Page 57 of Stolen Star

“More than anything,” I whisper, and then his hand is coming up to cup my face, his touch uncharacteristically gentle.

“Then I will turn you,” he declares. “Tomorrow night. You asked, and it will be done. Because you’re mine, Zoey. And now, I’ll be yours—forever.”

ZOEY

“Tomorrow?”I breathe, both thrilled and terrified at how quickly everything is happening.

“Tomorrow,” he confirms. “But first, we must prepare.” His expression shifts, becoming sharp and calculating—the same expression he wore while plotting how to cover up Henry’s murder. “We’ll go to the barns when we wake.”

I blink, pulling back. “The barns? Why?”

“To choose your pet, of course. You’ll need to select someone who pleases you. And you’ll need to do it before you’re turned.”

Pet.

Like me. Like Sophia, Matt, Jake, Victoria, Aurora, and all the others who were everything from friends to enemies in the past few weeks.

“I assumed I’d feed from the fountains,” I say slowly,grappling with it as I speak. “Or animal blood. Or from glasses, like at the celebration tonight.”

Aerix’s wings pull tight against his back—a warning sign I’ve learned to recognize.

“You are my consort,” he says, his fingers tightening at my waist. “Therefore, you will have only the best. And the best is feeding from the source—warm, fresh, and willing.”

He studies my neck, his pupils dilating, as if assessing exactly howwillingI am right now.

“I’ve never... I don’t know how to...” I hesitate, trying to find the right words. But it’s impossible to have the right words when I’m not even sure about my ownthoughts.

“I’ll teach you everything,” Aerix promises, his thumb tracing my lower lip. “You had your first taste of power tonight. Imagine how it will feel when you’re the one doing the taking. Imagine how strong you’ll feel. Howpowerful.”

I think of the times Aerix has fed from me—the initial sting that melts into a heady, overwhelming pleasure. The way my body responds to his bite, craving it,needingit. But for some reason, I’ve never imaginedmyselfwith the fangs, piercing someone else’s warm skin, their blood flowing down my throat...

“Does the thought of drinking from humans disgustyou?” Aerix asks, yanking me out of my thoughts. “DoIdisgust you?”

“No.” My eyes widen, and I place a hand on his chest, unsure how he could ever think that. “Nothing about you could ever disgust me, Aerix. I love you. I trust you.” I hold his gaze, letting him see the truth in my eyes. “And if feeding straight from humans is what you want me to do, then I want to learn it. I want to do it right. For you. Always for you.”

The air stills around us, and I can barely breathe as I wait for his reaction.

“You mean that?” he finally asks, his eyes searching mine.

“Yes,” I say, not having to think twice. “Show me how. Teach me everything. I want to learn it all—fromyou.Only from you.”

The tension drains from his wings, his arms coming around me.

“You’re so brave. So perfect,” he murmurs in my ear, although he pulls back instead of kissing me again. “Tomorrow, you’ll die with my venom in your veins. And then, you’ll rise as mine. You’ll be my mate, forever. My family by blood that I’ve always wanted but have never had the luxury of truly having. Not really. Not since I left the Winter Court.”

I study him carefully, watching him, his eyes shiningwith a vulnerability that makes me wonder if he’s holding something back. There was something in the way he saidfamily...like it hurts him to want it. Like it’s something that was dangled in front of him, but never actually in reach.

“You’ll be what I never had,” he continues, his voice rough with emotion. “You’ll be my everything.”

“I alreadyamyour everything,” I whisper, as if I speak too loudly, he might not believe me.

“Promise me you’ll never question our love,” he says suddenly, his hand coming up to cup my face, his eyes so intense it’s like they’re burning into my soul. “And you’ll never fight what you’re becoming.”

“I promise,” I reply without hesitation. “You’re my world now, Aerix. I won’t fight it. I won’t question it. Because I’myours—always. Forever.”

Satisfaction spreads across his features, his wings rustling with pleasure. “Good,” he says simply, and then his lips are on mine again, more insistent this time, almost desperate.

What would Sapphire think if she could see me now? Would she recognize the girl she grew up with? Or would I be a stranger to her—just like how the version of me from Presque Isle has become to myself?

---