"Wow, Carter and Henry are not joking around with this war stuff. They have all the portals covered, and both worlds have troops ready to attack at any moment and wolf trackers looking for any sign of Leon and his army. I'll tell you, Leon had better be prepared for this as Carter is hoping for a good fight," Jake said as we walked through the castle.

"That's what I'm worried about, Jake. He's not as strong as he used to be, and god knows what Leon has juiced himself up with right now. I'm really worried that Carter will get hurt."

"Carter has always been good at fighting, and I'm sure his wolf side will make him strong."

"I'm worried that he is not strong enough, though." I looked over at him.

Jake shrugged. "I don't know Eb, I mean, he looks tired, but he is working twenty-four-seven on this. It's understandable. I'm tired, and I'm doing nothing but eating and fucking."

I playfully hit his arm. "I need to talk to Carter about this, but those vampires and wolves are always surrounding him talking about official war stuff. I feel like I haven't seen him in days, and they leave soon."

"Eb, you're better off just leaving him alone right now. He's in too deep to listen to anything you have to say. He will just get mad again, trust me." Jake rolled his blue eyes. "He's always so mad lately."

"Yeah, he had a go at me about being friends with Henry and you," I pointed my finger in his face.

"He did?" He sounded cautious. "What did he say exactly?" Jake gave me a wicked smile.

"He said that vampires are not capable of just being friends and that you both just want to sleep with me, which is completely ridiculous, right?"

Jake's smile dropped, and his eyes went everywhere but on me.

"Jake? That's not true. I mean, I know we flirt and stuff, but you are my friend, right?"

He opened his mouth to speak but pressed his lips together and closed his eyes.

"JAKE?" I yelled, hitting him in the arm really hard.

"Ouch, that one hurt," he said, rubbing his arm and groaning.

"The next place I hurt will be your balls with my foot." I lifted my foot, and he instantly covered his groin in defense.

"Ok, ok, geez. No need to threaten the boys like that; all they want to do is love and ejaculate." I hit him in the leg for avoiding my question again. "Ok, that one was really close. They nearly crawled up inside me then." he laughed, rubbing his leg.

"Jake, I'm being serious. Are you my friend?"

"Look, I'll be honest with you here," he ran his hand threw his blonde hair. "Vampires have never really had what you humans call friends. We don't phone each other to talk about our problems, we don't have sleepovers, and we do not share our feelings. We are just not capable of that kind of relationship with other creatures," he shrugged.

"So it is true?" I looked down to the ground and shuffled my foot on the floor.

"Aw, Eb, don't give me that face. You didn't let me finish. Yes, I'll admit I have thought about you naked, which I have confessed to you before, and yes, up until recently, I was still thinking about tearing your clothes off and making you scream out in ecstasy, but..."

"How recently?" I growled at him.

"Like two seconds after we started this conversation," he grinned at me.

"Really?"

"Ok, I lied."

"Oh, thank god."

"Yeah, I'm still thinking about it." he raised his eyebrows and winked at me.

"I hate you."

"I hate you too, and that is why, if anyone can make this guy into her best friend with benefits, it's you," he smiled and held out his arms for me.

"You're a pervert, but I'll take it," I lunged myself at him and hugged him tightly.

"Damn right, you'll take it. You'll take it hard and slow just like a good girl."

"Jake, remember what you promised me about these types of conversations."

"Think it, don't say it," he said automatically.

"Thank you. Good boy,"

"Woof," he replied, and I patted him on the head.

"Ebony, there you are. I must speak with you at once," Carter said, walking towards us. "Jacob, I'm sure you have somewhere else to be right now."

"Always boss," Jake said, rolling his eyes at me. "I'll see you later, Eb."

"Thanks for being honest with me," I called to him as he ran down the hall. "Sorry about your balls."

"That's where the benefits will come in handy later," he called back.

"Benefits?" Carter said, tilting his head.

"Long story, so what's up?" I said, smiling sweetly.

"Follow me. I need to discuss something with you." he took my hand and pulled me into an empty room, which just happened to be the library. It was three levels high, and every wall was covered with wooden shelves and hundreds of colorful books.

"Is everything ok?" I said, sitting on a dark leather sofa.

He sighed, "We have agreed that we will begin our attack in two days."

"Two days? Are we ready?"

"Yes, we are ready," Carter said, nodding his head.

"Are you ready?"

He sat down next to me and leaned forward on his knees as he pressed his hands together.

"Carter, what's wrong?" I sat up and rubbed his back as he hung his head down.

"I have spoken with the king and the vampire council, and we all agree that this needs to be done," he said, looking at me nervously with his aqua eyes.

"What? What needs to be done? You're scaring me."

He looked away and rubbed his hands together. "I need to ask you to do something for me, and you're not going to like it."

"Are you breaking up with me?"

"What?" He turned back to me and grabbed my hands in his. "No, nothing like that, baby," he kissed my nose. "I just need you to do something for me that is probably going to make you quite angry."

"I've told you a million times; I'm not doing that thing in bed that you keep trying to make me do." I shook my head.

He laughed, slightly amused. "And I'll keep trying that, but no, that's not what we need to talk about," he kissed my hand.

"Ok?"

"You know I would never ask you to do this if it wasn't necessary. I would fight until the day I die, but this is the only way I can defeat Leon and save our worlds. I need to be stronger, baby, and that is where I need you to help me."

