Page 75 of The Vampire’s Temptation

Chapter 19

Alessandra sat in the university’s library, head in her hands, exhausted. She usually never forgot to eat, but after talking to Kenton, she’d holed herself in here as if her dissertation depended on it. So far, nothing. She’d even dug out a promising article on microfiche, for God’s sake, but it had proven to be a dead end, nothing more than the ravings of a mad person from what she could tell.

She’d focused on stories of vampire slayers, and while some could have very likely been Cheld, separating fact from fiction was near impossible.

Specifically about the Cheld? Nothing.

Medieval vampires, nothing. Not even a glimmer of Kenton and Lawrence’s tale.

Simon of Winchester . . . the tale was exactly as Birdie had described it, but though the story was gruesome, it offered little usable information. Had a vampire killed the man? If so, how did that connect to her ancestry? Had he been a Cheld too?

One day she’d have to return and see about getting into the secret archives fabled to exist in the basement of the library. She’d always thought them to be a rumor, but who knows? There was certainly little to go on here.

She thought about seeking out Lawrence, but there was one person involved in the situation she’d yet to approach. And it was about time to involve him, even though she hated to do it.

When she dialed her brother’s number, she fully expected to get his voicemail. But just as she pushed her way through the front doors of the library, Garrett’s familiar drawl greeted her ears.

“Hey, sis.”

The sound of his voice made her realize she should have called him earlier. Garrett was three years her junior, enough of a difference that she would always see him as a kid. She loved reminding him of the diaper changes and temper tantrums she’d endured on his behalf, especially in the presence of one of his new girlfriends.

She missed teasing him, truth be told, although he probably didn’t miss it.

“Do you have a second?”

What time was it, anyway? She didn’t think to check, but her stomach told her it was at least seven or eight o’clock.

“What’s wrong?”

Part of her hated to do this. Garrett deserved to enjoy his last year of graduate school unburdened by the truth about their father’s lineage. On the other hand, she had a feeling he would have to find out sooner or later, and she’d rather it be from her. Besides, it struck her that he might have some helpful insights. She was the historian of the family, but her philosophy and psychology double-major brother had gotten the lion’s share of the brains. Garrett was a borderline genius.

Although he sometimes hid it well.

“You may want to sit down for this . . . ,” she began.

Walking back to her house, she told him everything. Well, almost everything. She wasn’t about to reveal the existence of vampires to him over the phone.

“I’m coming tonight,” he said when she finally finished.

She had a feeling he would say that. The semester was over, and normally he’d be back home by now, but in his typical overachiever fashion, he was taking a summer course to round out his studies.

“No, you’re not. If you do, I will be pissed.”

“I don’t care how pissed you are, if you’re in danger—”

“I’m not,” she said, feeling somewhat guilty for fibbing. “If I were, this call would have happened days ago. But I need you to keep your eyes and ears open. See if you can learn anything—”

“About an ancient sect of superpowered beings whose blood runs through our veins? It sounds to me these guys you’re tangled up with are crazy. Sorry to say it, sis, but—”

“I know it sounds crazy. But just do this for me. Pretend for a second everything I’m telling you is true. Please?”

Silence.

What had she expected?

“Garrett . . . please?”

“What the hell.”