Page 26 of Rescued By the Vampire Assassin

Joshua. Eternity. Family.

She had no sense of time passing, no way to measure how long the agony lasted. It could have been minutes or days. But gradually, agonizingly slowly, the pain began to recede. The fire in her veins cooled, replaced by a strange, humming energy that seemed to vibrate through her entire being.

Keri became aware of her body again, piece by piece. She felt the softness of fabric beneath her, the whisper of air against her skin. Scents assaulted her nose – rich earth, old wood, the metallic tang of blood. And beneath it all was a scent that made her entire body tingle with recognition: Joshua.

Her eyes fluttered open, and Keri gasped. The world exploded into vivid, overwhelming detail. She could see every fiber in the thick bedspread beneath her, every mote of dust floating in the air. Colors were richer, more vibrant than she had ever imagined possible. She was in the world’s largest, most comfortable bed. It certainly wasn’t her dingy apartment.

She had the weirdest dream...

"My love, how do you feel?"

Love.

Joshua’s voice washed over her like a physical caress, each syllable rich with nuance and meaning she had never perceived before. Keri opened her mouth to respond and was struck by the strange sensation in her jaw, the new weight of fangs pressing against her lower lip.

It hadn’t been a dream....

"I feel..." she paused, searching for words to describe the indescribable. "Alive. More alive than I've ever been."

Joshua's face broke into a smile, and Keri felt her breath catch in her throat. She had thought him beautiful before, but now, seen through her new vampiric senses, he was breathtaking. Every line of his face, every strand of his hair, seemed to call out to her, begging to be touched, to be memorized.

“Where am I?” she asked.

“You’re in my...our home.”

Without conscious thought, Keri reached out to him. Her hand moved faster than she expected, and she marveled at the grace and precision of the movement. When her fingers made contact with Joshua's cheek, a jolt of desire passed between them.

"Oh," Keri breathed, overwhelmed by the intensity of the sensation.

Joshua leaned into her touch, his eyes never leaving hers. "It's a lot to take in, I know," he said.

“How long has it been?”

“A few days. How are you feeling? Are you thirsty?"

As soon as he mentioned it, Keri became acutely aware of a burning sensation in her throat. It wasn't painful, exactly, but it was impossible to ignore. She swallowed hard, feeling the new configuration of her mouth, the sharp points of her fangs.

“Here,” he said, handing her a large glass of the most delicious-smelling liquid she’d ever experienced.

After she downed it in three large gulps, she realized it had been blood. It didn’t taste like it, though. It was like a fine wine, bursting with berries instead of a coppery tang.

“More?” he asked.

"No,” she said. “I’m fine for now.”

Pride and relief mingled on Joshua's face. "That's good," he said. "Very good. Many newborns are overwhelmed by the thirst at first. Your control is impressive."

Keri preened a little at the compliment, then paused as a thought struck her. "Joshua," she said slowly, "what happens now? With your clan, I mean. Will they accept me?"

"They will. You're my mate. The Nicolaus value family above all else. They'll welcome you with open arms."

The look that passed between them was charged with emotion and unspoken promise. Keri felt as if she could drown in Joshua's eyes and lose herself in the depths of feeling she saw there.

When his lips met hers, Keri thought she might combust from the sheer intensity of the kiss. Every nerve ending lit up, every sense heightened to an almost painful degree. She could taste the sweet liquid on his tongue and could hear the soft catch in his breath as she responded eagerly to the kiss. Her hands found their way into his hair, marveling at the silky texture and how each individual strand felt against her sensitive fingertips.

When they finally broke apart, both breathing heavily despite no longer needing air, Keri felt as if her entire world had shifted on its axis. Everything was new, everything was different, yet at the core of it all was this unshakeable certainty: she belonged here, with Joshua, in this new life.

"I can introduce you to the clan now if you want," Joshua said after a moment, his voice husky with barely restrained desire. Reluctantly, he helped her to her feet.

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