I gazed at him as I made a decision. "I'l use the gift to find the book. In return, I want you to promise me you'l let me return to my old life. I don't want a bodyguard 24/7."
The reaction I got from him wasn't quite what I expected. Moistening his lips, he looked away and then back at me. "It's not that simple, Amber."
He shook his head vehemently. "To find the book I'l have to lead you to the threshold of death. Once there, you might not be able to find your way back unless—" his expression darkened, his blue eyes glinting unnatural y bright "—you were to become one of us."
"You want to turn me into a vampire?" I snorted, flabbergasted. He couldn't be serious. None of this could be real. I was stil waiting for that moment when I'd wake up from a bad dream, then laugh it al off at my parents' breakfast table.
He squirmed beneath me as though the mere thought was an uncomfortable one. "This is a choice you have to make for yourself. I'l fil you in on al the pros and cons. I promise I'l be with you every step of the way. Take some time and think it through with no pressure from me. Immortality isn't a decision to take lightly."
"Real y? And I thought you didn't have a heart. I'm touched you're so concerned about my wel being." I inhaled to calm my racing heart, pictures of eternal youth flashing through my mind. And then I remembered a movie scene showing thirsty female vampires tearing a guy to pieces, blood dripping down their chin. It was just a bad B movie, but how could I know Aidan's life wasn't like that? Why else would he keep a room in the basement, locked and marked private, unless he had a stash of bodies down there? I knew al along he was a vampire, and I knew vampires drink blood, yet I hadn't real y taken it seriously. I'd been stupid not to put two and two together, and admit that Aidan needed blood to survive. Maybe he dressed al contemporary, but deep inside I doubted he had also traded his blood supply for a Bloody Mary.
"Should I thank you for giving me a choice to join your legions of the undead? Hol ywood would've a field day with this one." I shot him a suspicious look and pul ed back just a bit, ready to dash back to the house if he so much as lifted a finger. He could say what he wanted, but I didn't trust him one bit. "Sorry, your food's not for me. Nothing beats a steak and an old fashioned cup of tea."
Annoyance crossed his brows. "Can you take this seriously for one moment?"
"Sure, as long as you promise to introduce me to al your friends. Are there any other mythological beings or legendary creatures from the supernatural world I should know of? Any zombies or werewolves I should meet? Is your childhood best friend a mummy? Was your first kiss a ghoul?"
"Quit acting like Kieran." He regarded me with raised eyebrows for a second, then said, "I'm giving you a shot at immortality here, but I want you to keep a clear head."
I scoffed. Was he real y thinking I'd just jump at the opportunity of becoming a raging monster crazed by the smel of blood? "You got me al wrong here. I'm—"
He cut me off. "Don't fight it." With lightning speed he grabbed hold of my wrist and sank his fangs into the soft flesh. It wasn't painful, just a tiny sting that seemed surreal. For a moment, my body recoiled at the realisation what he was doing. My mind raced, searching for ways to ward off the unexpected attack. I pushed him to free myself as a sense of peace washed over me. His grip tightened. I closed my eyes and let myself drift off, lul ed in by an unspoken promise of peace and joy.
Chapter 20
"Amber? Wake up."
Moaning, I pried my eyes open and peered at Aidan's concerned face leaning over me.
The woods were stil gloomy, but the moon peered through the heavy clouds, casting a soft glow on the trees to my right. My senses seemed heightened; I could see as far as the house, hear the soft rustling of leaves, and smel the sweet, faint scent of Aidan's skin. Was it the bite from the Prince of Darkness or the prize that made me perceive al those things?
I pul ed my wrist away. Aidan retrieved a tissue from his back pocket and applied pressure on the two punctures.
"You freaking bit me," I said, my voice hoarse. "You're lucky I don't cal animal control."
"It was the only way to let you see."
"Pul a stunt like this again, Aidan, and I'l kick you where it counts."
"I'm truly sorry."
I nudged him in the arm. "You could've turned al Dracula on me."
Aidan smiled. "Not likely. I have excel ent self-control."
"Said the spider to the fly." I pushed his hand away. "Just get away from me. Why did you bite me?"
