Page 23 of Wynter's Bite

The glow in his eyes dimmed so he looked human once more. “I wish we could have more time together, but it is too dangerous to tarry. I will escort you home now before I go speak to my lord. Then I hope to meet with your father tomorrow evening.”

“Who is your lord?” There was still so much she did not know of this world she’d agreed to join.

“That I cannot tell you until you are one of us. I’ve already broken the laws by telling you my secret. I will not put others at risk.” He held out his arm. “Shall we go now?”

No, she did not want this night to end, but she did not want for them to be caught out. “Wait.” She reached into her pocket and withdrew the locket. “This was meant for my intended, so you must have it.”

He raised a brow. “Were my intentions that transparent?”

“Oh no, you maintained a maddening aura of mystery about this assignation.” Bethany laughed, relief washing over her that he did indeed return her feelings. “But I decided that no matter what you had to say, I would take this opportunity to declare my love.”

He opened the locket and stroked the lock of her hair as he gazed at her portrait. “I will wear it next to my heart and treasure it always.”

Without warning, he pulled her into his arms and embraced her so tightly that she could hear his heartbeat where her ear pressed against his chest. When she raised her head, he kissed her again, so deep and thoroughly that her knees turned to custard.

As if sensing her tentative balance, Justus scooped her up in his arms like she weighed less than goose down. “Let us get you home now.”

“Will you run faster than a dragonfly?” she asked, lacing her arms around his neck.

His low chuckle reverberated through her body. “As you wish.”

In a shot, he was off. The orchard blurred in her vision and the wind from their passing whipped against her cheeks, making her eyes water. Bethany’s stomach seemed to rise all the way up to her ribs at the rapid rate, so she closed her eyes tight and buried her face in his shoulder, trusting him not to crash into a tree.

Seconds later, he stopped and she opened her eyes to see that he’d already brought her to her front drive. Gently he set her back on her feet, grasping her shoulders as she regained her balance on wobbling legs.

“Until tomorrow,” he said and gave her one last kiss before he vanished into the night.

Tomorrow... The word echoed in her mind. Tomorrow night her life would change irrevocably.

Chapter Ten

Justus placed a finger to his lips. They still tingled from the heat of Bethany’s kiss. The taste of her blood sang on his tongue. For a moment, he paused to look up at the stars and thanked the heavens for the outcome of this night.

He’d been all but certain that Bethany would have laughed at him and accused him of being a madman at best, or fled from him in terror at worst.

Instead, she’d accepted what he was, and even made thoughtful inquiries. Most of all, she still loved him, despite the fact that he was not human. She even loved him enough to forsake her own humanity and give up her family and the possibility of having children.

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