“He’s going to change a few memories around,and then we’re going to take you home.” Ian was the one whoanswered her question. “He’ll leave almost all of your memoriesintact, and he won’t change any of your beliefs. Your life is yourown to live. I will give you this bit of advice, and Stefan willallow you to keep it, be careful whom you trust with your life, noteverything is what it seems, and you were left in that alleyalonebefore you were attacked. Remember that, Paige, andthink long and hard on it.”
She knew what he was trying to tell her, butshe couldn’t process it right now. She couldn’t bring herself tobelieve the man she’d come to trust so much over the past year,really would use her as bait. Couldn’t believe these last years ofher life may have revolved around a group who had as much regardfor her life as most vampires did. She had a few more importantthings to worry about right now, she realized. She could thinkabout all of that when she wasn’t surrounded by a group ofbloodsuckers.
Were they actually telling her the truthright now? Vampires were monsters, but if they were telling thetruth then that meant Ian and his family had actually saved herlife and intended to return her to it. Was that possible for avampire to do?
“Ian, it might be best if we remove allmemory of the attack from her mind,” Stefan suggested.
Ian shook his head and folded his arms overhis chest. “No. She can go back, but I won’t allow her to be tossedto the wolves. She has to have that memory, otherwise we’re sendingher back to die, and I would have put everyone at risk for nothing.I won’t let that happen, and I won’t have her life be worth nothingmore than being used as vampire bait.”
Everyone in the room stared at Ian beforeturning to look at her. The thought of what was to come no longerhad her heart doing the can-can in her chest. Rather it was theimpassioned tone of his voice and his words. She didn’t know whatwas up and what was down anymore, but she did know he meant whathe’d said.
Stefan rested his hands on top of hers,drawing her attention back to him. “Look at me.” His eyes burnedinto hers. “You were mugged behind the bar. You were alone, youdon’t know how you got that way, but you do remember your friendabandoning you there. A kind stranger saved you from yourattacker.”
The soothing tone of his voice relaxed her,despite her reservations about what he planned to do to her. Shecould feel something niggling at the back of her mind, but just asshe’d been promised, she didn’t feel his power seeping inside totwist her memories to something they were never meant to be. Shekept her face slack as he continued to speak.
“He took you to a friend’s house near thecampus. They helped to clean you up and brought you where youneeded to be when you were feeling better. The name of the man whorescued you is Mike.” There was a ripple in the hallway, one of theblonds behind Ian muttered something, but she couldn’t make it out.“You don’t remember much about his face because you hit your head.You don’t remember anything about his friends. All you know is heand his friends kept you safe. You never saw a vampire last night.You will pick up with your life where you left off before theattack.”
Paige’s mind spun as she tried to processwhat he said. He really was giving her memories that would explainaway what had happened last night, that would land her safely backin her small hotel room near the college. He wasn’t even going totake away her knowledge of vampires. They were going to leave herto live her life. They really were unlike anything she’d everencountered before. She almost felt bad for pretending to agreewith Stefan, almost.
Stefan took hold of her chin. She managed tokeep herself from flinching at the sudden contact with him. Iantook a step forward, his forehead furrowed; his azure eyes weretroubled as they ran over her. Was she doing something wrong? Couldhe tell it wasn’t working?
Drawing on her training, she envisioned aserene lake, rippling against the shore as she tried to keep herbreathing and pulse rate steady. She’d been taught how to playalong, instructed to keep herself as calm as possible, but she’dnever been confronted with the reality of having to do so. She feltlike she was blowing this right now. That somehow they knewStefan’s power didn’t work on her.
“If anyone asks, the house was only a fewmiles away from campus, but you don’t remember the exact route ofhow to get there.” His words made her wonder where she was locatedright now, but she didn’t dare ask. “Do you understand?” Paigenodded in response. “Good. Now repeat it back to me.”
In a steady monotone, Paige recited hiswords back to him. Stefan searched her gaze before rising to hisfeet. He started to walk away from her, but Ian rested his hand onhis arm, stopping him before speaking, “It didn’t work.”
Despite her yearning to jump up and flee theroom that his words caused, she kept her face relaxed and her eyesahead when Stefan turned to look at her. From the corner of hereye, she could see the scowl marring his brow. “Ian, I’ve neverfailed at manipulating someone’s memories.”
“I know,” Ian said. “I don’t know how Iknow, and I don’t know why I do, but it didn’t work onher.”
Stefan stared at him before turning on hisheel and coming back to her. Paige’s heart rate remained even andcalm, her eyes straight ahead and her face slack, but her stomachwas a squirming mass or worms tumbling over top of one another. Howcould Ian possibly know when the others didn’t?
Before Stefan could touch her again, Ianstepped forward and took hold of her chin. “You’re far older thanus, Stefan, more adept at doing this, but Iknowit didn’twork. Isn’t that right?”
Ian turned her head toward him and bent tolook into her eyes. Paige didn’t fight against his grip, sheremained lax and immobile, but as his gaze burned into hers, sheknew he wasn’t buying it. A knowing smile curved his mouth. Beforeshe knew what he planned, he moved closer and pressed his lips tohers.
Reacting as if she’d been shot, Paige threwherself backward so forcefully she almost toppled out of the bed.Blankets tangled around her legs, she struggled to maintain herbalance as Ethan lurched forward and wrapped his arm around Emma’swaist. He pulled her away from the bed and positioned his body sohe stood in front of Emma and her friends.
Finally managing to right herself, Paigespun toward Ian. “How dare you!” she spat.
He simply grinned at her while he rockedback on his heels. “I think that means she remembers us, don’tyou?” he inquired again.
Her teeth ground together so hard shethought they might crack as she glared at him. She didn’t know ifshe was madder at him for rattling her in such a way, or herselffor allowing him to slip past her cover. Either way, it didn’tmatter; they knew the truth. Their powers were useless against her,for now anyway.
CHAPTER 6
“How is that possible?” Emma breathed.
“I don’t know.” Stefan turned to Ian. “Howdid you know?”
Ian didn’t know the answer to that question.“I just knew.”
He couldn’t take his eyes away from thefiery turquoise ones across from him. There was no denying Stefanhadn’t been able to pierce the veil of her mind. “Shit,” Ethanmuttered.
“You’re human,” Ian said to Paige. She kepther mouth closed as she stared straight ahead. “I’m certain ofit.”
“Are you sure she’s not one of the notentirely human, no one seems to know what they are, hunters?” Emmainquired.
