Her cheeks reddened, and she lowered her lashes. “Thank you, that means a lot, coming from you.”
Emery’s hand was still on hers, and he squeezed. “I don’t want you to leave, Jelisette.”
“Well, obviously.” She stared at the arm she’d just been stitching. “You’ll need me to take those out.”
He shook his head. “No. Not because of that.” Perhaps a few hundred years ago, he would have waited longer before making a declaration like the one he was about to make, but Emery had nearly lived for a thousand years. He didn’t want to waste any time. His heart was drawn to Jelisette, and he wanted her. All of her. “I want you to stay because I want you.”
Her breath hitched. “You do?” There was a hint of shyness in her voice that drew him towards her like never before.
He nodded. “Yes.” His voice was deep. “I think I’ve wanted you from the first moment we locked eyes across Starless Lake.”
The pull between them had been present even then. It was why he’d left in such a rush—it had caught him off guard, and fleeing was the only thing he could think to do.
Another long moment passed before Jelisette’s lips parted, and she dipped her head. “I’d like that very much.”
“Thank the gods,” Emery groaned.
Ignoring the pain running through him, he pushed himself up and drew her towards him. Their mouths crashed together in a kiss that was all tongues and teeth. It was not gentle, nor was it soft. Need radiated from them both as they kissed. Emery reached up with his good hand, weaving it through Jelisette’s hair and holding her close as he devoured her.
He swept his tongue across the seam of her lips, and she opened forhim with a moan. At the first taste of her, he groaned. She tasted like cinnamon, cloves, and the darkest night, and he couldn’t get enough of it.
They kissed and kissed until Jelisette pulled away. Her chest heaved, and she rested her forehead against his. “As much as I enjoy this,”—she drew away just enough that he could see the twinkle in her eyes—“and I am enjoying this immensely, we haven’t solved the problem as to why you aren’t healing.”
Emery’s eyes widened, and he glanced down at his arm. He’d forgotten all about that. To be fair, he’d been rather preoccupied by something far more important.
“I think I need to feed,” he admitted.
The blood in Jelisette’s apartment a week ago had been enough to hold him over, but when vampires were injured, they often needed fresh blood to heal properly.
She studied him before nodding. “I think so, too.” A long moment passed as she trailed her fingers up his arm. “We could find you a Source, or…” Her voice trailed off, and she shook her head. “No, that’s crazy.”
Emery’s brows furrowed. “What’s crazy? You can tell me.”
He didn’t think anything Jelisette could do or say anything that would ever put him off.
Jelisette frowned. Drawing her legs up onto the bed, she sat cross-legged and took his hand in hers. “I was thinking… but I don’t know… it seems insane.”
In all the time he’d known her—which, admittedly, wasn’t that long—Emery hadn’t heard her speak in circles like this. “Tell me, please.”
She chewed on her lip for a long moment before blurting, “IwasthinkingmaybeyoumightwanttoBindyourselftomeandthenneitherofuswouldneedtogetanotherSource.”
He blinked. “You want to Bind yourself to me?”
Emery knew what a Binding was, of course. Every vampire did. Bindings were rare, sacred events that brought two (or more) souls together beneath Isvana’s sacred touch. They were eternal, unbreakable commitments. If done with a human, as it was long ago when the Last King and Queen were Bound, it extended the mortal’s lifespan to matchthe vampire. When vampires were Bound, they didn’t need any other Sources.
The only thing more permanent and life-changing than a Binding was a Tether.
“Well, I thought… but maybe… it was stupid. Never mind.” Jelisette moved as if to dart off the bed.
Emery grabbed her arm and tugged her back. “Don’t go,” he said gruffly. “Please. I want to do it.”
If someone had asked him a month ago if he would ever Bind himself to someone, he would’ve laughed in their face. What a ridiculous notion. But now? He was all in. Jelisette had seen him at his worst—twice now—and she was still here. What more could he ask for?
It felt like an entire year passed before Jelisette nodded. “Okay. Good. Let’s do it.” She rolled up her sleeve and moved towards him. “We should do it now so you can heal.”
He wouldn’t argue with that. The pain of the wolf’s bite was radiating through him, and each moment was worse than the last. He wasn’t sure if a werewolf could kill a vampire, but he was not interested in finding out.
Emery shifted on the bed, moving so his back was against the headboard, and he looked over at Jelisette. The crystals glowed all around her, giving her a radiant aura. She was absolutely gorgeous, and she was going to be his.