Page 93 of Blood Bound

I lean into his touch, overwhelmed by the depth of his decision and its implications. “So you’re really…human now?”

He nods, wonder in his eyes. “Mortal, just like you. And I’ve never felt more alive.”

Suddenly, I notice a flicker of worry in his expression. His usual confidence seems to waver, and for the first time since I’ve known him, Darick looks…afraid.

“Rowan,” he goes on, “I need to know. Now that I’m…mortal, is this what you want? I’m not the powerful vampire you first knew. I’m just a man now.”

My heart aches at the doubt in his voice. I reach up, cupping his face in my hands, once again, marveling at the warmth of his skin.

“Darick,” I say softly, “I fell in love with you, not the vampire Lord Drake. Your strength, your bravery, your infuriating relentlessness – those are the things I love about you. And those haven’t changed.”

I see hope flicker in his eyes, but there’s still a shadow of doubt. I continue, pouring my heart into my words.

“I love you, Darick. Vampire or human, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that we’re together. You gave up eternity for me – how could I not want you?”

Darick’s eyes shine with emotion. He pulls me closer until we’re standing nose to nose. “I love you, Rowan Blackwood,” he says, his voice thick with feeling.

My heart soars at his words. We’re so close that our breaths mingle. “And I love you, Darick Drake.” Hearing myself say it still shakes me…because it’s true.

And then our lips meet and it feels different from before – warmer, more alive. I melt into it, savoring the warmth of his lips and the gentle pressure of his hands on my waist. When we finally part, I can’t help but smile up at him, my heart full of love and hope.

Once more, we turn to face the rising sun, Darick’s arm wrapped securely around me. The world seems brighter somehow, more vibrant. I lean my head against his shoulder, amazed at how quickly everything has changed.

“So,” I say, breaking the comfortable silence, “what do we do now?”

Darick chuckles softly. “Well, I suppose we have quite a few people to talk to.”

I groan, thinking of the insanity that awaits us. “My family is going to freak out. Again.”

“I imagine they will,” Darick agrees. “But I think they’ll come around once they understand what’s happened.”

I nod, and then another thought strikes me. “What about the vampires? How will they react to…this?” I gesture vaguely at his sun-kissed skin.

Darick’s expression grows serious. “That’s going to be complicated. I’ll need to step down from my position, of course. There will likely be power struggles, especially with Lucien still out there. Marcus will step in. He’s a good man. A leader. I have faith in him. But still…”

“You’ll regret leaving it behind?” I watch his face for signs of remorse. I find none.

“No. It’s been so long that I’ve been going through the motions. Hating the tedium. There’ll be fallout, though.”

“We’ll face it together,” I assure him, squeezing his hand.

His eyes soften as he looks at me. “I know,” he agrees. “My woman is a powerful witch. I’m not afraid of anything.

We stand in silence for a moment, watching the sun climb higher. Then I voice the thought that’s been nagging at me since I woke up.

“We need to find Mia,” I say quietly.

Darick nods, his expression determined. “We will. Now that I’m no longer bound by vampire politics and not afraid of you being targeted because of me, we can focus all our efforts on finding her.”

I feel a surge of hope at his words. With Darick by my side, it feels like anything is possible.

“It’s not going to be easy,” I muse.

“No, it won’t be. But we’ve already overcome so much. I’m pretty sure we’re unstoppable.”

“Especially if we have Gran on our side.”

He chuckles. “The woman is something else. I have a feeling she’s invincible. It’s probably where you get it from.”

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