He lay down next to her. She rested her head on his chest. He held her in his arms, stroking her hair. Silently, they waited for the full effects of the change.
After half an hour, she stirred in his arms. “Oh my!” she exclaimed.
“How do you feel Jennifer?”
“I feel you inside me, in my blood. It races through my veins. I feel so
alive
and strong!”
She sat bolt upright and looked at his face, scrutinized it. “Your face is so vivid. It’s beautiful,” she said, running her fingers over every part of it.
“If you think my face is beautiful, just wait until you see another part of my body.” He smiled that crooked, sexy half smile.
“What?”
He laughed. “Glad to see you’re still so . . . you.” He looked down the length of his body. Her eyes followed.
“Jesus Christ!” She stared at his manhood. “Sweet.”
“You should know,” he said.
“You know what I want to do with you?” She leaped out of bed with incredible speed.
He put his arms behind his head and watched her. He was enjoying this so much, watching her move with such sensual grace and vibrancy. “I haven’t a clue.”
“I want to make love with you on one of those sex swings. Although, knowing me, I’d probably fall off the damn thing.”
“I think I
have
created a monster after all,” he teased. “Speaking of which, I want to fuck you on that swing.” He looked into her eyes, which were now as fierce as his and beyond beautiful. He cocked his head and smiled that wicked smile he knew she couldn’t resist. “I hope you don’t expect me to turn into some sort of saint now.”
“God, I hope not!” She exclaimed.
His voice grew solemn. He held her eyes with his. “It really is just a word, Jennifer. I love you and you love me. Those are the only words that really matter.”
She jumped on him. “I do love you Dorian
, and I want to do everything with you. Well, except the computer stuff.” She grimaced.
He caught her easily in his arms. “You needn’t worry about falling off anything. I think you’ll find you move through the world much more gracefully now. Speed, agility and grace are only part of all the gifts you have now. Sorry, being a vampire won’t change your technological issues. But, that’s my passion, not yours. You will head your own animal refuge. A no kill shelter in Miami. I’ll give you the start-up, but you’ll have to do the rest.”
“You’d do that for me?” she asked quietly.
“I think you should know by now that I’d do anything for you.” He looked deeply into her eyes, his gaze direct and unwavering; his voice low.
“Am I . . . a vampire now?” she asked.
“Yes. And I need you to promise me something right here and now. That you’ll never change, that you’ll always be my sweet girl and never become cold and detached like the vampires at e.Vampire did.”
She laughed and shook her head. “I’m sure you wouldn’t allow me too. After all, you
are
a control freak.”
“Indeed. Being a control freak has its advantages. Now stop talking and follow me.”
He picked up his pants from the floor and pulled a small black velvet box from a pocket and opened it slowly.
His eyes never strayed from her as she looked down in astonishment at the glittering, enormous diamond ring.
Again, her gorgeous green eyes met his. They glistened with tears, making them even more spectacular.
“Jennifer Reese. Will you marry me?” He asked; his whole heart in those words.
“There’s hope for you yet Dorian Taylor. You asked me instead of telling me.”
“Well?” he raised his eyebrows and frowned. “I’m waiting for an answer.”
“Yes Dorian! I’ll marry you!”
He slid the ring on her finger, his lips grazing her ear and whispered, “I love you.”
She stared down at the shimmering jewel and back at him. “I loved you from the moment I saw you and I always will.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him hard.
“Does anyone else know what you are?” She asked.
“Ian knows, of course. Julie doesn’t.”
“What about the people in our lives? What am I supposed to tell my cousin?”
“Tell them nothing. You can visit here whenever you want, but we can’t possibly live here. I think you know that. Miami gives us cover. It’s a large city and no-one cares. This is a small town. We couldn’t keep our secret and there are those who might try to hurt us.
I’ll take you back to Miami. But, I know you love this place and I can see why. The air is so clean and it’s a truly majestic place. I’ll buy us a house on an island here. I’ve already acquired some furnishings for it.”
“Oh?”
“I took some of our playthings from the room we shared at e.Vampire.com, including the bed you seemed so fascinated by and of course the X-frame and a few other . . . items we might enjoy.” His eyes twinkled mischievously.
“You’re the most amazing man I’ve ever known, Dorian Taylor. Is there nothing you haven’t thought of?
“No, there isn’t. I’m not a man who leaves anything to chance. I also have a mirror in which vampires can see themselves. I couldn’t let my lady go without a mirror, now could I?”
“What about the other vampires at e.Vampire.com? They are real vampires, aren’t they?”
“
Were.
They’re gone so is e.Vampire.com.” His eyes bored into hers, intense and dangerous, making sure she understood just what he’d done and that she was safe. “Ian shut the website and club down. He’s been a true friend to both of us. He and Shane will run the business while I take an extended leave of absence with my new bride. I offered Ian the gift of immortality as well, but he said he needed to talk it over with Julie.”
“Do you think he’ll accept it, that she’ll accept it?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. Love makes us do things we never thought we’d do in a million years. Wouldn’t you agree?”
***
That look in his eyes told her exactly what he’d done. He’d destroyed them all, for her, for both of them.
“Thank you Dorian for fighting for me, for coming back to me and saving my life,” she took his face in her hands and kissed him lovingly.
“You’ve nothing to thank me for, Jennifer. You’ve given me more than I ever hoped for. You’ve given me your trust, your acceptance and your whole heart. For me, there is no greater gift,” he said solemnly. “Are you ready to begin your new life . . . with me?”
“Yes
, Dorian. I’m ready.”
She jotted a quick note to Tina and pinned it to the door.
Dear Tina, Thank you for being there for me. I’m with Dorian. You were right
he does love me. Talk soon, Love, Jennifer.
He held out his hand and she took it. “Come. Ian is waiting.”
Together they walked out into the night.
She stopped short on the front porch and asked “Have you ever been snowboarding?”
“No, I’ve not.” He looked surprised by her question.
“You’ll like it. I promise.”
Laughing, he shook his head. “God, you make me happy.”
They walked toward the truck.
She glanced down at the glorious ring on her finger, a symbol of his love for her, knowing she had everything she could ever want.
She had
him.
And he was her everything.
The End