Page 35 of Blood Ties
I remembered when I told Grayson that I was a vampire and how well he’d taken it, too well, I thought. I had never really assessed it since his acceptance had been exactly what I had wanted, but now with this new information, it made me wonder.
“You wanted this!” I spat with accusation at Grayson. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t seen it before. His brow knitted, appearing wounded by my words. “When I first told you I was a vampire, you weren’t shocked. You accepted it entirely too easily. I didn’t care at the time because it was what I had wanted, but now I see it was because as a warlock you were already aware of my existence.”
“Gaby, I’m not a warlock.”
“Then why are we waiting for a witch to fix you?”
“You misunderstand.”
“Then explain it.”
“My great grandmother was, on my mom’s side. We always just thought she was a little off with all her supernatural babble.”
“Grayson, as you sire, I command you to tell me the truth.”
“That doesn’t work on him.” Damien chimed in reminding us of his presence. “Because of his witch lineage there was never a sire bond.”
If I hadn’t been so upset at that moment, I would have rejoiced in the knowledge that Grayson had been honest about his choice to become a vampire, but instead it fueled my anger.
“When you found out that I was a vampire you didn’t freak.”
“I didn’t because I grew up being told vampires and other creatures that go bump in the night exist. I was entirely sure if it was true until that moment.”
“And you had hoped I’d turn you?”
“No,” he stated blatantly. “Gaby, it was never my desire to become a vampire. It was my desire to be with you for as long as possible. The thought to become a vampire had never even crossed my mind until after we had been together for a while.”
“How can I believe you, Grayson?”
“How can you not? I have never lied to you, Gabriella.” I was about to open my mouth to protest, but he silenced me as he continued. “This, me being a warlock, was not a lie. The only thing that my great grandmother passed on was her lack of ignorance. I never thought my ancestral lineage was an issue. Would you think that your great grandmother would be relevant to our relationship? Cause I sure as hell didn’t.”
Part of me felt wounded, but also thought he was right, about everything. Before I could speak, there was a knock at the door.
“That would be the witch, but if you two are not done arguing, I can ask her to come back at a more convenient time,” Damien announced. I wasn’t sure if he was being sarcastic, since his tone lacked the edge.
“No, let’s do this.”
Without waiting for an invitation, the door opened and in walked Jade with a graying older woman that I could only assume was the witch. She halted when her eyes took in Grayson. It wasn’t the same way that countless women before had gaped at him. She seemed to be almost studying him. I saw Grayson shift uneasy under the weight of her stare.
“You are right, Damien. This one was definitely one of ours, and changed by an original no less.” Her gaze shifted to me. “Your daughter, I presume.”
“She is. What do you need from me Maria?”
She smiled showing a missing tooth in the front of her mouth. “I have everything I need, except for the blood of the fallen.”Blood of the fallen?That sounded awfully rare.
“Will mine do?” Damien asked. My head swung to stare at him. He was a fallen?A fallen angel, I reminded myself.
“No. It must be one that is untainted.”
Damien nodded then looked to Jade, who without uttering a word, slipped from the room. The old woman went to Damien’s desk and plugged in a hot plate. She began pouring ingredients into a bowl. A pinch here, a dash there.
“What are you doing?” I wondered aloud.
“Making a potion,” she declared without turning from her task.
“On a hot plate?”
My question froze her. Eerily slow, she turned to glare at me over her shoulder. “Well, if it would please you, perhaps I could set a fire up here on your father’s desk, if my way isn’t authentic enough for you.”
