Free Vampire Eden by Liz Newman

and you're looking at me the way you're looking at me. I want to be with you. Forever. Even if forever is only a matter of hours. The CIA is coming to kill me, if Aoleon doesn't find me first. Did you mean what you said to Cupid?"
    "Yes." He sat next to me and kissed my forehead. "I did. And I do."
    "Why?"
    "Because you're mine. I knew that from the moment I first saw you, strutting into the bar in those horrible tight dresses and heels. I knew you were mine and I'm not good enough for you, so I let you go until I felt you calling me back. When you kissed me, it was like you needed me, too. You and I might have a destiny to share. So what if that destiny is short-lived. Or death. She won't let us live," he sighed. "And she is everywhere."
    I twirled my finger around a lock of my hair as my brow furrowed in worry. He brought the tip of my finger to his lips and kissed it. "If it's the death of Aoleon, then so be it, but I want you and I...you and I together. I told the agents they should kill me. I wanted nothing but a quick and painless death." I bent my head and placed a hand on my stomach as the sense of emotional emptiness welled up from within and overtook me.
    "Where would that leave me? You know, the best part of my day was watching you walk into the Paradise Bayou. It brought some sense of stability to my life, because I knew every evening around five o' clock you'd saunter in. Eden Sayers, with your long, dark hair and sad smile."
    I laughed through my tears. "Patrick, everyone there looked at me like I was some kind of parasite. I guess I was. I've lived a terrible life. Done nothing to bring good to anyone."
    "You brought something to me."
    "Something minimal. What are you going to have them write on my headstone? Here lies Eden Sayers, she made a zombie feel normal by whoring at a casino every night at five o' clock. I mean ZOM-Bie . "
    Patrick shook his head. "I would have someone write Here lies Eden Sayers, a beautiful woman with so much heart it killed her inside, but she still stayed beautiful. No matter what.. " Patrick sat down beside me and massaged his forehead with his hand.
    "You know what struck me about you, Eden? When you turned and found me sitting beside you? Your humanity. You walked into the casino with this air of desperation and confidence, something so pitiful and commanding of admiration all at once. You had this way about you that said 'kiss me or kill me.' I thought you wanted death. I thought that would be the best way to set you free. So I brought you to those women knowing it would happen quickly for you. But when we were in the alley, I realized I couldn't do without you in my life. Even if it was only just seeing you traipse into the Paradise Bayou at night."
    "Kiss me or kill me," I laughed through my tears. "I like that. You have a lot to make up for, you know."
    "I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you. I swear." Patrick reached over to the nightstand and pulled a tissue from a gold- leafed container. I wiped my eyes and nose. Running his thumb over my cheek, Patrick brought his face closer to mine. I gazed at him until my eyes lowered to meet his lips, and in that instant, his lips were kissing mine.
    I intertwined my fingers into his hair and let his lips dance. He brought me closer to him and I sighed at the feeling of his chest pressing so close to my heart. There was nothing more I had wanted ever in this world than to be at one with him.
    *               *              *
    "What happens if a vampire and a zombie have a baby?" I said as we lay naked under the blankets. His fingers danced over my shoulders as he placed a gentle kiss on the top of my head. The blankets rustled with our movements and brought a feeling of comfort.
    "Slow labor," he chuckled.
    I giggled and nestled the side of my face into his shoulder. "Why did you pick me? You could have any woman in the world. You're handsome. Beautiful, even."
    "Beautiful? You wanna put me in a