“Did he hurt you?” he whispered again. This had to be so confusing for him, but I wanted him to know. Ineededhim to know.
“No, he changed me because another vampire tried to kill me. That vampire just happened to be our ancestor who traveled out here. If they hadn’t made that trip we wouldn’t be here,” I said, and waited for him to freak out.
“You mean the uncle that came up missing once they got here?” he asked and reminded me of Josiah as he stared at nothing and tried to understand what I was telling him.
“Yes, Josiah Miller.”
“His younger brother looked for him once he was old enough. He never gave up on finding his brother. My father once told me how his grandfather would mention his brother, even when he was old and his memory had faded,” Grandpa said.
“Josiah is the vampire that tried to kill me,” I said, because there was no need to try to keep this secret anymore. My grandfather knew, and if he was horrified with what I’d become, I’d leave and never return.
“So, our ancestor is a vampire too?” he asked.
“Yes, and he wants to meet you.”
“Does he? And what about the one you’re in love with?” he asked and reminded where I’d gotten my lack of self-preservation and unquenchable curiosity.
“They all want to meet you,” I said as he grinned at me. “But we can’t be out in the sun.” I could feel the warning in my skin that dawn was coming, and I calmed the need to run to my mate.Fuck I sounded just like Marlon now.“Would it be okay if we came back at dusk?”
“What about your parents?” He knew we were not close, but I couldn’t remember a time when he hadn’t been there for me. They rarely checked in with me, and I no longer cared if they did or not.
“I don’t want them to know. They won’t miss me if I leave.”
“Are you leaving?”
I took a deep breath before answering. This had been on my mind for a while. “I know we should, but I’d like Marlon to live here and remember what it’s like to be human. He’s been so alone for so long,” I whispered. “I’d really like for him to remember family.”
“Is he going to want to eat anyone? I mean there are a few I can suggest,” he mumbled that last part and covered his mouth with his hand.
“No, he can control himself. Same as me. We want to live in peace, and I want to learn more about my new life from him, my mate.” His eyes widened slightly before he reached his hand out to me and I moved close enough to take it. He smelled of fresh cut grass, clean water, and the soil this farm was built on and there was nothing that was strong enough to make me hurt him.
“I would love to meet your—mate. If he matters to you then he’s important to me too. I’m not so sure about the one that hurt you,” he said and when I looked in his eyes, I saw no judgment or fear, I saw only the love and kindness he’d always shown me.
“There’s so much more to the story. But I promise he’s not going to hurt anyone, and I know he really wants to meet you.” I never thought I would be defending Josiah to anyone, but least of all my grandfather. But I could see he was different. Whatever hold the witch had on him had faded and was gone, now his focus was on Mark. “Plus, Marlon still doesn’t trust him and if he did anything that hurt me, he’d lose his head.” I didn’t mean to say it, but after flinching my grandfather grinned at me.
“I guess I don’t have to worry about him taking care of you,” he said. “When will I meet them?”
I glanced at the distance where the sun was just barely brightening the horizon. Too dim for human eyes but my vampire senses told me exactly how long I had to get to safety. “We’ll come back at dusk. Remember, I don’t want Mom and Dad to know,” I whispered.
“What will you tell them?”
“I’ll write them a note. It’s not like they’ve been all that involved in my life the past few years. They’ll just think I ran off to somewhere else.” Once I’d graduated, they’d moved on from their roles as parents and fully embraced living their own lives. They traveled or kept busy with many things in the area that had nothing to do with me. They’d found their own happiness and while I resented it as a human, now I was thankful for it.
“Okay, son, I’ll honor whatever you think is best,” he said and reached for my hand and a help up from his chair. “I’ll be here when you return.”
I waited outside and watched as he walked back into the small farmhouse, the very house Marlon dreamed of having and never got, and I swore to the heavens I’d make sure the next hundred years of his life were happy.
Thirty-Six
Marlon
Istared at the horizon noticing the subtle change that warned of a sunrise that could burn my mate and vowed if he didn’t return soon, I’d stand out in the sun and destroy myself rather than lose him. Then I realized how maudlin I sounded. Like a maiden who would sit on the edge of the sea waiting for her captain to return.
In a flash I was rushed into his bedroom and thrown on the bed. He was on top of me as soon as I landed, planting kisses all over my face. “I love you,” he said over and over.
“My love. How did it go?” I grinned knowing it had to have gone well.
“Well, I was so worried I’d either scare Grandpa, or he’d think I was nuts. But he believed me and he wants to meet you. And the others too,” he explained and slid to the side of me to prop his head up on his hand.