"I wanted to show you that I'm not a monster. I don't inflict pain or rip out throats."
I smirked. "Right." He failed to mention he used mind control to sedate his victims so they couldn't fight him. Pictures flooded my mind. For a while, I just sat there, trying to make sense of what I saw. Aidan staring wide-eyed at a beautiful red-haired girl clad in a brocade gown covered in blood, sitting amidst bodies and torn limbs scattered across the floor. The same girl leaning over Aidan, licking the ghastly gash in his throat.
Shaking my head to get rid of the disturbing images, I peered at Aidan. "You hooked up with a serial kil er? Seriously, Aidan, were you drunk?"
"Never underestimate a kiss from a vampire." His eyes twinkled as he ran a thumb over my lips. "You, out of al people, should understand that."
My cheeks burned. Our knee-weakening, mind-blowing kiss stil consumed my thoughts every second of the day. "You were drawn to Rebecca, I get it. She was beautiful."
Aidan shook his head. "Beauty's only skin deep. Beneath Rebecca's splendour hid a raging, psychotic, bloodthirsty monster. She enjoyed kil ing."
I clicked my tongue. "She was the girl your mother warned you about."
"I guess." Aidan nodded and lifted my chin to kiss my forehead. "But she couldn't hold a candle to you."
I knew he must be lying, but I couldn't help smiling. "Thank you. It's nice to know I'm your type."
"Are you B positive?"
I laughed. "You only date mortals or vampires?"
"Yeah. Zombies, werewolves and mummies kind of stink like dead meat. Not to mention, they don't clean up al that wel once they start losing their hair and limbs." He started rubbing my back.
"Why was she dressed like Cinderel a at the bal ?"
"It was the year 1499," Aidan said. "The year my life was turned upside down."
I gawked. Was he serious? That'd make him—
"You look great for a man who's over five hundred years old and happens to be dead. I mean, you could've hitched a ride with Columbus on his epic voyage to America and helped Sherlock Holmes solve crimes. You were around to see the great plague claim mil ions." And my father was upset that Cameron was a few years older. He'd kneel over knowing Aidan's age. What would it be like to work the graveyard shift for hundreds of years and never feel the sun on one's face?
Aidan grimaced. "Thanks for reminding me."
"Go on," I said, smiling.
"Before meeting Rebecca, I led a sheltered life with my parents and my brother. At night we'd sit around the campfire and listen to stories about people like her—vampires roaming the streets of London, feeding on the poor and homeless. I didn't believe one word."
I squeezed his hand to convey my sympathy. "Until you met Dracula's spawn."
"Yes. Rebecca was dangerous, charming, and mysterious."
A pang of jealousy hit me in the pit of my stomach. I raised my brows. "Sexy?"
Aidan rocked slowly back and forth, his gaze focused in the distance as he recal ed his memories. "Yeah, that too. Something seemed odd about her though, but I couldn't place it. I never thought she was a kil er, not until one fateful night when she decided I was worthy of her blood. I was never given a choice."
"I take it there's no support group for newbies. Why did she do it in the first place?"
He shrugged, his gaze lost in the woods around us, as if he was reliving the details of his former life. "Maybe she was bored and wanted a companion, or personal slave. I had just turned eighteen and was easy to manipulate
. She never revealed her purpose. There's another reason why I wanted you to see the sort of vampire I am." His gaze locked with mine. "You and I—we're meant to be together."
I rol ed my eyes. "The bond again. Everybody keeps mentioning it. What's that al about?" My heart pumped hard as I let my voice trail off.
Something told me we were meant to be together, and it scared the living hel out of me.
Aidan spoke slowly. "When two people are destined for each another, they're cal ed mates. A strong psychic connection bonds them together.
That's what you and I have. Some of us wil never find that rare and beautiful love of a lifetime. Blake, Kieran and Clare have been searching for hundreds of years. I've found mine and I'l never let go." He cupped my face in his hands, our gaze connecting in the darkness. "Can't you see, Amber? Losing you would be like a stake to my heart. We can make this work. I'm not a dreadful person. Being together won't be as bad as you think. Just don't give up on us."
