Page 128 of Filthy Rich Vampires: For Eternity

It was as if my words broke him. Julian dropped to his knees before me, his head falling into his hands. His body trembled, but his mind was blank. When he lifted his face, bloody tears stained his cheeks. “I...lost...you...”

Each word hit me with the force of a blow to my stomach. I stretched out a hand to him. “I’m right here.”

But he didn’t take it. Instead, he stared at it.

“Julian?” I pressed.

“I failed you,” he whispered.

I started to shake my head, soothing words poised on my lips, but he continued, “I said I would protect you. Both of you. I swore it.”

“Julian, there’s always going to be danger,” I said softly and perhaps later when I let the full weight of those emotions bear down on me, I would be scared. But right now, I could only feel one thing. Leaning forward, I grabbed hold of his hand and placed it on my stomach. “You saved us.”

“None of this would have happened if you had never—”

“Never what?” I cut him off.

“Met me,” he said.

I moved my hand over his, holding it against me. “And then I wouldn’t have this.” This time I found my smile easily. “I wouldn’t have you. Or my magic.”

“And you wouldn’t have died,” he snarled, “again.”

“Apparently, with me, you get more than one shot at proving how much you love me. I’m alive.” I pushed myself off the bed and dropped to the ground, knee to knee with him. “Because of you. The baby is alive because of you.”

“Because I’m a vampire. Not because I protected you.”

You protected me. His words were bleak in my mind.

I shifted away, blinking. “You’re angry with me.”

“No,” he bit out the word, his nostrils flaring. “Fuck, of course not… Okay, maybe a little. I’m not worth it. Not worth your lives.”

I grabbed hold of his shoulders, resisting the urge to shake him. “Yes, you are.” I angled my head until our eyes met. He lifted them slightly but a dark edge remained in them. “You are worth everything. And while we’re on the topic, I’m a little pissed at you.”

His whole head rose at my proclamation, surprise smoothing away some of the shadows.

“We protect each other. It’s not just your job to throw yourself in front of me. You are my mate. I will protect you, too.” Gripping his hand, I moved it to rest on my abdomen. “And we will protect our family.”

I understood why he was upset. Later we needed to talk. After the shock wore off. After we regrouped. But before we decided what to do next.

“I thought you were gone,” he whispered, his eyes wild with pain.

I shook my head. “I’m not gone, and now we know how our lives are bound.”

My words were quiet, but I felt the truth of them reverberate through me. The song of life has woven our souls as one, not to my fleeting body but to his immortal one. Not even death could come between us. He stared at me with an intensity that made my heart race.

“But if I die—”

“You won’t,” I cut him off. I didn’t want to think about the danger that always seemed to creep up on us, the fact that death was always lurking around the corner. All I wanted was this moment to cherish the bond between us. The hope of a future with so much love.

“Vampires can die, my love,” he said quietly.

I swallowed. “But you won’t.”

His eyes pinched at the edges as if he wanted to say more but knew he shouldn’t.

One of his thoughts strayed into my mind and I could have wept with relief to hear him there inside my head after his own mind had been so quiet. “I know everything dies, Julian. But for the last few weeks, I’ve lived with the fear that by binding my life to yours—”

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