Travis POV

I know Lenobia wants to avoid me but I really want to talk this out. We kissed and she ran off and I want to know why. So I wait until I see Zoey emerge from her office and leave the stables before I enter to find Lenobia staring wistfully out of the window at the sun in the sky.

I cough to make my presence known and she looks briefly startled before her faces freezes into cool cordiality. Something she does well.

"I think you know what it is I wanna talk about", I say, slowly.

She sighs and rubs her temples, the first sign that she's feeling troubled.

I move closer to her but stop when she tenses.

"What was all that about earlier?", I ask gently.

"I told you, I cannot do this. I am not able." She turns her face away from me so I reach out and gently touch her chin, making her face me.

"Why not? Whatever this is we can talk though it. When I met you I felt something real special. Something that I've never felt before. And I think that we should acknowledge that."

She doesn't say anything so I continue, "You vampyres are always saying that you can't ignore the gifts Nyx gives you. Well, isn't this kinda the same? When something incredible happens you can't ignore it."

Lenobia starts to shake slightly but tries to put on a brave facade. Anyone could see that she was about to lose it.

"Travis, I just...please...Just listen to me when I say that this cannot happen between us. I will not allow myself to experience the pain that love brings. Not again."

And suddenly it all makes perfect sense. She'd been hurt before and so she was avoiding relationships to protect herself. I was relieved to say the least. I was thinkin' it was something to do with me.

"Look", I begin, "All I know is that when I met you it was like I'd found the other half of myself. And I really do not want to lose that."

I take a deep breath.

"I love you, Lenobia. And I want you to think about that. If you don't feel the same then I promise I will not bug you again." I stroke my thumb across her cheek and soak in her facial features. Deep grey eyes, thick blond lashes, high cheekbones.

A tear falls from her eye.

"I would be lying if I said we did not share something. I love you too, Mr. Foster."