Obsessed

103

He brought his head level with mine, his lips close to my ear.

I shivered as his cool breath passed over my skin.

"I want to give you the world Chloe Daniels. Will you let me?"

I gasped as he spun me around, wrapping his arms around my lower back so that I was against him. As I looked up into his burning blue eyes, I felt an overwhelming amount of love fill up my heart, my soul, my entire body.

I didn't know how to answer and honestly, I was rendered speechless from the way he was looking at me.

"I'm going to spend forever with you, loving you more than anyone else ever could. You will be my Queen, always by my side. Will you stay with me forever Chloe?"

He let me go and knelt down in front of me on one knee. My breath caught in my throat.

"Will you be my Forever?" He asked, as he pulled out a dark, satin covered ring box and flipped it open.

The ring inside was more beautiful than anything I had ever seen before. An old style Victorian engagement ring, with a silver band, encrusted with tiny diamonds that made it shimmer against the city lights. The center of the ring curved up so that it looked like a tiara, with one red teardrop diamond hanging down from the curve.

It took all I had to suck in one shaky breath to answer him.

"I've always been yours forever Colby. I always will be."

I held out my hand to him as the most beautiful smile that I had ever seen crossed his gorgeous face. He slipped the ring onto my finger, then stood and grabbed me around the waist, spinning me around. I started laughing, and held onto his neck as I repetitively kissed his neck and cheek.

He stopped spinning and held me up, pressing his lips against mine softly, letting the kiss linger as I tried to pour everything I ever felt for him into this singular kiss. He smiled against my lips and I swear my heart swelled ten times bigger.

How was it possible to feel this much love for someone? I still didn't understand it, even after all this time. It was so strange to think that I actually thought that I hated him about a year ago.

"Let's do it then." He said, pulling me back and letting my feet hit the floor.

"Huh?" I blurted out. "What do you mean? Now? Wait, how do vampires even get married? Isn't that what we're doing?" I was rambling again.

Ugh, I hated that about myself.

Colby laughed, and reached for my hand, bringing it to his lips to graze his lips over my knuckles.

"You read about it. A long time ago. It's called The Joining. It represents the same thing, two souls bound together, only ours actually does mean for life. There's no going back."

His gaze locked onto mine and I swallowed hard.

"No divorce for me then, huh?" I joked nervously.

He shook his head, holding my gaze, a dark, serious look in his eyes.

"No Chloe. When I say forever, I mean forever. Normally, you would have to be turned before we could even attempt The Joining but in your case, I don't think that's necessary. Plus, I'm on the Council so I can present my own rules to be approved if I need to. No one will stop me from being with you...except you, if you refuse me."

He pulled me against him again, his eyes so freaking intense, I forgot how to breathe again. This man was going to make me develop asthma or something. I needed an inhaler.

"Do you refuse me Chloe?" His voice was deep, so so deep, coming out in a raspy baritone that sent chills over my entire body.

I breathed in slowly, and wet my lips.

"I couldn't even if I wanted to. You have me...forever."

He growled a little, and crashed his lips to mine again, exploring my mouth, his hands gripping my hips tightly. When he pulled back, I was breathing heavily, sucking in air like my life depended on it. I guess it did.

"So, let's do it then. Right now. I can get everything ready in an hour. Our friends are here, we're in Paris. I have you. What do you say?" He had almost a pleading look in his eyes, scared even, that I might say no.

I smiled and kissed him again lightly, before pointing to the horizon.

"Colby, the sun is coming up soon. Don't you think that the French High Council might be a little upset that you're asking them to do things like this when they should be going home to their families, to their beds?"

His face fell, and my heart along with it. I hated to disappoint him.

"How about tonight? That way we can get some rest, talk to everyone, you can explain to me how this works so that I don't make a fool of myself, and even maybe get a dress or something. I don't even know what I'm supposed to wear..." My voice trailed off as I thought back to reading that little insert in Colby's book, when I was researching the One legend.

I didn't remember anything really.

"Okay." He replied. "That'll have to work, I guess." He pulled me closer to him, hugging me tightly. "I'm just excited about making it official. I can't imagine my life without you." Tears sprang to my eyes when I heard the rough tilt added to his voice.

"I have no life without you." I replied.

He leaned back and smiled at me, the apples of his cheeks lifting, as his mouth opened showing all of his teeth.

That big beautiful grin that I saw so much of now.

"Is there someone up here?"

I gasped as I heard someone call out. "Shit, must be security. Come on!"

Colby grabbed my hand, swinging me up into his arms bridal style, as he darted towards the stairs, just as the door swung open. I caught a glimpse of an elderly man, standing there wide eyed, as his hair blew back from his wrinkled face.