And it was my decision; that was clear. He was leaving it up to me, patiently waiting while I worked it out in my head.
Oh, man. This was just so dangerous, in so many ways. But . . . maybe just a little . . . more. The word reverberated around my head, tempting me. More. I would stop when the fangs came out, I resolved. Yes, I could do that. That made sense, would keep things safe.
At least, as safe as I could be from a vampire who’d clearly been tortured and starved, who hadn’t had access to his elixir since mid-December, who was looking at me now with a burning hunger for who knows what.
I took a deep, gulping breath and tugged off my own shirt.
At first his face registered shock, then appreciation. I could feel the weight of his gaze sweep over me, his eyes seeming to darken a hue. With a sigh, I slid down his body, fitting myself against him. The sensation of skin against skin—mine flushed hot, his cold—made butterflies flutter wildly in my stomach. Somehow, we were kissing again, hot, hungry kisses. When I pulled away this time, we were both gasping for air.
Struggling to catch my breath, I laid my cheek against the taut muscles of his chest. For several minutes we just lay there in silence, my hands idly exploring every curve of his stomach, his shoulders. I listened to the raucous thump, thump of his heart as it pumped the infected, vampire blood throughout his body. His royal vampire blood.
At the reminder of our predicament, hot tears gathered at the corners of my eyes, threatening to spill over. “Please stay, Aidan. Please,” I begged, the tears slipping from my eyes and dampening his chest now. “Let’s just agree to Mrs. Girard’s plan for now. Give her what she wants. You know it’s the right thing to do. And then we’ll . . . I don’t know, figure out the rest later.”
The cure. Matthew and the rest of them could keep working on it in secret. Mrs. Girard had only said that Aidan couldn’t—she had no idea that her most scientifically gifted faculty member had taken up the project’s reins. She had no idea why he’d want to. I was having a hard enough time understanding it myself.
For me. The thought popped into my head just like that. Matthew was doing it for me, because it’s what I wanted most of all. Because he’d do anything for me. He’d said so himself. And that just made me cry harder.
“Shhh,” Aidan said, his hands stroking my hair. Despite his weakened physical state, his hands were strong and firm. Comforting. “It’s going to be okay, I promise you, Vi.”
“Then promise you’ll stay,” I said, choking on the words.
He reached for my chin, tipping it up, forcing my gaze to meet his tortured one. “Do you really think I could leave you now? After today?” He shook his head determinedly, his jaw set in a hard line. “Never again.”
But no matter what he said—and how convincing he sounded—I knew it was ripping him up inside. I was sure that, without me factoring into the equation, he’d simply disappear. Off the grid, away from everyone who cared about him. Hunted by his enemies forever.
But I couldn’t let him live like that. I wouldn’t. Maybe that made me selfish, but I would not extinguish that tiny flame of hope that still burned inside me. I glanced down at the delicate ring on my finger—his ring—knowing that it could never be enough. Just memories and tokens and photographs . . .
I wanted more. I wanted him—all of him.
Somehow, we could solve this. Mrs. Girard could have her Dauphin, and eventually Aidan could have his cure. Right now, he wasn’t in any shape to deal with it, to take action or make decisions. I was the strong one now. It was up to me to figure it out, to make it happen. And if I had to move heaven and earth, to slay a thousand vicious vampires—hell, if I had to personally take out Mrs. Girard herself—I would.
There was not a doubt in my mind that I would.
15 ~ Wheeling and Dealing
The deal was struck. For now, Aidan was staying at Winterhaven. Obviously Mrs. Girard needed him badly—or at least she thought she did—because she was willing to give in to pretty much all of our demands.
She wasn’t quite ready to use him yet, to reveal that she had the Dauphin, so he would remain hidden away at Winterhaven, under Luc’s protection, until needed. Until after graduation, if at all possible. He was allowed his elixir but forbidden to work on his cure. He could travel with me to Atlanta for spring break, but only with Luc accompanying us.
That particular concession was hard won, but I was unyielding. There was no way of knowing what the future would hold, but I wanted these next few months to be as normal as possible. Maybe “normal” would help bring him back. It was worth a shot. Besides, I needed to see my Gran, and I couldn’t leave Aidan, not when I’d just gotten him back.
I’d seen him safely to the infirmary—he was in Nurse Campbell’s capable hands now. After dinner, I’d return to check on him, but right now I needed to find Matthew and tell him what was going on. I hoped he was in his office; otherwise, I’d have to go back to my dorm room and get my cell to track him down.
I was just reaching up to knock on his door when it swung open, nearly knocking me off my feet. “Thank God!” Matthew said, looking strangely pale. Reaching for my elbow, he dragged me inside, kicking shut the door as he did so. “I’ve been going crazy here. What’s going on?”
I filled him in as best I could. When I finished, Matthew raked one visibly trembling hand through his hair. “That’s completely insane” was all he said.
I nodded, my stomach in knots. “Yeah, tell me about it.”
“Okay, tell me again exactly what you agreed to. You personally, I mean.”
“Honestly, I’m not exactly sure. Just that I’d somehow help their cause. You know, as a Sâbbat.”
“She knew that you’d agree to just about anything to gain his release.” He drummed his fingers on his desk. “But Aidan . . . honestly, I’m surprised that he agreed.”
I dropped my gaze to the floor, my cheeks flaming hotly as I remembered exactly what had preceded Aidan’s acquiescence. The kissing. The touching. The lack of clothing . . .
“Ah, I see.” Matthew sighed resignedly. “Of course.”
“It wasn’t like that,” I said, feeling defensive now. “I wasn’t . . . It’s not like . . .” I shook my head, unable to find the words to explain myself. “I wasn’t manipulating him, if that’s what you’re thinking,” I managed at last.
“I’m sure you wouldn’t. At least, not intentionally.”
“Okay, can we drop this? Does it really matter, anyway?”
“I guess not. So . . . we’re going to Atlanta for spring break, huh? I wish you’d given me a little more notice.”
“What do you mean?”
“You don’t honestly think I’m letting you go alone, do you? Even with Aidan. Who, I might add, doesn’t exactly look like he’s in any condition to travel.”
“He’ll be okay by then. I hope,” I added. “But you can’t be serious. About coming, I mean. What am I supposed to tell my family?”
He shrugged. “Just that it’s a total coincidence that I’m there—that I have family in Atlanta too. I’ll get a hotel room nearby. Aidan can stay with me.” He watched me closely, gauging my reaction. “You weren’t really planning on having Aidan stay at your grandmother’s, were you? What with everything you’ve told me about Lupe?”