Bloodlines Page 4

Chapter 4 Plans and Proposals

 

  Now that the cat was out of the bag and my family knew, both about the upcoming wedding and the upcoming baby, the planning process began in earnest. Mom wanted to help out, so I put her in touch with Alanna, and the two of them started making plans for flowers and music and food. I smiled at them bonding over such a happy event, and tried not to worry about my mom meeting Teren's family. It would be fine. Both sides were filled with good people, and they would surely get along, despite their differences.

  The only thing that had started to bother me was the guest list. It kept getting bigger and bigger. I nearly fought with mom over wanting to keep it just immediate friends and family, but she swore that she'd promised such and such a cousin that they could come to my wedding, since we'd gone to theirs and after a dozen or so incidents like that, the guest list had grown to nearly a hundred. That thought started giving me panic attacks. The more people that came to the ranch, the greater the risk of exposure. Alanna and Teren kept assuring me that it was fine, that the bulk would only be coming out Saturday evening, for the actual ceremony, and then leaving. But it still made me unnaturally nervous.

  So much so, that I'd started considering changing the location. But, have you ever tried to reserve a spot with only a couple weeks notice? Yeah, it's surprisingly difficult, even in December. After a dozen or so phone calls, and Teren complaining that I'd hurt his mom's feelings, I gave up. It would just have to be at the ranch and I'd have to find a way to relax. Teren reminding me that Halina could do mind wipes, if needed, helped a bit with that.

  When the wedding planning looked on track, my mother shifted to baby planning. She bugged me about getting in to see a doctor, insisting that prenatal care was vital, and I should have gone in as soon as I'd suspected. I sighed and told her everything was fine and I didn't need to go, but she gave me the 'this is my grandchild and you will go' face and I'd finally told her I would make an appointment as soon as I could.

  Honestly, I wanted to make sure they were okay too, I just didn't feel right about nurses and doctors poking and prodding my body. Teren assured me that it was fine, that as long as they didn't directly test the embryos, everything would look normal to humans, as my blood had no trace of vampirism in it. I bit my lip, but conceded to the expert and made an appointment. I really was looking forward to hearing the heartbeats like Teren could. Plus, I could finally tell everyone that we were expecting twins. I couldn't exactly spill that fact without seeing a doctor first. I couldn't exactly tell everyone - 'How do I know? Oh, well, Teren can hear the different heartbeats. '

  Teren came with me on that first visit and held my hand. We did get to hear the heartbeats, and of course, I cried. Teren smiled at hearing what he could sometimes hear anyway, clearly happy that my senses could experience it now too. Then, the doctor surprised us both by doing an ultrasound. Even though I was only a couple of months along and the babies were only about the size of kumquats (or so the doctor told me), they had a machine that could take a look-see from the inside. It was cold (but then, I was used to that) and slightly uncomfortable, but when that image popped up on the screen. . . it was beyond any feeling I'd ever had before.

  I twisted my head to look over at Teren, whose eyes were glued to the black and white monitor, his mouth dropped open in awe. The doctor pointed out a section of the grayness that was moving, fast and fluttery - a heartbeat. I knew Teren could still hear the heartbeat in the near silent room and I knew his mind was connecting the sound to the image. His very faintly glowing eyes started to water as he watched the screen. Then the doctor twisted the device and confirmed what Teren already knew, that there was indeed a second heartbeat. We acted surprised, which wasn't hard for me, since I was a blubbering mess anyway. Then that miraculous doctor measured something on the screen and told us I was around ten weeks along, putting my conception date in October, right around the time of our abduction, and my due date near the end of June. He also told me that everything looked normal. I cried again after hearing that. Not that I'd been worried something wasn't normal (aside from a little nausea and maybe some more tender than usual breasts, I did feel fine) but hearing a trained professional say that is wondrously calming.

  As we left, I immediately called my mom to tell her the news, and to tell her that she was right, going to the doctor had been one of the best ideas she ever had.

