Page 20 of Call of the Blood

“I could have⁠—”

“If you say ‘helped’, I’ll kill you,” I said lightly. “Because you couldn’t.”

“I strongly disagree, but since it’s already happened, there’s really no reason to argue now, is there?” He didn’t look happy with me. “And now I really can’t help you with anything. The gap between us is… immense. I felt how… solid you were when I hugged you. You could probably get hit with a car and walk away.”

“Yeah.” I wasn’t going to deny it. “So, what are we planning for the evening outside of talking? Oh, and…” I reached into my pocket and pulled out the box with the ring. “I’ll be here for a month unless something happens, so plenty of time to meet her before you go off and propose to her. Here.”

Declan looked at the box but didn’t reach for it. Then he met my gaze.

“What if you keep it? Then it will always be in the family instead of lost by one of my descendants or something?”

“No.” I shook my head. “It goes to the first child married to propose to their partner of choice. That’s you. Mom and Dad were buried with their wedding bands. We were left with this to continue their love in our lives. You know that.”

“But if you get married, you could wear it for… forever.”

“Let’s be honest, Declan. I’m never getting married.”

“Never is a very long time for you.”

“Take. It.” I bit the words out. He held up his hand, and I pushed the box into it. “I want you to live a normal life, Declan. This is part of it. Heirlooms and treasures of our family should stay with you. If in a century I need to hunt them down, I will. I’ll pay whoever is in the family for them or offer them safekeeping between the generations. I’ll be around. I’ll be the aunt to your kids, like Henry was to us for generations. Except I won’t disappear like him. I’ll guard the family as you pass down the treasures. Okay?”

Declan got up and pulled me out of my chair. Another hug, one I welcomed.

We decided on a movie, and it was only twenty minutes in when a knock was at the door.

“Declan?” a feminine voice called out.

“Oh, shit,” Declan hissed. “Lexi never comes over. We always hang out at her place. What is she doing here?”

“Did she know I was coming over today?” I asked back quietly, the movie still playing to cover our voices.

“Yeah… she must be thinking of surprising me and you, but now…” He looked at me.

I nodded.

“I can handle this,” I promised.

8

CHAPTER EIGHT

Declan went to get the door as I paused the movie and prepared myself. There was a checklist. Make sure I was breathing like a human, moving around correctly. Most of this was natural, but it was a switch from how I was behaving in front of Declan, because in front of him, I could be a vampire.

“Hey, babe, come in!” Declan said. I could hear his smile but also his nerves. “What’s going on?”

“I brought cookies to welcome your sister!” she replied brightly. “I know it’s a surprise, but I want to make a good impression. She’s your sister.”

I started breathing, knowing that I had to breathe in front of her.

But the first whiff I got of her scent, I froze once again.

Lexi had a secret.

A very big one.

I watched her walk into the main living space, and her eyes immediately landed on me. I saw the panic flash across her face as she recognized something she shouldn’t have.

“Honey, can I talk to you alone?” she said, her eyes not leaving mine. I took another breath.