David wrapped his wrists around my lower back and pressed my waist to his. "I am nothing without you. I won't promise to go on, because it would be a lie." He kissed my brow. "When you die, when you no longer exist, I will give myself to the monster inside me, Ara. I won't survive," he said, then smiled. "You will just have to promise me forever."

"I want to. But today, I can only promise my forever-not yours."

He exhaled heavily, leaning back, a mischievous grin igniting his eyes as he looked into mine. "I'll make you see reason. I can be very persuasive."

"And I can be very stubborn."

"And that, mon amour, is one of the things I love about you," he said with a husky laugh. "But please, just don't be too stubborn. I only have until the last leaf turns red and falls from the last tree. Then, I must go."

There was nothing more to say. A choice had to be made. We could have the summer together-it was our only promise. But everything else would just take more consideration.

I sat down between his legs, my back against his chest, his soft breath warming the top of my head, and awed the tranquil serenity of the lake for a while. Then, as my mind wandered over everything we just said, it stopped on one particular inquisition. "Okay, so tell me?" I squinted against the sun as I turned slightly to look at him. "When exactly did you want to feed from me?"

David laughed aloud. "It was right here on this spot, actually. The second time we came to the lake. Do you remember it?"

He obviously didn't know how clearly I remembered everything he and I had ever done together. "When you should've kissed me."

"Yes. It was very stupid of me. Not just because I didn't kiss you when I had the chance, but also because I hadn't had blood in two days. Which would've been fine if it weren't for these-" He ran his thumb along my lower lip; I closed my eyes, revelling in the tickly sensation. "Then, to make matters worse, I had to contend with your warm, velvet skin, your sweet smelling breath and this." He placed his hand on my chest. "I nearly completely lost control."

"Really?"

"Yes, but, after that day, I now know what I'm capable of. I need you in my life more than I need nourishment. I'm pretty sure that-" he grinned warmly, "-kissing you shouldn't be a problem."

"I think I kinda knew." I laid back against his chest. "I mean, I knew there was some reason you wouldn't kiss me, but I just never imagined it was because you wanted to bite me."

He smiled and kissed my forehead.

"Well," I mused, "I suppose that's the best excuse I've ever had for a boy not wanting to kiss me."

"There've been others?" David asked, curiosity lifting his tone.

"No, well, one-when I was about five. But that was because of cooties."

"Hm, yes, cooties. Horrible disease. Caught it once, myself," he joked.

"Was it from a girl?"

"Well, it wasn't from a cat, if that's what you're asking." David chuckled and pulled me tighter, kissing my forehead again-like his lips couldn't get enough of me.

We sat still for a while, quietly listening to the sound of our own thoughts-or maybe just mine. David and I could exist like this, in perfect unity, where the silent whispers of our minds filled the warm space around us. It didn't feel uncomfortable. And despite him knowing every little thought I had, including things like needing to go to the bathroom, it, strangely enough, wasn't awkward.

"David?"

"Yes, my love."

"No matter what I choose, you know I'll love you for as long as I live, right?"

He drew a long breath, becoming so still the only sound around us was the gentle songs of birds along the soft breeze. "Then, I guess," he said softly, releasing his breath, "I must hope that you will choose to live forever."

I wrapped his arms tighter around my shoulders and sat back, imagining it, as a darkened summer glow trilled across the southern sky, lighting the dusk with a brilliant red. The treetops turned orange first, and then, as the shadow of the night descended into the forest, I could no longer see the lake beside us, but marvelled at the heavens-littered with thousands of brightly twinkling stars.

In that moment, there was no death, no immortality, and farewells were for the unlucky. There was only David and I, and the night-forever.

For my forever.

Chapter Nineteen.

Leaning my shoulder against the window frame, I watched the sun rise over the hills to the east-the very same hills David ran to when he stole the blue rose. It'd been only four days since I was thrust into the world of the supernatural, but I still felt just as confused. No clarity had come with time passing. No decision had come waking me in the middle of the night, telling me if I should go with him or remain human. I was starting to wonder if it would.

The morning breeze brushed over the trees outside, forcing those below to hold onto their hats and papers a little tighter as they headed into the school. And I saw them all in a different kind of light now. Any one of them could be like David-there was no way of knowing. They all looked so normal, so human. Like he did, I guess.

I looked down at my soft, pale white hands and the little blue veins running under the skin, rising slightly over the bones. These were the hands of a mythological vampire, not David's; his were warmer than mine, and pink and strong, and they shook a little when he held them out in front of him for too long. I wondered how much of that was well-rehearsed human behaviour, or really just the way his hands were, which made me wonder what he would have been like when he was human.

"Morning, beautiful." He sprung up on my windowsill.

I stumbled back, hand over chest-trying to stop my heart from leaping out. "David. You have a habit of popping up when I'm thinking about you."

"Do I?"

"Mm, but I think you already know that."

He grinned and placed a paper bag in my hand, kissing my cheek as he stepped into my room. "For the ogre."