  Trying to not let ourselves get overwhelmed by all the newness in our lives, not too much later we resumed our weekly get-togethers with Tracey and Hot Ben, so nicknamed because he was Abercrombie and Fitch model gorgeous. He was surprisingly sweet though, and definitely a good match for Tracey. I was still nervous about it, the first time we were all slated to meet up. Maybe the flood of hormones was making me an unnaturally strong worrywart?

  "Are you sure about this, Teren?" I flopped down on his bed - our bed, as we'd officially moved in all my stuff last weekend - and stretched out on the covers.

  He glanced back at me, his bare back invitingly sexy as he rummaged in his drawers for a casual shirt. I smiled at his new dresser set. Since all of my clothes had pretty much taken up his massive walk-in closet, we'd had to go buy him some new furniture. He smiled at my smile and tossed back, "Sure about what?" before continuing with his quest.

  I sighed and flopped over to my stomach, lightly banging my feet together as I rested my head in my hands. "Hanging out with Tracey and Ben. I mean, you're only a couple months old, isn't it a little early to be social. "

  Finding a shirt, he straightened and gave me a wry look. "I'm not an infant. It will be fine. " He slipped the shirt over his body, hiding that magnificence from me and I sighed again. Flattening it out over his chest, he added, "Besides, we're not going out to dinner. . . it's just a movie. " He shrugged and then walked over to sit on the bed.

  I stretched out one hand to him and he grabbed it. I brought the back of his hand to my cheek and sighed as his cool skin gave me a momentary shiver. "Yeah, I know. . . but still. "

  He leaned over and gave me a kiss. "Remember about that stressing thing. . . it will be fine. " He pulled back and smiled widely. "And, we have something important to ask them, remember?" He tilted his head and raised an eyebrow and I smiled. We hadn't told them about the wedding, or the babies. We'd wanted to wait until we could get them together and ask them to stand up there with us.

  I rolled over to my side, bringing the back of his hand to my heart. He smiled wider and I imagined he could probably feel my heartbeat through his sensitive skin. "I know, it will be great. I guess I'm just nervous about the hugging and congratulating part. "

  He smirked at me. "It's not like I'll be running my hand up Tracey's shirt, she'll barely notice. "

  I smacked his arm and he laughed. "You better not. " I smirked as well and then a thought struck me. I grabbed his hand on my chest with both of mine and started rubbing the dead skin vigorously.

  He tilted his head and furrowed his brow. "What are you doing?"

  I grinned as I continued the friction on his hand. "An experiment. You tend to warm up the more you touch me, so I thought maybe I could warm you up before you touch Ben and Tracey. "

  He rolled his eyes and shook his head, then gave me a lopsided grin. "I could think of warmer places to shove my hand," he huskily told me.

  I stopped rubbing his hand and debated whether I should smack him or kiss him. Deciding we didn't have time for the latter, I smacked him on the arm. He laughed while I brought his hand to my cheek. I sighed at the slightly warmer feel of it and he smiled watching me. "There, nearly human. "

  He shook his head, adoration in his eyes. "That's my motto," he murmured. He leaned down to kiss me and I let myself get lost in it for a moment. But then we started getting too lost in it and I had to push him back when he started to move over the top off me. Pulling away from his mouth, I muttered, "We have a show time to make. " It came out a little breathlessly.

  Pressing against me h
e muttered, "We have time. "

  I bit my lip, but laughed and pushed him away from me. He gave me a disappointed face and I laughed harder, pushing him all the way off me. "You really are so incredibly easy," I giggled as he helped me stand.

  He made an affronted noise and grabbed his wallet from his nightstand. "I'll have you know," he pointed down to his jeans, "these are actually very difficult to get into. " He gave me a lopsided grin. "In fact, only one girl can. "

  I laughed and walked over to him, slinging my arms around his neck. "Good," I said, giving him a soft kiss.

  He pulled back, his pale eyes sparkling, just a bit too mischievously. "Yeah, I promise I won't tell her about you. "

  I gasped and brought my arm back to smack him soundly in the chest, but he blurred out of the room. "Chicken," I yelled out the open door. I heard laughter answer me, but he was probably already downstairs. "Smartass," I muttered, knowing full well he heard me.

