Page 5 of Fighting for Her Heart
“And are they—”
“They were lost in the fire too.”
I’ve gained and lost family all within minutes. I close my eyes, absorbing the loss of three people about whom I have no solid memories. I must have loved them. And they must have loved me. And given the memory I had in the cave, at least some part of me remembers my birth mom and sisters. Perhaps I’ll remember more in time.
“Were they, my mom and sisters, were they Illuminants too?” I ask when I find enough air.
“There is only one true Illuminant,” Nora answers. “Only one like you.”
Zuben appears in front of the boulder.
Grabbing my arm, Nora shifts back, startled.
“Are you saying that it is possible to have more than one Illuminant in a generation?” Zuben asks. “The ancient texts indicate that a full descendant of Gullveig might not even appear evenoncein every generation.”
Mom wraps her arm around me tightly, her back stiffening as she glares at Zuben. “How do you know so much about the Illuminant?”
“I have studied every ancient text I could uncover,” he replies. “And I have also interviewed long-lived vampires, many who claim to have had encounters with past Illuminants, or contact with those who have protected her.”
“You knew what Ember wasbeforeyou trapped her in that dungeon.” Mom’s tone is full of accusation.
“I assure you, I did not trap her in that dungeon.” Zuben takes a step back. Then his expression changes and he bows toward us. “Before I explain further, please, both of you, I beg of you to accept my apology for my abrupt interruption of your private conversation. That was most rude of me. And Evanora, to answer your question, while I have been researching the Illuminant for centuries, searching for her for almost as long—”
“You really must bedesperateto walk in the light,” Nora interrupts Zuben, sounding angry.
“On the contrary.” Zuben shakes his head sharply. “My interest in the Illuminant has always been academic, driven by a thirst for knowledge. Ever since I was turned, I have been interested in the origins ofallmyths surrounding the vampire world, but the story of the Illuminant interested me in particular. I suppose one could say that searching for the Illuminant has become my life’s work.”
Zuben looks at me with so much adoration, an expression that goes way beyond the academic, at least based on my reading of what I see in his eyes.
Releasing my hand, Nora crosses her arms over her chest. “Given your interest, do you expect me to believe that you juststumbledupon Ember?”
“That is correct.” Zuben nods. “Ember literally walked into my life, although there was no stumbling involved.” A slight smile brushes his lips, softening his earnest expression and rendering him even more handsome in my eyes.
“It’s true, Mom.” I place my hand lightly on her leg, and she turns toward me. “I went to meet with Zuben as part of my job. Our meeting was a total accident, a coincidence. He didn’t know what I was, just like I had no idea that he was a vampire.”
Nora’s eyes narrow slightly as she looks into mine. Then she turns back toward Zuben. “But you immediately recognized what she was.”
“No, madam.” Zuben shakes his head. “On the contrary. While I admit that I was drawn to Ember, and recognized that she was someonespecial, very special, and someone I would very much like to know better—” He looks into my eyes again, and my belly stirs.
“I did not have any suspicions until I tasted her blood—”
“So you just dug in your fangs right off the bat?” Nora snaps.
“No, Mom.” I squeeze her leg. “It wasn’t like that. Not at all. I cut myself on a cocktail glass. It was careless of me and…”
“And when the scent of Ember’s spilled blood hit my senses,” Zuben interjects, “I do confess that I could not help myself.” He bows his head slightly. “It was extremely rude of me to lick her cut palm and highly inappropriate at a business meeting, but I acted on instinct. And I only tasted enough to close her wound.”
“And from that small taste, you could tell what she was?” Nora asks sounding more curious than angry.
Zuben shakes his head. “No, not with certainty. But Ember’s taste and her effect on my body—both awoke my suspicions.”
Nora nods. “And when you walked into the sunlight—”
“I have not had that pleasure,” Zuben says.
Mom’s back stiffens. “Even though you had suspicions and it’s your life’s work, you didn’t test her blood’s effects?” Her eyes narrow. She doesn’t believe him.
“Mom,” I interject on Zuben’s behalf. “Zuben hasn’t ever…he hasn’t ever fed from me like that.”
