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“People who were born here. ”
“People have babies here?” I remembered the day, so long ago now, when an old man with questionable dental hygiene had picked us up at the airstrip. Did he have grandkids running around? Did that mean there were things like schools and gas stations and grocery stores?
He paused for a moment. “I was born here. ”
“You what?”
“Leave it, Annelise. ”
But how could I? He might as well have just told me he was from Mars. I held his gaze, trying to read the truth in his eyes. He’d mentioned once before that he was from here and that his sister had died here, but I’d just assumed he’d meant they’d come later. Not that he had relatives here.
Did Amanda know that about him? But of course she did. Maybe he’d even snuck her home to meet the folks.
I couldn’t wrap my mind around it all. “Your family is here? Do you…Do you, like, go home for Christmas and Sunday dinner and stuff?”
Pain flickered in his eyes.
I’d hit a nerve, and I regretted it. “I’m sorry. ” A sizable swell rolled under us, and I had to grip the edge to steady myself. “But…” I knew I shouldn’t press the issue, but I had to know. Questions hurtled scattershot into my brain. “If you and your sister are from here, and she was an Acari and you’re a Tracer, then are there vampires from here, too?”
“Naturally,” he said, his voice clipped.
Naturally. There was nothing natural about it. He’d expressed wariness about the vampires before. But if there were some he’d known growing up, some with his same accent, who’d had the same friends, the same neighbors…“Do you trust them more than the others? I mean, if you’re all from here…”
“Those I knew did not survive the change. Although folk have talked of one…an elder, of clan McCloud…” His expression shuttered, as if only then did he realize he was telling me these things. “No more questions,” he told me in a flat voice. “We’re here for a purpose. If I’m to get you back in time for your next meal, we’d best get to it. ”
Ronan set about giving me deep-water instruction as though he hadn’t just dropped a bomb on me. I mean, people lived here. Like a community. Among the vampires and Draug and whatever other beasties that lay in wait. How did they stay safe… or did they?
I shivered.
“Dive in before you get too cold,” he ordered.
“Huh?”
“You’re not getting out of this. So get in and get it over with. ” He’d stowed the oars and sat there, looking all business, arms folded across his chest. “Remember what I told you about treading and rhythmic breathing techniques. It’s different in deep water. ”
I glanced over the side of the boat. “Yeah, there’s, like, one-inch visibility. ”
“Just because you’re not seeing the stripe at the bottom of the pool doesn’t mean you can’t do it. ”
He’d sounded so stern, I had to laugh. “Jeez, it’s as though you’re mad you told me about your childhood. ”
“You’re unbelievable. ” He shook his head, softening. “I haven’t even begun to tell you about my childhood. And I never will. ”
“Unless I get in the water?”
He narrowed his eyes at me, but it didn’t hide the humor I saw there. “Are you afraid you can’t do it?”
I looked over the edge again. Was it possible for water to look cold? “I didn’t say I can’t do it. I said I don’t want to. ”
“I’m not giving you a choice. ”
I talked all brave, but secretly I did worry I couldn’t do it. As I remembered our earlier conversation, an idea struck me. “Maybe you could, you know, use your trick on me. Make it easier for the both of us. ” I gave him my best winning smile.
“My trick. ” His flat tone matched his irritated look. “This again?”
“Yeah, do the trick. Please? Convince me to get in the water. ” I was actually excited now. Maybe hypnosis would make me want to dive into a black, fathomless, frigid sea. “Do it. Give me the googly eyes. ”
I’d expected him to laugh, but instead his smile disappeared, his whole expression shutting down. “I will not. And I am certain the vampires would not look kindly upon your speaking so freely of my gift. ”