The moonstone pendant burned against my skin. I shook my head, hesitating. His words touched my heart because they rang true. I wanted to believe him, but I couldn't.
"Fal ing in love with a vampire ruined your life," I whispered. "I don't want it to ruin mine." This was the stuff of nightmares, legends and horror movies, and pretty darn freaky. I knew I should get away as far as I could, but I couldn't. I felt torn inside, unsure what to do. "I care about you more than you'l ever know." I searched his eyes, trying to make him see the turmoil inside me. "I'm trying so hard to understand your world, but al of this is too much to handle." I got up from his lap and dropped down near a tree, surprised to find I could stil distinguish his features in the darkness.
"There's something else you should know," Aidan whispered. "I'm torn whether to turn you because Rebecca's memory stil lingers in my mind as if it al happened yesterday. Sometimes I wake up confused, unable to distinguish between the past and the present."
He was stil into the bloodsucker. So much for eternal, exclusive love. "She's gone. Do you want to raise her? Is that why you stil keep her clothes?" I glared at him as more pangs of jealousy washed over me. The pendant around my neck felt like hot iron, heavy and unpleasant. Aidan opened his mouth to speak. I held up a hand to stop him. "No, don't answer that. It's none of my business. I don't want this gift you have to offer, Aidan. Kil ing the entire town isn't real y my thing. I mean, where'd I get my nails done?"
"You wouldn't be like that." I could hear the hesitation in his voice. So, he had no idea how I might turn out.
I raised my glance to the canopy of trees filtering the soft glow coming from above. "Great, I'm sitting under the ful moon with a vampire, talking about his zombie bride. I guess it could be worse. You could be shape shifting into a wolf right now."
"Werewolves aren't real."
"Yeah." I snorted. "That's a good one. After the creatures I met in the last month, I wouldn't be surprised to find myself shaking hands with a trol this very minute."
"Your sense of humour is one of the things I like the most about you. But let's get back to the nitty-gritty. As mates, we can feel each other's emotions. I know you're jealous of Rebecca even though you have absolutely no reason to be."
I jumped up from my sitting position, cheeks burning. "I'm not—"
Aidan cut me off. "We can teach you how to live a fairly normal life, but there's stil a chance you won't be able to control the blood craze. I don't want you to hate me for turning you into a loathsome creature of the night. That's the reason why I can't stop thinking about Rebecca. It's not obsessive love but hate. Once we have the book in our possession, things wil be different."
I ran my hand over the moonstone pendant as more pictures of bloodsucking vampires flooded my mind. As much as I wanted to assure him I didn't see him as a monster, I couldn't. He had been in the wrong place at the wrong time, seduced by the gorgeous Rebecca. How could I ever blame him for that? But that didn't make him less of a monster.
"This turning thing isn't going to work for me. I'l just get your little old book and be on my way back to Normal Vil e," I said.
He shook his head. "If only it worked that way."
I groaned. "Please, no more. I think I know al there is to know about vampires."
Aidan got up from the tree trunk and inched closer, halting a few inches away from me. "Real y? But you haven't even asked the obvious question."
Maybe I didn't want to know the answers. Ah, yes, what the heck. I might as wel go al the way. I looked up at his dark shape. "You guzzle down a pint of cold blood every night? Or do you prefer it hot like coffee? Maybe sprinkle a little anti-clotting agent in place of creamer?"
"I've no idea what you're talking about," Aidan said, dryly.
I took a deep breath, summoning up the courage to ask what I felt was a key issue here. "Do you feed on the life essence of humans?"
Aidan cringed. "Feeding straight from the source is kind of medieval, don't you think? I drink only donor's blood, although it doesn't taste the same as the real deal. It took me a long time to get used to it."
The pendant burned, scorching my skin. I could feel rage bubbling up inside me. He was a monster, no matter how he put it. How could I ever introduce him to my parents? My emotions kept changing from trust to distrust, from understanding to fury, as though there were two different people inside me, fighting to take control over my feelings and actions. I tried to sound nonchalant, like it didn't matter, but it did. "So, you rob the local blood banks?"
Aidan hesitated. "Let's say I have connections."
