Dragan's Redemption Book One of the Manor at Echo Lake Trilogy (30 page)

Aaron listened to the whispers
coming
from his
brother’s
room.  He felt no guilt at being a
voyeur
into their
lovemaking
.  His heart constricted hearing his
brother
’
s
words. 
It was in the k
nowing
that
he felt the same for her as his brother did
which caused
his own eyes
to fill
with tears.

Walking to the
window,
Aaron
stared at his own reflection looking back at him from the darkness as he continued to listen
to the two in another part of the house
.

“Amira, I have been working on trying
to
find a cure for you.
Do you remember the first time we made love
,
and I fed off of you?”

Aaron could picture Amira nodding her head.  Her emerald eyes
transfixed on
h
is
brother silently.  “My venom attached to your bad cells killing some of them.  I
have
to run some more controlled tests before I can determine the right way to
proceed
.”

Hearing the hope in her voice, Aaron frowned
wondering how she was going to take the news
.  “What kind of test?”

“I have
spoken to Aaron and asked him to feed on you….”  She must have looked
panicked
because his
brother’s
voice sped up.  “
To
determine if it is just my venom or
any vampire
.”

“Can’t you just squeeze some out?  Don’t they do that with snakes?”

Aaron laughed
aloud
at her comment
. 
She was so freaking cute!

Dragan’s tone was lighter having the same reaction as his brother.  “It doesn’t work like that
,
Amira….I wished it did. 
Even
as I tested my venom on the slide, it did not seem to kill of
f
the bad cells like I thought it would.  I am not sure why, which is why I need to figure
it
out first
.
  Since Aaron is the closest vampire I
know
that I trust with you.
”

Aaron heard the pause in his
brother’s
voice.  Her voice was so low, he barley
m
ade out her
response
.

“When?”

“As
soon
as possible.  Probably
in
the morning.”

“Won’t it bother you seeing him do it?”

Dragan’s voice sounded tight.  “My brother and I have always preferred feeding in private.  I will not be with you when he drinks.”

Aaron listened surprised.  Was that relief he heard in her voice?

“Ok
ay
.  When will you tell him?”

“Soon
,
Amira.  Sleep now
baby.  You need your rest
.”

“I know you are listening brother.”

“Yes.”

“I want it done first thing in the morning.  I will go into
Boston
and get some supplies so that I am prepared when you are done.”

“Don’t worry
,
Dragan.”

“
Worry comes with this shit -
j
ust remember, I trust you!”

Aaron did not respond turning of
f
his
telepathy
before Dragan could read his heart.

Amira paced the small room
feeling closed in and scared.  She couldn’t believe that she had actually agreed to this.  Remembering the hope Dragan’s words gave her last night
;
she knew that she h
ad no other choice but to agree
,
but that thought did not make the waiting any easier.

Jumping at the knock on the door
,
her heart pounded deep in her chest.  Turing the handle slowly
,
she opened it a crack peering out
side
.

“Hello
,
my pet.”  Aaron had a wide grin on his face.

“Of course you are
happy
about this.”

“Just here to do my duty.”

Hearing her heartbeat race
,
Aaron lost some of his
enthusiasm
.  She was terrified.  Reaching out
to her,
his fingers cupped her chin forcing her to look directly at him.

“You are scared of me.”

Yanking
away,
she turned.  “No
,
I am not.”

“Play the
indignant
role all you want;
you are
terrified
.”

“Of course I am.  I am still getting used to the idea that you both are vampires.  Having someone
drink
my blood
i
s not an everyday
occurrence
you know.”

“But you liked it with Dragan.”

Her face flushed bright red.  “That was different
,
and you know it.”

Wrapping his arms around her from behind, he felt her relax slightly.   “It could be the same with me you
know
,
Amira.”

Glad she was still turned so he
could not
read the confusion in her face, she stammered.  “We are not making love.”

Easing her around
so she was facing him, he slid his fingers in her hair.

“I so wish we were, it would make it
that
much more enjoyable.”

His tone went all business, pushing her away from him.  “So, how do you want to
do
this?”

“I have no idea, you tell me.  Can’t you just do it?”

Throwing back his head laughing uncontrollably
,
i
t was several minutes before he could control himself only to see her standing with her hands on her hips, glaring at him.  She was pissed.

