Connor might not be my biological sibling, but he certainly had the big brother act down pat.
“Just don’t be too hard on her. From what I’ve seen, her former master was a bit of a jerk.”
I was betting she had good reason for not going back to him.
Connor dipped his chin in acknowledgment.
I pushed up onto my side. “Are you sure you’re okay with her being here? I never asked your opinion.”
Only now did it occur to me that I’d brought an essential stranger into our lives without discussing it with him. That was an oversight on my part.
Genuine surprise showed on Connor’s face. “You never have to ask my permission for something like that. I trust in your decision.”
A companionable silence fell between us, interrupted only by the faint sounds of the house settling.
“May I ask a question,” I asked finally.
Connor gave me an expectant look that I took as permission.
“How did you survive all those years as a stag?”
“That is a strange topic to bring up after all this time.”
I rolled onto my back to stare at the ceiling. “I suppose it is.”
He leaned over me, blocking my view. “May I ask why you posed it?”
I was silent for a moment, pondering my answer. “It’s just something that’s been on my mind since I got a glimpse of our stalker.”
Connor’s expression turned thoughtful. “You wonder if they’re a vampire suffering from devolution.”
I knew he was smart.
“It’s an interesting theory. What made you consider it?”
I sat up, turning toward him. “It’s just this sense.”
He’d felt old in my mind. Ancient, really.
There was also something familiar about his presence. Something I usually associated with other vampires.
Then there was his skeletal form. It had reminded me of a dehydrated mummy. Everything about him matched the descriptions I’d heard of a rare phenomenon that only happened to vampires.
Devolution. A state we fell into when we were deprived of blood.
Our bodies rotted around us, leaving our mind intact until the very end. By the point it reached our brain, it was irreversible.
“If it had been true devolution, he would have attacked us as soon as we stepped out of the car,” Connor pointed out.
A disappointed frown crossed my face. “There goes that theory.”
“Not entirely.” Seeing my interest, Connor’s lips quirked. “Ancient vampires have been known to put themselves into an extended state of rest that mimics devolution. Their appearance deteriorates but their minds remain intact.”
“I think I preferred the devolved vampire,” I admitted.
An ancient taking an interest in me? Yeah, there were so many ways that could go wrong.
“Yes,” Connor agreed. “An ancient would create a host of problems for us.”
