Page 42 of Burn Falls
There weren’t many photos, maybe a dozen. There was one of my dad’s mom with her parents, and her younger brother and younger sister in a muted color photo. It was dated on the back: July 2, 1951. A photo of my grandma and grandpa from Ireland, standing next to an older car. It looked as though she was wearing a wedding dress. It too was a less vibrant color photo, and it was dated on the back: October 4, 1967. At the bottom of the stack was another photo. This one a sepia-toned picture of my great-grandmother, Gael, sitting next to a well-dressed gentleman in what appeared to be a nightclub because the table had multiple drinks on it with skinny straws. It was dated February 14, 1946, and she was smiling up at the man like a woman in love.
“Who’s this, Mom?” I asked, extending the last photograph in her direction.
She took the photo and stared at it for a few moments. “That’s your great-grandmother, Gael.”
“Right, but I mean the man?”
“Hmmm. I’m not sure,” she said, looking at the picture.
“It’s not Dad’s grandpa?”
Mom chuckled. “No. No that’s not.” She reached for the other pictures in my hand and then showed me the one from 1951 and confirmed, “This is your father’s great-grandfather, Jack.”
I took the 1946 photograph from her and looked at it again. “Well, whoever he was, it looks like Great-Grandma was in love with him before she was in love with Great-Grandpa Jack.”
CHAPTER TEN
Chicago – 1928
“Whiskey?” Athan asked, motioning toward the decanter sitting next to him.
“Yeah.”
I poured myself two fingers and then sat in the high-back chair across from him. A week ago I was released from the windowless room and brought to a room to share with Athan. I’d expected coffins, but instead, there were two twin-sized beds adjacent to each other. I barely knew the fellow, but we’d struck some sort of friendship.
“Did you need something?” His gaze roamed from my head to my feet almost as though he was sizing me up.
“I … Ahh …” I hesitated, rubbing my nape nervously and then took a sip of the amber liquid.
Athan cracked a grin. “It’s okay, Draven. Ask me anything.”
I knew he could read my mind. I’d found out about the ability the hard way when I’d tried to snap Renzo’s neck the day after my transition. Renzo had heard my inner thoughts and laughed in my face before pointing out that vampires could hear each other’s thoughts if they tried hard enough. They could also block them, but I hadn’t done that now with Athan because I was nervous and still getting used to all of my new abilities.
“All right. So, can we only get erections when we feed?”
Athan’s smile widened. “Yes.”
“And sex?”
He set his glass on the table and then leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Are you offering?”
“What?” I scoffed.
Athan roared with laughter. “I’m joking, Draven. But what is it you’re asking exactly?”
I sighed. “We have to feed before we can fuck?”
“Yes, but what’s wrong with that?”
I shrugged. “How does it work out there?” I pointed toward a window. All of the windows were covered with heavy curtains to block out the sun during the day.
“You mean outside of the compound?”
“Yes.” I hadn’t been able to leave since my transition. Renzo said he was preparing me to be his main man at a casino he wanted to open up. I was to be his eyes and ears while protecting his money. I just wanted to play cards.
“Are you a virgin?” Athan asked.
“No,” I stated dryly. “Renzo killed my Mary and she was pregnant with my baby.”
