Page 23 of Her Immortal Mate

"I know they will." He stops pacing, shoulders tight. "Without the dark elves, humans will face threats from us. Some vrakken haven't fed properly in weeks. Humans are rare here. Valuable. And…" He swallows hard. "The magic makes the hunger worse. I felt it while I was down there."

My throat goes dry. "But we should be protected. At least by leadersh-"

"Who can't be everywhere at once." He crouches in front of me, wings curling forward like a shield. "The tunnels are vast. Dark. Easy to get lost in. And some vrakken don't care about law when blood-starved."

"So what are you saying?"

Eike's fingers brush my cheek, his touch sending electricity down my spine. The silver in his eyes darkens to storm clouds. "I can't let anything happen to you."

"Why me?" The words slip out before I can stop them. "There are other humans here who need protection too."

His wings curl tighter around us, blocking out the rest of the world. "Because the thought of you getting hurt tears me apart." His thumb traces my jaw. "Because watching you in danger makes my chest ache. Because every time you smile, I forget what I am."

My heart pounds against my ribs. "Eike-"

"I love you." The words come out raw, desperate. "I've fought it. Tried to deny it. But knowing what's about to happen, I can't ignore it anymore." He presses his forehead to mine. "I can't lose you, Mae."

I reach up, threading my fingers through his hair. "Then don't."

"What?"

"Don't lose me." I pull back enough to meet his gaze. And I know that I probably never would say this, but I continue. "I love you too. Have for weeks now." A laugh bubbles up. "God, I thought I was crazy. Falling for you while there's a war going on. When I barely get any time with you."

His hands frame my face. "And somehow, the little moments I got was enough to fall for you."

He pulls me into a kiss, and I want to melt into it. But all too soon, he pulls back. My brows furrow as I try to piece together why.

"I can protect you," Eike whispers against my skin. "Make you stronger than any dark elf. Make you like me."

I freeze, my fingers still tangled in his hair. "You mean... Change me?"

His wings shift closer, creating a cocoon of warmth around us. "You'd never have to fear them again. Never have to worry about being hunted or trapped." His thumb traces my pulse point. "And we'd have forever."

My heart races beneath his touch. Until now, becoming a vrakken was never something I'd considered. When I first arrived on Protheka, all I wanted was to find a way back home — to escape. But home feels distant now, like a half-remembered dream.

"Would it hurt?" I ask.

"I'd make it as painless as possible." He pulls back enough to meet my gaze. "My venom can numb a lot of it. I'll make sure you sleep through most of it."

I think of the dark elves hunting us, of the dangers lurking in those magic-filled tunnels. Of watching Eike live forever while I grow old and die. The choice suddenly seems obvious.

"Yes." The word comes out stronger than I expect. "I want you to Change me."

His eyes darken. "Are you sure?"

"I want forever with you." I touch his face. "I want to be strong enough to fight beside you."

"Then we should go now, before the others notice." He glances toward the tent flap. "Back to our cave in the forest. It'll be safer there."

I nod, scrambling to my feet. "Give me a minute to pack."

My hands shake as I stuff clothes and medical supplies into my pack. Eike watches from the entrance, wings twitching with nervous energy.

"Ready?" he asks when I shoulder the bag.

"Ready."

He scoops me into his arms, and we take off into the night. The stars blur above us as his wings cut through the cool air.Below, the forest stretches endless and dark, but I'm not afraid. Not anymore.

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