Page 13 of To Love a Vampire
I’ve had hours to dwell on what Declan confessed to me and the longer we walked the more I wanted to rip this place apart, the place I’ve called my home for the past year. The leader I’ve looked to for guidance and honesty has lied to me every day for a year.
“You want to use me to find peace between the mortals and the mystics?”
The dozen or so warriors within the room stop to appreciate my outburst. Some of them just leave, choosing to walk away while they have the chance. Declan clears his throat behind me but my aggression won’t allow me to acknowledge him. My heart beats almost painfully as I wait for Raske to say something.
Raske glances around the room at the few stragglers, nodding at them in silence. They trail from the room one by one until it’s just the four of us alone in the stifling tent.
“I’m not using you, Fallon. None of us are using anyone. If you were to accept one of my men, accept my own son even, the gesture of a human loving a mystic would be enough to change the world. Do you understand that? With your help, we could change the world. All it takes is one person to lead as an example.” His gentle but deep voice fills the room. “You aren’t like other mortals, Fallon. You see us as your equal. With the attention your friends and camp have put on your disappearance, others would take notice of your choices. It would be slow, but change can happen.”
My lungs heave as I take in angry gulps of air. Slowly, I try to calm my shaking fists and twitching jaw as I stare at him.
He’s right. I know he is. A mortal sharing a lifetime of happiness with a mystic could be the first steps to ending the segregation… It’s just faking a lifetime of happiness that’s the problem.
If I were to accept any one of his men.I consider asking him if a hybrid like Declan would be acceptable in his plan—the race that not even the mystics accept fully—but I know the answer. Kaino is the number one choice. He’s the right choice. Yet, he can’t even look at me during this discussion. He has nothing to say in my defense.
More anger boils over the almost calm surface that I tried so hard to find. I clench my fists tightly closed, turn on my heels and exit the tent. The fury I’m holding on to is expelled from my body in a breath of surprise as I collide with someone else, my head banging harshly against their chest.
I run my fingers over my sore forehead as a familiar dog whines at my feet. He’s odd looking with matted fur and one little ear ends in jagged, scarred flesh. My heart drops and then leaps in my chest as I bend down to pick up the excited animal that was once my best friend. Ripper wiggles in my arms, I stand, hugging the restless dog and sorrow fills me as my fingers rub the damaged ear that’s almost entirely missing. Rapid and endless laps of his tongue meet my knuckles and arms and anything in his reach. My head dips toward his and I’m met with the most pungent smell that’s clinging to his fur.
What has he been rolling in over the last year? How did he get here?
My eyes finally drift to the person I bumped into and my heartbeat stammers, a gasp tearing from my lips as I meet his astonished gaze. I’m face to face with the one person I’ve thought about day and night for the past year.
Asher.
Seven
A Formal Introduction
From across theflames of the fire, Nerissa laughs loudly over the rhythmic drums, sending a jolt of annoyance through me from the sight of her charming smile. Her long waves of emerald hair brush against Asher’s shoulder. My heart violently pounds against my chest with every beat of the drum, with every smile she gives him. Anger thrums closer to the surface with every charming smile he gives her in return.
The only real happiness I’ve felt since seeing Asher is the wide-eyed look the children gave me when I introduced the little Wanderers to Ripper. Their little hands appreciated his dirty fur and excited kisses as if he was the most amazing, filthy animal that had ever crawled out of the forest.
And he is.
The children keep the happy dog busy, feeding him every scrap of food they can find, giving him a long bath and playing with him for hours. Now he naps in the arms of a pleased fae child, the curve of her smile is highlighted in the flames as she stares down at the tiny sleeping animal.
I can’t believe the dog trusted Asher for the last year. That he finally stopped growling at him long enough to follow the hybrid to safety.
The cute image holds my attention for a single minute before Nerissa’s laughter breaks into my thoughts again, my eyes darting toward them once more.
“I found the two of them walking the Red Hills. It’s him, isn’t it?” Luca asks in a quiet voice, pausing only a moment before realizing I won’t answer. “Can you believe that fae slut?” she asks, her eyes following my trance and watching Nerissa as her hand touches Asher’s bicep for the third time, laughing again at whatever clever thing he’s saying.
I take a drink from my cup, the liquid burns down my throat and settles in at home with the fire that’s flooding my chest. I try to pull my eyes away from the sight of him, but I can’t.
We stared at each other for minutes, his silver eyes tracing every inch of my body until my pounding heart was struck with fear.What if Raske doesn’t accept another hybrid?Declan already puts the Wanderers on edge and my history with Asher could threaten the lord’s plans.
So, I let Raske and the rest of our community think that Asher and Gabriel are strangers to me, out of panic of getting them pushed out of the Wandering community. I moved past him without a second glance, my chest shaking with unshed tears the whole time.
“Really, walk on water and behold the magic of the sea, and suddenly you’re the most enthralling person they’ve ever met?” Luca’s icy tone causes me to finally look away from Asher. I steal a glance at my friend and find that she, too, is seething at the shameless flirting that’s happening just in front of us. I watch Luca a little longer. Her lip curls in disgust as Nerissa runs her thin fingers through Gabriel’s red hair and it’s then that I realize he’s different. One hand holds his drink, his shoulders stiff from the attention of the water fae, while his other hand… is missing. Just a little above his wrist the limb ends in nothing but smooth skin.
My stomach sinks low but I try to focus on Luca for a moment.
“You like him?” I say slowly, my eyes lighting up for the first time since I saw Asher earlier tonight.
She coughs into her cup as she chokes on her alcohol, her face scrunching into a look of pain. Declan stops at my side, smirking at Luca who attempts to find a normal breath.
“No, not at all. I just think it’s embarrassing how the water fae is throwing her tang at anyone now. Do you know what she looked like when she first came here?” A disgusted and dramatic shiver runs over my friend’s body.
