Page 50 of Love Heals
Chapter Eighteen
Ireally wished I could shut up the voices in my head. Jared's lips had felt so good on mine. That kiss had been everything I'd been fantasizing about every time I looked at him. But of course, I couldn't enjoy it. I'd tried so hard too.
In the end, it hadn't mattered.
I buried my face in Drizzit's fur on the drive home, but even that didn’t quiet my thoughts. The dog smelled like animal blood. There was something really, really wrong about the way that scent made my teeth itch. I tried to dismiss the thought, and I kept my fangs from extending, but seriously… how messed up was I?
By the time we reached the safe house again, I was ready to head back up to my room and crash until the next night. The moment I stepped out of the car, though, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.
Something was off. There was something in the air.
No, not something. Someone.
Jared stopped and looked back at me when I didn't immediately follow him into the house. "Are you coming?"
I swallowed. "That vampire is here again."
"What vampire?"
"Vlad." I spat the name. I'd kind of been hoping that I wouldn't have to see the man again, but of course, I couldn't be so lucky. After all, I still held knowledge that the older vampire wanted.
Jared's brows furrowed. "I'm not going to let him hurt you."
"You couldn't stop him."
"You haven't seen me try." Jared sounded more confident than he should be, but I left him to his illusions. In all honesty, no mortal could ever take it up with that vampire, even if Jared and his family weren't true mortals. But it was sweet of Jared that he wanted to, anyway. I caught up to him, feeling the sense of danger in the air intensify with every step I took toward the house. I didn’t let that stop me, though.
After all, it didn't matter what the older vampire did to me, I couldn't tell him my sire's secrets. Nicolai had made sure of that. I wanted to kiss Jared a lot more than I wanted to tell anyone about the Seeker Stone, and I'd had to give up on that too.
A bitter smile formed on my face. If I could, Iwouldtell Vlad all about the Seeker Stone. I'd tell him everything Nicolai had ever wanted me to keep a secret. It would feel good, to get back at him for all the shit he’d done to me. For preventing me from being with Jared the way I wanted to.
The first time in my life a man, a good man, actually cared about me, and I couldn't block out the voices in my head for long enough to get a good kiss.
"Silas?" Jared prompted, and I realized that I'd been silent for too long. He offered me his hand again. I took it. Jared's fingers felt nice against mine. Warm. Strong.
I let him lead me into the house.
Just like last time, everyone was gathered in the living room. Heads turned our way as we came close. I only had eyes for Vlad, though. He stood in the middle of the room as if center stage was where he belonged, even though nothing about him seemed to scream for attention. He looked at me with interest. Up close, his magic pressed in on my senses, so much stronger than Nicolai's had ever been.
"You still want to know about that gem?" I asked.
"That is why I am here," he confirmed.
"You're out of luck. My sire commanded me not to reveal those secrets to anyone." I’d been ashamed to say it before, but now? What did it matter if everyone knew? It wasn't like I had a reputation to uphold or anything. "Even if I wanted to help you, I couldn't."
The worst thing was that I did kind of want to help. I didn't want any more vampires to die needlessly, no, but I also didn't want Jared to die, or any of his family. Vlad’s earlier words played through my head, about how the prophecy would make the curse of the vampire vanish from the earth.
Wouldn’t that be nice?
Vlad's eyes bore into me. "Your sire is dead."
"I know, but that doesn't change anything for me."
Vlad considered this for a moment. "Interesting," he said then, rubbing his chin. "I knew that the bond between sire and child can be strong, but it's rare for it to be powerful enough to hold after the sire's demise. You must have been very devoted."
I laughed, even though none of this was amusing to me. "You have no idea."
"No, I suppose not. I never sired other vampires."