  We pulled into the theater lot a moment later and holding hands, strolled into the lobby. We spotted Tracey and Hot Ben instantly, as they had their mouths all over each other, and grinning, we walked over to say hi.

  Tracey waved hello to us when she noticed our approach and I clenched Teren's hand tighter. We approached the eerily, equally attractive couple, his sculpted face and highlighted hair a compliment to her curves and blonde flowing mane. The two of them were almost more pleasing to look at when they stood together. Tracey's big blue eyes brightened when she took in Teren; she hadn't seen him in awhile. Ben either, for that matter, and, as he and Teren were sort of friends, he was the first to greet him.

  "Hey, man, glad you're back. " He clapped Teren on the shoulder, one arm still around Tracey. I exhaled and relaxed a smidge.

  Tracey giggled and leaned over to give Teren a quick one-armed hug. "Oh," she squeaked, "cold outside, isn't it?" She brought her hand to Hot Ben's chest and rested her head against his shoulder. "I'm glad your dad's okay, Teren," she said, and Ben nodded beside her.

  "Yeah, if he ever needs help again," he smiled dazzlingly, "I'd love to try working on a ranch. "

  Teren grinned and shot me a look. "Thank you, but I think that, uh. . . problem, won't come up again. " I started to laugh, and switched it to a cough into my hand. Teren squeezed my waist and I relaxed into his side, happy that everyone was oblivious to what that really meant, and happy that the horrid moment he'd just joked about, was a moment that we finally could joke about. A moment that was gratefully over. "Shall we?" Teren indicated the ticket line and laughing at being together again, we bought our tickets.

  After the movie, we headed to a bar, where we all sat in a noisy corner and Teren faked sipping his dark bottled beer. As you couldn't see through the glass at how much was left, no one suspected that he wasn't actually drinking it. Relaxing even more, as our deception started getting easier, and honestly, Tracey and Ben started getting drunker, I decided it was time to up that joyous feeling.

  To interrupt the conversations around me, I noisily clinked a spoon from a nearby table against my Shirley Temple glass. Tracey and Hot Ben stopped giggling into each other's sides and turned their heads to look at me. Teren grinned and chuckled as he knew what I was about to do.

  "Um. . . guys. " They both grinned and blinked at me and I thought we may have to give them a ride home. "Teren and I have some news. " We looked at each other and he smiled softly and grabbed my hand. Not looking back at Tracey and Hot Ben, I said to Teren, "We're getting married. "

  I heard the incredibly loud shriek from Tracey and watched Teren wince and close his eyes; that probably had been exceedingly loud to him. Twisting my head, I watched a half-drunk Tracey try and maul me over the table. Laughing, I stood up so she could hug me. She jumped up and down, squealing, and every head in the bar turned at the commotion. Trying to shush her, I added, "We'd like you guys to stand up with us. "

  At that point, she collapsed into my arms and started sobbing; I took that as a yes. Ben more calmly stood up to hug me around his girlfriend, and then clasped Teren's hand, who was now standing by my side, watching Tracey sob in my arms with an amused grin on his face. Ben congratulated us both and said he'd be honored. Tracey finally pulled back at that and slurringly said that she'd be honored too. Then she looked behind me at Teren and started sobbing all over again as she let go of me and reached out for him. I tensed, but honestly, she was so tipsy, he could have had icicles dripping from his nose and she wouldn't have noticed. She clung to him, sobbing on his shoulder and murmuring congratulations, until Ben finally pulled her back to her seat.

  Sniffing and wiping her nose, she hiccupped and asked, "When are you guys going to do it? Spring? Summer?"

  I grinned in my excitement and said, "The nineteenth. "

  She looked at me blankly. "Of which month?"

  I frowned and furrowed my brow. "Of this month. "

  He face dropped as her mouth fell open. "This month? Jesus, Emma, that's only a couple of weeks away. How about a longer heads up. " She shook her head and took a sip of her drink. Pausing, she muttered, "Why so fast? You pregnant or something?"

