Page 78 of Whispers of Ruin
She’d never allow herself to embrace a life of happiness withhim, even if it’s what the man would have wanted for her. If Fabian had loved her too, then her happiness would have been the most important thing to him, but Kaylia would never see it that way. To her, it was a betrayal to Fabian if she allowed herself to feel anything forhim.
But if she somehow moves past her guilt, that doesn’t mean she’ll want you too. At least, not in the same way you want her.
Immortals only fell in love once. And while, until this moment, the idea of love had never crossed his mind, sitting there, watching her sleep, he knew it was there, growing inside him with every passing second.
This wasn’t helping the pounding in his head as frustration over his weakness faded and fury rose to replace it. There was nothing he could do to chase away a ghost.
He could try to make her happy and ease her guilt over living her life. However, while she might come to love him too, it would never be in that head-over-heels way she’d experienced in the past.
It would never be as much as he loved her.
He loved her stubborn nature, her fierce protectiveness, the endless bravery she exhibited, and her giant heart. She was everything he’d never known he desired, and she washis, even if she couldn’t everbehis.
Fuck!
His head understood why they would never be equal in this relationship, even if it ended now or bloomed into something more. Immortals were loyal creatures who rarely gave their hearts; once they did, it was for good.
His heart screamed against the injustice of it all. It would never be satisfied with anything less thaneverythingfrom her because that’s what he would give her.
And he would have to learn to accept less or say goodbye once their time in Doomed Valley ended.
CHAPTERSEVENTY-TWO
His heart constrictedin his chest. It shrank at the idea of parting from her as the vampire half of him raged against such a thing.
He’d always considered his two halves equal, but now the vampire part of him was screaming to be heard and wouldn’t be denied. His fingers curled into the bedding as his fangs lengthened, and it took all he had to resist marking her as his.
For his sanity, the best thing he could do was let her go and retreat somewhere far away from her, but the vampire part of him would never allow such a thing. He was certain of that as it threatened to break free and take control.
He’d never experienced such a thing before, but now the vampire sought to stake its claim while he struggled to control it. The fact he remained so weak was probably the only reason he didn’t go to her now.
When her eyes fluttered open, some of his stress eased as she yawned before her gaze settled on him. Her sleepy smile sent his pulse into hyperdrive.
As she took him in, her smile faded, and she sat upright. “How are you feeling?”
He managed to retract his fangs before replying. “Don’t worry about me.”
“Of course I’m worried about you. We’ve never encountered anything like the mandarus before.”
“I’ll be fine, Kaylia. I already feel better.”
It wasn’t entirely a lie; he could stay awake now where he couldn’t earlier. When his eyes fell to her neck, saliva filled his mouth as his earlier hunger roared back to the forefront.
The shocking realization of how much he’d come to care for her buried his hunger for a bit, but it was back. His fangs throbbed in rhythm with every beat of her heart.
Her eyes raked over him; she obviously didn’t believe him. “We should return to Dragonia, check in, and take a better look at you. We’re still not sure what the lasting effects of the mandarus might be.”
“We’re not leaving without the crudue vine.”
“We can come back.”
“No. You heard Ryker; the jungle changes around us. Locating this place again, and him, could prove impossible, and we can’t leave a portal open because who knows what might go through it. Besides, Ryker and the witches have lost some of their own to help us with this; wewillsee it through with them.”
“I’m not suggesting we abandon them.”
“I know, but we can’t leave.”
He loved how the cleft in her chin became more noticeable when she set it in that stubborn way. She was adorable and would probably punch him for thinking so since she looked so determined to make him do what she wanted.
