Aiden drew her closer to hold her againsthis chest. When she turned her face into his neck, her warm breathtickled his throat as she leaned into him. He had no idea what he’ddone to be rewarded with a mate like her. It certainly hadn’t beenanything good as he’d been on a one-way, self-destruct mission foryears, but whatever it was, he vowed to become worthy of her if shejoined him. There would be no more dented helmets for Maggie; therewould only be love and security.
“I will keep you safe,” he vowed.
“Why?” she asked, pulling back to look athim. “Why do you care what happens to me? Why don’t you change mymemories and move on from me? You said you’re going to protect mebecause you got me into this, but I’m sure you could figure outsome way to make me forget everything I’ve learned and stillprotect me. You and your friends managed a pretty big cover-up lastnight.”
He didn’t know how to answer her. He had afeeling she’d bolt if he started talking about eternity andvampirism, but he couldn’t lie to her either. A hand thumped downon the hood of the car, causing Maggie to jump.
Aiden turned to find a young man standing infront of the car with his hand resting on the hood. The man grinnedand waved to Maggie. “Heeeyyy beautiful,” the kid slurred andflexed his biceps.
When Aiden glowered at him, the kid wassober enough his smile faded, and he stepped away from the car. Afew of the kid’s friends ran up, laughing as they rushed past thefront of the car. They all wore the same emblem on theirsweaters.
“College kids,” Maggie muttered and shookher head. “Probably still drunk from last night and continuing theparty. You’d think they’d be smarter and do some sobering up beforegoing out in public.”
Aiden’s gaze following them as they jumpedon each other and high-fived. Theirs was a life he’d once enjoyedwith his high school friends and during his brief college time. Itfelt like it had been years ago and the life of a differentman.
Shifting the car into drive, he pulled awayfrom the curb and onto the busy street. Thankfully, Maggie seemedto have forgotten her question as she gazed out the window.
CHAPTER 24
Aiden hung up the phone and looked over towhere Maggie was carefully pouring some bottled water into thefishbowl. The blue fish flitted happily to the top before settlingagainst the white rocks at the bottom with a swish of his tail.
Maggie recapped the bottle and set it on thehotel dresser. He’d taken her to a hotel in Quincy near the ocean.They were far enough away from Maggie’s apartment and Carha’splace, no one would think to look for them here. But they weren’tso far he couldn’t return to help the others if it becamenecessary.
Taking a deep breath, Maggie turned to facehim. She didn’t speak as she waited for him to tell her what elsehe’d learned during his call to Ronan.
“I didn’t reveal it was about you when Iasked him, but Ronan confirmed there have been children of vampiresand humans before,” he told her.
“I’m sure he’s already figured out why youasked him,” she murmured.
“Most likely.”
“What were those children like?”
“According to Ronan, the combination of ahuman and a vampire doesn’t happen often. Most of these childrenlive normal, human lives while others differ in certain ways. Theymay be stronger and faster, or healthier than other people. I cantestify you’re damn fast.”
Her mouth pursed, and Aiden sensed his wordshad struck a nerve, but when she didn’t speak, he continued. “Ronanalso said some of those children choose to be turned later in life.I’m assuming the ones who decided to change were aware of theirheritage. Once turned, those half children can be stronger than anaverage turned vamp, but not as strong as a purebred vampire.”
“I see,” she murmured, and her gaze wentpast him to the curtained window. He didn’t understand the pensiveexpression on her face, but he had a feeling she was sortingthrough something in her mind.
His gaze fell on the slender column of herthroat before darting away. His fingers dug into his thighs as hefought the impulse to take her and claim her as his mate, but heremained where he was. She’d been through enough without himheaping the mate thing on her today. He would tell her eventually,but he would wait until she was ready.
He dug his fingers deeper into his fleshwhen his skin prickled with the compulsion to feel pain and hisfangs throbbed for blood. Whereas before these impulses had nearlysent him over the edge, now they were mild cravings he could handlewith Maggie near him.
You will control this! She is more importantthan you.
He’d seen his parents’ relationship, hissiblings with their mates, and David with his. He’d always knownwhat a mate did for and to a vampire, but now, experiencing it,he’d never truly realized how much his mate would mean to him. Itwas more than Maggie being able to calm him in ways pain, blood,death, and sex never had; it was also that he liked and admiredher. She’d weathered much in her life, and in the past day, but shehadn’t allowed it to destroy her.
His parents, siblings, and David were alldeeply in love with their mates. He’d hoped to find the same, butthere was no guarantee love would come with the bond. He didn’tlove Maggie, but he knew it would be easy to fall in love withher.
“When I was a baby, I was very sickly,” shesaid, and her eyes came back to his. “I was placed with a family assoon as I was born. They were going to adopt me. They were soexcited to have a baby they were willing to overlook the possibleinsanity lurking in my genes.”
A sickly child seemed against what Ronan hadtold him, but no one knew everything for sure, not even Ronan theoldest vampire in existence. “What happened to them?” heinquired.
“I don’t know. Their names weren’t listed inmy records, only the history of my time spent with them. They werewilling to overlook the possibility I might one day stab and killsomeone, but they hadn’t signed up for a sick child. They kept mefor three months, but after numerous doctor appointments where noone could figure out what was wrong with me, they wiped their handsof me and gave me back to the state. I do know they named meCoraline while they had me, but when they gave me back, my namereverted to the name my mother gave me, Magdalene.”
“Your mother named you?”
“Yes. Apparently, she had a few minutes oflucidity after my birth. She told the social worker to call meMagdalene because I was a blessing who came from the worst of sins.She also hoped one day my soul could be redeemed instead ofremaining pure evil. You know, because being a baby and all, I wasmore evil than a killer clown on acid playing the bagpipes.”
