Chapter TWENTY-TWO

 

Eric

 

Going out with Beth to Affinity and talking about all the projects I had for renovations and new ways to evolve the village into a bigger city for supernaturals had become a recurrent date on my schedule. Sleeping with her at night had brought us closer. She also seemed happier and had changed the way she dressed. That afternoon, she was wearing a flower-pattern, summer dress that showed cleavage. Her hair was loose and falling in waves of curls about her shoulders. She was even wearing makeup, and her eyes shone every time she smiled when I fed her ice-cream.

“We are running out of flavors,” she said, wiping her mouth and fixing her hair.

“The nights will become colder, and I know a nice coffee shop with a wonderful hot chocolate that I can take you to tomorrow. You like that, don’t you?”

“Yes. It’s family night tomorrow so we might have to raincheck the hot chocolate.”

“Yes, but I want to show you something tonight.”

Beth leaned back in her chair. “What?”

I rested my elbows on the table and folded my hands. “Do you know that building you love next to the central park?”

“The one falling into pieces? I didn’t know you noticed that I liked it.”

“You spend a lot of time looking at it when we are in the park.”

Beth smiled, and her eyes sparkled. “It reminds me of home. Seriously, the design looks like a European building. It must have been stunning when it was new.”

“It was.” I leaned back and brushed my hands against my pants. The memories made my heart squeeze. “It was my brother’s house when he was alive. Well, when he was still living with us.”

“Anna’s father?”

I nodded.

“No one talks about him. Or her mother. I’m assuming that their love was forbidden, but your niece is young, and the house looks like it’s been abandoned for a long time.”

“It’s more complicated than that. George met Anna’s mom, Anika, more than a century ago. They waited to have children.”

“I see. So, they ran away to be together.”

“Yes.”

Beth’s lips curled into a smile. “That was bold of him. I like him already.”

Her words made me grin. I leaned forward and grabbed her hand. “I would do the same if you weren’t a pureblooded vampire.”

Even if her eyes softened with my admission, she squinted them after and questioned, “Does this mean that your father didn’t approve of interspecies marriages and this place wasn’t always a haven for hybrids?”

“Yes. He eventually changed his mind, and he did all in his power to have his son return. When we found him, George didn’t believe my father’s good intentions. Anna was a baby, and we lost track of him and his family shortly after. Destiny brought Anna to us.”

Averting her gaze, she mumbled, “Alaric killed a lot of hybrids.”

“Yes, he’s a powerful enemy and has several vampire kings supporting his twisted agenda. George founded an agency to help protect the hybrids and hide children and couples. George and Anika dedicated their lives to help others.”

“They seemed to be wonderful people. Anna is strong and kind, I’m sure her strength comes from them.”

“What did your parents think about interspecies marriage?”

Beth sighed. “I’m not sure. My father was a good man. My mother had her strong beliefs in the gods and might have had a few radical views, but my father believed in freedom and evolution. We often had to run because of his liberal political views. However, when we were growing up and even when we were adults, my parents were impartial about that. In Europe, the vampire community is closed to the other species. We didn’t hear about hybrids until we arrived here. By then, Mum and Dad were dead, and there was just Marie and me.”

“Were you against hybrids?”

“We are artists, we accept everybody. Hybrids, werewolves, and the other species are entitled to live and love as they please.”

I grinned at her answer. It made me respect her.

Then her eyes hardened. “I’d never killed anyone until I was forced to. Before, my eyes were gold when I turned. Now, I’m ashamed of what I’ve done.”

“Your family didn’t drink from the source?”

She shook her head. “My parents were aware of the madness that resulted from that process. They taught us to respect our prey, to enthrall but not kill. We had blood servants who donated. Once we arrived in America, we had suppliers.”

“Where were you when Alaric took you?”

“New York.” She moved in her chair and looked around. “Do you want to go back home?”

“Are you sleepy? I’ve noticed that you sleep better now since I brought you the drops.”

“Yes, they help me calm down, and I’m less anxious.”

“I’m glad the medicine is working.”

Beth tilted her head and scratched the table with her nail. “Sleeping with you also helps.”

“That’s my favorite part of the day.”

She giggled. Grabbing her hair, she twisted it and let it go behind her shoulders making it fall like a chocolate waterfall. Her skin glowed, and she looked healthier.

“We should go out to hunt sometime.”

Her interest piqued. “Hunt? What and where?”

“Animals so you can drink from them. It will help you recover faster. The fresh air will also do you good.”

“I get plenty of fresh air when I go practice with the girls. But I’ve never hunted. I mean, not in the wilderness.”

“Never?”

“I’ve always lived in big cities.”

“We’ll talk about that some other time, then. If you want.”

She nodded with a smile. “I wouldn’t mind going for a run in the forest with you. Shane and Anna do that all the time. It looks fun. Anna said there’s a waterfall and we could do a picnic there sometime.”

“Yes, we can do that on the weekend. Are you enjoying your classes with them?”

“It’s tiring. I’m out of shape and my body is constantly sore, but I love having something to do.”

“I hate that you still bruise so easily.” Red spread on her cheeks, and she looked down. “I didn’t mean to make you feel bad. It just that I hate seeing you hurt. It’s just my protective side.”

Her voice was hoarse when she spoke. “I need to know how to protect myself. Even if you are here with me now. Still, he will come back.”

I spoke tenderly since I knew Alaric being alive still terrified her, “Beth, he wouldn’t dare to come here. He knows best.”

She looked me in the eye. “I was always too weak to defend myself from him. I don’t want to be like that anymore.”

I caressed her wrist. “You’ll do whatever you need to do to feel safe and heal.”

Nodding, she smiled. “Shall we go home?”

“Home?” I smirked. “Don’t you want to see the house?”

She raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean by seeing it? Don’t we see it every night we go to the garden and sit there talking?”

“Yes. But I brought the key this time, and I was wondering if you’d like to explore.”

Beth leaned forward. “Wouldn’t that be dangerous since the house seems to be falling apart?”

I removed my hand from hers and entwined my fingers on the table. “Maybe, but it will be fun, and there’s a lot of antiques that George left behind when he closed the house and left for Boston.”

“You had so many years to explore it, why now?”

“Now you are here with me, and you like that place. Maybe we can do something about it. It’s a pity to have it decaying year after year.” I lowered my voice. “I might have someone interested in buying and renewing it for a special project.”

She bit her lower lip. “Do you think there are ghosts there?”

I chuckled. “I didn’t know you believed in ghosts!”

“If we exist, why not ghosts?”

“Good point. But that would make this a lot more fun. I brought flashlights, and we can use an iron stick to fight away the unearthly souls.”

“An iron stick?” She giggled. “Maybe we should also bring salt with us.”

Getting up, I offered her my hand to escort her out of the ice cream parlor. “Where’s your sense of adventure?”

She got up and ignored my hand. “Let’s go explore the haunted mansion. I just need to get my phone. I left it in the car. I want to take pictures. Or call for help.”

“You can always hold on to me if you are scared,” I teased her.