"You'll let it go?"

"For now. But you should know I hit the send b.u.t.ton on that sweet little revenge you had set up."

She tried to step back. "How could you?"

"It was either that or hunt him down and shred him to pieces."

"That was my revenge to take!"

"No, that was your test to fail."

She blinked. Her muscles were nothing against his as he pulled her against his chest. "Did you think I didn't unerstand?" He shook his head. "You wanted to prove you were better than him. You did."

"But you had to push the b.u.t.ton."

"Yes. You can hate me for it if you want, but that son of a b.i.t.c.h wasn't getting off free and clear. And this way it's done."

A period on a part of her life she'd tried to forget. She didn't know how she felt about that. "Why are you telling me now?"

His thumb stroked down her cheek. "I told you. I don't want anything about that b.a.s.t.a.r.d coming between us."

Even the revenge he'd taken in her name, freeing her from the mora.s.s of guilt and hate and fear that had immobilized her every time she'd tried.

Cupping his cheek in her hand, she smiled shakily. "Thank you."

"Do I get a reward?"

Sliding her hands up his chest, she dropped her restraint. "Maybe you should take me back to your house and collect."

"Maybe I should just collect here."

The thought sent a thrill through her veins, quickly followed by horror.

Slade laughed. "Not as adventurous as you thought."

"No."

With a laugh, he scooped her up into his arms. "Good, because the only one I want seeing my woman going wild is me."

She linked her hands behind his neck. Resting her cheek on his chest, she relaxed, enjoying the sensation of being taken care of. "Woman, not mate. Are you trying to tell me something?"

"I was human once."

The biggest part of him still was. His boots thudded on the porch steps. Her smile spread. Each boot step meant they were closer to their bed. To their future. "And this is important why?"

He stopped at the door. Reaching down she opened it.

"If you can't be vampire, then I'll meet you halfway."

"I don't understand."

"It occurred to me that if the application of your research were moderated, a vampire could cheat immortality. Gradually. Over time."

She grabbed the doorjamb with both hands. "Hold on."

"What?"

"You're talking about killing yourself."

With a flex of muscle, he popped her grip free. "I'm talking about aging gracefully with the antic.i.p.ated result at the end. The same as you."

"Killing yourself," she repeated. "Dear G.o.d, do you think I'd ask that of you?"

"No." He let her slide down his body. "That's why I took the decision out of your hands."

"Good G.o.d." She rubbed her hand over her forehead. "You do know how to kill the mood."

"I thought I was setting it."

"I'm beginning to wish I'd never started that research."

"But you did, and we can use it."

She took another step back. "No, we can't."

"Jane?"

She sat on the couch. The ramifications of the formula running through her head. And no matter what scenario she ran, the answer was always the same. Disaster.

Slade stood over her. "What is it?"

"You have to understand, when I made that formula, I had no idea vampires or werewolves existed. I certainly didn't know there was some supernatural war going on. I mean seriously, who knew anything like that existed outside of the movies?"

He knelt in front of her. "Jane."

She shook her head. "Don't say anything yet. Just hold me."

He pulled her into his arms. "All right."

She rested her head against his shoulder and breathed his scent, taking her strength from his. "One thing is for sure, Vamp Man. You sure know how to shake up a woman's world."

His big hand cupped her cheek. She loved when he did that. The touch of his hand curving around her face, the touch of his energy curving around her heart, it just completed some invisible circle she'd never known lacked closure. It gave her courage.

"I want you to make love to me, Slade."

"After you tell me what's wrong."

"No. Before."

"Why?"

She took his hat off his head and tossed it on the coffee table. "I'll tell you after."

"What makes you think I can perform under such duress?"

She tugged her shirt over her head and unhooked her bra. "I plan on providing incentive."

He shrugged out of his shirt. "That's some incentive."

She dropped her bra to the floor. "I've always thought rewards should be worth the sacrifice."

He came over her, using his weight to press her back into the couch cushions. She went down without a protest. Wiggling into a better position, she drew her leg up so his c.o.c.k rested against her p.u.s.s.y. Even through two layers of clothing, the impact was stunning. She closed her eyes as every fiber in her being whispered, "Yes."

"Make that h.e.l.l yes."

She opened her eyes to find Slade smiling down at her, his expression one of love and pa.s.sion. "h.e.l.l yes."

He chuckled. And reached down. Harsh rips preceded the removal of her jeans. Tiny nips preceded his path down her body. A growl of satisfaction punctuated his arrival at his destination. He was going to kiss her there. She couldn't breathe, couldn't move, couldn't do anything but wait for that first touch of his tongue. And he made her wait, keeping her suspended on the high wire of antic.i.p.ation, caressing her with his breath, his mind, smiling as the tension in her coiled tighter. Antic.i.p.ation turned to tingles. Tingles turned to l.u.s.t. l.u.s.t to demand. She grabbed his hair.

"Slade."

"Just savoring the moment."

"I'd rather you savor me."

"Duly noted."

It wasn't the first time a man had loved her with his mouth. She'd had her wild years and her misguided years, and for the last few years, her cautious years, but this was the first time a man had truly made love to her. With every touch of his lips, every luxurious pa.s.s of his tongue, Slade told her he loved her. Sweetly. Pa.s.sionately. Tenderly. Drawing out every sensation until she wanted to scream with the pleasure. She started crying instead.

"Jane?"

She shook her head, wiping at her tears.

Slade kissed his way up her torso, wiping the tears from her cheek. "What's wrong?"

It just made her cry harder that he hadn't probed her mind for the answer.

Turning them so she lay across his chest, he cupped her head in his hands, wiping her tears with his thumbs while his beautiful eyes studied every nuance of her expression.

"You love me."

"I thought that was understood."

She shook her head. "Why didn't you say something?"

"Because you would have run."

She sniffed. "You make me sound so messed up."

"You've been hurt."

"So were you when you were younger."

"I've never been betrayed. It makes a difference."

"d.a.m.n it. Why do you have to be so honorable?"

"Excuse me?"

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she buried her face in his throat. His scent immediately surrounded her. Hot, male, with that light addictive undertone that was uniquely his. "I was going to trick you into converting me."

"Why?"

He didn't sound surprised. "If you tell me you knew all along, I'm going to stop feeling guilty."

His fingers threaded through her hair. "I knew all along."

"d.a.m.n it. You won't even let me feel guilt."

He pulled her head back, studying her face before shaking his head and kissing her softly. "We agreed however this goes, it goes our way. No guilt. No manipulation."

"Then you need to convert me."

"You don't want that."

"Well, I don't want you poisoning yourself."

"Then we'll work out something else."

The blood tests were her safety net. By not telling him, she could buy time just in case things with Slade didn't work out. All she had to do was keep her mouth shut. For once, hedging her bet wasn't appealing. "Something else might already be in the works."

His smile grew broader, took on a certain knowing air. There could be only one reason. Pushing up, she glared at him. "Oh my G.o.d, you checked my tests."

"I already told you, everything about you is my concern."

"Then you already know that somehow, someway, I'm already on my way to being vampire and that conversion isn't going to kill me."

"Yes."

Another thought hit her. "But you offered to grow old with me anyway."

"Just because I accidentally started you down a road you didn't want to go, doesn't mean you should be forced to continue."

"You really meant that?"

"Yes."

"Why?"