Emma gave her hand a compassionate pat. “I’msorry about whatever you went through. If you ever want to talkabout it, I’m here. We are going to be sisters after all.”
Paige couldn’t help but smile at her as shelifted her fork back up. “I never had a sister. I’ve barely had anyfriends in the past four years.”
“Well you won’t be able to say that anymore.You have me, and Isabelle is looking forward to meeting you too.They all are. I’m going to give you fair warning they’re all verycurious about you.” Emma released her hand and sat back in herseat.
Paige’s heart fluttered in panic. “Why?”
Emma tapped her fingers on the table. “It’snot as overwhelming as it sounds; they were all the same way withme. Be prepared for a barrage of questions from Issy though.”
“Why were they so curious about you?”
Emma’s eyes became distant, a smile curvingher mouth. Her gaze drifted out the windows to the men gatheredtogether outside. Love radiated from her as she stared at Ethan.“Because, I was the first girl Ethan ever brought home. He wasn’tmuch for people, still isn’t, but he’s definitely gottenbetter.”
No, Ethan definitely wasn’t one for people,Paige agreed. “And Ian is all about the people,” she murmured. “Sostrange how different they are.”
Emma tore her attention away from Ethan tofocus on her again. “Some of the siblings do better around humansthan others. I don’t know why, I don’t think they do either.”
Paige looked toward Ian again. The sight ofhim robbed her of her breath. He stood over top of the men gatheredaround him, but he could be shorter than them and he’d still standout to her. His smile could light up a room, and often made hersmile in return, but she knew there was something sinister withinhim, within all of them. Would that live within her too?
“Do you have to fight the urge to kill?” sheasked Emma.
“No, that urge isn’t in me, not like it isin them. Though I would tear the head off of anyone who laid a handon Ethan, or anyone I love. I would have said the same as a human,but like this, I actually could,” Emma said with a laugh.
Paige gulped before picking up her water andtaking a drink. “Is it terrifying to die?”
“It’s really painful at first, and scary,but it’s worth it when it’s all over.”
“Ian told me about what would happen, thatthere would be no turning back for him if our relationshipprogressed. I knew what I was getting into, but I thought I’d havemore time before I’d have to transition. Maybe a couple of weeks ormonths, not days, and not with the threat of being locked awayhanging over my head.”
Emma leaned toward her again and cast hervoice low. “What would more time get you?”
“I…” Paige frowned as she contemplated that.“Time to accept my death maybe.”
“There’s never enough time for that. Wecould live another thousand years, and we still wouldn’t acceptthat. I’d think the prospect of imminent death constantly loomingover you would actually start to drive you a little crazy after awhile.”
Paige tapped her fork against her plate.“Yeah, probably.”
“It will be easier on Ian if you do it now,too. Ethan started to fall apart before I figured out what Iwanted. I wish I could take back what I put him through, but Ididn’t go into our relationship knowing what he was. To say I wasstunned would be the understatement of the millennia.”
Paige laughed and took a bite from her moundof pancakes. It may be time for dinner, but if this was going to beher last meal as a human, she was going out in a sugary fatoverload of maple syrup and mounds of butter. There was no reasonto care about clogged arteries and diabetes anymore. To be honest,she would have dumped this much maple syrup on them if this wereany other day. Maybe she would have laid off on the butter,maybe.
“Were you mad when you found out?” sheasked.
“Yes, but I loved him enough to let go of myanger.”
“I can understand that.”
Ian glanced up at the diner window to findEmma and Paige watching them. Paige smiled at him and waved herfork in the air. His heart swelled as he watched her; he didn’tthink he’d ever get tired of looking at her. It had never been hisplan to rush her change, or force it on her, but he couldn’t waitto have her mortality firmly behind her and have her safely in hisworld. It would be easier to keep a vampire safe than a human, plusthe ritual would be complete. She would be his, and every vampirethey encountered would know it. They would never be separated fromeach other again.
“They’re getting along a lot better now,”David remarked.
“Paige doesn’t think we’re going to eat heranymore, so that helps,” Ian replied.
Aiden laughed and slapped him on the back.“I can’t believe you got taken down by a woman too. Who am Isupposed to party with this summer?”
“I’m sure The Stooges will be more thanhappy to accommodate you on your escapades,” Ian assured him.
“I don’t know if they could keep up withme,” Aiden replied.
