Chapter 40

"Couldn't sleep, so I got up. Mr. Lenny said he needed to milk the cows, so I went to help," she said with a smile.

He had already suffered so much; at least in front of him, she wanted to show her most radiant and beautiful side. "Claude even gave me some chocolate."

"He gave you something?" Seeing her take out the beautifully wrapped chocolate, Emil's green eyes narrowed, and he snatched it away. That little rascal, only thirteen and already so cunning, daring to try and woo his woman while he wasn't around.

Sarah was startled by his domineering action, thinking he was just eager because he hadn't had his favorite sweets in a long time. "Claude said his mother would be making chocolate in the next few days. If you want some, we can stay a bit longer."

Emil gazed at her intently. She smiled serenely, seemingly oblivious to the boy's intentions.

It was understandable. Old Lenny spoke German, while Mrs. Lenny was French, and Sarah didn't understand either language. Even if the boy spoke until his mouth was dry, without Emil there to translate, she would still be clueless, thinking the boy was just as naturally enthusiastic as his mother.

He smiled with satisfaction, meeting her gentle gaze, and felt a surge of tenderness in his heart. He softly called, "Sarah."

"Yes?" Sarah thought he had something to say, but he remained silent, pouting his lips slightly and making a small "mwah" sound.

She was slightly taken aback, then realized he was asking for a kiss. His childish gesture amused her, and she leaned down to kiss his slightly cool lips.

Emil kissed her back passionately, pulling her into the bed and undoing her heavy coat, greedily seeking the warmth of her body.

"What do you think of this cabin? When it's cold, you can stay in a place like this, with a stove to keep warm, a kitchen to cook delicious food, and a soft bed to make love..." She bit his neck in warning, and he chuckled, "Would you like to live in a place like this?"

"When your wounds heal, we'll be leaving."

"But we won't be wandering and hiding forever. It's been two years, and no one has found us. Maybe it's time to settle down. Where would you like our home to be? This place is nice, but for someone from a subtropical climate like you, it might be too cold."

"It's a bit cold, but the snow is lovely." Living with him? She mused, sketching the blueprint of their future, "It should be in a secluded, quiet place, with lots and lots of trees, and our house nestled among them; preferably with a stream, or we could dig a pond, and build a pavilion; it would be great to have several small cabins, one for daily living, one for a library, one for the kitchen and dining..."

"In the mountains?" he finished for her, seeing the homesickness in her eyes. "My dear, as much as I'd love to say 'leave it to me,' I might collapse after building just one cabin. How about we consider combining all those functions into one multi-purpose house?"

"I was just dreaming. It's just the two of us; we wouldn't need that many cabins." She smiled, quickly setting aside her melancholy, and lay on his chest, looking at him. "What about you? Where would you like to live?"

"As long as I'm with you, anywhere is fine." Sensing his body gradually warming up, ensuring she wouldn't get cold, he slipped his hands under her sweater. The cold air made her gasp softly.

"Cold? It'll warm up soon." He didn't want to stop, yearning to be close to her. "Did you ask Mrs. Lenny for 'foil packets'?"

Sarah blushed. "I was too embarrassed to ask." He had taught her a few simple German phrases for this, but she couldn't bring herself to ask for such things from someone she had just met.

"What's the big deal? When we leave, I'll cast a spell on them so they won't even remember we were here, let alone you asking for 'foil packets.'"

"That's different." Why was he so insistent on using protection? She asked nervously, "Don't you want children?"

She sensed he enjoyed having someone by his side and had talked about settling down. He should like having children around.

"Of course not. Reason one, I want to have you all to myself, to enjoy our world of two, without any little brats taking up our time, even if they are our own." He smiled, his eyes complex. "Reason two, if they're destined for misfortune, it's better they aren't born."

"How do you know they will be unhappy before they're even born?" She knew he was worried about passing on the vampire bloodline, but that was just a possibility. They might have ordinary children.

"By the time we find out, it would be too late."

She couldn't argue with that for a moment and thought, "But if you hadn't been born, I wouldn't have met you."

Emil was stunned. "That's true. If I hadn't been born, I wouldn't have faced hardships or pain, nor would I have experienced any happiness." He gazed at her pure, elegant face, his eyes softening. "You are the greatest happiness of my life."

Her face turned red again. He never hid his feelings, openly expressing his love, and his passionate, direct emotions moved her. But being naturally reserved, she rarely said anything in return. "No, I'm not. Your greatest happiness would be to die before me."

He was shocked. "What?"

"The happiest thing is to die before the one you love, so you don't have to endure the pain of separation or live alone, bearing the sadness and loneliness for the rest of your life. So, I will make sure to live longer than you, and every day you're alive, I'll be by your side." Her face flushed like fire as she whispered, "I can't bear to see you sad because of me."

He stared at her, unable to believe she had said something so touching. "Fool, do you think I'd feel better seeing you sad because of me?"

She hadn't changed, whether in the past or now, still delicate and gentle. He didn't want to burden her with guilt, preferring to keep the bond from their past life buried deep within, known only to himself. It didn't matter if she didn't remember their past life; she had chosen him in the end, and that was enough.

As for how long his body could last and how long he could stay by her side, he had thought about it.

He refused to drink blood, yet paradoxically relied on his vampire side to sustain his life. The fact that he was still alive now made him feel that as long as he wanted to live, he could. When he wanted to die, this bloodline had stubbornly saved him. Now, with a stronger will to live, it would likely be more than willing to fulfill his wish.