“You are an arse,” Payton started the conversation, as soon as Sam left the car. “What the hell was all that about?”
“Simple, I wanted a reaction. Unlike you, I feel fine when I’m close to Sam.”
“What? You don’t feel that awful burning, the tormenting pressure on your body?”
“Not at all. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have touched her, now would I?”
“I thought you wanted to see how high of a threshold you could stand.”
Sean shook his head.
“No, whatever it is you can feel, it seems to be something special between you and Sam, because I didn’t feel anything. I must admit, though, that her looking so much like Isobel Cameron did take me aback.”
“Crazy, isn’t it? How many generations must there be between Isobel and Sam?”
“I would guess at least ten. But are you really sure about the Cameron connection?”
“Yes, definitely. And I think that is exactly the point. There was a reason why she met me. I am convinced of it.”
“One thing’s for sure: you are clearly in love.”
“If you say so,” Payton mumbled.
“You don’t know this? You almost freaked out just because I made a few joking remarks to her.”
“A few remarks! You were hitting on her!”
“Well, she is quite lovely.”
“Yes, and she’s not for you!”
Then Sean turned more serious. “About the clan gathering tomorrow… I am not going to say anything about Sam, even though I believe that she may be a key to this puzzle. I like her, and she doesn’t seem to have any idea who we are. I don’t think she poses any danger.” His voice became much stronger now. “However, as a result of some tests I performed while you were eating your ice cream, I must demand that you end this affair.”
“What?” Payton said, glaring at his brother. “What kind of tests? And I can’t end it. Believe me, I wanted to, but it just isn’t possible!”
Sean pushed one of his sleeves up to his elbows, revealing that his arm was covered in a bandage.
“What is that?” Payton asked.
Sean held his arm out while hanging on to the steering wheel with his other hand.
“Unwrap it,” he said.
Wrinkling his forehead, Payton did as he was told and then drew in a quick breath.
“What have you done?” he whispered.
Sean shrugged. His lower arm was covered in deep, bloody cuts. The gauze was sticking to the crusty parts and fresh blood was still seeping out of the deepest wound.
“After I fell off my motorcycle, I realized that I didn’t heal as quickly as usual. Our self-healing ability has been compromised by the changing conditions.”
“You did this to yourself?”
“Like I said, a few tests. Sam is easing the curse… We are becoming more human.”
“Could you feel the pain?”
“Why do you think I made so many cuts? You were right. After such a long time without feeling anything, even pain is intoxicating.”
Payton struggled to make sense of it.
“We are becoming vulnerable, Payton. That is why you must end it!”
“Why? Do you want to carry on like this? You want to live through eternity like this? Without feelings? Without love?”
Payton thought he’d rather die than go on living like that, especially since he’d been shown so vividly what he’d been missing all these years. His hand was still burning from where he had touched Sam’s shoulders. No, he knew he couldn’t return to that darkness again, when he couldn’t feel at all.
“You can’t make a decision on your own that will put us all at risk,” Sean said quietly as he turned into their driveway and rolled slowly to a stop.
“Yes, I can… No one asked me if I wanted to have this life!”
Payton tore open the door. But instead of going inside, he jumped straight onto his Ducati and sped off.
Sean stayed in the car, puzzled. He understood Payton, but an oath bound him to the clan. If Payton didn’t show responsibility, well, Sean would have to step in himself. He rolled down his sleeve and stroked the bandaged area carefully. He’d meant to test his theory with only a single cut. But when the silver blade had marked its bloody trace through his skin, a powerful sensation had flooded his brain. He’d pressed the blade into his arm again and again, devouring the pain.
Yes, just like Payton, he too had been starved.