"I can't imagine being on a warm protein liquid diet, and believe me, I've tried plenty of weight loss plans in my time."
"Morning wil break soon. We need to get back to the house before the first rays of light appear." He reached me in two short strides and held out his palm. I grabbed it and let him pul me up. His stare made me feel uneasy.
"Let's go then."
"You haven't put on my mother's necklace," Aidan said, pul ing it out of my pocket. His breath tickled my cheek as he touched my throat, brushing Deidre's pendant. A voice shrieked inside my head. Aidan stumbled backwards. I raised my hands to cover my ears against the ear-piercing screech.
Aidan approached slowly, his face resembled a mask of fury. "Take that off." I gawked at him, wide-eyed. He took another step forward until he stood mere inches away, towering over me. "Amber, that thing's infused with magic. Whatever it's for, it's not doing you any favours. Take it off now."
With shaking fingers I unclasped the pendant. The metal burned and twisted like a snake in my hands as I dropped it to the ground. My mind cleared as though a heavy cloud had just lifted. I inhaled to calm my racing heart.
Aidan clasped his mother's necklace around my neck and placed a kiss on my forehead. "It's just a necklace," Aidan said, as though sensing my hesitation. "I'd never influence you in order to take advantage."
I let him hold my hand on the way back. Trudging down the path to the house, something clicked into place. My rage had disappeared, and curiosity had taken its place. "Do you sleep during the day?" I asked, resuming our conversation. That much I knew already, but I needed to hear it from him. Just the usual gathering of facts.
"Unfortunately, yes. I wish it was just a myth."
I laughed. "Guess Bram Stoker got it right."
"Finding the book wil give me my life back. I haven't seen the sun rise in hundreds of years." He pointed at the dark horizon. "It's the first thing I want to do with you by my side. We'l have eternal youth and—"
"Perfect skin." I giggled.
"Yes, al of it. No more blood, no more fearing sunlight."
His talk of a future together made me feel awkward, insecure, so I decided to change the subject. "If you stay outside you burn to ash?" The thought both scared and fascinated me.
He smiled. "I don't know. But I've heard the pain's unbearable, so I'd rather not find out."
The house was as silent as a tomb. We entered the kitchen through the backdoor and
climbed up the stairs together. In front of my room, Aidan stopped and pressed his lips against mine whispering, "Promise you won't run away."
I nodded and wrapped my arms around his neck, hating myself for giving in so easily. I wished he'd ask if he could come in to spend more time with me. If only a few minutes. After Cameron's stunt I needed to feel loved again. Aidan pul ed back.
"Sleep wel ." He smiled, then turned on his heel. Holding my breath in case he changed his mind, I waited until he disappeared up the stairs before returning to my room, ready to get some sleep.
***
The day seemed too long. I couldn't eat or sleep because my thoughts kept circling around my encounter with Aidan. He'd said we were meant to be together. I'd read enough magazines to know no guy would ever make such a grand statement, unless he fol owed a hidden agenda. Aidan lied to get my cooperation. I was wil ing to cooperate, but only if he promised to help me return unscathed from wherever I was supposed to travel.
As much as I fancied the idea of eternal youth, I wouldn't turn into the Princess of Darkness. My parents would never get over that blow.
From behind the curtains of my window on the first floor, I watched Harry Timble examine the scrubs around the house, a black cat meowing around his ankles.
"Is this your work, kitty?" he said as he pul ed out a dead squirrel from behind a bush. "Such a good girl. You get them al , don't you, dearie?"
The old man reminded me of my father who had worked so hard to give Dal as and me the best education possible. I missed my parents so much. So, I vowed to focus on damage control and get out of this situation as soon as possible. No more Aidan. No more wishing we could be together. We lived in different worlds. It would never work out.
I retreated to the kitchen to get another cup of coffee and stared out onto the back garden, my fingers playing with Aidan's pendant. The house was empty and silent. For the split of a second I was tempted to invite Harry in for a cup of tea, but then decided against it. One thing was obvious, the old man didn't know what was going on in Aidan's house. With so many questions stil unanswered, I didn't trust my curiosity. I couldn't start poking around and risk arousing the old man's suspicion.