"Some of your blood will heal me, won't it?"

Tears filled his eyes as she stared into them.

"s.h.i.t. You cry red. That's not good."

"This is too traumatic." He glanced down her body, paling. "You're shot too."

The dull throbbing in her side a.s.sured her of that. "I'm going to die?"

"No." His voice deepened as he leaned in. "I won't let you."

She felt weaker, colder, and knew her life was slipping away. "Will...you feeding me...some blood...fix all this?"

"No." His free hand lifted. "I have to turn you."

"You're sure?"

"I'm not letting you die. This injury is too severe to fix with a little blood, Lacey."

Footsteps pounded toward the doorway and Blaron suddenly appeared. "What happened?"

"Make sure he's dead."

She hoped the son of a b.i.t.c.h was dead. He'd staked her. As if shooting her wasn't enough.

"f.u.c.k." Blaron rushed across the room to check on Jeff. "He's dead."

"We're going to need fresh blood. Hurry!"

She concentrated on Lethal. Even with red tears filling his eyes, they were pretty.

"Lacey? Say yes."

He would turn her into a vampire or she'd die. She wasn't ready for that choice-death or being a bloodsucker. Sometimes hard choices had to be made though. She made hers.

"Don't let me go."

"Never."

He bit into his flesh with so much force that she flinched. The sound reminded her of biting into an apple. There was no time to ponder that though as he shoved his bleeding wrist against her mouth.

"Drink, my love."

The coppery taste flooded her tongue and she swallowed. Lethal curled around her and lifted her onto his lap while keeping his wrist firmly against her mouth.

"The bullet needs to come out," Blaron whispered.

"Wait until she pa.s.ses."

She really hoped that didn't mean what she thought it did. She was drinking blood to avoid dying.

"That's it, Lacey. Fight to live." Lethal rocked her.

She wouldn't give up.

"I'll go get more blood to replenish you and the pack doctor to dig out the bullets."

She wondered if she'd been shot multiple times, then remembered that Lethal had been shot too. She worried about him but struggled to stay awake. Exhaustion hit her hard and fast.

"Do it," Lethal rasped.

She wondered if he was telling her it was okay to fall asleep or if he was talking to his friend. In the end, it didn't matter. She pa.s.sed out.

Chapter Nine.

"Wake up, beautiful."

Lacey knew that deep baritone, and her body responded as instant desire spread through her. She opened her eyes, confused, and stared into an amused, familiar, handsome face. She tried to reach for Lethal but something held her. She stared at the silk binding her wrists to a headboard. Her legs were not tied.

"Are you kidding me?"

"You're not a morning person, are you?"

"Am I really a bloodsucker?" She ran her tongue over the smooth line of her upper teeth and shifted her naked skin against the silky sheets on the large bed. "I don't feel any different."

"You're a vampire." He paused. "You had me scared that I'd lose you."

"Me too."

That got a smile out of him. "Everything healed. You don't even have a scar."

She lifted her head and looked at the smooth skin between her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. The memory of being staked wouldn't fade as quickly, if ever.

"Wow." She remembered that Lethal had been shot and studied his bare chest. "You don't have any marks either."

"Blaron gave me blood after our doctor dug out the bullets. We can heal around them but it's best if they are removed."

"Did you drink it from bags or a person donor?"

"Bags. I told you, the only one I'll sink my teeth into from now on is you."

"I'm really a vampire? I thought I'd feel cold or dead."

He chuckled. "No. You're warm and you're my beautiful la.s.s still. You're just stronger."

"And allergic to the sun."

"Yes." He sobered. "I'll make it up to you."

"You didn't stake or shoot me. Jeff did that. No need to apologize or feel bad."

"I'm sorry he's dead."

"No, you're not. It's okay. I was kind of over it after he buried a chunk of wood in my chest. I wasn't feeling the love, you know?"

Lethal grinned. "That's my sa.s.sy la.s.s."

"Were you worried my personality would change once I was a vamp?"

"No. I just hoped you'd wake remembering you agreed to become one."

