Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side (50 page)

"I know, Lucius."

He drew me in again, resting his head back on my shoulder, as we both composed ourselves. We stood that way for a long time, until Lucius whispered, "There will always be a part of me that is treacherous, Antanasia. That will never change. I am a vampire, and a prince at that. A ruler of a dangerous race. If you are to do this, you will have to understand that..."

"I don't want you to change, Lucius," I promised him, drawing back so I could look into his eyes.

"And this world," he said. "I worry about you in this world. You will have enemies ... a princess does. And a vampire princess faces ruthless foes. Others will want your power and will not hesitate to do what I could not."

"You'll protect me. And I'm stronger than you think."

"Indeed, stronger than me," Lucius admitted, managing a grudging half-smile, although he was clearly still shaken, just like me. "I did all that I could to have my way—to keep you safe from me and our kind—but you would have your way, like a true princess."

"I wanted you, Lucius. I had to have my way."

We clung to each other in the center of the room, standing above the bloodstain that marked the passing of the vampire who'd tried to create in Lucius a real monster. Behind us, the fire crackled, and I thought back to the Christmas dance, when I'd been transported to this very scene, as we'd held each other. This—this had been the place I'd imagined.

Lucius bent his head and touched his lips to mine, still cradling my face, and in the very heart of that stone labyrinth we kissed, tenderly at first, our lips barely meeting, again and again. Then Lucius drew one hand up behind my head and another down to the small of my back, a gesture both protective and possessive, and kissed me more fiercely, and I knew that he was finally taking me for himself as his destined partner, for all time. That we would fulfill the pact.

He drew away, searching my face. All the softness was back in his eyes. I knew that I would see the warrior prince again, many times. He was still Lucius Vladescu. But the hardness, the harshness, that was inside him would never again be directed at me. It never had been, really. Only in his imaginings and fears.

"This is eternity, Antanasia," he said, both warning and imploring. "Eternity."

He was giving me one last chance to leave—and begging me not to.

I had no intention of going anywhere beyond that room or outside of his embrace. I bent my head back, wordlessly acquiescing, and closed my eyes as Lucius again found the point where my pulse beat strongest in my throat, and this time there was no hesitation, beyond the briefest few breaths during which we both savored the moment that would bring us together forever. Then his fangs pierced my throat, and I cried out softly, feeling him plunge, with sure force but infinite gentleness, into the vein, drinking me in.

"I love you, Lucius." I gasped, feeling myself drawn into his body, becoming a part of him. "I always have."

My own fangs were liberated, the ache ending, and when Lucius was done, my throat burning with an unimaginable, stinging pleasure, he drew me to one of the couches, pulling me onto him so I could reach his throat easily, and it seemed so natural to press my own mouth against him.

"Here, Antanasia," Lucius whispered, softly placing his fingertips beneath my chin, guiding me to the proper spot, and the moment I felt it, his pulse pounding just below the skin, I couldn't wait any longer, and I sank my own fangs deep into him, tasting him, making
him
a part of
me.

Lucius groaned, pressing me closer, so my fangs punctured more deeply and the blood flowed more swiftly, coursing cool and rich into my mouth. His blood tasted like power and passion touched by sweetness . . . just like Lucius.

"Oh, Antanasia," he whispered, caressing my face and helping me to ease out my still-unfamiliar fangs as I finished drinking, reluctantly. "I have always loved you, too."

We slept in each others arms on the couch in front of the fire, exhausted, completely satisfied, completely happy. At least I slept through the night. Lucius, at some point, arose and slipped away, because when I woke up just before dawn, realizing that I needed to hurry back to my home to destroy the note—before I accidentally abdicated—Lucius advised me that the young vampire guards had already been dispatched in the wee hours to ensure that my reign did not end unexpectedly early.

And as I lay curled up next to Lucius, my head on his chest, protected in the circle of his strong arms, fingers testing the tender puncture wounds on my throat, I realized that he had done more than order his minions to do his bidding.

The stake that had fallen to the carpet was gone.

Lucius never told me what became of it. Whether he'd tossed the reminder of his most violent deed and our darkest moment into the fire, which had been fed during the night, or hid the stake away somewhere in the castle, in case he should ever choose to use it again. And I never asked.

[end]