“I'm an animal with you," he murmured. "I want to mark you. I want to possess you so completely there's no separation between us.”

“I shook my head. His body felt so strong and alive next to me, an electric current bounced between us. "I don't need dozens of wishes fulfilled. I'm with you. There's nothing else I want.”

“I wanted...to own you. I wanted a part of me in you." He cringed. "I wanted to mark you, make you mine.”

“There's so much I want to tell you about the way I'm disappearing.”

“In time, in time they tell me, I'll not feel so bad. I don't want time to heal me. There's a reason I'm like this.I want time to set me ugly and knotted with loss of you, marking me. I won't smooth you away.I can't say goodbye.”

“He spoke rapidly in-between his tender kisses. "I love you. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. The women...I was so scared to touch you. You didn't want me...I couldn't take the pain. I tried to get over you. Every time with them, I was with you. I'm so sorry...I love you.”