Page 86 of Eternal Surrender

Sebastian followed behind. “This is about my association with the Stone Masters, then?”

I paused beneath the chandelier. “They’re not what they appear to be.”

Sebastian looked about for Alex. “How do you mean?”

“They murder vampires.”

Sebastian came closer, proceeding cautiously. “Don’t vampires murder people?”

“Rarely.”

“You’re like Count Dracula?”

“Not really,” I said, amused with the way his thoughts were trying to make sense of this.

“But you can fly?” He reached out and squeezed my left arm. “You feel normal.” He sucked in his breath as though riding the wave of panic.

“Take your time,” I said.

Take all the time you need to face the impossible.

Ask the questions that have never been solved. In the history of the world, none of us understood any of it. Those of us who lived it, still couldn’t comprehend it. And yet we still hoped for a path forward.

It was just too much to bear. “What else can you do?”

“Read minds.”

“Seriously?” Sebastian leaned toward me. “What am I thinking?”

“Pretty much what you’re saying.”

Conscious that my attention was focused on him, Sebastian became wary again. “How old are you?”

I raised an eyebrow. “I’ve seen centuries come and go.”

“Can’t believe this is really happening.” He stared up at the chandelier. “The things you must have seen.”

I strolled over toward the central staircase and sat on the fifth stair up. “You became affiliated with the Stone Masters at Cambridge.”

He sat beside me. “Being part of a secret society sounded intriguing. I thought it might help me get more dates.”

The type of man he was drawn to, crossed his mind in a sensually pleasing way, and I found it—startlingly—endearing.

“Your father was a member?” I made it a question, but knew the answer.

“And his before him.” He bowed his head. “God, you’re a bloody vampire.”

“I’m hoping that during our short time together you’ve come to see I’m reasonable.”

“More than that, you’ve been nothing but kind to me.” He shuffled closer. “My leg?”

“I’m sorry about the way it was done.”

He caressed his neck. “I thought that once you were bitten by a vampire you became one?”

“Myth.”

“What about werewolves?”