"You love me?"

I stared up at him stumped for words."All this time, " I whispered huskily almost to myself," and you never said a word. " The last I said with brimming anger. I have been with him for just about forever and he couldn't bring himself say the three words that mattered. Not until now.

"You never said them either, " he reminded me unperturbed. I gaped at him. Was this what it came down to who did or did not say it.

"But you already knew," I reminded him.

"Just as you should have known too," he said simply.

"How could I have had a clue. You've been a dick for three whole years. That's forever in my book," I exclaimed indignantly.

His light chuckle of laughter did not help. Neither did knowing how he spent those three long years fliting from beding one girl to another. I reached out automatically to slap him. But he caught my hand instead bringing it to his still smirking lips to press them to my open palm.

I felt instantly weakened.

" I don't understand, " I said and I didn't. I didn't know why he had done what he did.

"It was simply really. My dad wants you dead as do the rest of my family. I want you alive. Making you my scion was an accident. That drug flipped my mind that night. I should never have fed you my blood or drank from you either. But after that first taste I found that I couldn't drink from any other. You were it for me. My life is truely tied to you in every way. You don't know how terrifying that is. To know that my only love is a walking target for all my enemies. I didn't want people to suspect just how much you mean to me. So I kept my distance from you and slept around with others. But people are not stupid. A scion doesn't last month's let alone years like you have. My feelings for you was bound to become apparent to all. Becoming a master didn't help matters either. I am expected to wed and carry on the line. I can't do that. I only want you," he shrugged simply.

I stared up at him dumbfounded by all he said. Silent for so long he now revealed too much for me.

"But your dad knows," I reminded him.

His sigh was audible. "He has known for a long time now. But my mum had been keeping him in line but it appears his patience is at an end."

"So what do we do, " I asked him. I looked up at him with utter conviction that he would have a way out of this mess for us.

" I suggest you heal and then I have no idea," he said blankly. I stared back at him not expecting that.

He slowly shifted to the side and pulled me up against his chest but his shirt was bloody and well yucky so I pointed that out and he rose up to shrug out of it.

I suppose we both could use a wash but I was too tired and I think he needed to rest too. So we did. Closing our eyes wrapped up in each others arms the world and its problems faded away to leave us in momentary peace.