His mouth opened and he shook his head. “You can’t mean you’re willing to go through with this.”

“I am. But only if it means you’re finally going to be free of her.”

“Thank you seems rather insufficient.” He nodded. “She’s promised to sign the papers dissolving our relationship and releasing me from my responsibilities as her sire. Once she does that, the council won’t care what her complaints are.”

“And you’re sure she’ll sign as soon as we marry? I expect it to happen immediately.”

“As do I. And yes, she’ll sign. She has no choice.” His gaze narrowed as his eyes filled with uncertainty. “You’re sure you want to do this? We’ll be married, you know. There’s no pretending this time. She’d figure that out.”

Tessa nodded. “I know. And yes.” She shrugged and tried to smile. “It’s not how I thought it would happen, but it’s just temporary. After a little bit, we’ll divorce and you’ll be free to finally live your life.”

He almost smiled. “Yes. Free.” He stared into space for a long moment as a look of resignation filled his gaze. Finally, he met her eyes again. “There won’t be any way to keep this quiet. Everyone will know we’ve gotten married.”

That would make her dating life fun. Not that she’d ever had much of one before. “Can’t be helped, I suppose.”

His gaze shifted to the floor. “When it comes time for us to divorce, I will shoulder the blame. It’s what most will believe anyway. You can tell people what you like. That I was impossible to live with, that I was boring. Unkind. Whatever story suits you.”

Tessa recoiled at the idea. “I absolutely will not say any of that. You are none of those things.”

His limp smile broadened slightly. “Tessa. Sweet Tessa. How is it you think so differently of me than everyone else does?”

She blinked at him, her anger fading. “Who’s everyone else? Evangeline? You’re basing your opinion of yourself on one woman? One awful, horrible, rotten woman?”

Her heart ached for him. For this amazing man who’d sacrificed his own happiness out of a sense of duty and a promise older than the country they lived in. She walked forward toward the bed until her legs bumped his. She put her hands on his knees, pushing them apart until she could stand between them, then she cupped the hard lines of his jaw and brought his face up. “Sebastian Ellingham, you are the dumbest, smartest man I have ever known.”

“I don’t think—”

She held him fast, staring into his dark eyes. “That’s your problem. You don’t think. But you also think too much. I find you very easy to live with. And you’re certainly not boring. As for being unkind? Duncan is proof enough of that lie.”

He pressed his lips together like he was trying to stop himself from arguing with her.

She bent and kissed him, a soft gentle touch of her mouth to his, before straightening again. “What you might also be is a little blind.”

He frowned. “Blind?”

Nerves tripped through her, but she was past caring about consequences. She was a valkyrie. If she couldn’t find the courage to speak her mind, what hope did anyone else have? “Yes, blind. Before you stands a woman who you can’t see is falling in love with you. And I know I’m not your type, but if I can fall in love with you, then that should make you realize that someday, you’ll find another woman who—”

“You…you. With me?”

She sucked in a ragged breath. “Yes. Don’t worry. I’m not letting the marriage go to my head. I know it’s part of the—”

He came off the bed in a graceful burst of energy to pull her into his arms and kiss her soundly. He wrapped her in his embrace, holding her close. His kiss was wild and a little rough and she swore she felt the scrape of his fangs over her bottom lip.

Warmth suffused her and put an end to her jangling nerves.

At last he broke the kiss, leaning back to look into her eyes as his blazed with the glow of his kind. “I feel the same way toward you. And I don’t know how or why you’re falling for me, but I promise you, I will endeavor to be worthy of your affections. You are absolutely my type. I just didn’t know it until I met you. I’m sure I don’t deserve you. Or this sort of result from my mangled machinations, but thank you for being so kind and understanding.”

She stared at him. “Are you saying you care about me?”

“Irreversibly.”

“Even knowing what you do about my past? My temper?”

He kissed her again, a gentle, brief press of reassurance. “You were sixteen. Have you done anything close to that since then?”

“No.” But she hadn’t drawn her sword in all that time, either.

“And even if you do, what harm could you bring me? I’m an old, old vampire. Very dangerous in my own right.” He cocked an eyebrow. “You don’t know me that well yet. I might have a little temper of my own.”

“Do you?”

“I suppose. If provoked enough. Who doesn’t?”

“Yes, but my temper almost got a man killed.”

“Almost means it didn’t. And I’m willing to take my chances if the reward means I get to spend more time with you. And build a real relationship. Look, this marriage will be in name only. I’m not going to expect anything different, if you understand what I’m saying. In fact, once Evangeline is packed off, I’d very much like for us to attempt as close to normal a relationship as possible. Dating and all that. I’ve never actually done it, but I suppose it can’t be that difficult if my brothers can manage it.”