  I flushed and attempted to shake my head, but she saw the color in my cheeks and sputtered on her drink. "Holy shit, you are!"

  I sighed that I was a complete failure at keeping my secret off my face. I guess I was just too thrilled about it. Giving up, I shrugged and grinned as idiotically as I wanted to. "Yes, I am. "

  Her earlier exclamation was near silent in comparison to her new one. I thought we might get kicked out with the angry glares we were getting, and Teren actually brought his hands up to rub his temples. I suspected his hearing may be slightly less supernatural after tonight.

  She didn't even give me the chance to let me stand again before she stumbled over to my side and sat on my seat with me, flinging her arms around me and crying again. "I knew it was weird that you were drinking a Shirley Temple. "

  I laughed and hugged her back, glad that most of our secrets were out. Ben stood up to give Teren a brief hug, not commenting on his chilliness, and then we spent the rest of the night going over the upcoming nuptials.

  As our foursome was walking back to Teren's car later, after he'd agreed that we should take the sloppily drunk Tracey, and the slightly less drunk Ben, home, Teren suddenly stopped walking and looked down an alley. Furrowing his brow and cocking his head, he ignored the sounds of the two giggling people in our group and focused on something down the alley. My heart started beating harder as I whispered, "What is it?"

  "I don't. . . " His blue eyes narrowed and he took a step towards the dark crack between the two buildings.

  Panicked, I grabbed his elbow. He twisted to look at me and I roughly shook my head at him. "Don't you dare, Teren. You stay here. . . with me. " I searched his eyes until he finally nodded.

  Looking back to the alley, he shook his head. "I don't hear it anymore anyway. "

  As Tracey and Hot Ben laughed and bumped into the back of us, I asked him, "What did you hear?"

  He grabbed my hand and shook his head, starting to walk down the street to his car. "I'm not sure, it was really faint. " I swallowed - really faint to Teren was really faint. He noticed my reaction and grinned nonchalantly, bringing me closer to his side. "It was probably nothing. " His other hand went to his head. "I'm practically deaf now anyway. " He made a motion like he was trying to clean out his ear and I laughed, my fears momentarily tempered by his humor.

  I drove Teren's Prius with Tracey beside me while Teren followed us in Hot Ben's SUV. Tracey chatted the entire time we drove them to Ben's house. She briefly talked about my pregnancy, a little belligerently angry that I didn't tell her immediately, and then she switched to the wedding. She had seen a bridesmaid dress last week that would be perfect, and she wanted to go buy it tomorrow. I told her that was fine; I didn't care what her and my sister wore, I didn't even care what colors they wore. She giggled and described it in detail. I laughed a little wh
en she told me it was blood red. How perfect. I told her I'd call Ashley and we'd all go and find one for her too.

  After dropping them off at Hot Ben's apartment, and making sure the drunken couple would be okay for the rest of the night (which, as they started getting handsy in the entryway, I thought the rest of their night would be just fine), Teren and I made our way home. We got a little handsy in the entryway as well, and actually ended up stumbling half-dressed into his obligatory piano room, having a bit of an intimate moment on the bench in front of his baby grand.

  We fell asleep down there, with our feet up on the bench and a blanket from a nearby chair draped across our bare bodies. After the intensity died down, Spike had found us and nestled in-between us, and I sighed happily in my sleep at our odd little family.

  The next morning, I awoke to a steaming cup of cocoa placed on the floor by my head. An amused Teren was squatting behind it when I cracked my eyes open. He indicated where I was sprawled out on the floor, half of me underneath the piano bench and Spike nestled close into my side. "You move all this way. . . to have a slumber party on my floor?"

  I grinned and chuckled as I stretched out the kinks in my body, Spike stirring beside me and licking my shoulder. "I didn't hear you complaining last night," I muttered between yawns.

