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“That is a confidential matter I’ll discuss only with Jill,” Dr. Reynolds said tightly, as he spread his hands. “As I said before, it would be best if you wait outside with Jackson, Mr. Reyes.”
I couldn’t help but notice that Declan hadn’t asked Dr. Reynolds to use his first name.
“And likeIsaid before, I’m not leaving.” Declan stood just out of my reach, his arms still crossed over his chest. Like a leather-clad mountain.
I saw a silver glint from the stake he kept in a sheath on his belt under the edge of his black duster. He didn’t look directly at me, despite his fierce and protective claim.
Dr. Reynolds’s jaw tightened as he glared at the stubborn vampire hunter. “Your reputation precedes you, Mr. Reyes. Beyond your relationship to Dr. Carson Reyes.”
“Oh yeah?”
“I know you’re a dhampyr.”
Declan didn’t reply to that, which was confirmation enough.
“Declan’s with me,” I said, not liking the tension that had been steadily rising in the room. “So, whatever you have to say to me, I’m more than fine with him hearing it, too.”
Dr. Reynolds raised his chin in defiance. “Maybe I’m not fine with that.”
“Let me take a wild guess here,” Declan said. “You have a problem with dhampyrs.”
“Is it that obvious?” Dr. Reynolds replied.
“Yeah. It kind of is.”
The doctor’s narrowed eyes flicked to me. “You know dhampyrs are extremely dangerous to humans, don’t you? Arguably, more so than vampires.”
“I’ve heard that before,” I replied. “But Declan’s different. He’s not a monster dhampyr.”
“Have you ever seen a monster dhampyr before?” he asked sharply.
“Unfortunately, yes.” A chill went down my spine. Monster dhampyrs like the one who’d killed Dr. Gray were as mindless as they were ravenous, like large, pale, humanoid piranha—sharp teeth, soulless black eyes, and an overwhelming need to feed.
The stuff of nightmares, actually. I had the sleepless nights to prove it.
This appointment had been going so well up until now. I watched Dr. Reynolds, whose attention was now focused on Declan far more than it had been on me previously. There was something in the doctor’s demeanor that made me uncomfortable, a willingness to believe the worst. This was what Declan had been dealing with all of his life—people jumping to conclusions about what he was, based on half of his DNA.
Dhampyr, to so many who knew about this world that was hidden from the regular population, was synonymous with “ravenous monster.”
Now that I’d had to remember each of the four vampires who’d tasted my blood, I could easily recall what it felt like to be bit. The icy cool breath on my skin. The disgusting wet swipe of a tongue. The slicing pain as those razor-sharp teeth cut into my flesh. Just because they’d all died quick and fiery deaths didn’t make the thought of getting attacked any more pleasant.
Declan wasn’t like the monster dhampyrs I’d witnessed. And he was nothing like the vampires either.
He was far better. And I trusted him completely.
“Declan’s with me, Dr. Reynolds,” I said firmly. “If you have a problem with that, then we’re going to have to find someone else willing to help me.”
I waited for his reply, certain that I’d just ended my chance for a cure just as it had only begun.
CHAPTERFIVE
It took another tense moment,but Dr. Reynolds’s harsh expression finally faded and his brows drew together.
“I...I find I must apologize to you both for my horribly unprofessional behavior this morning.” He removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes, then cleaned the glasses on his sleeve before putting them back on. “My wife...she was killed by a dhampyr. I’m afraid it’s irrevocably colored my objectivity on the subject.”
Immediate empathy surged through me at the thought of anyone facing death at the hands of one of those nightmarish creatures. “I’m so sorry.”
“So am I.” His jaw tensed. “But this is neither here nor there. Let’s move past this moment of unpleasantness, if you’re willing. I would like to take some more samples of your blood. With your permission, of course.”
