“There, you have your answer. Leave her alone,” Aiden bit out.
The waves of sensual energy withdrew
bit by bit
, almost hesitate to leave. Feeling lightheaded, I inhaled a deep breath and released it slowly. My body was relaxed, and I was still turned on, but without Aaron pushing his influence, I could handle the emotions better. My eyes met Aaron’s blackened eyes. His fangs peaked from under his lips and ever so slowly, they spread to reveal a satisfied smile. His tongue darted out and caressed his upper lip as our gazes locked onto each other. Like a flash of lightning, Aaron
sunk those fangs into
the girl next to him
.
Her wrist was brought up to his mouth
as he
drank greedi
ly
.
His eyes never lost contact with me.
Lust and desire swam through his eyes, a look much too mature on a face so young.
Aiden grabbed my hand and squeezed. I appreciated the gesture, but I couldn’t look away from Aaron. I wasn’t sure if he was using hypnosis on me, or if I just found him eerily fascinating. He was far more powerful than any vampire I’d encountered. The girl’s wrist thumped on the table when Aaron finished drinking. Trails of blood traveled down his chin
, that
his tongue darted out to catch. “I look forward to tasting you, Gwen Sparks,” he said as he swiped his thumb across his bottom lip.
A shudder of fear crept through me at the direct statement. “When?” I asked through trembling lips.
Don’t do it, little witch
I didn’t know how he did it, but Ian always knew what I was doing. Our bond worked both ways; I could sense him just as much as he could me, but I didn’t know where he was or what he was doing at every second.
Scared?
I thought.
It’s a trap. The council doesn’t give a rat’s ass about a witch being bonded to a vampire. Think about it, little witch.
Ian was doing his best to intertwine doubt into my mind, and it was
sorta
working.
“When you get your council to meet with us,” Aaron said.
“And if I can’t?”
“You will. Breaking the bond with Ian is too important, is it not?”
“It’s important to me, but that doesn’t mean I can get my council to meet with you.”
“You’ll find a way, I’m sure,” Aaron smiled and then flourished his hand.
Aiden stood. “Come on, Gwen.”
With one last look at the elder vampire, I followed Aiden out of the club. “What the hell was that?” The cold air bit at my exposed skin and caused goose bumps along my flesh.
“His way of dismissing us,” Aiden said as we walked down the sidewalk to his SUV.
“Not the hand thing, the drink thing.” I could still feel the effects of Aaron’s venom in my system,
but it was
waning and rational thoughts were slowly coming back.
Aiden’s SUV beeped as he unlocked it. He held my door open, and I climbed inside. Once he was situated in the driver’s seat he looked over and said, “His way of controlling you and showing me I couldn’t do a damn thing about it. The council members are old and primitive in their ways of thinking. They enjoy controlling and playing with people.”
“And you think it’d be a good idea to give them my blood?” I interrupted.
“They won’t hurt you, Gwen. Their morals are questionable, but you will not be in any danger. I promise.”
I thought for a moment and then voiced what I was really worried about. “When Ian met me in my dream,” I began in a quiet voice. “He bit me and it
was
normal at first, you know, pleasurable. But it turned very painful.”
“The council does not inflict torturous bites on those who gift their blood,” Aiden interjected, knowing what I was getting at. “Those sorts of bites are reserved for punishments, and the only vampires who inflict them on their prey are those who get off on causing others pain.” Aiden’s fingers caressed my hand, but the gesture did little to comfort me. Allowing six ancient vampires to feed upon me was the stupidest thing I’d ever agreed to. Vampires may not think much of biting someone, but to me it was an intimate situation I didn’t want to share with anyone except Aiden. Of course, I couldn’t share that
with Aiden
because my blood would restart his addiction to brew.
“Please don’t refer to me as prey,” I said with a small smile.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it,” Aiden replied. “And I’m
sorry our private night ended was
ruined by politics. I’ll be happy when this entire mess is over.”
“Me too,” I thought for a moment. “Are you and Aaron close? He called you a friend.”
Aiden turned the key in the ignition and pulled away from the curb. His hands tightened on the steering wheel and silence filled the interior of the car as I waited for him to answer. His jaw tightened and his eyes were mere slits as he stared ahead.
“He’s my sire,” Aiden said
in a hushed tone
. My mouth
dropped and my brows arched. I’d
known Aiden for two years and not once did I ask him how he became a vampire. Knowing his sire was an elder on the council, peaked my curiosity.
“You’re sire is an ancient? How did it happen?
“It was 1396 when the council came to Italy. I was a street vendor with my father. We sold breads my mother made and fruit
s we farmed. My family was poor.
We didn’t make enough to support the f
ive
of us
. I hated my life. I hated my poverty and that others looked down on me for not being from a good name. Aaron
La’rue
came upon me one night while I was closing up my father’s stall and offered me a gift. He was dressed in expensive fashion, and I thought the gift would be money, that perhaps he felt sorry for such a poor boy
,
”
Aiden snorted in derision and glanced at me.
“I was wrong. I followed him back to his palace. I still remember what the inside looked like, gold leaf chandeliers, extravagant paintings hung on the walls and enough space to house twenty families. Aaron did not live there alone though, his brothers and sisters also called the palace home. His sister, Alana, was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen, and I quickly became infatuated with her. The
La’rue
family invited me to the palace every night for dinners and dancing. I didn’t know at the time they were trying to show me their lifestyle, and what it meant to be a
La’rue
. I trusted them like my own family and even had a tryst
with Alana,” Aiden shifted, his eyes darting in my direction.
“I believed she’d be my wife one day. After two weeks of enjoying their company, I was told what they are. All six of them flashed their fangs and blackened their eyes.