  He smirked and leaned down to kiss me. "I had nothing to complain about. " He sighed as he pulled away. "I have to go. . . I'll see you tonight. "

  He kissed me again and I playfully pulled him into me. He grunted as he lost his balance and the top half of him fell on the top half of me. He started laughing as Spike yelped and darted out of the room, but my appetite had sprung back up and I wasn't in a laughing mood. I wasn't letting up with the affectionate kisses either. His laughter died as well, as his humor switched to something else. He eagerly returned my ardent touches, his hands moving under the blanket to caress my bare skin. That hand went straight down to between my thighs and slid against me. I was ready for him again, already, and I moaned in his mouth as he worked his hand over me. Dropping his head to my shoulder he muttered, "Emma. . . I don't have time for this. . . "

  My response was a nonverbal one as I groaned and arched against his hand, feeling the heat his icy touch created, rising in me already. His body leaning against mine shifted so he could press his hips against my leg. His mouth came back to mine, nearly attacking me, and as his hand continued stoking my fire, he brought his thumb into the equation, circling it around my sensitive core as his fingers worked inside of me. I gasped and pulled at the top half of him leaning over me. My hands were everywhere - in his hair, pulling on his clothes, trying to pull him on top of me, even though that stupid bench was in the way.

  He murmured something about really needing to go and as I was nearly exploding, I breathlessly begged, "Please, don't. . . stop. "

  He groaned and slipped another finger in and I cried out as the pleasure ripped through me. His breath fast in my ear, he panted, "This is killing me. I need. . . something, Emma. "

  Without thinking about it, I brought my wrist to his mouth. He didn't hesitate at what I offered him. His free hand held my arm and he bit down, easily puncturing the skin. That was all I needed too. My release instantly burst through me, and I cried out with the force of it. He made several short moaning noises as he drank while I came. As his fingers and mouth slowed, I felt drained and satisfied, on multiple levels. Eventually he licked the wounds closed on my wrist and removed his fingers from inside my body; he licked those too. Still breathing slightly heavy, he pulled back to gaze at me with unfocused eyes.

  My own breath heavy, I ran a hand down his face, wiping a speck of blood off his lip. "Holy hell, Teren. Can we wake up like that every day?"

  He grinned and laughed, leaning in for a quick peck as his teeth retracted. "Now, I really do have to go. I love you. "

  I held onto his arm as he stood. "I love you too. " He grinned as he looked down on me, lightly shaking his head as he turned to leave the room. He called out another goodbye and then I heard the door shutting. I sighed as I reached over for my miraculously not toppled over hot chocolate, thinking I really, really loved living here.

  Later at work, I broke the news of my upcoming wedding to Clarice and the rest of my coworkers. I broke the news because a still bubbly (even with a hangover) Tracey wouldn't shut up about it. Clarice overheard us talking about dress shopping later and I cheerily confessed my plans. She gave me a three second smile before flatly saying, "You don't have any more vacation time, so I hope you weren't planning on a honeymoon. "

  Mentally I rolled my eyes, but I happily replied with, "No, we sort of already had our honeymoon. " I smiled at the memory of all the weeks we'd spent at the ranch and Clarice walked away, muttering something about that being a good thing. I did not mention to her that I'd be taking maternity leave before the year was up, and I made Tracey promise to do the same. I sort of had the feeling that that would drive Clarice over the edge.

  After work, Tracey and I carpooled in my cute bug and we picked up my sister before heading to the dress shop. It was a quaint little wedding boutique and I bit my lip as we walked past the pure white beauties in the window. Tracey and Ashley both laughed at my reaction and Ash muttered that it was sort of hypocritical for me to wear white, when I was already pregnant. I smacked her arm while Tracey laughed her agreeance.

  Smiling, we all entered the shop together. Ash and Tracey quickly found the dress Trace had picked out, and both had squealed with delight when they found a similar one for Ashley to try on. I was a little nervous for my sister, but the floor length dress had long sleeves and a high neckline, and would cover most of her scarred body. I was a little surprised that Tracey had even liked the conservative style when I saw it on the rack, but then they both tried them on, and I understood. It was very form fitted, and clung to their bodies in such a way, that they both may as well have been naked. We had my sister's altered, so it was just a tad looser on her, and then I started trying on dresses, just for fun.

