Kelly fought the emotions that were threatening to overwhelm her. She silently swallowed, struggling not to let the tears flood her eyes.

  Her eyes locked on him as she continued stepping closer, very slowly and carefully as if she was walking on a ground with buried landmines.

  The man standing before her took her breath away. He looked like an outlaw on the run, and oh god, his disheveled appearance looked sinuously sexier than his usual oh-so-neat and composed gentleman look. She couldn’t pinpoint what it was, but Kelly could tell that there was something that changed in him. And it seemed she couldn’t call him her little soft cutie pie right then because that moment, he was. . . wickedly beautiful and…… dangerous.

  Before Kelly could reach him, Kai gritted his teeth, as small muscle in his jaw clenched. She could see the war waging within him, and he turned towards the door.

  A thrill of desperation shook Kelly’s body. She felt that if she let him get away right now, she might never see him again. If only she had the strength to seize him and chain him in her arms. But that wasn’t possible.

  "Don’t go," she struggled to keep her voice calm. And her insides relaxed a bit when he halted.

  That moment of hesitation was enough for Kelly to seize and she jumped on him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She buried her face on his broad and hard back as her grip on him tightened.

  "Don’t you dare…… escape from me……" she threatened, but her voice shook despite her struggles to keep her emotions from getting the better of her.

  But seeing him made her heart swell and then squeezed at the same time. She thought she would never see this man again. And god, how she wanted him. His sheer presence was enough to paralyze her with need. She wanted him, kiss him, this time, harder, wilder, and deeper than any kisses they shared before. Oh, how she missed this feeling of his body against her. Even though it was only days since she last touched him, to Kelly, it felt like years.

  "Let go, Kelly……" he said, so softly that she almost didn’t hear him.

  "No! I won’t let go." Her firm and defiant words echoed as her grip on him tightened even more.

  He didn’t move, but a dangerous ferocity glittered in his eyes and without warning, he grabbed Kelly’s wrists, peeled her hands off him and the next thing Kelly knew, she was pinned against the door.

  Kai’s grip on her wrist was hard. It’s hurting her. This was the first time Kai acted like this. He was always gentle to her, always in-control every time he touches her. But now, he was different. The look in his eyes wasn’t all like him.

  She winced in pain, not saying a word about how he was hurting her.

  "Are you trying to scare me? Kai?" she asked. Her gaze on him remained defiant. And then, despair surged within her. She couldn’t stand seeing that unfamiliar cold and indifferent look in his eyes. "I love you," she told him, not holding back anymore.

  "S-stop," Kai growled.

  "Nothing can scare away my love for you…… not even you, Kai."

  Silent tears fell from her eyes, and she felt his grip on her loosened up. His eyes widened at the sight of her tears and the coldness in his eyes thawed.

  "Don’t –"

  "I’ve missed you." She tiptoed to move her face closer to his. He was still holding her hands, so even if she wanted to touch him, she couldn’t. "I missed you so much," she added. Before she could catch his lips, Kai backed away.

  "Stop, Kelly. Please……" he begged, and Kelly hated the pain in his voice. She wondered when will these advances and retreats ever end. Why did she fell in love with this forbidden fruit? Why did she want him so much? Why was she so hellbent to have him? Why can’t she just let him go?

  "I can’t stop because I love you!" she said wretchedly. "I never……" she choked. "I never fought for anyone to stay in my life, so desperately like this. No matter how much I tell myself it’s futile…… I can’t stop fighting because I really, really love you –"

  Without warning, Kai’s lips covered Kelly’s mouth. His hands sunk into her hair, her head between his palms. Kelly’s arms immediately moved around him, and then everything ignited.

  He kissed her with unrestrained hunger. It was apparent that just like her, Kai too wanted her so bad, so desperately. He had never kissed her with this kind of intensity before. But even though she could feel the obvious need and longing, she also felt rage oozing from him. And she knew that that rage was directed towards no one but himself.

  Kelly wanted to melt the anger and every negative emotion he was fighting within him. She knew he was waging a mighty battle against himself and he was struggling so damn hard. Kelly’s heart ached for him. She could tell he was scared to his bones, and she hated it. For the first time, Kelly hated that he was a vampire, and she was human. And she prayed silently that a miracle would happen.

  Their kiss deepened. Both were kissing each other with savage hunger that their own fears couldn’t seem to extinguish. It was rough and luscious and ruthless. She didn’t know Kai could be this savage. But she liked it. She loved it. The unrestrained and raging Kai was so irresistibly seductive. And she wanted him even more. Every side of him, gentle or ferocious, she wanted it all.

  "Oh, Kai," she moaned against his lips. Her hands were already on his scalp and the back of his neck—her body arching against him. Inviting him to touch her, and he did. Without breaking their wild and deep kiss, Kai’s hands moved downwards and then slid them beneath her shirt.

  Kelly’s hand also went to his chest and then traveled downwards in a sensual slowness until she encountered his hardness. Kai groaned in her mouth as she touched him. The fire had long spread and they were once again swallowed in the middle of it. Escape was no longer a choice because they were already on fire. And at that moment, they were holding each other as if all they could do now was let the fire consume them and kill them both.