Page 5 of Awakened Light

“Yes.” He nodded. “That’s how they met.”

“And you?” Pausing, I swallowed hard. “Do you have a... donor?”

The thought of him sucking on a woman’s neck, or worse, falling in love with her, caused my stomach to churn in a much different way than his looks induced.

It twisted in jealousy.

“No. Not right now,” he answered. “I’ve had donors before, but I travel too much these days. It’s challenging to drag a human being everywhere I go. Instead, I live on blood bags and the occasional live meal when the opportunity presents itself and I have no risk of discovery.”

Exhaling a breath of relief, I looked back up at the sky. “And you can live on these blood bags? Those don’t hurt anyone?”

“Yep. A blood bag is just human blood that has been drained with a needle and stored. They do it willingly for medicine, and we buy them from the medical banks,” he answered. “It’s not nearly as good as fresh from the vein, but I’m no food snob like Aiden, so it suits me just fine. Portable, easy, and zero risk of detection.”

Silence settled between us as I let the relief wash over me. He didn’t have a woman waiting for him at home. A woman whose blood he would drink and maybe fall in love with like Aiden had done with Emilia. Then I cursed myself for caring.

He’s a vampire and your enemy. Stop thinking about him like that.

“The fog that we came through when we came here... I haven’t seen it since I arrived. Does that mean I can see the island if I come back?”

“No. The fog isn’t visible from inside the island. It’s a magical apparition to any trespassers. The minute you set foot off the island, it will engulf us once again.”

His eyes searched mine. “So, if I leave, I won’t be able to find the island again?”

I shook my head. “No. Not unless a Pict lifts it for you.”

His eyes landed on me and my heart squeezed in my chest. “If I leave tonight, will you let me back in to visit you?”

I tried to assure myself I’d only imagined the weight of his gaze, but the look in his eye held a question far more complex than just his ability to return to the island.

I contemplated my words before I answered. I wanted to say yes, but I knew the reality of allowing him back... of allowing him into my life.

“No,” I whispered. “I can’t.”

“Why?” He turned his head to look at me, but I kept staring at the sky. “Why can’t I come back?”

“Because. You don’t belong here.”

“Catrain,” he soothed. “Don’t say that. I don’t want to starve to death, but I’m not going to leave until I know I can come back to see you. Please.”

I knew I shouldn’t turn my head and look at him... shouldn’t give in to the pull between us.

But I did.

When our eyes locked, I felt the earth beneath my body shift.

“Please, Cat.” He reached out and brushed a braided piece of blonde hair from my face. “I know you’re feeling this too. I can’t explain it, and I’m not a guy who gets mushy with his feelings or goes chasing after some girl, but there is something going on between us. I know you sense it.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but the look in his eyes stole away the words. His fingers brushed across my cheek and left my heated skin cooled in their wake.

“We can’t,” I finally managed to say, though the sentence lacked conviction.

The question swirled between us. “Give me one good reason why.”

“Because you’re a vampire and I’m a Pict. We’re enemies.”

“Fuck that,” he said with a snort. “This isn’t Romeo and Juliet.”

I furrowed my brow, unsure of the reference. He noticed my confusion and shook his head.