  It was the third one I tried and I knew it was the one. It lightly trailed on the floor with a short train behind it. The sleeves were an intricate, see-through lace design with pearls stitched along the seams. The front was almost corset looking, but the respectable kind, with crisscrossing strips of satin emphasizing all of the assets that Teren adored, especially now that those assets had started to swell out a little. The back had a cutout shape of a heart between my shoulder blades and a row of pears lining my spine. The whole thing was elegant and a touch sexy and cost more than all my pantsuits combined. But it was perfect, and already fit me with no real adjustments needed. It seemed like a no brainer to me, so I ended up leaving that wedding boutique with dresses for the girls and a dress for me.

  I had Ash hide the dress for me at her place, which was my old place. After I'd moved out, Teren and I had eagerly helped her move in. My mom had objected at first, claiming the steep stairs were too challenging for her, as some of her joints were a little stiff, but Ash had rolled her eyes and told her that she was nearly twenty and wanted to try living on her own. Mom couldn't really object to that, so she'd halfheartedly helped us change her over.

  Ash loved it. She loved the independence and loved having friends from school over at any hour, not having to worry about waking Mom, and she'd confessed that she hoped to have a boy or two over. I smiled at that and hoped she did too. I hated the idea of her looks keeping her from the love she so deserved. That fear had led me to ask Teren to change her once, which he'd adamantly refused. But as I listened to her talk and heard the growing confidence in her voice, I suddenly heard a woman emerging from inside that scarred body, and I was positive that someday, some man would hear that woman too, and love her regardless.

  I was smiling over that thought as I came back to my new modern looking two-story home, with a breathtaking view of the ocean, out the wall of windows in the living room. Sunsets here were truly spectacular and I couldn't wait for t
he late days of summer, so Teren and I could sit out here every evening and enjoy them together. A thrill shot through me as I realized that Teren and I would be married by then, we'd be husband and wife. Then a frown hit me. I'd also be the size of a house by then. We'd have to check the weight limit on his deck.

  Teren disrupted my thoughts by easily picking me up and carting me off to the kitchen. He plopped me down at a chair by the kitchen table and asked about my shopping trip while he prepped a plate for me. My stomach rumbled as I eyed the steaming pile of lasagna before me, and not waiting for him to join me, I hungrily dug in, telling him all the details about the trip that I could. I mentioned I found a dress for me, but kept back the details of it. He could wait.

  He laughed at my hunger as he poured a glass of blood for himself from the steaming carafe, eerily similar to the kind his mom used at the ranch. He sat next to me, leaning back casually in his chair as he sipped his dinner. I watched him while I ate, wondering how a liquid diet could possibly be as satisfying as the calorie-leaden food currently plopping into mine. He watched me with an odd grin as I watched him. Taking a break from inhaling my food, I asked, "Do you miss it?"

  He tilted his head as he took another sip. "Miss what?"

  I raised a forkful of cheesy goodness. "Food. Real food. Well, human food. " Human food which I continued to shovel down my throat with abandon.

  He grinned lopsidedly and then shook his head. "No. " His pale eyes pulled away from my mouth to look into mine. "Surprisingly, no, I don't miss it. " He shrugged his shoulders and indicated my plate with his glass. "It doesn't even sound good anymore. "

  I smiled that at least he didn't miss something that he couldn't have anymore. I mean, he couldn't exactly digest the incredibly heavy food I was starting to get full on. "Well, that's good that you don't have to endure a lifelong. . . yearning. " I shrugged and then laughed at my choice of words.

  He laughed too and took a long drink of the blood, closing his eyes as he relished it. Slowly he opened them, the blue depths looking as satisfied as mine probably did. "No, I don't yearn. . . for that. " He grinned devilishly, his fangs only intensifying the look, and I felt a flush creep into my cheeks.

  He took a long draw of his drink and then smiled contently. "Besides, you wouldn't believe how good this is. " He closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath. A concerned look entered his face as he cracked an eye open. "Not as tasty as you, of course. "

  I laughed around a mouthful of food that he was actually concerned that I'd be offended that he enjoyed his cow drink more than he enjoyed me. I raised my wrist, the bandage on it reminding me vividly of this morning. A slow smile spread on his face as he remembered it too. "Oh, I know that, Teren. Don't worry, you make that painfully clear. " I smirked on the end of that and he chuckled as he took another sip.

