Page 4 of Mortal Blood
“I don’t believe you’ve committed a crime,” the councilor said, but before I could breathe a sigh of relief, added, “Intentionally.”
“That’s important, right? That I didn’t do anything wrong on purpose? Because I couldn’t conceal something I didn’t know about.”
“Indeed,” the councilor said. “And I am satisfied that your true nature was unknown to you prior to attending Darkveil.”
“It’s still pretty damn unknown to me now,” I muttered under my breath.
“That is the reason the council will not be charging you at this time.”
“You’re not?”
“No.”
“Oh, thank God.” My eyes slid closed in relief for a brief second, then I lurched to my feet. “Then I can get back to Cole?”
“Sit down, Ellis,” the enforcer snapped, his hands braced on the table, and I flicked a glance at the councilor, who nodded. Reluctantly, I slid back down into the chair.
“You’re done when we say you’re done,” the enforcer said, menace radiating from him in a way that reminded me how fragile I was compared to whatever the hell he was, and that it was probably a smart idea to stop provoking him.
“Knew you’d warm up to me eventually.”
On the other hand, I’d never been all that smart.
“Tell me what you know of your father,” the councilor said, and my attention snapped back to her…and the file in her hand.
“Nothing.”
She arched a brow at me.
“I mean it. Nothing. My mom would never tell me anything about him. He got her pregnant and then ran off and left her. He’s a deadbeat.”
“Some of the council’s top researchers have been studying your energy signature over the last few months,” she said. “Attempting to discover how you—an alleged human—was able to achieve a partial shift.”
“And?” My mouth abruptly went dry, and my gaze drifted back to the file, drawn as irrevocably as a moth to the flame.
“And their research continues.”
I slumped back in my seat, feeling defeated, but at the same time, frustration started to uncoil in my gut. I stared at her through flat eyes.
“So you dragged me all the way in here to tell me I didn’t commit a crime, and that I’m fully human.”
“No.”
“But—”
“They have determined that your father was not a shifter.”
“Right. I’m human.”
“No, Ms. Ellis. He wasn’t a shifter. He was a vampire.”
Chapter Two
I stared ather for a long time, trying to make sense of her words.
“You’re telling me,” I said, testing each word on my tongue as I spoke, “that I’m half vampire?”
“Yes,” the councilor said. “A dhampir.”
