“Oh, crap,” she whispered. “That’s just what they’d do, isn’t it?”
“It’s what they did,” he corrected. “They had already transformed dozens of their mercenaries, uncaring that the virus would drive the soldiers insane, and were all set to rake in billions of dollars when we discovered the truth. The two brothers I lost fell in battle when we descended upon the mercenaries’ compound.”
Her brow puckered. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
He nodded. “We had to destroy the group to prevent them from unleashing their vampire mercenaries on the world. And, too, because they were intent on capturing immortals so they could study and dissect us and figure out how to keep their army from going insane so they wouldn’t have to kill all the soldiers after a year and start over with a fresh batch.”
“Seriously? They were just going to kill them all and rotate in new ones?” she asked in disbelief.
“Yes. A mad army is an uncontrollable one. So, of necessity, they would have to replace it every year unless they could get their hands on one of us immortals and figure out why we don’t go insane like the vampires do.”
“All in the name of money.”
“Yes. They knew they would earn billions.”
“At the very least.”
“Yes.”
“Well, crap,” she said. “Now it all actually sounds believable.”
Aidan didn’t know what to say to that. “I’m sorry?” he offered lamely.
She nodded. “Vampires are real.”
“Yes.”
“And you are one. Sort of.”
Aidan knew what she meant, so he didn’t deny it. “Is it too much?” he asked softly, dreading her answer.
She sighed. “I’d be lying if I said, No, not at all, because my mind is just all over the place right now, Aidan.”
He almost wished she had lied to him.
His phone rang.
Taking it out, he saw it was Seth calling. “I’m sorry. I have to take this.”
Dana nodded.
“Yes?” he answered.
“I take it by the grim inflection in your voice that things are not going well,” Seth said.
“Correct.”
A long sigh. “Well, I believe I’ve succeeded in pulling Chris’s head out of his ass and have asked him to look for anything he can find that will clear you.”
“I appreciate that.” But he still wanted to kick Reordon’s arse.
“I’ll deal with Roland as well.”
Aidan didn’t blame Roland for his anger. Roland had merely feared for the life of one of his descendants. But Aidan wished like hell Roland had not confronted him in front of Dana.
“Until we have all this sorted out,” Seth continued, “I want you and Dana to stay with Ethan and Heather.”
Aidan glanced at Dana. “Why?”
“Because Ethan is impervious to mind control and we need him to help clear your name.”
That gave him some hope. At least Seth didn’t believe Aidan was guilty.
“I would offer to bury Dana’s memories of tonight,” Seth said, his voice gentling, “but you were going to have to tell her everything anyway. And she needs to know why the two of you will be staying with Ethan and Heather. She needs to know she’s in danger.”
“I suppose so.”
“All right. Wrap things up as quickly as you can, then hie yourselves over to Ethan and Heather’s house. They’re expecting you.”
“I will.” Aidan ended the call.
So on top of everything else he had just dumped on Dana, he now had to tell her that one of the men he worked with thought Aidan was guilty of kidnapping six female gifted ones and that the only way to clear Aidan’s name was to temporarily move in with two Immortal Guardians.
And he had to tell Dana that she was in danger because apparently women of his acquaintance were being targeted by someone who could pass for his identical twin.
Aidan stared at Dana, noted the new wariness in her gaze, and just didn’t think he was up for that tonight.
“What’s wrong?” she asked. “You look like you just got some bad news.”
Shaking his head, he returned his attention to his cell phone and dialed Ethan’s number.
“Yeah?” Ethan answered.
“Are you with Seth?”
“No. Heather and I are on our way home. Did Seth tell you he wants you and Dana to stay with us?”
“Yes.” Aidan stared down at his big blood-speckled boots. “I’ve a boon to ask of you.”
“Ask it,” Ethan immediately responded.
Aidan had expected as much. Ethan was a real stand-up guy. “I need some time,” he confessed.
Only the quiet rumble of a well-tuned car engine came over the line as Aidan imagined Ethan visually consulting his wife.
“Can we cover for him?” he heard Heather ask softly.
Since Heather was the only mortal Aidan had ever transformed, he had come to think of her a bit like a daughter and was touched by her desire to help him in this.
“As long as no more gifted ones go missing,” Ethan returned, equally soft, “I don’t think we’ll have to.”
That was Aidan’s hope. “You know the risks. If you aren’t comfortable with it—”
“Take what time you need,” Ethan interrupted, his voice firm. “Chris may still have his doubts, but I don’t. I know that wasn’t you in the videos. So take your time, Aidan. We’ll be here if you need us.”
“Thank you.” Aidan ended the call.
Weariness assailed him. He had lost quite a bit of blood, thanks to Roland.
Dana lowered her arms and leaned against the doorframe. “You look tired.”
Was that concern he heard in her voice?
He rubbed his eyes. “I am.”
“Do you need blood?” she asked tentatively. “It looked like you lost a lot earlier.” And her expressive face revealed her unease with the notion of his drinking her own.
“No,” he told her, returning his gaze to his boots. “I’m okay.”
He wasn’t really. But with someone out there mimicking his appearance, Aidan didn’t want to teleport away and leave her alone even for the few minutes it would take him to pop home, grab a couple of bags of blood, and infuse himself with his fangs.
“Do you know what I do need?” he asked instead. “Or what I would like most in the world right now?”
“What?”
“To take one of those timeouts I’ve seen American football players do. Stop everything. Put it on hold for a moment and just… lie down. Hold you in my arms. And rest for a bit.”
When she made no response, he risked a glance at her.
“I’d like that, too,” she said, surprising him. “I could use the time to assimilate all this.”
Relief filled him as he rose. “I need to clean up first.”
Her lips turned up in a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Still worried about staining the bedding?”
He nodded. “I have a change of clothes in my car.”
Stepping back, she let him pass into the hallway. “While you do that, I’m going to take a quick shower.”
She was smeared and stained with a healthy amount of his blood.
That she didn’t invite him to shower with her neither surprised nor upset him. “As you will.”
While she ducked into the bathroom and turned on the shower, Aidan headed downstairs.