"Ooh. Yum." The warm scent of vanilla and cinnamon wafted out in a moist puff from the bag. "Afraid I'll bite you if the ogre gets tempestuous again?"

"Don't joke-" He pointed at me as he flopped down on my bed. "Your bite is pretty sharp for a fangless wonder."

"Says he whose bruises recovered in ten seconds." I walked over to sit next to him. "You want some?"

He shook his head. "I've eaten already."

"Food or..."

"I missed you last night," he said softly, pushing the curtain of hair away from my face, totally ignoring my question.

"Oh, what? You mean you didn't sneak into my room?"

"Well, I came by to check on you, but I never stay if your dreams are peaceful."

"How would you know they're peaceful?"

"I can see them." He grinned and laid back on my pillow. "Last night, you were dreaming about Mike."

Dread spread through me, stiffening my arms.

"Ha!" His lips turned up sharply, showing his fangs. "So, you remember your dream, then?"

I rolled my eyes. "It wasn't like that."

He scoffed, tucking his hands behind his head. "Looked pretty intense to me."

"You're reading into it wrong," I said, trying my hand at dream analysis. "I wasn't dreaming about Mike, specifically, just the friendship I had with him...that I now have with you-only that with you, I have so much more. His face was a representation of our relationship, but the body," I scoffed, motioning to David's fine chest, "was clearly you."

David nodded, still smiling, with an edge of mockery in his eyes. "Should I be worried?"

"No," I said with a mouthful of pastry. "Don't be silly."

"Do you love Mike?"

"No."

He sat up, dropping his elbows to his knees, his hands clasped. "You sure?"

I sighed. "Look, I do love Mike, but it's a different kind of love. Here." I took his hand and placed it against my cheek. "You told me you can see the past if I let you-see for yourself. Read my mind."

His emerald-green eyes darted over my face. "Really? You'll let me read your mind?"

"Mm-hm."

He closed his eyes, exhaling slowly. "Thank you, Ara."

"Did you see?"

"No." He pulled his hand down from my face. "If you say you don't love him that way, then I believe you. I don't need to see it in your memories. Just don't break my heart, okay?"

"Okay. I promise. Now, can you stop hassling me and let me get ready for school? We're gonna be late." I popped the last bite of pastry into my mouth and kissed David on the lips. "Thanks for breaky, by the way. It was delicious."

"I imagine it must've tasted the way you would," he said thoughtfully.

"Well, you'll never know." I winked at him, then practically skipped into my wardrobe. After I pulled my shirt off and snapped the clasp of my bra behind me, a warm, honest chuckle filled my room. I peeked around the corner.

"How old were you in this photo?" David asked, without looking up from the small square sheet.

"Two or three, I think."

"The boy next to you is Mike?"

"Yup, and he'd just tipped a bucket of bathwater over my head."

"Yeah, I kinda gathered that." David nodded, smiling tenderly at the picture. "He picked on you a lot, didn't he?"

"Yup. Not much has changed, really."

David slipped the photo back into my nightstand where he'd been snooping. "You were a very cute baby."

"I know. So, what about you?" I headed back to my wardrobe and shimmied into my jeans. "Do you have any baby pictures?" His pause of consideration turned into a long silence, so I stepped back into my room. "David?"

"There were some." He nodded, his gaze distant. "My father was never one for portraits. As Jason and I grew older and would sit for long enough, my uncle had a few done. There may still be one in existence."

"Didn't your mother ever have one done?" I asked, and David's eyes darkened instantly. I covered my mouth with both hands. "I'm sorry-that just slipped out. I forgot she passed away."

"No, no, Ara, it's fine. Please-" he took my hand, "-don't be sorry."

"But I am. I feel really bad. I should've remembered that." I slumped down on the bed beside him, sucking my gut in a little since I had no shirt to cover it.

"Make you a deal." He ran his thumb over my bra strap. "You can say whatever you want to me, if you do it dressed like this."

I laughed. "Should I go put on a shirt?"

He smiled. "No."

"Will you tell me about her-your mother?"

His gaze drifted to distant places. "I mentioned once that she died when I was a baby?"

"Yes. Childbirth?"

"Yes."

I clicked my tongue. "Aw, David."

He shook his head. "It was common for those times, especially with Jason and I being a multiple birth. She simply gave birth, then fell asleep-never woke up again."

"Did she ever get to see you?"

"She named me before she died-since I was first born. Jason came shortly after, but, she simply had nothing left to fight with. Before the midwife even cut the cord-she was gone."

"So, did your father ever talk about her?"

He shook his head. "I'm told she was beautiful and loved by many. But, my aunt was the only woman I ever considered my mother."

"Well...what happened to her?"

David's smile tightened. "Another time, my love."

"Okay." I stood up. "Another time, then."

His eyes narrowed, but the corners of his lips indented his cheek with a slight dimple.

"What?" I said. "Do I have breakfast on my face?"