Alec's P•O•V

She held to me tightly. At first I held her hesitantly, not wanting to hurt her in her weak state. I wrapped my arms around her more firmly and held close to her. I was surprised by her touch that sent warmth through my veins. I don't think I'd ever get used to the way it felt.

I buried my head in her shoulder and could hear her pulse in her neck. The want to taste her was something I couldn't disregard but the necessity to protect her from harm overpowered the instinct.

Raven pulled away and I saw by her uneasy expression that she must have been getting another headache. She held her temples and shut her eyes as she groaned.

I helped her lie back and propped her up against my pillows. She was sat up against the head board and I watched her with a concerned expression. Seeing her in pain because of my twin brother made me infuriated with him. I never wanted to see him anywhere near her again.

She opened her eyes and her expression relaxed. She noticed my pitiful gaze and gave a small smile.

"I'm fine. It'll be better in a week." Raven tried to convince me, but I wasn't buying it.

"You shouldn't have to deal with this." I said with a guilted tone. "It'll take weeks for it to go away. With no pain meds, it'll be worse." I informed her. She reached out and rubbed my bicep reassuringly.

"I'm not dying, Alec. It's just a concussion." Raven said with a soft tone, the same tone a mother would use to ease their child. But I wasn't at ease. I wasn't fine with this. I wasn't okay with her being in pain. Seeing her in the slightest bit of pain hit me deep.

She flinched again, but played it off, and tried hard for me not to notice that she was getting another headache. I could sense it in the way she slightly tensed up.

I brushed the hair away from her face and trailed the tips of my fingers down her face until I pulled my hand away.

"Do you trust me?" I asked. Raven studied my eyes and was quiet.

Finally, she nodded gently and I helped her sit up. I could hear her heart racing as she focused on me. I nodded reassuringly to her, not wanting her to be scared. I knew she trusted me, but the fear of the unknown would always be there.

I raised my palm up to my mouth and bit into it, my canines slicing into my chilled skin. The bitter metallic taste of my blood filled my mouth. I pulled away from my hand and watched the blood pool into my palm. I looked up to her and she looked up from my bleeding palm and into my eyes. Her heart pulsed rapidly as she swallowed hard and looked back down to the black blood.

Raven's lips parted slightly and she gently reached out for my hand. She held on to it unsurely and placed it to her lips. Her eyes closed tightly as she tasted my blood on her tongue. She tensed at first then I could feel her expression relax. She gradually took more and more, looking surprised. She furrowed her brow and gripped my hand tighter, as if she liked the taste. I swallowed hard, trying not to get sucked in to the feeling of her lips on my skin.

With her eyes still closed, Raven pulled away when my bite mark healed and cut off the blood flow. She licked her lip, almost giving me the idea that she liked it.

She opened her eyes and stared into mine.

"Better?" I murmured, my voice gruff from having her drink from me.

"Yes, very..." She said in a voice almost as soft as a whisper. I couldn't help but look down at her lips, now tainted purple from my black blood. It grew quiet.

I swallowed hard and involuntarily reached out to wipe the bottom of her lip gently with my thumb. I could hear her heart rate soar.

I leaned in and planted a gentle kiss on her lips. Shocks ran through my body. Kissing her was the one thing that made me feel fully warm. Her lips made my body feel alive, not cold or lifeless porcelain.

The jealousy and images of DeMalo kissing Raven were quickly dissipated. I could taste my blood on her lips, even when I parted from her.

I held my forehead pressed against hers. I opened my eyes and looked down into Raven's. She bit her lip and leaned back up, eager to feel my lips against hers once again. I quickly obliged.

My hands trailed down to her hips and gripped them hungrily. Kissing her freely after a month of watching her and not knowing what to do made me realize how much I needed her touch.

Raven gripped the collar of my shirt and pulled me closer. I got the message and leaned into her. Our lips moved so perfectly together, perfectly in sync. Everything about this kiss screamed uncontrollable. And I

loved it. Raven seemed to as well.

I was against the head board in the blink of an eye, sitting like she had been earlier. She laughed softly as I used my speed. Her giggle only lasted a second before she returned her lips against mine.

Unexpectedly, Raven pulled herself onto my lap, making me groan unconsciously. She smiled in the kiss and molded herself against me. I wrapped my arms around her and held her against me. It took everything in me to contain my strength.

I had never heard of a vampire male keeping his soulmate mortal. Part of the reason why they turned them so quickly was because they knew that one day their urges would become uncontrollable and if their woman was still mortal, she'd be torn to shreds.

I parted from Raven quickly. I kept my eyes shut and panted, not because I needed air, but because I needed to control myself. And as she sat on my lap...I was everything but in control.

She took this as a sign to kiss down my jawline. I gulped at the feeling of her soft lips trailing down to my neck.

"Raven..." I tried to say, hoping that'd catch her attention, but it only came out as a moan. She returned to my lips and ran her hands through my hair. I pulled away and this got her attention.

"Raven." I peeled open my eyes, trying to divide myself from the ecstasy inside of me. I gripped her thighs and almost pulled her back in, but it took every fiber within me to push her away. I gently pulled her off my lap and sat her on the bed.

"What's wrong?" She asked worriedly, reminding me so much of the day in the stable. I couldn't look at her. I kept my eyes closed and tried to contain myself.

"I can't - we can't do this." I said in a thick voice. I swallowed, trying to clear my tight throat and looked at her. She looked surprised but I could see a glimpse of hurt in her eyes.

"It's not that I don't want to. God, you wouldn't believe how much I want to. It's just..." I trailed off.

"It's just?" Raven asked, wondering what I was trying to say.

"You're mortal. The reason vampires turn their soulmates so soon is because of how fast we grow unpredictable and uncontrollable. I don't trust myself enough." I told her honestly. She furrowed her brow.

"But I trust you." She murmured. I could only imagine how hard this was for her to be hearing this.

"I know you do." I sighed and brushed the hair out of her eyes. She looked down at her lap and stayed silent.

"We just can't." I forced the words out of my mouth, got out of my bed, and left.

😩

❤❤❤❤