Her Dark Lord (5 page)

“Thoughts aren’t always clear,” he said simply.

“Were my mother’s?”

He frowned, but nodded, “Yes. Brainwave patterns aren’t so complicated in sleep.”

Her fingers clenched, nails scoring her palms as she dragged in another breath. “I’ve never asked this of my mum—never wanted to open such painful wounds—but now…now I need to…to know—”

“Why your dad left,” he finished on a sigh, his eyes glittering silver.

“Yes,” she said, though he knew that already.

“Your mother thinks about him a lot.”

“She does?” Her nails dug in a little harder. “Tell me—” she chewed her bottom lip “—
please
.”

He took her hands in his, his thumb brushing over the already healing indents in her palm. “All right.”

She closed her eyes. And as the stroke of his thumb moved up over her wrist, jerking a pulse to erratic life in her veins, she soaked in her heightened awareness of him: his masculine, spiced scent, his touch that fizzed a current up her arm, tingling her skin. And the incredible sense of rightness, whenever he was near.

“Your mother was thinking about an argument she had with your dad, just minutes before he walked away.”

Never to return.

Her lids flicked open, her attention all encompassing. “What happened?”

“He admitted to blaming himself for not being with her on the night of her birthday, for being tied to his career instead of celebrating with her…protecting her.”

“But he couldn’t have known a vampire—
Shad
—” she tested the name aloud, a rising tide of bitterness at the fact she was a by-product of Chantal’s assault, overtaking her initial excitement at learning the truth “—was on a bloodlust rampage.”

“That’s just it. Your dad knew nothing about vampires. Chantal never told him—was smart enough not to tell anyone. And people assumed a number of knife puncture wounds had severed an artery and almost bled her dry.”

“So that’s it, then? Dad walked away from his family because he lost his self-worth?”

Ronan’s expression remained neutral. “Not exactly.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Don’t hide secrets from me now. However painful, I have to know. I have to accept the truth before I can put it all behind me.”

He raked a hand through his hair before nodding agreement. “There are notable differences between a mortal and an immortal child—even before going through the change.”

She nodded, recalling the day she’d knocked three boys to the ground after they’d teased her for not having a dad. When her mum had learned about it, she’d had to take her aside and gently tell her to suppress her physical and intellectual superiority.

His smile looked almost pleased as he said, “Even though as a four-year-old you were smaller than most children, you were much stronger, incredibly fast and clever way beyond your years.”

“You…you kept tabs on me all those years ago?” she asked faintly.

“Of course. At present you are the only dhampire in Australia. Your existence is a special one, and one that I assigned myself to monitor as the most ancient vampire elder.”

“I’m the only half vampire in the country?”

“Yes.” His lips pulled tight. “A death sentence is almost always enough to keep a vampire from acting on his bloodlust with an unwilling, pregnant woman.” He shrugged. “Hybrids are almost nonexistent.”

She brushed her hands up and down her arms, feeling decidedly chilled. Not unique, then. She was a freak.

“You’re special,” he corrected, his stare holding hers. “Not only did you inherit your mother’s unique mortal DNA, you inherited Shad’s—he too was able to block thoughts from most vampires.”

“So what has all this got to do with my dad walking away?” she had to ask.

“Jackson knew you were special, unique. It made him believe he wasn’t your father.”

“What?” Although everything pointed to this, her belly dropped and her mind reeled.

“He believed your mother’s rapist was your biological father,” Ronan added softly.

Her breath died. She crumpled. Ronan easily caught her in his arms and tugged her close, holding her as emotions that were all human twisted her heart and squeezed until it bled.

“But DNA tests would have proved him wrong,” she croaked.

And revealed far more than any vampire would have allowed. She guessed it wouldn’t have been the first time nightwalkers had had to destroy evidence—right along with mother and baby.

“Your mother would never have agreed to a DNA test,” Ronan confirmed. “And Jackson never confronted her with his accusation. But she was all too aware of his private opinion, knew he’d grown resentful and bitter by the thoughts eating at him inside.”

“Poor Mum.” She’d been trying to protect her from her own father all these years. “It all makes so much sense now,” she whispered.

Ronan’s arms tightened around her. Only when she registered his shirt was sticking to his chest, her cheek, did she realize she was crying again. And yet, somehow she didn’t much care. She needed his strength, his blood-bond perception. Hell, she just needed him.

“I’ll always be here for you, my darling,” he murmured, his lips brushing her scalp.

She shivered with longing, with need—imagining a life without him producing an odd rush of sensations within. “And I for you,” she said huskily. She looked up, a smile pulling at her lips. “My place is with you now.”

His eyes flashed, hinting at red. “You know.”

What?—that she’d ignored what she’d felt from the moment she’d met him? Or that love at first sight really did exist?

“Both,” he murmured huskily. “I just had to stick around until you admitted it to yourself.”

ISBN: 978-1-4268-5071-4

Her Dark Lord

Copyright © 2010 by Mel Teshco

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