Sly nodded. “It doesn’t surprise me.”
“And something else makes sense now. I’ve always been able to smell blood, like a mile away.”
Sly nodded. “In my desperation, I tried to turn your mother as I felt her life slipping away. You may have received a drop of my vampiric blood.”
Merry was stunned by all these revelations, yet she had to know more. “What was her name?”
“Alice.”
A stab suddenly hit Merry in the chest. “You named me after her?”
“Yes. There was no kinder, purer heart on the planet. She deserved someone to carry on her name, if not her legacy.”
Merry hushed, temporarily. “No wonder you want to call me by that name. But just so you know… my mother called me Merry, because I was such a happy baby.”
Sly smiled. “I’m glad. Your biological mother and I were thrilled to learn you were on the way. Perhaps you picked up on our vibes and knew how much you were loved.” He adjusted uncomfortably. “I hope you didn’t grow up thinking you were unwanted.”
“I never knew why I was given up, but at least I knew I was wanted very much by my family—the family who raised me.”
“They knew you were special. I made sure you were in good hands.”
“Made sure? How?”
“Let’s just say I kept tabs on you. I saw your adoptive parents take you home. I watched the Schooner newspapers. If I’d heard anything negative, I’d have taken action against whomever didn’t treat you right.”
“How did we wind up in the same place? Was that some kind of crazy coincidence?”
Sly shook his head. “I began advertising Boston apartments for rent in the Schooner paper as soon as you graduated from high school. I always knew you wouldn’t be content to stay in a small town. I was thrilled to see you had been accepted to nursing school! I knew you’d make a wonderful nurse. I can’t tell you how proud your mother would be.”
Merry sniffed.
“I began placing ads again as soon as you graduated. I checked out each place. Made sure you’d be safe and that I could stay in the vicinity to protect you. Morgaine was the one who guaranteed that you and your family would be the only ones to see the ads. She put a spell on each one.”
Merry couldn’t speak. She was aware that her mouth hung open, but she couldn’t shut it. It was almost as if she had reverse lock-jaw. “I—I don’t know what to say. I don’t like being manipulated, but if you hadn’t done that, I’d have never met Jason.”
“Please watch your heart. I’ve heard things. It seems he likes to love ’em and leave ’em.”
“No, he’s not like that with me. You don’t have to worry.”
“I hope not. I might have a hard time staying out of it if he hurts you.”
“Do you think that’s your role? To hover and make sure nobody hurts me?”
“No need. The MacKenzies took good care of you. I just kept myself handy, in case they didn’t.”
“Okay, this is going to sound weird...”
“Weirder than discovering your father is a vampire?”
“Yeah. Well, maybe. I always had the feeling that I had some kind of guardian angel looking out for me.”
Sly grimaced. “I’m not much of an angel, although I imagine myself as a secret crime fighter sometimes. I suppose I could be thought of as an avenging angel.”
“So, what did you do to the perp—No, nevermind. I don’t want to know.”
“No, you probably don’t.”
Merry took a deep breath. “What would you have done if my family hadn’t taken good care of me?”
