adrian-ivashkov

Adrian smiled and clasped my hands, taking a few steps toward me. "And as for who you are, you__e the same beautiful, brave, and ridiculously smart caffeinated fighter you__e been since the day I met you._ Finally, he put __eautiful_ at the top of his list of adjectives. Not that I should have cared.__weet talker,_ I scoffed. __ou didn__ know anything about me the first time we met.___ knew you were beautiful,_ he said. __ just hoped for the rest.

Adrian tipped my face up toward his and kissed me. Like always, the world around me stopped moving. No, the world became Adrian, only Adrian. Kissing him was as mind-blowing as ever, full of that same passion and need I had never believed I__ feel. But today, there was even more to it. I no longer had any doubt about whether this was wrong or right. It was a culmination of a long journey . . . or maybe the beginning of one.I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer. I didn__ care that we were out in public. I didn__ care that he was Moroi. All that mattered was that he was Adrian, my Adrian. My match. My partner in crime, in the long battle I__ just signed on for to right the wrongs in the Alchemist and Moroi worlds. Maybe Marcus was right that I__ also signed myself up for disaster, but I didn__ care. In that moment, it seemed that as long as Adrian and I were together, there was no challenge too great for us.I don__ know how long we stood there kissing. Like I said, the world around me was gone. Time had stopped. I was awash in the feel of Adrian__ body against mine, in his scent, and in the taste of his lips. That was all that mattered right now.

And besides_._._. I don__ want to leave you. Er, you guys.__e smiled, and it lit up his whole face. __ell, __e_ are certainly happy to hear that. Oh, and I__ also happy to watch our darling little love child dragon while you__e in St. Louis.__ grinned back.

I__ not a warrior or a goddess,_ I said at last.Adrian leaned closer. __s far as I__ concerned, you__e both.

I realized I__ in love. It's always been right in front of me.

Our lips met hungrily, and his clever artistic hands wrapped around my hips. A sudden buzz from my regular cell phone startled me from the kissing."Don't," said Adrian, his eyes ablaze and breathing ragged."What if there's a crisis at school?" I asked. "What if Angeline 'accidentally' stole one of the campus buses and drove it into the library?""Why would she do that?""Are you saying she wouldn't?"He sighed. "Go check it.

His eyes widened. __re you some kind of mutant human? Like a fire user? And I use mutant as a compliment, you know. I wouldn__ think less of you.

I need it! I need it! It's a royal heirloom!""Adrian?""What are you doing here?""Looking for you. Come on, we need to go. I'll drive you home.""No, I can't. Not until we get it. He stole it!

I had never thought I could love another person this much. I also never thought I__ live in such fear of losing another person. Was this how everyone in love felt? Did they all cling tightly to their beloved and wake up terrified in the middle of the night, afraid of being alone? Was that an inevitable way of life when you loved so deeply? Or was it just those of us who walked on a precipice who lived in such panic?

I also had to come tonight to apologize. If you need to go to Mexico to finish this process off, then I understand. I was wrong to criticize you for it or even imply that I had some kind of say in it. One of the greatest things about you is that in the end, you always make smart decisions. Can__ always say the same for myself. Whatever you need to do, I__l support you.

I know I__ not supposed to say this, but I love you.

No matter how long or how difficult, we will undo whatever that Moroi boy has done to you." to me.

Well, you can think what you want, so long as you remember - no matter how ordinary things seem between us - I'm still here, still in love with you, and care about you more than any other guy, evil or otherwise, ever will.

In this one terrified moment, my mind couldn__ focus on any of it. ____e forgotten everything.___o, you haven__._ His voice in the darkness was calm and reassuring. He smoothed back my hair and pressed one of those half kisses to my forehead. __ust relax and focus." __is reasonable words centered me and allowed the gears of logic that ran my life to take over again.

No matter how long or how difficult, we will undo whatever that Moroi boy has done to

Because I__e got a lot more terms of endearment to use. Honey pie. Sugarplum. Bread pudding."__hy are they all high-calorie foods?

He was too perfect, despite being one of the most imperfect people I knew.

Whatever happened to the dragon?"I mustered my primmest tone. "He has a name, you know."Adrian pulled back and gave me a curious look. "I didn't know, actually. What'd you decide on?""Hopper." When Adrian laughed, I added, "Best rabbit ever. He'd be proud to know his name is being passed on.""Yes, I'm sure he would. Did you name the Mustang too?""I think you mean the Ivashkinator."He stared at me in wonder. "I told you I loved you, right?"Yes," I assured him. "Many times.