Page 94 of Vampire's Hearth

Conall sighed, pouring himself a drink from a small drink cart in the corner. He took a slow sip before facing me again. His eyes traveled between Jade and me as he paced behind the couch. I toyed with the pendants, both hanging together around my neck. He clenched his jaw and spoke. “Cormac finally broke.”

I shook my head. “I found out after my aunt attacked him, but then he disappeared.”

Conall froze and focused on my hand. The truth was laid bare in the space between us, heavy and impossible to ignore. A twist of dread tightened in my chest as I saw the flash of recognition in his eyes.

“My condolences on your loss,” Conall said at last, though his voice was distant. His sharp eyes narrowed as if turning over a thought. “It wasn’t Mac, was it?”

I swallowed, a tremor of panic rippling beneath my skin. “No,” I whispered. “Mac had nothing to do with it. My aunt had created a spell based on the one to find the Cure as a guide. She used it to prove to me he’s one of you—an O’Cillian.” My voice faltered. “But she never finished the ritual. Vampires attacked us before she could.”

Conall stiffened, his jaw clenched, and his gaze sharpened. I saw something darker flicker behind his eyes. Something dangerous.

“One of them killed her. Right in front of me,” I finished, the memory too vivid, the sting of grief fresh. My fingers curled into fists, the edge of the High Priestess pendant biting into my palm. Conall’s silence pressed in on me, a judgment unspoken but heavy.

“What did he look like?” Conall asked, his voice sharp.

I furrowed my brow. “Why does that matter?”

Conall’s gaze hardened. “Tell me. What color was his hair?”

“Black, with red streaks at the ends. Why does it matter?” I cried, my voice rising.

Conall’s face softened, but a shadow crossed over his features. “It wasn’t Aiden.”

My heart lurched as his name settled into the silence between us. My pulse quickened, fear flooding through my veins, making my hands twitch before I regained control. Aiden—the second youngest O’Cillian brother. Was he the one in Charleston?

“Aiden?” I whispered, my heart hammering in my chest. I could feel the gravity of the situation sinking in deeper, like a dark weight pressing down on the room.

Jade, silent until now, finally spoke, her voice breaking through the tension. “Why would Aiden be after Mac and not the coven?” Her confusion mirrored my own, her brows furrowing as she looked between us.

Conall’s head shook as if he were reluctant to answer or uncertain himself. “I don’t know, but it would make sense if he were after Cormac if he knows about the Cure.”

A cold shiver ran down my spine, and for a moment, the world seemed to narrow around me. Aiden. The Cure. Mac wasn’t just another brother in this war. He was the one searching for the enemy—one that Aiden might destroy. I could see how the piecesfit together now, and with that came the terrifying realization: we were all trapped in something far more significant, far deadlier than I’d imagined.

“Aiden’s not just after Mac,” I breathed, the truth slipping out as my thoughts raced. “He’s after everything. The family, the Cure—anyone in his way. He’s the unkillable vampire, the one who took over Charleston, isn’t he?”

Conall’s eyes closed, the confirmation unnecessary. The room fell into a tense silence, and I could feel our shared fear settling like a heavy fog. We weren’t just in danger. We were standing at the edge of something much darker. And Aiden was the shadow moving behind it all.

A vague movement from the doorway beside Conall startled me, grabbing my attention. Conall froze in place, staring at Mac as he paused before walking through the door. His black suit hung neatly from his shoulders, his hair perfectly combed. Not a scratch or mark on him, nothing out of place. My pulse raced even faster, my mouth falling open in relief as my mind processed he was standing here. I wanted to throw myself into his arms, but my jaw clenched, and my feet refused to move. How was this possible?

“Yes, our brother Aiden is the vampire you are seeking.” Mac’s soft voice and his presence filled the air, but it wasn’t comforting. He stood next to Conall, his gaze on me. “Aurora, I cannot convey the depths of my sorrow for everything my family has put you through. When I got back to Oak Leaf Hallow, Valentina told me you had come here. I got here as fast as I could.”

I looked down, unable to meet his gaze. On the flight to Ireland, I thought I had been ready to see him and forgive him, but now that he was here, acting as though nothing happened, fury gripped my insides. Had he just stepped off the plane we had traveled on together when he asked me to share my mostintimate desires with him? He wanted the most vulnerable parts of me but couldn’t even be honest with me about his family. I knew he was a vampire and confronted that danger, anyway. How could I forgive him?

“How could you not tell me?” I whispered, my voice breaking.

Mac’s face crumpled, guilt flashing across his features. “I didn’t mean—”

I stood abruptly. “I don’t know who you are anymore.” The relief that had filled the room when Mac first walked in now suffocated me. How was he even here? My heart pounded in my chest as my rage grew, making it hard to breathe. I didn’t care who was staring at me. All I could think about was how much had changed.

Without another word, I turned and stormed from the room. I heard Jade grab our bags and follow, her footsteps close behind, but I didn’t stop. Mac’s frustrated voice called after me, echoing through the cavernous space. “Aurora, wait! Please, just listen—”

But I didn’t listen. I couldn’t. I needed to get away, to think, to breathe. A cool draft hit me when I stepped into the grand hall. I drew a long breath over my lips, my chest heaving as if I’d refused to breathe for far too long. The tension inside the solarium still clung to my skin, but as I became the one to walk away, I could finally feel the tightness in my chest loosen.

My thoughts were racing, crashing into one another like waves against jagged rocks. Where had he been?

I kept walking across the hall, toward the stairs, toward solitude. “Aurora…” Jade’s voice was soft as she followed, her concern clear in every syllable. “Are you okay?”

I shook my head, unable to form the words, my throat tight with emotion. I wasn’t okay. None of this was okay.

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