"Oh no."

"Yes, I'm afraid so. I'm sorry, but I need you to turn me back into a vampire so I can kill my brother." He sighed nervously, waiting for my response...

"Carter, no. There must be a different way. What about magic? Or a serum?"

"There is no other way, trust me, I tried to think of one, but I need that strength and power to win this."

"But then, we both lose the heartbeat. What if you become some crazy lunatic like Leon? What are we without a heartbeat, Carter?" I felt the sadness in my body like a rush of blood to the head. "We can't lose our heart." I placed my hand on his chest and felt his heart beating fast.

"I know you're scared, but what we have together will not stop if I do this. I have to be at my strongest if I am going to have any chance of defeating Leon," He touched my leg gently, trying to comfort me. "I love you."

"No, your heart loves me, the heart you are going to lose. That monster you want to be again threatened me and tried to attack me. What you are asking me to do is choose between us or the world, and that is unfair. You cannot put that pressure on me. If I turn you and we lose our heart, then we are nothing." I felt some warm liquid fall from my eyes as I stood up and yelled at him.

"You think this is what I want? Don't you think I'm scared of what might happen? I've been in deliberation for two days trying to come up with another solution, but I can't. If you don't turn me, I will die, end of the story," he said sternly. "I run the risk of losing the only thing I care about, and that scares the shit out of me. I would happily die at my brother's hands if it meant you would be safe, but unfortunately, if I die, then you will be next, and I can't let that happen, and I won't."

I wiped my tears, stood up, and walked away from him, not wanting to show him how much I was being affected.

"Baby, I'm sorry. I don't want to start a fight with you; I just want to protect you and our future," he stood up and walked behind me as he wrapped his arms around my waist. "I'm sorry, I don't want to lose our heartbeat either, but I know that I love you, and nothing will ever take that away. You are and always will be my sunshine," he kissed my shoulder. "And no missing heartbeat will ever change that."

I turned to face him. "You mean that?" I pushed his dark hair back.

"I could sing the song if you want me to. You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are....."

"Please stop," I covered his mouth. "I get it, and I love you too," he picked me up in his arms, and I wrapped myself around him tightly. "Are you sure about this?"

"This is the only way, baby, I need to stop him from destroying everything, and I need all my strength to do that," he said as he kissed my neck.

"If this is what you want, I'll do it."

"Thank you," he kissed me deeply.

"Wait, how do I do this exactly anyway?" I made a face.

"Well, you bite the skin on your wrist and let me feed off you."

I made a face again and gagged.

"You don't have to watch," he smiled.

"Then what?"

"Then I will pass out, and in a day or two, I wake up like my old brooding self."

"That's it? Huh, I always thought it would be more passionate or something?" I said, looking away.

"You do realize I turned Jake, right?"

"Yeah, and don't think I haven't thought about that at night," I said, kissing him.

"You what?"

"Nothing." I shook my head. "So, you feed on me, and then we just wait?"

"Yep, that's it," Carter said, nodding slightly.

"I want it on record that I do not want to do this, but I understand I have to." I rolled my eyes at him.

"I don't want to either, trust me."

"When do we do this?" I said, biting my lip.

"We need to do this now, baby. I'm sorry. I need to be awake and ready to lead the troops in two days. We need to do this now."

"Now? I'm not ready yet. I'm not ready to say goodbye yet."

"I'll be back, and when this is all over, we are going away together, somewhere quiet and cozy, so I can do that thing you keep saying no to," he laughed in the back of his throat.

"Oh, that's never going to happen, I can assure you, but I am looking forward to being alone with you."

"Then let's get this shit over with so I can whisk you away to wherever you want."

"You promise that you will come back to me?" I was still very concerned about this plan.

"I will return to you, my sunshine. I promise." he walked over to the sofa and sat with me on his lap. Are you ready?"

"I guess so," I rested my head on his chest and listened to his heart as it started beating fast with my touch and closed my eyes.

"It will still beat for you, Ebony. You won't be able to hear it," he said, kissing my head.

I sat up and nodded my head. "I guess it's now or never, right?"

"I'm ready when you are," he said, cupping my face and rubbing my cheek with his thumb. "This will all be over soon."

"Just make sure you come back, ok?"

"I'll be back," he pulled me close to him and kissed me gently on my lips. "Ebony Summers ...."

"Yes?"

"Will you marry me?" He said, smiling softly.

"Wait, what?" I almost stumbled backward at his words. "Carter, are you serious?"

He just nodded. "Ebony Summers, will you marry me?" He asked again as his eyes turned to pure silver as he took my hand in his. "When all of this is over, I want to make you my wife for the rest of eternity." He kissed my hand and got down on one knee in front of me. "I know this is sudden, but I need to know before I die again. Marry me, baby."

I pulled him in close to me and smiled. "Yes, of course I will," I whispered and kissed him. "Of course, I will marry you." I kissed him again.

"I'll make you the happiest vampire in the whole world, baby." He purred through our kisses.

"Just come back to me," I said, resting my head on his. "I love you, Carter Morgan,"

"I love you too, Ebony Summers," he smiled as I bit my wrist and thick black liquid came running out of my fang marks on the skin. "Everything will be ok. I'll make sure it is. This is not the end. It's only the beginning," he said with one last soft kiss and then crashed his lips to my wrist and started to feed on my dripping blood.

Goodbye heart.