  Then his eyes grew speculative and he cocked his head at me. Slowly he said, "Do you. . . Would you. . . want to try it?" He extended his glass to me.

  My eyes widened at that and my stomach tightened. Ew. Why would he think I wanted to try that? "No, Teren. . . gross. " His eyebrow lifted at that and I quickly amended with, "No offense. " He laughed, and started to pull his glass back.

  As he did, a fragrance hit me that I'd never smelled before. I grabbed his hand, and pulled the glass back to me. I inhaled the top of it while Teren scrunched his brows again. It smelled better than the meal I was ingesting. My mouth started to water as I imagined that thick, warm, fragrant liquid running down my throat. Grossed out at my own desires, I shoved his hand away from me and plugged my nose to keep that delicious smell back. "Oh my god, Teren. "

  He tilted his head as he took a sip. "That bad?" he asked.

  I shook my head. "No. . . that good. " I made a disgusted face and he laughed at seeing it.

  Extending the glass again, he said, "Are you sure you don't want to try it?"

  I forcefully shook my head. "Ew, no. " He shook his head, chuckling at me while I frowned at his reaction. "Hey, it's not me that wants it. " I placed a hand on my stomach, hoping the hormones in my body were really what were causing my craving. "These little bloodsuckers are the culprits. "

  He busted out laughing at that and stood at the table to lean over and give me a deep kiss. The blood on his tongue. . . was fabulous, and I hated myself for enjoying it. Pulling away, he sat back down and tilted back the rest of his dinner. "You're adorable, Emma. " He gave me a love filled gaze. "Don't ever change," he whispered. I did flush at that and smiled shyly as I finished the rest of my meal.

  When I was done, Teren cleaned up after me, sweeping my plate away as speedily as his mom did. Before I could stand to join him in the adjoining kitchen, he'd blurred back to the table and set a box right in front of me. I stared at it, seeing the small, velvet encased container, knowing perfectly well what fit inside boxes that size. My eyes started to water as I continued to stare at the thing.

  Teren squatted by my side, his voice soft in my ear while I was entranced. "It has occurred to me, that in the rush of all of this, I've missed a step. " His hand reached out for mine but I still couldn't tear my eyes away from that box. My heart was hammering.

  "I love you so much, Emma. I know we've rushed things, but I wouldn't change a second of our time together. " I finally tore my eyes away and looked at him, a tear finally dropping to my cheek. His eyes were overly wet as he gazed back at me. The level of love on his face took my breath away.

  He rubbed the back of my hand as he searched my face. "I know we don't have the kind of time together that I wish we could have. " He shook his head lightly. "I would keep you for all of eternity, if I could, if I could keep you just like you are. " His other hand came up to rest on my heart and I understood the reference. He meant if he could keep me mostly human, like I was now, but immortal, like him. I swallowed back the emotion as more tears fell on my cheeks. A tear fell from his as he continued. "But, even still, I will live every day that you have, trying to make you happy. And I won't ever take our time together for granted. "

  He swallowed as another tear dropped from his eye. With an achingly adorable smile, he moved his hand from my heart and opened the tiny box. In it, was the most incredible ring I'd ever seen. The diamond was round, flawless, and huge. The platinum band it was set in was lined on either side, all the way around the band, with small, blood-red rubies. I let out a soft sob at the symbolism. The ring was the perfect representation of him and me. Gently sliding the ring up the finger of my left hand, he whispered, "Will you marry me, Emma Taylor?"

  I could barely speak through the sobs, but my nodding and throwing myself into his lap was pretty much answer enough. I was a little startled at how emotional the actual proposal was to me, to both of us really. I mean, we'd already decided to get married, and picked a date, and I even picked out a dress today. But him placing that ring on my finger. . . something about that, made it all finally seem real, and I could not stop the torrent of tears.

  God, I love this man.