Page 5 of Claiming the Dhampir

“Kenrid should be the one to tell you why he was exiled from the fae realms,” I replied, deciding not to reveal his role as a scientist in those experiments. While Lorna needed to know about her lineage in order to understand her magic, nothing good would come from revealing Kenrid’s past. He needed to be the one to do it.

“Kenrid has not been able to confirm your parentage, despite his efforts,” I said. “Even though it seems unlikely, it’s possible that you were born here on Earth. A vampire could have impregnated a human in secret. She may have known enough about her situation to hide you from your father.”

Lorna’s dhampir retreated and my mate’s blue eyes stared back at me for several seconds, shimmering with tears.

“Then how did I get my fae magic?” she asked. “And you just said the other stuff was demon magic.”

I reached out and cupped her face in my palm. She was too smart to believe anything but the truth. I refused to lie to her.

“According to Kenrid, the fae used DNA from every magical creature they could find in their efforts to create a stable dhampir. They failed because they lacked the only thing they truly required.” I pressed my forehead against hers and whispered. “Love made you who you are, my little d’laej.”

“My human family,” she whispered, not pulling away from me. “They accepted all my oddities and loved me.”

“Yes. I believe all dhampir could be just like you if they grew up in a family who accepted and supported them,” I agreed. “But that never happened. The vampires always enslaved them, then had them killed.”

“I guess it makes sense,” she said. “It still doesn’t explain how I ended up in New York.”

“I’m sorry, Lorna,” Kenrid said, surprising me. I hadn’t heard him emerge from the trees, where he now stood a short distance from us. “I shouldn’t have kept this from you.”

Lorna drew in a deep breath and scooted away from me. I kept my focus on her face and her reactions to Kenrid’s words. I could hear the regret in Kenrid’s voice, making it unnecessary to see him.

“But you did keep it from me,” Lorna stated. “I’ve trusted you all this time because I believed you wouldn’t lie to me.”

Her voice wavered for a moment, then she rose to her feet and glared at Kenrid. I smiled. She would force the truth from him, and we could find a path forward.

“I didn’t want to mislead you,” Kenrid insisted, not taking his eyes off the grass beneath his feet. “It’s an ugly part of my past. I couldn’t stomach the thought of you finding out what I’d done. Once you know, I’ll understand if you reject me.”

I did not want to pity the fae, but the dejected look on his face made it impossible. Apparently, Lorna felt the same. She closed the space between them and reached for his hand. He didn’t stop her from taking it, but he didn’t meet her gaze either.

“Kenrid,” she whispered. “You’ve been one of the best things to ever happen to me. I can’t imagine you being capable of doing anything that awful. Please tell me how I ended up with my adopted parents.”

I cringed, knowing what he’d done. I only hoped that Lorna could separate the good from the bad.

“I helped my colleague and his pregnant lover escape from the laboratory where the dhampir testing was done,” Kenrid said, then drew in a deep breath. “I also strategically placed magical firebombs throughout the facility and sealed the doors. I killed everyone inside. Everyone.”

He finally looked up at Lorna. Her furrowed brow looked more like confusion than disgust.

“The pregnant lover was my mother?” she asked. “Was your friend my father?”

Kenrid shook his head. “I’m not certain. Alyn claimed responsibility for the baby, but I’m not sure I believe it. Just because he claimed responsibility, doesn’t mean the child carried his DNA. It was a twist on words that I didn’t realize until much later.”

“And my mom?” Lorna asked.

“Again, I’m not certain,” Kenrid replied. “I left her and Alyn in a cabin near the Finger Lakes thirty-four years ago, then spent several years hiding from the fae courts myself. Nathan took me in, and I’ve been with his clan ever since.”

Lorna sucked in a sharp breath and pressed her free hand against her mouth.

“The timing is conducive to making all kinds of assumptions,” Kenrid continued. “The woman was from the winter fae court. She’d been subjected to the testing Damon just told you about.”

He looked up at me and the cold indifference returned. It would take a while for him to get past this, but I still had no regrets. Secrets would only hurt a relationship. I would not be able to withstand the pain it would cause Lorna to lose Kenrid over something like this.

“I get it,” Lorna said. “But nothing you’ve told me makes you the bad guy. The people in the lab doing those experiments were the true monsters. You saved your friend and his lover, and maybe even me.”

Kenrid squeezed his eyes closed. I held my breath, wondering if he’d tell her. Several seconds passed before he opened his eyes and took Lorna’s free hand in his. He brought both to his lips and kissed her fingers.

“I love you, Lorna Scott. My soul is eternally yours, regardless of what you decide.”

“Kenrid?” Lorna whispered his name, her voice shaking. “Tell me.”

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