Page 46 of Protected by the Vampire

“And you were right. This world isn’t forgivin’,” he went on. “I walked into it blind, Soren. And today—” His voice faltered for the first time. “Today proved how out of my depth I am.”

“You survived,” I said.

“Barely.”

The word hung between us.

I hated that he wasn’t wrong.

Theo stepped forward again, refusing to let the distance remain. “I don’t want to stand behind you,” he said. “I want to stand beside you.”

Didn’t he see? “You already do.”

“Not like this.” He pressed his hand against my chest, right over my heart. “You’re stronger than anyone I’ve ever seen. Faster. Deadlier. And people will come for you because of it.”

“I can handle that and protect you at the same time. You don’t have to give up your mortality.”

“I know you can protect me,” he said, his gaze softening. “But I want to be able to do the same, and not just with the weapons Deacon gave me. They weren’t enough tonight. The vampires were too fast to track.”

My throat tightened.

“This isn’t just about me feelin’ weak,” he added. “It really is about me wantin’ to protect you too. I know I’ll age the same as you with the amulet the council gives fated mates. You told me that the other day when I was worried about growin’ old and being seen with a young stud at my side. But I want the strength. I want to be able to take anyone down who even tries to fuck with you in any way.”

I let out a slow breath, dragging a hand through my wet hair as I tried to find the right words. The right way to make him understand.

“You don’t know what you’re asking,” I said finally.

“Then tell me.”

“It’s not just strength,” I continued, my voice quieter now but no less intense. “It’s hunger. It’s losing parts of yourself. It’s centuries of watching everything you care about change or disappear while you remain the same.”

“I’m not scared of time,” Theo said.

“You should be.”

“I’m more scared of losin’ you.”

The honesty in that hit harder than anything else he’d said.

Silence stretched between us again, thick and heavy.

I studied him—really studied him. The set of his shoulders, the steadiness in his gaze, the absence of fear where there should have been some.

“You would want me to turn you?” I asked quietly.

Theo blinked. “Unless you want someone else to do it?”

“No,” I snarled, fingers digging into his hips as I brushed our cocks against each other. “Mine,” I stated darkly.

He smirked. “Then why ask?”

“I-I don’t know.” And I didn’t. I just need him to be sure this was something he truly desired and he wasn’t only acting from this one situation or from how I’d reacted to it. He’d felt my fear through the bond when I’d seen him covered in blood.

“Soren?” he murmured.

I exhaled slowly. “It’s not something we rush,” I said at last.

Relief flickered across his face, but he didn’t interrupt.