loved the sound of his voice. In a strange way, his messages seemed as if she were coming home to him. Hearing his voice, knowing he still wanted to see her had kept her heart light.
Weeks had passed since his last message. He must have given up on her ever calling back, and she could not blame him. For over six weeks, she’d ignored his pursuit. He probably thought she hated him.
Funny, but it was herself she hated. She chastised herself for not realizing sooner how much she cared about him. It took his complete absence from her life to realize she needed him. She didn’t want to live without him. Without hearing his voice. Without knowing he cared.
Daelyn realized she loved him. And the time had come to admit it, to both herself and him.
Her hand went to her throat, her fingers traced the faint scar. Could she live with him being a vampire? Did she feel safe with him?
YES, her mind screamed.
She had never been surer of anything in her entire life. It had taken time, but she now realized Ky, the man, and Ky, the vampire, were one in the same. He had never hurt her, just the opposite, in fact. He’d been kind and tender. He had stirred a fiery passion within her that melted her bones. He was everything she wanted in a man.
Handsome, sweet, and he put her needs before his own. The way Ky looked at her, as if she was the only woman in the world, touched her heart. He opened doors for her, and saw to her comfort. She could spend the rest of her life loving a guy like Ky.
The rest of my life. She looked at the ceiling of her bedroom. I wonder how we could be together.
Demons lived a long time, often more than two centuries. If the movies could be believed, then Ky would live a very long time. Being mated to a vampire wouldn’t be so bad if her mate came with a long life, superhuman strength and speed. While not keen about the drinking blood part, she decided she could handle it, if it meant several lifetimes with a man like Ky.
And for all she knew vampires didn’t drink blood. In their time together, she never saw Ky consume anything that looked like blood. Since she had not given him a chance to explain about himself, she couldn’t be sure blood drinking came with the territory.
Daelyn needed to talk to Ky. She had questions and was finally ready to discover the answers. She realized they were meant to be together. Fate determined them mates, and she could only hope it was not too late to find happiness again in his strong arms. After all, he’d promised to take her to the Litha Festival and that celebration happened to be today. If nothing else, maybe she could use his promise to make him see her.
Lyn reached for the phone next to her bed.
****
Ky rubbed the back of his neck to ease the tension that pooled there in a painful ache of clenching muscles. Finding no relief, he blew out a heavy sigh, and brought his hand around to rub the night’s growth of beard. He stood in the wake of hopelessness. Lost in desperation, his insides cried out for him to end his suffering. He had found hope in Lyn. Hope for his future, that it might be full of joy and love.
Now he knew better.
It had been more than week since he’d last called her. Ten days? Thirteen? He couldn’t be sure, since time had lost all meaning. His life had fallen apart around him. Ky had no reason to get out of bed without the hope of talking to her. Utterly alone now, he realized the future held no hope for them.
He’d waited two months for her to come around. Two long, miserable months, during which he’d suffered in innumerable ways at the loss of her. She’d obviously given up on their love and moved on without him. The realization ripped his heart from his chest, just as he had done to her attacker. However, unlike Raziel, death did not take away the pain. Each day had become a struggle to exist, for without Lyn, his life seemed incomplete, unlivable.
He hated each day, took his anger and frustration out on those around him, until his boss forced him to take some time off. That only made things worse. Now he found himself alone each