The Hunted (Blood Series Book 0)

Chapter 8

  Darby opened her eyes, finding herself in the big, beautiful canopy bed, being held by the most beautiful sleeping man she would ever know. Still asleep, his steady breathing on her shoulder, she felt so complete - so calm. Her chest hurt from the love she was feeling for this man. She never wanted to move from this spot. There was no place in the world she had ever felt this kind of peace and contentment. He couldn’t possibly feel the same way, could he?

  She thought about what Devon had said about her being able to read his mind in time and how maybe she had just never tried, so she concentrated. She focused on his breathing, the sound of his heart beating when she laid her head on his chest, the brown, calming eyes with love just for her in them, and the oneness they had felt last night. Then she felt a wave of warmth come over her and she saw her own face, smiling, wind blowing her hair and the sound of herself laughing. Then she saw her face in the candlelight, smiling, seductive, her hair spilled out on the pillow under her. She moaned in pleasure – Whoa, what the heck!

  “Those are my thoughts you’re seeing. The way I see you - picture you,” Devon said.

  “I don’t look like that.”

  “You do to me – beautiful, sexy, funny, everything I could ever want and more.” He kissed her.

  “Really?”

  “Yes – really!”

  “But that will change, in time. I’m not perfect, far from it. I’m sure I’ll have habits or things about me that you will find annoying or gross and I won’t always look like this.”

  “Annoying, maybe, but I can’t imagine anything you could do that I might consider gross. I am a vampire after all. My mother told me something once, which may pertain to this, or at least the way I think about things. She said that falling in love would be a wonderful experience, but it didn’t always end in true love. Love has many phases and it takes a lot of nurturing and hard work. Finding someone to take that path with you is just as hard as the path you’ll take and the phases you’ll face.

  “The first phase is the Bonfire phase. This is when you fall in love and you just can’t get enough of that special someone. It’s fun, inspiring, passionate, and for some, an addiction, but nobody can live forever in the bonfire phase. In this roaring flame you have a distorted view of your partner. They can do no wrong – they’re perfect in every way.

  “Then, the second phase kicks in, and this is where the flame dies down to campfire height. It’s still warm and wonderful, but the distortion has gone away. You can see your partner as they really are. You notice habits and flaws that you might find annoying. You either find you love your partner enough to get past all that, or you don’t. Some relationships crash and burn here.

  “The third phase is when the flame has died down to maybe the size of a stove burner. This is usually the time when couples have been together for a long while, probably married with children. The passion is there, but more often than not, it’s covered up by distractions of daily life. You can spend too much time comparing your lives to how it used to be, not how it could be. You can lose your way, or partner in the aftermath of this confusion. Sadly, many relationships crash and burn here.

  “But the fourth phase is the most amazing of all - a sign of the truest of love. The fire is now a candle. The partners still love each other, despite the height of the flame, despite aging, despite flaws and habits, and despite disappointments. You choose to see all the good that you’ve earned and shared along the way. You fondly remember the bonfire, the campfire, the stove burner, and even the candle too. You cherish these different phases, because they were all part of the journey together. This love is forever enduring, forever forgiving, forever loving, and absolutely forever.

  “With that being said, I don’t care what you may look like forty years from now, as long as I can accompany you on the journey.”

  “I would like very much to accompany you on that journey too.” She snuggled into him tightly. “I didn’t know any guys actually listened to their mother’s advice in matters of the heart.”

  “Well, I guess you were wrong than, weren’t you?”

  “Apparently.”

  She kissed his chest then lifted her head and supported it with her hand so that she could look into that loving, adorable face and drink in all that had happened last night. She smiled, gazing at him, and he flashed that sparkling grin again and she giggled. “Again?” she said with surprise.

  “Again and again and again and again,” he said seductively while smothering her with kisses.

  “Oh, all right – If I have to,” she said and giggled. “But then we go home, feed Harry, and start working on my powers, okay?”

  “As you wish, my love!” he answered. Then he rolled her on top of him and kissed her until her toes curled with pleasure.