Elaine White

Her fingers dug into the doorframe she leaned on, hoping and praying that he would just step out of the shadows and kiss her the way he had done so often in her dreams.

The tears were there, waiting to make their escape. But she wouldn__ let them. Not this time. She couldn__. Because if there was one thing she had to do now, it was be strong and brave. She just had to be strong and brave for one week. That was no time at_all. And when the week was over and Milo had found his true_mate, she would disappear.

He shook his head and thought about it for a second. __aybe I'm not straight? Can I still be straight when I'm sitting here looking into your eyes?_ he asked. Maybe it was the alcohol talking or maybe he wasn't as straight as he thought he was.__es. Absolutely._ Cormag nodded and watched him closely.__ven when I think they're so pretty? They are, you know. So many different shades of brown_and a little green. Just a touch; not a lot. So pretty._ He sighed happily, watching those dark eyes staring back at him in surprise. He lay his head on his arms, smiling at the way Cormag flushed in embarrassment and turned his full attention onto his bottle of beer.__ow, you are super drunk.

Lachlan frowned as he misjudged the distance and his forehead hit Cormag's head with a bump. He wrapped his arms around his neck to steady himself, two big hands reaching up to hold onto his arms as if to offer extra support. __ou,_ he began, talking quietly into his ear, __re so beautiful,_ he confessed, resting his heavy skull against Cormag's for a moment.He meant it as well. Cormag was stunning. He was taller and broader than he was, very much the fine figure of hotness. His dark hair was well kept, but a little messy, he had amazing bone structure; the type that made him look more like a model than a museum manager. A chiselled jaw, nicely defined cheekbones and a rugged quality thatmade him so appealing. He had never noticed how handsome a male face could be until those eyes drew him in.__nd so are you,_ his companion chuckled, __ut we discussed this_I've ruined every relationship I've ever had. I get needy, possessive and my baggage gets in the way.Besides,_ he lowered his voice to a whisper and brushed his hand over his upper arm, __ou're not gay,_ he protested, reminding him yet again that they were different.__ope. Not gay,_ he agreed with that, nodding his head as he pulled back a little to see him better. __ut that doesn't make you any less beautiful. Why is it wrong that I can see how special you are?_ he asked, having difficulty understanding why part of his brainwas telling him he was being a drunken idiot and that the man before him wasn'tattractive. But the rest of his brain _ about ninety-eight percent of it _ was telling him that he was the most attractive person he'd ever seen.__t's not, Lachlan. It really isn't.___ut it's somehow wrong for me to tell you?_ Lachlan wondered, glancing across the bar to see Matteo smiling at him. He didn't know what it meant.Cormag cupped his face, capturing his undivided attention again. __o. Not thateither. But it makes it hard for me to keep my distance. You're stunning. Inside and out,_ he claimed, with chocolatey eyes that said he meant every word.

Cormag caught his hand and pulled him back until they were facing each other. __ think you're amazing,_ he said, blurting the words out.Lachlan smiled, completely shocked and thrilled by how captivating he found him.He had never thought this could happen to him, that he would be attracted to another boy.He thought he knew himself so well.__ think you're smart, sexy, funny as hell. You have hidden depths, Lachlan. You only need the right person to coax you out of your protective shell,_ he claimed.__re you the right person?_ Lachlan wondered, as he took a half step forward.Cormag took a deep breath and brushed at a strand of hair that was sticking out at a funny angle from behind the top of his ear. He tugged at his short hair every time he talked about his recent break up. He was such a dork.

He had placed the life of every one of his men before his own, and if that wasn__ the sign of a truly great leader, then he didn__ know what was.

It was about time she woke up to reality and realized that there was more to being a vampire than just feeding from blood.

As much as he cared for Kaitlin, he knew that the clan__ survival was much more important that his own heart. Without her, he would be heartbroken all over again. He would lose her just as he had lost Angela with no hope of ever seeing her again, but he could run the clan with a broken heart. He would be a stronger, more feared leader without her, but he was sure that if Kaitlin had known his reasoning, she would have understood. She was the only one to understand him.

I was only trying to survive,_ she mumbled, as if it made any difference. It was no excuse to use against someone who had truly been trying to survive, and Damian had done so quite successfully since 1450. What right had she to say that it was hard?

Everything was Amelia__ fault. He hadn__ done anything wrong and neither had Kaitlin, but they were the ones paying the price and for what? To bring back a girl that he hated and wished he could kill but couldn__? To bring back a girl who had broken her mother__ heart to such an extent that it killed her? As far as Damian was concerned, it wasn__ worth it. She didn__ deserve to come back; she didn__ deserve to live. No, Amelia deserved nothing, and especially not his love.

Ellis_smiled_at_her_concern_and_kissed_her_cheek_once_more.____promise. I__l_come_home_if_I_need_help.___e_stepped_back_and_gave_them_a_bow,_showing_his_respect.With_their_permission,_he_left_the_counsel_room_and_headed_straight_to_his_room._He_packed_supplies_for_the_journey._His_mother_had_warned_him_that_no_magic worked_inside_of_The_Forbidden_Woods_or_even_in_the_outskirts_of_it._He_would have_to_walk_there_on_foot_and_hope_that_no_one_loyal_to_Walter_caught_up_with him_on_his_way.

He was angry with himself_for having_kissed her and_enjoyed it, only to be_disappointed by her_in the end.He knew that love was_never simple, but it was_even less so for a vampire.He shook his head in disbelief as he walked away._He had really thought that she was the one for him and had genuinely believed that hewas going to spend the rest of his life with her, but now, he knew better.

Kissing her to keep her quiet was the best idea that he__ had all week. One hand drifted into her loose hair as she responded to each kiss, while the other caught her waist and held her close to him.