Page 141 of Eternal Devotion

“Forgive you?”

“Oh, Ensley.” I went to move away, but he snagged my hand and kept me in place.

“You saved my life.”

“No, you naïve fool. I didn’t save your life. I’ve cursed you for an eternity. I forced the change because I’m a selfish bastard, no better than my uncle. I swore I would never do this to anyone.”

I tugged free from his hold and bolted for the door, but Ensley caught my arm.

“Stop. Please. Mordecai, I’m not mad. This isn’t a curse. You aren’t evil. Don’t you see what you’ve done?”

Oh, I saw, and in ten thousand years I would still hate myself for it.

Ensley turned me to face him. He cradled my jaw and rested his forehead against mine. “You’ve given us time, Mordecai. Time we wouldn’t have otherwise had. Don’t you see?”

“You’re glamorizing it.”

He chuckled. “How can I not? You’ve practically proposed. Two days ago, you were so focused on the limitations of our relationship. We don’t have any now.”

Ensley smiled, and my stomach curdled at the sight of his sharpened eyeteeth.

“Stop beating yourself up. How can I possibly be angry?”

“I told you he wouldn’t be mad,” Cristofer shouted from the lower level. “Didn’t I tell you?”

“Stop eavesdropping.”

“I love you, Mordecai. You’ve given me a gift. I will cherish it forever. I will cherish you forever.”

Cruel hope threatened to erase my sorrow. How could he not see the challenges he faced? How could he so readily accept what I’d done?

“I didn’t want to be here without you. I’m so tired of being alone in this terrible world.”

“You’re not alone anymore.”

“You’re not angry?”

“No. I’m grateful beyond words.”

“How? Why?”

He kissed me instead of answering, and I crumbled in his arms. Four centuries of grief and misery fell away. Was it possible that I was meant to find him, that we were meant to be together? Was this fate? Destiny?

I broke free from his mouth and peered into his eyes. “I promise I will love you until the world is no more.”

“You’re such a charmer.”

“You have my eternal devotion, Ensley.”

“And you have mine.”

Another kiss, and he guided me to the bed. As we tumbled onto the mattress, tangled in each other’s arms, Ensley broke from my mouth with a ponderous expression.

“What is it?” I asked.

He wet his lips. “I’m really hungry.”

I groaned.