Page 32 of Awakened Light

I stepped on the gas, and she squealed with delight as I hit over a hundred miles an hour in a matter of seconds. The car handled every twist and turn of the roads as we hit top speed on our way to Edinburgh. Catrain’s eyes never stopped searching the moonlit countryside as she pointed out all the wonders we saw along the way.

Everything to her was new. Exciting. It made me smile seeing how much she enjoyed herself out here in my world even under the cover of darkness.

When we got into Edinburgh, she stared in awe at all the buildings and lights. I’d seen the world transition slowly from a life similar to hers to the one I lived now... fast cars, private jets, and all the technology that had become second nature had happened over time. I couldn’t even imagine what it would be like to have skipped the last six centuries and just appeared in the world today.

“It’s beautiful,” she said as I steered the car down the streets toward our destination.

“It is a lovely city.”

“Are all cities this big?” she asked as she tipped her head and looked up at the buildings we passed by.

“Actually, this is a small city.”

She spun in her seat, and those wide eyes met mine. “Small?”

Laughing, I turned the car onto the next street. “Yes. It’s really a pretty quaint large town. The big cities are filled with skyscrapers so tall you can’t even see the tops and more colorful lights than you can imagine.”

“I can’t imagine it.” She blew out a breath.

“This is a good starter city for you. Someday, I’ll take you to New York. Now that’s a city.”

The minute I said it, it felt like I’d been kicked in the gut.

There was no someday with Catrain. After we found Annella, she’d go back. Back to her island, her people, and out of my life forever.

I looked over at her and tried to calm the sadness consuming me from the inside. There was a reason I’d never fallen for a woman in six hundred years. I’d seen what my father went through when he lost my mother... seen the monster that heartbreak had created. When Aiden met Isobel and fell in love, and Lothaire found Grizella, I started to wonder if maybe I could find someone and be happy... that maybe my aversion to heartbreak was irrational and unfounded.

Then I’d seen what Aiden went through when he lost his wife... a pain I didn’t think he’d survive, and a pain I never wanted to risk. To give someone my heart, my whole heart, was a chance I’d never been willing to take, filling my days with fun flings and casual hookups instead.

But tonight...

Tonight, I’d have ripped my heart out of my chest and handed it to her on a platter if it meant convincing her to stay.

My phone rang and startled us both. I pulled the car to the parking spot on the side of the road and answered it.

“Lothaire, we’re here.”

“I know. I’m looking at your car.”

I lowered my head and looked out the windows, scanning the area for my family I knew were nearby, but saw no signs of them.

“We’re spread out around the surrounding blocks. I don’t think you should drive any closer. You’re just over a block away now.”

“I can see it from here. I can stay in the car and keep an eye on her from here.”

“Is she sure she wants to do this?”

I looked over at Catrain, questioning my decision to let her put herself at risk. But she was right. It was her decision, and after a life of being told what to do, I wanted her to have control over every move she made... even if it terrified me to send her down this street alone.

“She’s ready.”

“Good. We’ll be waiting. As soon as she locates the building, have her keep walking, and we’ll meet her two blocks down. She can tell us then which one it is. Any sign of trouble, and we’ll all move in.”

“It’s a plan. Good luck,” I said before hanging up.

“Everything okay?” she asked.

“Yes. They are all ready. I’ll be right here in the car behind you, watching and listening. I can hear extremely well, so all you have to do is whisper you need help, and I’ll be at your side in a second. I won’t let you out of my sight.”