Page 12 of Awakened Light

“You sure you’re okay, man? You don’t seem like yourself.”

I shrugged and gave a half-smile. “Yeah. I’ll be fine.”

“Is it Catrain?”

His astute observation only reminded me how much our bond meant to me. There was no hiding things from the man who’d been at my side since we were knee-high.

“I’m not gonna lie. I really had a thing for her, but it’s just not going to work out.”

He squeezed my shoulder. “Are you sure? It’s not like you to give up on anything. The Thorne I know is relentless when he wants something that much.”

Shaking my head, I let my shoulders slump. “Not this time. She’s incredible, but she’s fiercely loyal to her tribe, and there is no chance in hell they will ever accept me. It’s just my luck the one girl in six hundred years to turn me into a lovesick puppy is the one girl I can never have.”

“Hang in there, buddy. You never know. It could still work out.”

I patted him on the back. “Doubtful since I’m never allowed on the island to see her again, but I appreciate the sentiment.”

We clapped each other on the back, and then I walked around him and headed into the castle. Maybe, just maybe, a hot shower could wash away the feelings for Catrain that seemed to amplify by the second.

CHAPTER THREE

Thorne

I STRETCHED AND PUSHED out of my bed, grateful for another day’s sleep in it. It had been two weeks since I’d been back from the Pict island, but after those three days sleeping on a cave floor, I didn’t think I’d ever stop appreciating this cushy bed.

Though I didn’t miss the cold, hard floor of the cave, I did miss Catrain... even more than I ever imagined I could. Every day I woke up hoping the ache I felt for her would soften, but every day it only seemed to deepen. Parting with her left me with an agony I’d never experienced... an agony so deep I found myself wishing we’d never met.

But then I’d see her face in my mind, and the thought of never knowing she existed, or never having her in my life, pained me more than the thought of never seeing her again. It was a dizzying mix of foreign emotions determined to drive me mad.

After focusing my hearing to have a quick listen through the household, I heard Aiden and Emilia outside after likely spending a day in the sun.

Aiden in the sunshine. It still seemed surreal to imagine him out there soaking up the rays.

I still couldn’t comprehend what it would be like to enjoy the sunshine again. It had been so long since I’d seen it that I could barely remember what the world looked like bathed in light. Aiden had explained to me how incredible it was to step out into it for the first time in centuries, and I had to admit his new abilities left me slightly jealous. Of course, I was happy for him, but as my oldest friend and confidante, I hated that I couldn’t be part of his new journey.

Since I wasn’t lucky enough to walk in the sun without bursting into flames, I waited a few moments to ensure the last of the light evaporated before getting dressed and heading downstairs to the kitchen. When I arrived to get some blood from the fridge, Grizella had beat me there.

“Evening, Thorne,” she said, offering me the freshly poured cup.

I kissed her on the cheek. “Thank you. Sleep well?”

She smiled. “As long as I’m with Lothaire, I always sleep well.”

“You two haven’t spent a night apart in a few hundred years.”

“Longer.” She smirked. “So, yes, I slept well like I always do.”

“As did I,” Lothaire said as he entered the kitchen. He stopped to press a kiss to Grizella’s forehead before grabbing a blood bag for himself. After he split it between two glasses, we walked to the sitting room and sat down by the fire.

“Any movement on Clan Lennox?” Lothaire asked me as I sipped my blood.

I shook my head. “Nothing yet. I’ve got people investigating their movements and reporting back. So far, no word about an actual move on us.”

“Good,” Lothaire said. “Hopefully, they’ve come to their senses.”

“Let’s hope so,” I agreed.

Since taking over for Aiden as Lothaire’s enforcer, I’d been surprised by how quiet the other clans had been. Years of squashing any revolts with enough brutality to cripple them for years had served as a warning to any that followed. It seemed I’d done my job well the last time someone dared to challenge Clan Mackay because no vampire had risen against us since. It’d been so long, in fact, I worried I may need to practice my fighting techniques to ensure my skills didn’t suffer from my time off.