To Love a Vampire - A.K. Koonce Page 0,37

wrap myself around you like I used to before.” His voice is even quieter now but with more confidence, his warm breath whispering over my flesh. “That the only happiness I feel every day is the few hours I get when my hands are on your body. That the sharp breaths you take when I touch you are the only indication that you care for me at all.”

I open my mouth to speak, his surprising confession startling me. But I don’t know what to say. His hand stops toying with my body and pulls on my hip until I’m flat on my back, looking up at him leaning over me, the bright stars glistening behind him, once again the archangel within the heavens.

I breathe in the dry, salty air and take in his clean scent. His crystal eyes search my face. His jaw strung tight, like the day I first laid eyes on him in the compound. He leans against one arm while his other drifts low over my hips, his fingers lightly digging into my skin.

“Are you jealous of Kaino?” I ask in a speculating whisper.

A small smile tugs at his serious face. His eyes narrow and his breathing accelerates just slightly. Just enough for me to notice in our close proximity.

“Kaino, no. Declan…” He pauses looking into my eyes for any signs I might give him.

I give him nothing.

“Maybe.”

I smile shyly at his confession. I make him jealous? The idea of it flutters happiness through me and guilts me all at once. Asher’s so perfect, even his imperfections are perfect to me. He’s hurt, and our past has hurt me. We’re both pained and jagged but together we’re almost smooth again. Our fates have been mixed together so much it’s strange that we are where we are right now. Side by jagged side. Together.

He has nothing to be jealous of. But a question still swarms my mind.

“Why not Kaino?”

He gives a deep and knowing laugh. It’s loud in the silence and fills the forest, scattering a few birds from their quiet hiding spots. It breaks across his face and his rarely seen dimples even make an appearance. Why is that so funny? I understand Kaino may not be the most… affectionate person towards almost anyone. But the idea of Kaino and I together is really this laughable to him?

My brows lower in annoyance and I shift slightly away from his warmth. There’s limited space on the pallet but I still put the effort into disconnecting my body from his side.

“Hey, don’t do that,” he says playfully, still displaying the world’s most annoyingly beautiful smile. He pulls me back to him and lowers his body closer to mine, his bare shoulder brushing against mine. “I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just,” He pauses and looks away from me for a moment. He’s considering his next words carefully. “There are a hundred reasons why I’m not jealous of the commander.” He bites his lip to try to keep from smiling again. “But him placing that sexy hitch in your breath that I give you every night, isn’t even a possibility.”

My breath falters and I gasp when he lowers his strong body against me. Silver, questioning eyes search mine. His face is once again serious, all shadowed angles emphasized in white moonlight. His weight pushes against me deliciously and nothing has ever made me feel so… complete. His legs settle between mine and a feeling begins tingling through my stomach as my thighs clench tightly around his hips.

My hands drift up his body to his hard chest, the need to be closer soaring under my skin. He leans against one arm near my head as the other trails up my body from my hip, lightly traveling over my stomach, my ribs, my chest and collar bone, before cradling my neck. Clear eyes question mine, a look of uncertainty fill the depths of his gaze. He leans into me, our hair brushing. My heart pounds into his chest, communicating to him without words. The only sign language he ever taught me.

“So no, I’m not jealous of Kaino, because,” he lowers his lips to mine, not quite touching, our warm breath mingling, “no one will ever take away what’s mine again.”

His lips brush mine, warm and slow. Then the world stops around us. Falling into nothingness. It’s a gentle kiss. My heart flutters in my chest, softly against his hard body. My fingers release his shoulders and push into his thick hair,