“
Oh
,
Amira, g
o get a blanket will you?”

Silently she did as he asked unsure of what he needed the blanket for. 
Taking her hand in his, he walked out of the cottage
with the blanket tucked under his arm
.

“
Come
,
Amira. 
Let us
go to the lake
and sit on the blanket
.  This does not have to be
this way.”

Relieved, Amira followed him.  Aaron was surprised that she did not remove her hand from his even when he entwined his fingers with hers.  Looking down at
her,
he knew that right or wrong, he was going to enjoy this morning with her with no regrets, knowing that this memory would stay with him through his lonely life. 
When he woke up this morning
,
he had decided that s
he would let him feed from her willingly or he would not feed at all.

Amira walked beside Aaron down the path to
Echo
Lake
confused at the feelings stirring deep with in her.  She loved Dragan with all her heart. 
However,
she could not deny that there was an attraction with his brother.  Looking sideways at his profile,
she
wondered if it was because they looked so much alike.  Shaking her head, she knew that wasn’t it. 
Aaron was different, and the more she got to know him, she didn’t see any resemblance besides the physical.

“What do we have here?”

Amira, so deep in her thoughts did not realize that they had reached the
lake
shore.  Following his
gaze,
she smiled when her eyes touched on the white
cabana
standing alone in the sand.

“I wanted a place to sit away from the sun, but near the water.  James had Jack build it for me.  As usual, it is over the top, but soooo comfortable.”

Aaron walked around to the front peering in. 
It was massive
,
and there
was enough room for two lounge chairs and a large chaise lounger.

Taking a flying leap, he patted the seat next to him.  “Come
,
sweet Amira
,
i
nto my arms
,
and let us fly
and touch
the moon together.”

Looking at him warily, she looked at the empty space next to him.  “
Is
that a quote from somewhere?”

“Nope, just made it up.  Do you like it?”

Smiling
,
she slid next to him awkwardly.  “A lot of what you say sounds
fantastic
because of
your
accent.”

Lifting her hand, he pressed her wrist against his lips watching her stiffen
;
he chose not to release her.

“You need to loosen up.”

“Maybe we should get this over with.”

“annnndddd m
aybe we shouldn’t.”

Putting his arm around her shoulders, he pulled her down to him so that she was snuggled in the crook of his arm.

A slow breeze danced across the water causing tiny ripples to form on the surface.  Amira inhaled deeply of the pine as the same breeze moved the fabric encasing them.  She felt like she was in a cocoon
,
and she closed her eyes.

Aaron sensed the shift in the small room.  Kissing her gently on the
forehead
, he leaned his cheek
against
her hair.  “There you go
,
baby
,
just r
elax.”

Aaron waited until he knew that she was sound asleep.  Touching her face lightly, he
la
y
down and closed his eyes
,
easing into her dreams. 

She was walking along another shore, but this time
it
was the ocean
and not the lake
. 
Amira watched as Aaron walked toward her on the sand.  His feet were bare
,
and his footprints seemed to stretch on forever.  “Aaron?”

“Hi
,
Amira.” 

“I am dreaming
,
right
?
”

Shrugging his shoulders, he lifted her hand to his lips kissing her fingers gently.  “If that is what you want to believe.”

“Why are you here?”

Aaron pointed to the sky.  “Because of that
,
Amira.”  Amira looked up realizing that the sun had gone down
,
and the largest moon she had ever seen rose above their heads.

“I don’t understand?”

Placing his hands around her
waist, he whispered to her gently.  “Close your eyes and picture the tallest mountain that you can.  I am going to help you touch the moon.”

Aaron saw the tears glistening in her eyes before she closed them tightly.  He pulled her close to him as she gripped his shoulders.

“You can open your eyes now
,
baby.”

Gasping she looked around.  They were indeed on a tall mountain, and the moon hung so low in the sky, she knew that she could reach out and touch it.  It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen
,
and it left her breathless.  Hugging Aaron around the waist, she leaned her head on his chest hearing his heartbeat in her ear as he wrapped his arms around her.

Amira
did not
want to wake up, but she knew that she was extremely uncomfortable.  Opening her eyes, she realized that it was
because he was leaning hard against her
still sound asleep.
Shifting i
n the
chaise
,
Aaron’s eyes
immediately
popped open.
Staring into emerald green, he thought he must have died and gone to heaven.