Tempting the Darkness: Book 5

“Cooper…no!”

“It’s the only way,” he said, then sunk his teeth back into her neck. He drank in her blood, sating not only his thirst for her, but his need to have her as well. He felt her struggling beneath him and knew he needed to calm her before the final release. Rising up, he cupped her face in his hand, steadying her as he looked into her eyes.

“There is no cure, my sweet, and I could not live without you in my life any longer. This is the only way. I love you,” he proclaimed and took her neck once more. As he drank her life into his, he felt something damp slide over his fingers. Glancing up, he saw that they were her tears. It would all be better in no time and then they could be as happy as they had been so long ago.

When he felt her heartbeat slow and her pulse weaken, he pulled away and bit into his wrist. “Drink from me, my sweet. Drink and live.”

Her eyes drooping, she opened her mouth—he knew to protest—but he placed his bloody wrist over her mouth instead. “Drink, Gabriella. It’s the only way to save you.” She hesitated but when the blood coated the back of her throat she gagged. To ward off choking, she began to swallow. She drank and drank and drank until Cooper felt his own pulse slow. He pulled his wrist away and took her lips. She tasted of his blood mixed with the sweetness that was his Gabriella.

He could feel her body as it began to regenerate, as it began to meld with his blood. When her mouth grew more eager, he pumped himself into her until they both screamed with their release.

“Why?” she whimpered, her arms falling to her sides.

Pulling free, he laid at her side, stroking her face. “It was the only way for you to have a life. Shh now, you need to sleep. Your body needs to reform.” He kissed her once more and sent her to a sleepy slumber.

Cooper dressed, feeling more alive than he had in more years than he could count. Mostly it was from the fresh human blood which he hadn’t had in many years, but he also knew it was because he had his love back.

Looking down at Gabriella as she slept, her body pink from their lovemaking, he felt the love wash over him.

Finally, he had her back.

Now all he needed was to bring her home.