Page 20 of Love, Rekindled

“My master made his fortune by taking me from clan to clan to challenge their best fighter for obscene amounts of money.”

Ice crawled over the walls as Azrael’s anger pulsed through the room. “I assume they looked at your…” His gaze traveled down her slender body. “Delectably compact size and thought you would be easy to overpower.”

“Yes.”

“How did you escape?”

A grim smile curved her lips. “I didn’t,” she admitted. She would always regret that she hadn’t found the courage to destroy her sire. “One night, the Anasso was passing and watched the battle.”

“Did he witness you using your power?”

Jayla nodded. She’d just destroyed a mongrel troll who’d nearly taken off her head with his heavy club, and her sire was collecting his winnings when she caught sight of a huge vampire surrounded by his guards. There’d been no mistaking the shattering power that had surrounded him or the hunger in his eyes.

“I’m not sure how he realized what’d happened since he should have been unaware of time stopping,” she told Azrael. “But as we were leaving with our winnings, he appeared in our path. Before I knew what was happening, my master was dead.” Jayla had been weary from the battle and in pain from the silver manacle that had been cinched around her neck, so she hadn’t noticed the small earthquakes that’d signaled the approach of the unknown vampire. It wasn’t until she watched her sire being jerked backwards and then crumbling to the ground that she realized her nightmare was over. “A few minutes later, I was leaving with the Anasso.” She met Azrael’s gaze, willing him to understand why she’d been so loyal to a male who’d manipulated and lied to her. “For the first time in my existence, I felt safe.”

He frowned. “He turned you into an assassin.”

“I was in control of my own destiny,” she insisted. Nothing had ever felt so glorious as to know she could freely move around the lair and be a welcomed member of the clan. Plus, there’d been something intoxicating about the knowledge that she was a favorite of the Anasso. She grimaced. Eventually, things had changed. An unseen rot had slowly moved through the clan, infecting all of them. “At least, in the beginning.”

“And now?”

A genuine smile curved her lips. The best decision she’d ever made was leaving with Chiron and the other Rebels. Or at least, it’d been the best decision until a few hours ago.

It was yet to be seen how her decision to help Azrael would turn out.

“I have an independence I never dreamed possible.”

“Ah.” His features tightened as he dropped his hand and stepped back.

Jayla frowned, not sure why she could sense that her words wounded Azrael. Or why she was so troubled by the thought that she might have hurt him.

“How did you become a mercenary?” she asked, eager to change the conversation.

He hesitated as if lost in his thoughts. Then, with a shake of his head, he returned his attention to her.

“Unlike you, I was blessed with a sire who considered me her son,” he said.

“Did she know that you were cursed?”

“Yes, but she didn’t know how it’d happened or why,” he shrugged. “I stayed with Bea and our small clan for centuries.”

Jayla frowned. She’d sensed a darkness when she first saw him in Moscow. As if he’d suffered a tragedy. That was one of the reasons she’d felt drawn to him. It was odd to think she’d been so wrong.

“Why did you leave her?” she asked.

“I didn’t.” He turned to the side, revealing the feathered tattoo that crawled down the length of his neck. Jayla had a fierce urge to reach up and trace the delicate lines. “One night, we were attacked by a rival clan.” Ice crawled over the walls, revealing that Azrael was battling a powerful emotion. “Within hours, we were all slaughtered.”

She studied his tightly clenched profile. “But you lived.”

“Yes. When I woke, I found my clan dead and our homes destroyed.”

Jayla resisted the urge to wrap her arms around him. She had been right. Hehadsuffered a tragedy. It must have been horrifying to wake and realize that your family was dead. He’d not only had to deal with his grief but also the guilt of having survived.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured.

“I made a decision at that moment that I would travel the world alone.”

It explained how he’d become a mercenary. A lone vampire would have to possess the skills to protect themselves as well as earn a living. Few actually enjoyed hiding in caves and scrounging dinner from passing hikers. They desired a safe lair and at least a few comforts. Now, however, Jayla had a new question.

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