The Immortal Hunter(83)

Decker saw her swallow, her eyes shifting between his lips and the blood, and then he lowered his head the last few inches and pressed his mouth to hers. She managed to remain completely still and unresponsive for perhaps a heartbeat, and then Decker slid his tongue out to urge her lips apart, and she moaned and opened for him. He knew she could taste the blood he'd just consumed, knew it was like waving a glass of scotch under the nose of an alcoholic, and hoped to God this worked as he slid his arms around her and drew her against his body.

When she began to suck on his tongue, drawing off any remnants of blood remaining there, he hoped it might work, but when she then broke the kiss to lap up the blood on his chin and the blood that had trailed down his throat, he knew it had. When she'd cleaned up the last of the blood remaining, Dani pressed her head to his chest with a defeated sigh.

"You're hungry," he said quietly.

Her head nodded against his chest.

"Do you want me to open the bag?" When she stilled against him, but didn't respond, he added, "I'll turn my back if you like."

Dani sagged against him with a sigh, and then burst out, "I know this is stupid, but I don't want you to see-"

"It's all right," he said gently. "This is all new and upsetting. We'll take it slow."

Dani nodded, a little sigh slipping from her lips, and then she stepped away. Decker used his teeth to tear off a corner of the bag, holding it carefully to be sure he didn't spill any. He then handed it to her just as carefully. The moment Dani took it, he turned his back and waited. A soft sigh told him when she was done, but he gave her another moment before turning around.

"Thank you," Dani murmured as he took back the empty bag.

"Feel better?" Decker asked as he bent to set this bag with the other. She nodded her head as he straightened.

"I didn't think I-" She shook her head, unwilling to say that she'd needed blood.

Decker slid his arms around her and drew her back to rest against his chest. "I know. You'll soon learn to recognize the signs."

"I wish I didn't have to," she muttered.

Decker ran one hand up and down her back and then cupped her head and urged it up so he could see her face. "I'm sorry this is so upsetting to you, but I'm not sorry you're now an immortal. I would have turned you myself when you were ready for it."

"But now I'm-" She shook her head unhappily.

"You're Dani," he said quietly. "The nanos don't change that. You're Dr. Dani McGill. And fangs or no fangs, you're an immortal." He let that sink in and then added, "My immortal, my life mate, my hope for the future, and the woman I love."

Dani's head shot back at those words. Her heart leaped, but she stared wide-eyed at him through the dark and shook her head from side to side. "You don't love me, Decker. You can't."

"No?" he asked.

"No. We just met."

Decker nodded, but asked, "What do you know about me."

"Not much," she muttered, and then realized that wasn't true. They had managed to talk a little between lovemaking sessions in the barn. She knew he had a house on the outskirts of Toronto not far from an aunt named Marguerite that he was quite fond of, but that he didn't get to stay there much because he was always traveling for work. She knew he had a cottage up north where he occasionally got to go to enjoy the peace and quiet, that he preferred reading over television, and plays to movies. She knew he had six brothers and sisters-three older brothers and three younger sisters. She knew he liked food, loved sex, at least with her, and found Justin exasperating. And she knew he devoted his life to keeping mortals and immortals safe from those vampires, fanged or fangless, who chose to go rogue and wreaked havoc. Dani also knew he was calm in a crisis, strong, considerate...

"In here." Decker tapped her chest when she remained lost in her thoughts. "What do you know about me in here? Do you trust me?"

Dani considered the question. While she hadn't trusted him when they'd first met, that was because he'd been lying to her. But once he'd explained the lies and who and what he was... At the Parkers, the one person she'd wanted to see was Decker. She'd trusted that he would take care of things. She'd trusted him. Dani nodded. "Yes."

"Then believe me when I tell you, Dani McGill, that I love you. I love your independence, your determination, your love and concern for family, your intelligence, your wit, your-"

She covered his mouth with her hand. "I believe you. But it would never work between us. Even if you don't despise me for being a no-fanger-"

"Edentate," he corrected.

She nodded and continued, "Your family might. Leo said-"

"He lied. Or he truly believes those things, but he's crazy. My family will love you," Decker added, drawing her back into his arms. "And regardless, I love you, Dani. I'd give my life for you."

She gave a small laugh. "You almost did before we had even met in that clearing."

Decker shook his head. "You know getting shot wouldn't have killed me. I wasn't risking much there, but I would give my life for you, Dani. I'd give it to save your life, and even to just reverse what's happened and make you mortal and happy again if it would."

Dani snorted at the thought and unthinkingly muttered, "Well, that would hardly make me happy if you were dead."