‘This is the gift I wish to give you’
Aaron told me. I was terrified, I thought they were demons, but I was also in love with Alana. ‘
We can be together forever, my dear, Alonzo’
Alana told me, and I believed her.”
Aiden made a right turn, his hand white from grasping the steering wheel tight. Though our connection was waning, I could almost feel his anger filling the cab of the car.
“Alonzo?” I questioned.
“I was born as Alonzo
Moretti
. I have changed it several times over the years, but once the transition from human to vampire was complete, I could never be Alonzo
Moretti
again
. I felt I’d disgraced my family name.
The
La’rue’s
lifestyle was
everything I envied and everything I’d never have if I remained a vendor’s son, so I agre
ed t
o be a vampire.
Alana was not permitted to change me.
Men were the only sires back then
, so Aaron offered to be my sire.
“I’m in love with a man, and I didn’t even know his real name?” It never occurred to me Aiden would have changed his
identity over the years
.
“You never asked,” Aiden said.
G
uilt settled
in the pit of my stomach.
“I’m sorry. I should have taken an interest in your life, but I thought it would be rude to question you about it, and honestly, I was okay with not knowing who you were then because I love who you are now.”
A smile replaced the frown on Aiden face. “That is very good to hear, my Gwen. Because who I was then was not someone you would love today.”
Aiden took a right turn, causing me to slide on the leather seats. I braced myself so I wouldn’t end up in his lap—not that it wouldn’t be fun, but it wouldn’t be safe while he was driving. “So, what happened with Alana?” I asked once I straightened myself in my seat.
I knew Aiden was old, and I couldn’t imagine what he witnessed in his lifetimes
. I felt
juvenile in comparison
.
“Alana and I carried on our relationship for a few years, devouring the cities around us. We left bodies in the street and a blood trail in our wake. Being with Alana was intoxicating and alluring to a new vampire. She showed me the spoils of my new world, and I didn’t know any better. It wasn’t until we came across a young girl no older than seven that I realized I didn’t want to live as a monster. Alana never gave a second thought about killing, and when she drained the little girl, I saw her in a different light. The following night I lied and said I was going to bring some girls back to the palace. I ended up leaving Italy that night for Ireland. It was one of the stupidest things I’d ever done.”
Aiden’s voice was somber and his eyes, although staring forward, were replaying his history rather than watching the road.
“What do you mean?” I asked in a small voice. I couldn’t imagine what Aiden was remembering and wasn’t sure if it was right for me to ask him to relive it just to satisfy my curiosity.
“Alana wasn’t happy I deceived her, and Aaron wasn’t happy I left without his permission. Sires hold power over their children, and when I left, it was like a slap in the face—like I didn’t appreciate the gift given to me
.
To teach me a lesson, they slaughtered my mother and father, turned my brother into a slave and turned my sister vampire
. Aiden’s voice grew deep as he tried to reign in his anger.
“
I knew it wouldn’t be long before they found me again, sires can always find their children. But when they appeared at my cottage in Ireland, I didn’t expect to see my sister and brother. My sister, Fran
cesca
was only
fif
teen and innocent, but they remedied that. My brother, Marcello, was twenty-one with a wife and children. The
La’rue’s
took him from them and turned him into a walking blood bank. Just to teach me a lesson.
’They are not your
family anymore, we are.’
Aaron told me when I tried to save them. In the end,
Francesca
was beheaded, and Marcello was bled dry. Aaron and Alana told me they killed them for my own good, because they held too much power of me. After spending another fifty years with the
La’rue’s
, Aaron granted me my freedom, and Alana grew tired of me and moved on to another. I’d never been happier in my life. I came to America and never looked back at the place I called home.”
Aiden’s story left me speechless. I couldn’t imagine seeing my brother and sister used against me and then killed. His story made me think of my little sister, Rebekah. She was twenty now
but just a child last time I’d seen her
.
I sent birthday cards every year but I never heard anything from my family
. In some ways, I replaced my missing sister with Penny, but I still longed to get know Rebekah someday.
“I’m so sorry, Aiden. I’m sorry they were cruel, and you had to witness such horrendous things. And I’m sorry I never asked before. I appreciate that you told me.” I slid my hand across the seat and grasped
his free hand.
Aiden glanced over at me, his eyes almost teary, and then looked away. Reliving those memories must have been hard on him, and I felt almost guilty for even asking. As a vampire there was no escape from the awful memories that haunted them. Centuries and centuries of death and destruction was part of their lives and one I couldn’t fathom having.
“It’s good you know now. The
La’rue’s
may seem friendly, but th
ey’re
the ultimate predators. You’ll not be in any harm while giving your blood because I’ll be right by your side,” Aiden paused. “You may want to invite another person who can act as a guard also. The
La’rue’s
won’t take offence; in fact, they’ll think you’re smart for doing so. Do you have someone you can trust who would be able to help protect you?”
I snorted. If anyone from Moon found out I was going to allow the VC to drink from me because I’m bonded to another vampire, they’d throw me in prison for treason. Okay, maybe not, but it wouldn’t go over well. I liked
Kye
, but he was as loyal as a dog to Holly, so I couldn’t trust him to keep my secret. Fiona wouldn’t offer a lot of protection, and I didn’t want to get her involved with the VC. I hadn’t made a lot of friends in Moon. Maybe because most avoided me like I was the black plague. Dorian was the only one who was neutral in the whole situation, but I didn’t know if I could trust him
either
. He was up to something with Holly, but I had no idea what. Could I trust him? Probably not. Did I have any other option? Nope.