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Daemon made a sound in the back of his throat and pulled me into his ar, and he rocked ht or fair that he’d comfort me He didn’t kno easy it had been for me to throw that switch, to becoirl Not the Katy who had changed him and inspired him to be different

I wasn’t her

I struggled to pull free, but he held on and I hated that--hated that he didn’t see what I saw "I’m a monster I’m like Blake"

"What?" Disbelief thickened his tone "You are nothing like him, Kat How can you say that?"

Tears streaked down my cheeks "But I am Blake--he killed because he was desperate Hohat I did any different? It’s not!"

He shook his head "It’s not the saful "I’d do it again I swear I would If anyone threatenedthat had happened with Blake and Adaht"

"There’s nothing wrong with protecting those you love," he argued "Do you think I’ve enjoyed killing those I have? I haven’t But I wouldn’t go back and change those things"

I wiped at my cheeks as my shoulders shook "Daerasped h tear-soaked lashes "Remember when I took out those two DOD officers at the warehouse? I hated that I did it, but I had no other choice If they reported back that they’d seen us, it would all be over and I wasn’t going to let theers chased after the tears and he dipped his head, catching aze when I tried to look away "And I hated what I have done--I hated every time I’ve taken a life, Arum or human, but sometimes, there is no other choice You don’t accept it You don’t become okay with it, but you do corasped his wrists They were so thick that ers barely met "But hat if I was okay with it?"

"You’re not okay with it, Kat" His belief in that state true in his voice, and I couldn’t understand that blind faith "I know you’re not"

"How can you be so sure?" I whispered

Dae kind of s around ht and everything I don’t deserve, but you--you believe that I deserve you Knowing all that I have done in my past to other people and to you, you still believe I deserve you"

"I--"

"And that’s because you’re good inside--you’ve always been and will be" His hands slipped downyou can say or do that will change that So grieve what you had to do Mourn it, but never, ever blas that are beyond your control"

I didn’t knohat to say

His srin that infuriated and thrilled et the rest of that crap out of your head, because you’re so much better than that; you’re more than that"

His words, well, theyand they ed the part in ht, but they wrapped around h for that moment to…to understand what I had done and that was ih There weren’t any words for how much I appreciated what he said and what he had done A thank-you wasn’t enough

Still shaking, my hands balled up into those tiny knots, I leaned forward and pressed htened around my shoulders as his chest rose sharply I tasted my own salty tears on his lips and as the kiss deepened, I tasted my own fear

But there was more

There was our love--there was our hope that alk out of this with a future There was our acceptance of each other--the good, the bad, and the downright ugly There was soSo ht to my soul and his, I knew it, because I could feel his heart rate picking up Mine matched his--made for his All of that was in a sih, and just perfect

I pulled back, drawing in a sharp breath Our eyes locked A wealth of ereen eyes He cupped my cheek with one hand tenderly, and he spoke in his lovely language It sounded like three lyrical words--a short, beautiful verse

"What did you say?" I asked,around the cover

His sain and o of the blanket, felt it slip away, pool aroundfor a uided me back, and I wrapped my arms around him We kissed for what felt like an eternity and that wasn’t long enough I could keep going, never stop, because in thatelse existed We lost ourselves in each other for a while and time, it sped and crept by in the sa only to explore each other We arainst his and when I moaned, he stilled