Glancing around, she made sure no one wasclose enough to hear them before whispering. “Did you meet anyother vampires?”
“Some. Most of the ones I encountered werelike me and didn’t want to be bothered. I did run into some troublewith three Savages in Greece a couple of months ago. They weretrying to kill a woman when I came across them. They werenothappy when I interfered.”
Aida sucked in a breath. “You could have beenkilled.”
Julian leaned so close his chest brushed herarm. “I’m a purebred; that gave me an advantage.”
“That makes you stronger, but it doesn’t makeyou invincible, and how did you know they weren’t purebredstoo?”
“Considering there aren’t many of us in theworld, I figured the odds were in my favor they were turned vamps.But it didn’t matter; I couldn’t let them kill her.” He had torestrain himself from killing humans, but as long as he couldcontrol that part of himself, he wouldn’t allow others to kill themeither.
“I understand, but three on one isn’t thebest of odds.”
“I’m still here, and she’s still alive.”
Aida’s hand shook when she sipped her beer.She worried about him every day he was gone, and hearing this storymade all those fears race to the forefront. Those vamps could havekilled him and dragged his body away to dump it somewhere. Shenever would have known what happened to him. She couldn’t imaginegoing through the rest of her life never knowing what became ofhim.
She swallowed the lump in her throat tospeak. “And what happened to the vampires?”
“I killed two, but the third ran away.”
“When you leave again—”
“I’m not going anywhere unless you tell meto,” he interrupted.
Aida couldn’t look at him anymore; she felttoo raw and exposed. Coming here in the hopes of seeing him hadbeen a bad idea. She should have gone home and slept. “Well, if youdo leave again, make sure you stay safe.”
Julian studied her profile as she stared ather beer. He almost rested his hand on her shoulder, but the rigidset of her shoulders said she wouldn’t welcome it.
“Always,” he told her.
She gave a small nod as she turned the beerin her hands.
“How did the rest of your night go?” Julianasked when she didn’t speak again.
“Really well. More than half of Owen’spaintings sold. There’s another showing tomorrow night; I think wemight end up selling them all.”
“Your boss must be happy.”
Aida wasn’t sure Nicolette was ever happy,but money sure did make her smile. “If you come by the galleryagain, she’ll be more than happy to sell you another painting.”
“I’m sure she would, but my bank accountcouldn’t handle it.”
Aida chuckled as she stopped turning herbeer.
“Do you have to be at work early againtomorrow?” he asked.
“No, I get to sleep in tomorrow.”
Julian left his mug and clinked it againsther bottle. “To sleeping in.”
“It’s a beautiful thing.”
Aida leaned against the wall again and closedher eyes as Cassidy started a new song. Most of the conversationsceased when the hunting words of “Hallelujah” filled the air. Thereweren’t many who could pull off the song, but not only did Cassidymake it magical, she also brought tears to the eyes of some ofthose listening, including Aida.
Julian rested his hand on hers, and withoutthinking, Aida turned it over to clasp his fingers. Touching himhelped to ease some of her unexpected sorrow. She opened her eyesto discover him staring at her with a look of longing so raw, shecouldn’t help but lean closer to him.
CHAPTER 20
