening and

swelling with anticipation and growing need. The urge to claim her was strong. The

beast inside him demanded he mark her as his, bind her to his side and never let her

leave him. It was a constant struggle, a battle he fought within himself, but he managed

to leash his animal instincts. Barely.

He was still more man than beast and he'd already taken too much from her. That

which was not freely given had no value at all. The long, lonely centuries in darkness,

studying human nature, had taught him that much.

The light breeze cooled his heated flesh and he welcomed it. His cock was hard and

heavy, thrusting out in front of him. He could smell the familiar scent of her soap and

knew that she'd bathed. She looked fresh and clean and pure standing before him. She

was all he'd ever wanted, but he cared too much to take any more from her.

He forced himself to take a step backward, away from her. Her hand dropped to

her side and he inwardly cringed at the flash of momentary pain that filled her beautiful

blue eyes. "Why are you here?" His voice was harsher than he intended and she

flinched.

"Because you are."

Her three simple words almost destroyed him, but he kept his expression

impassive. Crossing his arms over his chest, he stared at her, careful to keep all

expression from his face. "Did you need something from me?"

She raised her hand toward him and then let it fall again. "Yes, I did." Sighing, she

rubbed her fingers across her forehead. She sounded tired. It took every ounce of

discipline he possessed not to wrap her in his arms and promise her that everything

would be all right. "I though you might need something too, but I was mistaken."

"What did you need?"

She shook her head and turned away from him, wandering around the small

clearing. "Will you leave now and go away?"

Stefan's jaw clenched tight. "Yes," he spit out.

Laurel Rose nodded. "So our relationship meant nothing more to you than a roll in

the sack. I was just a convenience to you."

A red haze covered his eyes as a fierce fury rose up within him. He didn't

remember moving, but his hands were locked around her upper arms and he was

shaking Laurel Rose. "Don't you say that. Don't even think it."

"Why? You were quick enough to leave."

Anger pounded in his brain and coursed through his body. That she would even

think such a thing was an abomination to him. "I was protecting you."

"From what?" Her soft, gentle voice flowed over him like a cooling balm.

He dropped his forehead until it was touching hers. "From me. From what I am.

From the life I live." Sighing, he soothed his hands down her arms and wrapped them

around her waist. Laurel Rose snuggled closer, nestling her body against his. "I did not

give you a choice, Laurel Rose. You do not understand how your life has changed."

"Tell me?"

His hand automatically began to stroke her back, offering her silent comfort.

"Sunlight is beyond your grasp for all time. The night is your only haven now." He bent

down and kissed the top of her head. "I have taken it from you."

"The night's not so bad." Her words were muffled against his chest as she placed a

soft kiss there. "I like the night."

"You must have blood, or you will die. You do not have to take it from humans if

that is distasteful to you. I can arrange for blood to be shipped to you on a regular

basis."

"But I've seen you eat." Her nimble lips kissed a path to his flat nipple before

flicking it with her tongue. It was becoming harder for him to think.

"Yes. Your body can tolerate small amounts of food. You do not need it to survive,

but if you still want to taste something, you can. Given time, you can even consume a

full meal if it is something you wish to do." His fingers flexed around her skull, holding

her face tight to his chest as she continued to torment him with her clever tongue.

"Good. I definitely don't want to have to give up chocolate or ice cream."

Her answer made him think of his sisters-in-law and he laughed. "Johanna and

Delight said much the same thing."

"Smart ladies." Laurel Rose stroked one of her hands over his chest, sliding it lower.

Stefan trapped it against his stomach. "I have tethered your life to mine now. If I

die, so will you. But I will not keep you against your will. You will be free to choose the

life you want to live. I have turned you into a vampire like myself. You are now the

stuff of legends, to be feared and scorned and for that, I am sorry."

"Why?" She sounded almost impatient with him. He'd poured his fears out to her,

apologizing for what he'd taken from her and she sounded more peeved than anything.

"Why?" he echoed incredulously.

She leaned back and gave a quick nod. "Yes, why are you sorry? Stefan, I've lived

my whole life being feared and scorned for what I am. You haven't changed my life at

all. As for the other...well, I'm not thrilled about having to drink blood to survive,

although I didn't seem to have any trouble taking yours." She laughed and its low,

sultry tones made his body shudder with desire. "In fact, I rather enjoyed it."

She paused as she thought. "Not being able to go out in the day is a bit of a

problem, especially during the summer months. But I can do most of my business mail

order and maybe hire a teenager from town to do the farmer's market for me. I can

adjust."

Stefan could hardly believe how easily she seemed to be accepting everything.

Surely, she hadn't thought everything through yet. But Laurel Rose wasn't finished.

"But you have changed me." She pushed away from him and, although it pained

him to do so, he let her go.

"I know. And as much as I might wish to go back and make things different, I

cannot." And deep down inside, he really didn't want to change things. He needed her

to be like him, yearned for her to be with him for eternity.

"Well, there is no going back. You taught me what it was like to not be alone." Her

hands went to the front of her blouse and she began to unbutton it. "You taught me

how wonderful sex could be between a man and a woman."

The lapels spread open as each button slipped from the hole, revealing her smooth,

soft skin beneath. She wasn't wearing a bra. Stefan's hands clenched at his sides. He

wanted to reach out and rip the garment wide open, exposing her breasts to him.

"You made me feel beautiful and sexy." Ever so slowly, she parted the fabric. Her

breasts swayed as she shrugged her shoulders and the blouse slipped down her arms,

falling to the ground behind her. "If you're going to go away, then I want to feel that

way one last time." Sliding her hands up her stomach, she cupped her breasts in her

hands. As he watched, she circled her puckered nipples with her thumbs. "Will you

love me one last time?"

Stefan fell to his knees in front of her, his hands fisted on his thighs as he gasped for

breath. He had to make her understand. Raising his head, he allowed her to see the

beast once more. He could feel his eyes changing and knew they were tinged with red.

His fangs lengthened and grew as he stared up at her. His cock jutted out before him,

announcing that he was more than ready to fuck her. He showed her all that he was,

hiding nothing.

"If I take you now, there is no going back. I will never let you go," he snarled. "You

will be mine for all eternity. I'll fuck you whenever I want, wherever I want and as

many times as I want. I'll provide everything for you. You will never drink blood from

any other man but me." The mere thought of her taking sustenance from some other

male made him crazy with jealousy. She belonged to him. "It will be too late for you to

run. I'll be right behind you no matter where you go. There is nowhere in this world

where you can hide from me."

Bowing his head, he sucked in a deep breath and closed his eyes as he struggled for

some semblance of control. "This is the beast you would tie yourself to." Shaking his

head, he raised it, wanting to drink in her beauty one final time.

"Not a beast, but a man. A man whom I've come to love with all my heart. A man

who accepted me as I am from the very first. A man who has always put my safety and

well-being first and foremost, sacrificing his own safety and comfort and who taught

me what it's like to feel wanted and needed and cared for."

Toeing off her sneakers, Laurel Rose reached down and pulled off her socks. "The

sacrifice is well worth the gain." Unbuttoning her jeans, she shimmied her hips as she