Page 30 of Claimed By Fur and Fangs

"What?" I raised an eyebrow.

Damon leaned in slightly.

"How the hell did you find out Aidan was a vampire in the first place?"

My grip tightened around my glass. I had known this question was coming eventually. With a slow inhale, I set my drink down and met his gaze.

"It was the night of the fire."

"Go on," Damon’s smirk faded, replaced by a look of intrigue.

“When I saved Aidan, remember I told you that his wounds healed rapidly”

“Yeah, I remember and then …”

“The day he came to the hospital to see the victims of the fire incident; he walked into Amelia and I in the cafeteria and then I noticed the ring he was wearing.”

“Ring?” Damon asked, clearly intrigued.

"It was made of dark polished metal, almost black, but when the light hit it, you could see faint streaks of deep red running through it like veins beneath the surface. At first, I thought it was just a design, but something about it felt alive, like the ring itself was pulsing. The centerpiece was a round, glassy stone, too smooth to be a gem, too deep in color to be just decoration. It had this strange glow, like the embers of a dying fire."

"And you recognized it?" Damon narrowed his eyes.

"Not immediately," I admitted. "But something about it gnawed at me. I knew I’d seen it before, I just couldn’t remember where."

"So, what did you do?"

"What I do best. I started digging," I smirked slightly.

"You really couldn’t let it go, huh?" Damon let out a chuckle.

"Would you?" I shot back. "Something about it didn’t sit right with me. So, I spent hours looking through old records, museum archives, and historical symbols, anything that might give me a lead. And then I found it."

"And?" Damon exhaled slowly.

"It wasn’t just any ring. It was the Heritage Ring," I met his gaze.

Damon's smirk disappeared.

"The ring is passed down through vampire bloodlines," I said. "Not just any vampires but vampire leaders. It’s a symbol of power, a mark of their legacy. Every vampire ruler has worn that ring, from one generation to the next." I exhaled sharply. "And Aidan? He had it."

"Well, damn. That’s some next-level detective work," Damon let out a low whistle, shaking his head.

"I wasn’t done," I huffed out a humorless laugh.

"Oh, this should be good," Damon grinned.

"I had my suspicions, but I needed proof. Real proof." I clenched my jaw, staring at the ice melting in my drink. "I had to be sure before I said anything to Amelia."

"And how exactly did you plan on proving something like that? Stakeout? Hidden cameras? A full-on vampire intervention?" Damon raised an eyebrow.

"I disguised myself, nothing major, just enough to blend in. Hoodie, glasses, fake name in the visitor log. I waited outside his office, acting like I had an appointment." I exhaled, shaking my head. "Didn’t take long.” Aidan showed up right on time, walking in like he owned the place. Completely unaware."

"And then?" Damon leaned forward, intrigued.

"Then I tested him," I glanced up, meeting his gaze.

"Tested him how?" Damon arched a brow.

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