"Is that why I'm tied up? You were afraid I'd be angry? You saved my life."

"That's not why. I'm still a lot stronger and faster than you, so you couldn't hurt me. I always will be. Remember when I woke tied down?"

She stared at him, leery. "Yes."

"I took it well, didn't I?"

"I didn't turn you human, so it's not quite the same."

"True. At least there's no big skylight above our bed." He pointed up. "Just a chandelier."

She glanced up at it. "Really? Where are we? In a dining room?"

He chuckled. "I brought you to our home. I wanted you to wake in it. I bought the house already decorated and this is the master suite. You can change anything you like. I don't care what surrounds our bed as long as you're in it."

He sat on the edge of the mattress, wearing just a pair of silky boxers. Lacey studied them. "I like you better in leather, jeans or nothing."

"I live to make you happy now."

He stood and removed the boxers, turning to face her with a hard-on that was not to be missed. She lifted her gaze to his.

"You're definitely up this morning...or should I say evening?"

"Our day starts when the sun goes down."

"s.h.i.t. You mean every day we're going to be dead when the sun is up?"

"No, but we tend to sleep during the day. That pesky sun limits our mobility when it's shining." He stepped closer to the bed, interest sparking as his heated gaze roamed her bare body. "I can't decide what part of you I want to touch first."

"My wrists, when you untie me."

He laughed, climbing onto the bed. "I wasn't a smarta.s.s when you had me tied down."

"I'm special that way."

"Yes, you are." He stretched out next to her and slowly brushed his hand from her hip to her collarbone. "I need you, Lacey."

"I see that. You're pointing without the use of your hands."

All amus.e.m.e.nt fled as he stared at her. "I really mean it. I need you in my life. You make me happy, and I've fallen in love with you. Tell me you don't feel the same and I'll call you a liar. You say it in the way you look at me and the way we touch. You attacked a hunter to save me from his bullets. You could have died. Tell me if you've ever felt more alive and happy, even when you're calling me names."

She bit her lip, thinking, and knew what he said was true. She just wasn't willing to admit aloud yet that she had fallen in love with him. They were vampires and they'd live a long time together. The guy knew he was handsome and great in bed, so she figured he should work to get her to say it. She didn't want to be too easy. The thought amused her.

"I'm prepared to seduce you."

That piqued her interest and her body started to ache in antic.i.p.ation. "Really?"

He smiled. "For as long as it takes. You're stubborn and I'm it for the long haul. Forever."

"This is kind of nuts. We haven't known each other that long, yet here we are. Talk about a strange relationship."

"Ever heard of sane love?"

"Point made."

"Be honest with yourself, and me." His hand traced the underside of her breast. "You love me a little, don't you?"

She stared into his eyes and it shocked her to see unease. He was afraid she'd say no. He really meant it. He loved her. She no longer wanted to keep quiet.

"I do. I love you, Lethal."

His tension eased. "I'll convince you that you need me in your life as much as I need you. I have a long list of ways to seduce you until you believe it without question."

"Really?"

He grinned. "Oh yeah. I had a werewolf go shopping for us to ensure your pleasure. You said you like s.e.x toys. I am willing to do anything to prove that I'm the man who can make you happy."

"You're never going to let me forget what I said when we met, are you? So much for being a gentleman." She grinned, enjoying the verbal sparring. Life wouldn't be boring with Lethal.

"No." His hand caressed her skin. "You like me just as I am. What do you want me to do to you first, Lacey, love? Name it."

"Can we start with your mouth? I love that thing you do with your tongue."

"It's a given. I love the taste of you but first you need to feed. I don't want you pa.s.sing out on me. If you refuse to drink blood, fair warning, I had the werewolf buy a marker." His eyes sparkled with humor. "Don't think I forgot that either. I'd love to write 'mine' all over my favorite areas of your body. You'll take blood from me or risk waking covered in ink. We'll get you drinking bagged blood much, much later."

"You're killing the mood. Gross."

"You enjoyed kissing me."