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"So, you're back. Is this a good thing?" Anna asked curiously. "Since you're not in tears, I'm assuming you and Stefan are together.
"It depends on what you consider a good thing. I've already had one big negative reaction, so I'm anxious to see what yours will be. "
We walked up to one of the street vendors and ordered satay before heading in silence to a bench under a tree. Anna sat first and pointed to the seat for me to join her.
"Yeah, I'm sure you didn't use your psychic ability to know the outcome of our little chat. I'm going to take a wild guess. You're moving," Anna said sarcastically, taking a bite of her chicken. She chewed for a moment and swallowed, her sharp brown eyes never leaving mine. "Why is it you look like you spent all your time in New York at a spa? Either New York was really, really good to you or Stefan has a magic dick. "
I choked on my bite at her comment. Anna laughed and slapped me on the back a few times until I was finally able to breathe normally.
"Anna!" I exclaimed, feeling the telltale blush spread over my face.
"From that response I'm going to go with the magic dick. By looking at him, I'd say it could cure just about any problem you could have," Anna replied, tucking her brown curls behind her ear. She finished her chicken and tossed the skewer in the trash, turning her attention back to me. "I know you didn't come to see me for shits and giggles. What's up?"
Taking a deep sigh, I looked at my shoe for a moment before I started talking. "I need you to put my villa on the market. "
"Oh?" Anna answered. "Oh. This is a permanent move. You aren't coming back?"
Shrugging, I smoothed my khaki shorts and picked at the cuticle on my thumb. "We may come back to visit. I don't think Lukas is putting his house on the market so we could always stay there. "
Anna sighed and her lips pressed into a disapproving frown. "That sounds like some cryptic bullshit line. This is me that you're talking to, not Georgia. Are you coming back or not?"
"No. Probably not," I said in a rush of breath. I flipped my hair over my shoulder, mentally holding my breath as I watch Anna mull things over.
Anna said nothing, tapping her fingers against the bench and not really looking at anything. She appeared to be lost in her own internal musings. The longer she was silent, the more I diligently sorted through her future. She was constantly changing her mind from one train of thought to another. It was enough to give me a headache.
"If you are going to do this, there's no more running away from him. Stefan doesn't deserve that kind of bullshit again. " Anna finally spoke, turning her head to look at me. "What happened that made you take off that night, by the way?"
"Let's just say I uncovered interesting information about my birth family while we were in New York. I met my father, who I'd rather not discuss. The entire experience was overwhelming. When I took off that night, I didn't think about it, I just reacted. " The side of my mouth turned up in the tiniest of smiles. "With one exception, I wish it was all still a mystery. Some things are better left unknown. "
"What was the exception?"
My smile increased as I thought of Nikolaus. "I have a brother. He lives in the city, so I'll be closer to him too. "
Anna sat back against the bench, her shoulders slouching under the weight of the information she'd just gathered from me.
"No shit? A brother?"
Snickering, I leaned back with her. "No shit. His name is Nikolaus. "
"You have a brother," Anna said. "That has to be bizarre to find out after of these years. What's he like?"
I pictured him in my head during our brief meeting, from his light brown hair with bits of red, his lean, muscular physique and motorcycle jacket and jeans. "Very handsome. He has a lot of tattoos. He's a smooth talker, but I like him. "
"Can he do what you can?" Anna asked, tapping her temple with her fingertip.
Nodding slowly, I took another bite and chewed slowly. Anna's eyes unfocused for a moment as if she was deep in thought.
"It's a family trait then," Anna deduced. "That's gotta make you rethink having kids, huh?"
There was no way to tell Anna that there would never be children in my future. I was an immortal creature, an unchanging anomaly. I'd also chosen a vampire as a mate. . . both of those things meant no babies for me.
"I don't think it's in the cards for us anyway. I never had plans to be a mom so it's no loss. " I swatted her leg and tried to lighten the mood. "You're off the hook for babysitting duties. "
"Good try with the humor thing. No dice," Anna rolled her eyes and then focused on my necklace again. "That's new. Is it from Stefan?"
Reaching up, I ran my fingers over the pendant, feeling the crude carvings under my fingertips. "Yes. It's a family heirloom. "
Anna scooted closer and leaned over to inspect the pendant, fixated on the carvings. She looked up at me through her eyelashes. "Exactly how old of an heirloom is this? I may not be a jeweler, but I know that is no reproduction. "
