Page 245 of Evil Hearts

“Do you ever wish it were different?” Amelia’s heart ached for him.

“Every day. But meeting you has given me hope.”

“Hope for what?”

“Hope for love, for a future where I am not alone,” he confessed, his eyes searching hers for understanding.

Could she truly be the light he sought? The one to wrench him from centuries of despair?

Love seemed so simple in theory but entangled with shadows and secrets, it became something else entirely.

“You won’t be alone anymore,” Amelia vowed.

“Are you sure?” Dimitri’s expression wavered, vulnerability peeking through. “This life is dangerous, filled with shadows and secrets.” Doubt flashed in the depths of his gaze. His vulnerability was laid bare before her—a sharp variance to the inscrutable facade he usually wore.

She kissed him deeply, sealing her promise with passion. “I want this, Dimitri. I want you.”

“My beloved,” he whispered, his voice hoarse. “You are my light in the darkness.”

Their lips met again, the kiss deepening, overflowing with heat and lust. Dimitri’s hands roamed her body, and Amelia moaned into his mouth, lost in the sensation.

Was she ready to embrace this darkness fully? Yes, yes, she was.

“Drink from me,” she urged, baring her neck to him. “Make me yours completely.”

“Are you certain?” Dimitri’s fangs grazed her skin, sending a nice buzz through her.

“Do it.” She gasped, anticipation coursing through her veins.

With a growl, Dimitri sank his fangs into her neck, a sharp sting followed by a rush of euphoria. Amelia moaned in pleasure, her body arching against his. The sensation was intoxicating,a heady sensation of pain and ecstasy. Dimitri lifted his head, his lips stained with her blood. He kissed her fiercely, and her body melted into his. She was stepping into an abyss with no guarantee of safety or happiness—only the certainty of her feelings for him. And as their lips met again in fervent unity, she knew there was no turning back now. He lifted his head and looked down at her with a soft smile.

“Amelia,” he whispered against her lips. “Do you want to be immortal?”

Chapter Seven

Amelia lay onthe silk sheets, her auburn hair fanned out like a halo. The last rays of sunset painted Dimitri’s bedroom in hues of orange and gold. She trailed her fingers over his chest, mulling over the question he had asked her earlier—”Do you want to be immortal?”

Immortality.The implications seemed laden with doubtfulness. To be turned, to share his immortal life, was a gift beyond measure. But it also meant leaving her humanity behind, embracing the shadows that now lingered at the edge of her vision.

“Are you hungry, lyubimaya?” Dimitri’s voice interrupted her thoughts, his accent curling around the endearment.

“Starving.” With a reluctant sigh, she slid out from under the covers, feeling the cool air kiss her skin.

They dressed quickly, each lost in their own thoughts.

Dimitri called for Henry. “Henry, we need some dinner, please.”

Within moments, Henry appeared in the doorway. His salt-and-pepper hair was combed neatly off his forehead, his butler’s black and white uniform crisp and tailored. He stood rigid, hands clasped behind his back, but face turned a dark shade of red. His entire frame shook with barely restrained fury.

“Henry, what’s wrong?” Amelia stepped closer.

The chamber felt icier, as if the very air was siphoning heat from her body. She had never seen Henry like this—so raw, so unhinged. What had she stumbled into?

“Wrong? Oh, there’s plenty wrong,” Henry spat, his body quivering with rage. He pointed an accusatory finger at Dimitri. “I heard you, Master Dimitri. These walls are thin. I heard you ask this…this woman if she wanted immortality! How dare you! I have been loyal all these years and this is how you betray me! With some fling with this slutty human?”

The word ‘slutty’ cut through Amelia like a knife. She bristled, ready to defend herself, but she decided to remain silent.

“Henry, please,” Dimitri said. “It’s not what you think—”

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