Vampires—when feeding on humans—could secret a chemical compound in our spit that would grant a fragile version of eternal youth.
I considered it all but useless—it kept donors young physically in appearances and abilities, but it did nothing to make them heartier, or harder to kill.
But now that I had Jade, I’d make use of any opportunity that would buy me more time.
Turning Jade into a vampire would be the ultimate fix, but now was definitely not the time to float that idea in front of her with our relationship as rocky as it was, and I wasn’t certain a vampire slayer could be turned into a vampire given all of their natural defenses against us.
I’d have to research it. For now, I’d settle for extending Jade’s life. (Which was also, I suspected, going to take some time before I could make the suggestion without Jade asking for me to be fired.)
Killian narrowed his eyes. “You can’t drink from the slayer. You’ll die.”
“I won’t,” I said. “I’ve survived slayer attacks before. Tasting Jade’s blood was how I realized what she was.”
“Ingesting a drop of blood is far different from feeding off her. And to extend her life, you’d have to feedregularly,” Killian said.
“I’ll figure it out,” I said. “Have you been able to extend your wizard wife’s life?”
Killian sighed and trotted back down the few steps he’d climbed. “I’m not sure. It’s only been two years. She hasn’t aged, but she wouldn’t change much in two years.” He strode up to me, his dark eyes narrowing. “I’ll email you what little information I’ve found on the process. Do you think this slayer is yourOne?”
Before his wife, Killian had regarded vampireones—the person a vampire pledged to love for their immortal life—as a fairy tale. He hadn’t even believed Ambrose, his sire, when he’d declared his love for a human woman, and he’d kicked the bucket when she died!
I’d known enough vampires who had died—lovesick over the loss of their preciousOne—to ever be so oblivious. But did I really think Jade was myOne?
“She could be,” I finally said. “Considering it this early, when she doesn’t trust me and possibly doesn’t even like me, is rather premature. But if she allows it, she will be.”
Killian nodded. “I thought as much, but I wanted to see where your head was. Don’t do something stupid.”
“You lack faith in me?” I edged toward the door, ready to leave since I’d gotten what I wanted.
“Normally, no,” Killian said. “But two months with this slayer has caused you to toss out millenniaof isolation from humans.”
I drew my shoulders back and smiled savagely. “And you got yourself a wizard One that you drink from after only drinking extracted blood long before humans figured out how to store blood. What of it?”
Killian sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “You don’t have to get threatening. I’m not trying to tell you to leave the slayer—I look forward to her grinding you under her booted heel. Just…don’t do anything stupid.”
A vampire guard opened the door for me, so I could see outside where my parked car waited.
I laughed as I stepped out of the hall and onto the stairs. “I’m gone, but I’m notthatgone, Little Killi. I look forward to your email.”
CHAPTER
THREE
Jade
My heart beat frantically in my chest, and my hands were clammy with sweat. I was in a dangerous, deadly spot.
I need to be careful…or my life will be over.
I took in a rattling breath and mentally braced myself.
“It’s so good to finally see your face!” My mother happily announced over the video chat software. She leaned in close to their laptop so her face temporarily filled my screen, obscuring my view of Dad. “But why are you wearing a t-shirt in November?”
“No reason,” I laughed and clamped my arms to my side, hoping my parents wouldn’t realize I was nervous-sweating.
When Mom leaned back again, Dad popped into view, his bright red hair and red beard—both threaded with a little gray—making him stick out against the bland gray wall they were sitting in front of. They were somewhere inside our family’s large training facility—that was the only area in my family’s living complex that sported that shade of gray.
“Something happened.” Dad’s thick eyebrows lowered over his eyes until they were barely visible. “You went weeks without calling us, and then you suddenly wanted to schedule a video call?”
