Free Obsidian (Mystic Stones Series #1) by Kayla Curry

there was a dangerous part of him. There always had been. He leaned forward and put his hand behind my head and gently pulled me into a kiss.
    My heartbeat raced and the butterflies flew into my stomach. I kissed him back on instinct, or perhaps because I simply wanted to. The adrenaline surged as my mind struggled to gain control over my heart.
    I realized I was kissing a dangerous creature.
    I was kissing a vampire.
    The thought made me come up for air with my eyes wide open. I caught my breath as his lips went for my neck again. He kissed it tenderly, careful not to cause me discomfort. For a split second, I wished that he would bite me, so I could be his forever. The thought disturbed me. I closed my eyes and said, “Stop.”
    Tom stopped in his tracks. “I’m sorry, Ava. I got carried away again. I promise I wasn’t going to do it, though. I swear to you I won’t take you unexpectedly.”
    “I know. I’m just getting so confused. My head is spinning.” My emotions and thoughts rollercoastered through my head.
    “Don’t worry, my love, your change will not be as violent as mine. I keep blood on hand so you won’t drink from a human if you don’t want to. We can even mix the blood in with wine if the taste is too much for you.”
    “Okay,” I heard myself say.
    “I was planning on doing it tomorrow at midnight. Midnight is the time we are strongest, and you will need your strength. We could do it here. An intimate affair between the two of us. I’ll make sure you get through the change peacefully.”
    Time had slipped through my fingers. In 24 hours, I would be a vampire if I didn’t do anything about it. My head swirled. I slid down to a reclined position on the couch. Tom helped me lie down all the way. Part of me still wanted him. I wanted to know why I craved him so much. The fog of his charm kept me lost in my thoughts.
    He saved my life multiple times. Maybe I had damsel-in-distress syndrome. Or Stockholm syndrome.
    “Would you like me to lay with you and keep you warm?”
    I nodded. An action controlled by my heart and not approved by my brain. He moved me with ease, slid behind me, and then wrapped his arms around me. If he wanted to bite me he could do so easily in this position. I decided to trust in his word for tonight and use it to my advantage tomorrow. After a short while, I drifted to sleep.
     



Chapter Six
    I woke in a big bed. According to the color of the sheets, it wasn’t mine. I moved a little and realized Tom’s arms encased me. He moved in order to gaze into my eyes.
    “Good morning. I wasn’t expecting you to wake up for a little while longer or else breakfast would be waiting.”
    “That’s alright. You don’t have to go through all that trouble again.”
    “Well, one advantage is I can ask you what you would like today. So, what would you like for breakfast?”
    “Do you keep cereal on hand?”
    “Yes, Honey Oats, Frosted Flakes . . .”
    “Honey Oats sound great, actually,” I stopped him. I didn’t need any more choices to make today. The choice of how I’d behave today loomed over me. I considered completely rebelling, but the uselessness of the option turned me away. My only choice was to keep pretending I wanted to be a vampire and that I wanted to be with him. Although, I wondered if I needed to keep pretending to want him or if that part had become true.
    “Okay, wait here, I’ll go make you a bowl,” Tom said. He kissed me on the forehead and left the room.
    I smiled at him as guilt crept into my heart. I would not be turned into a vampire the way he planned. I had to figure out how to get out of the house.
    First, I’d create a distraction just before he bit me, but after he took the wristband off. My whole plan assumed he wouldn’t leave it on until after he changed me. I would have to do everything in my power to make him trust me today.
    My guilt and anxiety started to build up. I would write a note, but leave it in my room. The note would serve