Page 82 of Into The Light

Emilia drew back and tipped her head. “You’ve never told me why you don’t speak to your family. What happened?”

I sighed and slid to the side of the pool, leaning my elbows back onto the concrete. “It wasn’t any one thing, really. In fact, Lothaire, my older brother, is the Chieftain of our clan now and has been for six hundred years. Our Chieftain who made the pact with the Picts was my uncle. When he died, with my father dead and no heirs, the role transferred to my brother. With the title comes certain responsibilities, as well as my place in the family as his right hand. I just didn’t want to be part of it anymore. I needed a break.”

“Be part of what?”

“Our clan are the original vampires, and over the years we’ve passed on the gift to others. Some of them formed their own clans, and though we worked together for years, eventually a battle for power began and some of the clans have been warring since. Lothaire has been locked in a constant state of battle against the opposing clans for two centuries.”

“So you just left them?” she asked, a hint of judgement in her voice.

“I wouldn’t say I just left them,” I answered, “I was exhausted, Emilia. As Lothaire’s right hand, I was forever protecting him or hunting out those who would oppose him. Every time I eliminated a threat, a new one would pop up in his place. Over and over, I would fight each time a new vampire tried to come to power and move in on us again. It was my job to torture them for information and dispose of them when I was finished. There was so much blood, so much death... I just saw no ending in sight. If I hadn’t left, I would have spent the rest of eternity removing people’s heads and never getting a moment’s rest. So, I told Lothaire I was done and to promote someone else to my place. He didn’t take it well. We had a blowout fight, he forbade the family from talking to me, I left, and it’s been almost ten years since we’ve spoken.”

“You haven’t talked at all?”

I shook my head. “Not once. He’s reached out a few times demanding I attend the annual clan meeting. No apology or attempt at reconciliation, just a message demanding I show up. Though at this point, I’m not sure who needs to apologize to who. But honestly Emilia, I love the quiet life. It was just me and Mark. No battles, no heads rolling past my feet, and no more fighting. It’s just not who I am, and I hate being forced to live that way. Lothaire doesn’t understand. Ruling and the clan means everything to him. Well, that and Grizella.”

“Grizella?”

“His wife. They’ve been together for four hundred years and I swear their bond deepens every day.”

“Four hundred years? Most couples I know struggle to make it to ten. I take it she’s a vampire, too?”

“Yes, though she was human when they met.”

“She changed for him?” Her eyes widened.

“On their second date,” I said, laughing. “Much like us, their connection was instantaneous, and they were married on their third date. If that’s not love at first sight, I don’t know what is.”

“I’ll say. And you have a sister?”

“Yes, Annella, my baby sister. I miss her terribly, but she is a loyal clan member and abided Lothaire’s command that no one speak to me. She’s also a warrior, though she works in the shadows more than direct battle. She’s not the kind of woman you want to bump into in a dark alley. Then there’s Thorne. He’s not blood family, but we were best friends since birth. After I left, he became Lothaire’s right hand... a position he’s perfect for.”

“Sounds like your family life is complicated.”

“Just a little.” I laughed.

“At least you have a family,” she said on a sigh.

I realized now how much she had lost and how alone she’d been when I’d found her. Her soul had been as shattered as mine. The night we’d met she’d been on her own, battling this world without an ally in sight. Even though complications filled my family and I hadn’t seen them in a decade, I knew they would kill for me and stand at my side no matter what. A twinge of nostalgia twisted in my gut while I wished for the simpler days before the clan battles began. I couldn’t understand Lothaire’s desperate need to remain in power. I just wanted us to walk away and go back to the way things were. Let the others take over, and focus on being a family again just enjoying our existence. He wouldn’t listen and eventually it drove a wedge between us too deep to withstand.

“I’m sorry you lost your family.” I slid an arm around her and felt her head settle upon my shoulder. “You have me now. For always.”

“Perhaps someday I can meet your other family.”

“Perhaps,” I said, and then realized I needed to break the news I had turned human again. Not looking forward to that conversation, I still knew it would be necessary when I explained to Lothaire why I couldn’t fulfil my end of the bargain with Mark. For a moment I felt like a little boy again awaiting my father’s temper when he found out I broke his favorite bow. It would be the first time in ten years we talked, and with my news, it would go badly. That much I knew. At least it wouldn’t be about returning to war with him. I was human now, and that option was no longer on the table.

Goosebumps prickled my skin and startled me. Looking down I examined the little bumps on my arm, realizing I hadn’t felt cold in centuries. I ran a curious finger over them.

“Cold?” Emilia asked, tipping her head.

“I think I am. It feels so strange!”

“How about the hot tub and then we’ll go in and I’ll figure out our trip to Bora Bora while you call your brother.”

“Deal,” I said before kissing her nose and swimming toward the warm water calling my name. Lothaire and my tongue lashing could wait a little longer. Right now all I could think about was spending every second of this perfect day in the sun with Emilia.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Emilia