Cassidy said as she walked with him toward his apartment.
Unsure what to do with her hands, she shoved them in her pockets as she stared at the cracks in the sidewalk. Her stomach churned with anxiety over this conversation, but she smiled when she spotted a dandelion growing through one of the cracks and carefully stepped around it.
Dante gave her a sidelong glance as she walked beside him with her head bowed. For the first time since meeting her, there was an awkwardness between them he didn’t understand. He also sensed something more to her question.
“Yes,” he said.
Cassidy glanced around the street, but they were in a mostly residential area now, and they still had some time before the bars called last call, so the street was almost empty. No one could overhear them here.
“My parents are mated, most of my siblings have found their mates, and my adopted uncles are mated. When a vampire finds their mate, it’s often an instantaneous attraction, and it’s impossible to deny. I’ve also been told it can be extremely overwhelming, especially since vampires are often on edge until they complete the bond.”
He studied her as she avoided stepping on another weed. Her words struck a chord in him as they described how he felt since meeting her. Could she be his mate? He blew the possibility off before, but was she meant to be his forever?
Excitement thrummed through his veins as he took in her beautiful countenance. If he could join with anyone throughout eternity, it would be Cassidy with her stubborn ways, fantastic voice, and loving heart. She was as beautiful inside as she was outside, and that was so rare to find in this world.
“Interesting,” he murmured.
“The closer a vampire gets with their mate, the tougher it is to resist completing the bond.”
“I see.”
Cassidy glanced at him from under her lashes. “Do you?”
Dante frowned at her. Then, like he was hit upside the head by a two-by-four, he understood why she was talking about this. I’m not the only one questioning if I’ve encountered my mate.
“Do you think I’m your mate?” he asked and held his breath while he waited for her response.
“I’m not sure. It’s too early to tell… I think,” she muttered more to herself than to him. “But I feel more attracted to you than anyone I’ve ever known before.”
That admission left her feeling vulnerable and exposed, and she hated every second of it. In her pockets, her fingers dug into her palms as she focused on the headlights coming toward them.
On the street corner, a group of kids was hanging out on the steps of one of the apartment buildings. When they laughed at something one of them said, their laughter caused a smile to tug at the corners of her mouth. They were so happy and so oblivious to the real horrors lurking in this world; she hoped they stayed that way.
Dante continued to study her as she smiled. Since first seeing her, he’d done nothing but think about her. The other night, he had no intention of returning to the bar, but after seeing her on the street, he couldn’t resist.
She’d filled his thoughts and fantasies for two weeks; even now, he’d give anything to taste and feel the warmth of her skin again. Did that mean she was his mate?
“What happens if vampires don’t complete the mate bond?” he asked.
Cassidy didn’t speak as they passed the kids on the stairs. Lost in their conversation, their laughter, and the magic of the spring night, the kids didn’t acknowledge their passing.
“If one of the people involved in the bond is human, the vampire is compelled to change them. If the bond isn’t completed, or if a mate dies, the vampire goes insane, becomes a Savage, or kills themselves,” she said when they were out of earshot.
“Shit,” Dante said.
Cassidy smiled grimly as they arrived at his apartment building and stopped at the bottom of the steps. “It’s a powerful bond. And sex, or an exchange of blood without completing the bond, only increases a vampire’s compulsion to claim their mate. A vampire, especially a pureblood like me, can start to lose control pretty fast afterward if they don’t complete the bond.”
Dante willed her to look at him, and finally, she lifted her eyes to his. The trepidation and vulnerability in her gaze made it impossible for him to resist her. Without thinking, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest.
He kissed the top