He bumped me with his elbow, smirking wider. “I still will.”

The soft rising and falling of David’s chest soothed the emptiness in my heart for the absence of his mind from this world. I’d never take his breath, his words, or his smile for granted, ever again.

I sat on the edge of his bed and stroked my thumb over his newly-grown eyebrow. From the outside, aside from looking a little sunburnt, he was otherwise perfect—the old David. But, inside, he was still raw and grated. Morgaine said he’d probably look something like a saucy cheese pizza. Consequently, I haven’t been able to eat pizza since then.

In some ways, despite him still being in so much pain, I was glad he’d healed on the outside, because I wasn’t sure how much longer I could go on seeing him like that.

“Happy six week anniversary, David,” I whispered softly and kissed his forehead—my lips barely touching his skin.

“Ara.”

A hand grabbed mine, and my lips froze above his face. “Did I hurt you?”

“No. I just needed to touch you.” His voice sounded clearer today. “You always run away so quickly.”

“I’m sorry. I just thought I was hurting you.”

“Not at all.” One corner of his mouth pulled up into a smile, his skin still too dry to show his dimple.

“How are you feeling?”

“Better.”

“Are you hungry?” I held out my wrist.

“Yes.”

“Eat.”

He hesitated, looking back at my eyes. “You haven’t had my blood—will you be immune to my venom?”

“Why? Do you want to bite today?” My tone peaked with excitement. “Are you feeling well enough?”

“I think so.” He touched his neck. “My throat burns for the bite. I just...don’t know if I can use my teeth anymore.”

“There’s only one way to find out.” I grinned wildly.

He shook his head, still holding my arm.

I wish he would bite me. I miss his bite, his touch—I miss lying with him, feeling his arms around my shoulders, his lips on my neck. “I miss you,” I said.

He titled his head a little, his smile poorly concealing sympathy. “I’m not going anywhere—ever again.”

“I know.” I bit my lip, considering the colour in his eyes, how, a second ago it was bright green, but for every breath he tried be normal, the colour faded, became murky. “You look so tired, so pale.”

“I won’t for long.” He smiled, the warmth lighting the corners of his lips.

I pressed my thumb to where his dimple should be. “I have to go out for a bit longer today.”

“Training?”

“Yeah.” I rolled my eyes. “Mike wants to teach me how to manipulate the elements—because apparently he’s mastered it. Never mind that he burst a water main the other day, practicing.”

He laughed breathily through his nose. “You know it took me nearly twenty years to master that.”

“Mike’s had Morgaine to teach him.”

“She’s a good teacher.”

“Yeah. She’s been my Lilithian politics and history teacher, too.”

“I know. I’ve been listening. But you haven’t.”

I sat quiet for a moment. “It’s boring. I hate politics, David. Half the time I feel like I’m falling asleep.”

“No matter, you need to learn this stuff, Ara. The past will form the foundations for decisions about the future.”

“You sound like Mike.”

David chuckled. “How is he—Mike?”

“You know him; he’s in his element with all this knight business. He was born for this stuff.” I sat taller, grinning.

David, struggling to contain a cough, rolled slightly onto his side, doing well to hide his pain from me. “He doesn’t come to see me.”

“He’s busy with the knights.”

“No. He blames himself for this.” He motioned down his body. “He tried to convince us the plan would fail.”

“He did?”

“Yes. Said it was ludicrous, to think for one second, that you’d actually kill me.”

My gut wrenched.

He moved quickly to grab my hand. “Not because of how much you love me, mon amour, because he thought you wouldn’t have the strength—the courage.”

“Then he doesn’t know me very well.”

“No one but me does.” David looked at the roof for a second, lifting his hips to reposition himself. “The Knights—have you started—?”

“Turning them?” I shook my head. “Not yet. Mike wants me to at least be able to defend myself before I go into a room of dangerous men.”

“Typical.” David grinned.

“Yeah. He’s right, though. If Drake had a mole in there, it could be bad.”

“For them—” David’s voice grated out through his lips this time. “Mike will—” He rolled slightly and coughed, trying to catch his breath.

“Shh, don’t speak, David.” I touched his chest. “Rest now. We have plenty of time.”

With a deep, laboured breath, he turned his head and closed his eyes. I reached across and gently brushed wisps of his thick, wavy hair away from his forehead.

“Ara?” Mike tapped on the door.

“Hey, Mike.”

“Hey. Training. Now. I gotta leave for the manor a bit earlier than planned.”

“Oh, okay. Sure. I’ll just give David some blood, then I’ll be there.”

“Okay. Five minutes. Max.”

“Got it.” I saluted him then turned back to David, rolling my sleeve. “David?”

He roused from sleep long enough to watch me dig into my vein. It still felt weird to openly cut myself; to just dig my nail in and press until blood spilled out; something about it felt so wrong, kind of scary.

My heart jumped into my throat as a pair of ice-cold fingers shot up and grabbed my wrist. Before the breath even left my lips in a gasp, David planted my stinging arm to his mouth and sucked hard—closing his eyes, losing himself to the pleasure of my blood.

“You’re getting stronger.” I winced, my arm tensing with the throb of his bite. His touch, combined with the smooth circles of his tongue over my flesh, made my blood run hot inside.