I was floating. My body wrapped tightly around Idris's strong arms. He held me as if I was his salvation. Breathed me in like I was the air for his lungs. Kissed me like he needed me more than anything in the world. His hands ran through my hair, holding the sides of my head as he deepened the kiss with such passion it ignited my soul.

I felt safe in his arms. Loved by his kisses. It felt right. So right that it felt natural. As if we hadn't just met and we had been longtime lovers.

Soulmate, he had told me that's what he was. My soulmate.... but that couldn't be.

"Henry-" I pulled away, breathless. My body felt empty without Idris's touch. How could I let myself get like this? So attached so soon. I was making a fool of myself. Henry was my soulmate not Idris.

"Idris, I can't do this. I'm with Henry."

Idris stroked his lip, as if pulling away from him had cut him. "Alixandria, I am your soulmate not Henry. I know you feel it." He took my hand in his, bringing it up to his face. His eyes went dark as he showed me the beast that lurked behind and I sighed in awe. Fearful and yet enthralled. Idris's eyes were midnight behind his dark lashes. His skin smooth and golden. I felt the light stubble of his jaw. He was so much a man and yet a beast.

"Even seeing me like this," Idris extended his fangs showing me completely who he really was. "You don't fear me."

How could I? Idris was beautiful even as a monster. Perhaps it was that he made me feel safe that I couldn't fear him in his darkest form.

Idris brought my finger to his lips. His fangs gently grazing them. He took my other hand and brought it to his chest where I felt his heart pounding. The feel of his hard chest sent a shiver down my spine. I was drawn to Idris in a way I couldn't explain.

"I know you feel it, Alixandria. The way it hurts when we're apart. How good it feels when we touch..." he stroked my chin, caressing my face. "You're as drawn to me as I am to you."

His fangs retracted and his eyes slowly returned to their beautiful light green with silver in the center. How was Idris possible?

"Idris what are you?"

"Does it truly matter Alixandria? I would never let what I am hurt you." He whispered. "All I want is to protect you. To have you by my side as my soulmate."

"Idris," I sighed. That word suddenly brought up Henry and how I had betrayed him. After all Henry had done for me. "I already have a soulmate."

"A soulmate who is hardly here for you. You think all I can feel is your need through our bond?" He raised a brow in question and it took Alixandria off guard. "I can feel how lonely you are, whether you admit it to yourself or not...deep down, I know you know he is not your mate."

Idris's words stung, because in many ways they held a truth that Alixandria was not ready to admit, she couldn't. "Even if that were true, Henry has been there to protect me since the start. He helped me heal...put me back together. If it wasn't for him, I can't even say I'd be here today."

Idris furrowed his brows. I could tell he was trying to contain that beast that lurked beneath him.

He sighed, running his fingers through his scalp and looked at me as if he had given up. "I'm a vampire, Alixandria. Which is why I know you are my soulmate. I felt the bond between us the moment I saw you, but your human so you have a harder time feeling the bond the way I do. You think your body goes into overdrive when you're next to me," He stepped closer. "You can't even imagine how much worse it is for me. It's like my body tears itself apart when I'm not with you and every instinct in my body tells me to bite you so that you can feel our bond. It tells me to turn you so that you understand that we are soulmates."

I was flat against the wall again as Idris inched closer. My heart drummed loudly in my chest. "Idris you don't understand. The way you feel about me... is the way I feel about Henry." Idris stopped in his tracks, his chest heaving as if I had just shot him.

"Owing someone and loving someone are not the same thing."

"I–I love Henry, Idris. I have to respect that, you need to respect that."

"I can't do that."

"Why–"

"You're asking me to stop caring for you, to stop wanting you when I know you want me. Why are you fighting this?" He stepped closer, taking my hand, sending a jolt of pleasure lancing through my body. "Look at you." His eyes drew down every inch of me and only when our eyes connected did I feel how absolutely wrecked my body had become.

"You want me to ignore how your body calls for me?" His lips practically brushed against my own as he leaned forward and held my wrist against the wall behind me.

He was close again, towering over me, making my heart flip and flutter, and heat swim into my core. His silver green eyes darkened as his jaw clenched tightly. I could practically see his fangs again, as electricity sparked between us. How was this possible? Idris was a vampire...my soulmate?

I should've been afraid or questioning my sanity, and yet all I could think about was how badly I wanted him to kiss me again.

Why was I fighting this when I wanted to give in so badly? When all I wanted to do was rake my fingers through his hair, wrap my legs around his torso, and feel his lips bruise my own, as he touched me in all the places that felt swollen an— no!

As hard as it was, I took a deep breath and leaned my head back against the wall, away from his intoxicating lips, because I knew the second we touched, I'd lose the strength to resist him any further.

"I'm sorry," I sighed, catching my breath.

Idris let go of my wrist and took a small step back before meeting my gaze. "I believe you love Henry, Alix, but I don't believe he's your soulmate."

"Idris—"

His warm hand took my own and placed it against his solid chest. "You can lie about how you feel, but this," His other hand cupped my cheek. "The way your body heats up, how hard your heart beats, that pull you feel in your belly...you can't hide that."

I shuttered, knowing he was right, knowing he could see and feel exactly how he affected me.

"I'm here Alixandria. Whether you like it or not."