Page 80 of Those That Defy the Realm

“Well, we weren’t sure whether to wait for Claire to tell you herself. I was just coming up here to bring you back down the ridge so you’d be in contact if she calls you.”

“Dad, I’m really worried now. What’s going on?”

He fights an internal debate for several seconds longer than I would like. “Rory has found evidence that Claire’s family lineage is from a vampiric line.”

I hear the words but my brain doesn’t compute them. “I’m sorry, did you just say that Claire, my Claire, is a vampire?”

“Not exactly. It turns out that her parents were at the same orphanage as Rory’s parents.”

“Yes, yes, I know all this. Please skip to the point where she’s a vampire.” I know I’m being rude, my siblings around me know it too, they all lean away from me knowing the reprimand I’ll get for speaking to our father in this manner.

My dad, however, can see how my sanity has been barely holding on since my return, and that it’s been pretty much non-existent since Henry left. “Rory’s confirmed naming patterns of those in the orphanage, both hers and Claire’s parents are children of vampires from the continent, meaning Claire carries both sets of genes she needs in order to be turned.”

Comprehension comes slowly as I stand there, face blank. My brain whirrs like it’s trying to reboot. My girl is a vampire. Not yet, but she can be. She can turn. And we get to keep her for centuries!

The wolf inside me puffs up at the thought. This is better than any scenario that I’ve been imagining of our future. I’ve known she’s my mate for months now, both of them are. But she’ll be able to return the bond now. They both can drink from me and connect us forever.

“This is great!” I move quick, pulling my dad into a hug. Taking him by such surprise, I think I almost wind him. “And Rory is sure?”

“She is, and your mother agrees with the evidence she’s found too.”

I pull back. “Wait. Does Claire know any of this? Henry?”

“Not yet, Rory is going to tell them today. She debated on whether to wait for you to be with them, but seeing as we don’t know when that might be, Rory didn’t want to wait long.”

It was understandable. My heart gives a lurch as I think of Claire receiving this news without me there. But Henry will guide her through it, help her process it. It’s going to be a massive shock.

“I need to go,” I say with sudden realisation. I have no way for either of them to contact me. Before anyone can speak another word I’m shifting and racing towards the trees, and the path that will take me back down to our village, and to my cabin where I’d left my phone.

CHAPTER 27

CLAIRE

“What do I do?” I say to Rory without looking at her. I’ve been laying on the small two seater in my parent’s garden room with my eyes closed since we got here, trying to stop my brain from spinning inside my skull.

My best friend is sitting across from me on the other sofa. I can tell by the subtle shifts in the creaky furniture as she fidgets.

“Whatever you want to. I only needed to tell you this information because there is no way I could hide it from you.”

“But Henry, and Ash when he finds out, will be so upset if I don’t turn.” Even the words coming out of my mouth feel disconnected. Like I’m not really saying them.

A vampire. I could become a vampire if the evidence Rory found is true. And so could my family if they so choose.

“I can’t tell you what they’d think or feel, only they can do that. But I’m sure they’d understand. They both love you,” Rory tries to reason with me.

She doesn’t realise that she is simply highlighting my key issue. They do both love me. For now. I’d made peace with the fact that they love me right now, in the present, and that it might last a few years. I’ve already signed and sealed that deal with my heart. I love them too, deeply enough that I couldn’t walk away. I knew I’d be setting myself up for heartbreak, because that’s what love does.

But in my rationalisation, I knew I could love them for as long as they’d have me, which let’s face it, would probably be until I started to grow old and wasn’t as attractive anymore. Then, at least, I could take those happy memories and see out the end of my life knowing that they would move on with each other.

Forever is a long time.

Nobody could love you forever, you’re too rigid for that.

It’s been a while since Declan’s voice has haunted my thoughts, but our last fight, the one where we broke up, is now repeating in full HD colour in my mind. I knew he was wrong, that he was trying to manipulate me, but as I held strong, he inflicted his final damage and left a wound that has not yet managed to heal over.

“This is such a big decision. What would I do about my job, my career, my family?” I change tact. Throwing in barriers so I don’t have to discuss the one thing that really matters most anymore. Them.

“It is,” Rory says gently. “And we can help you with all of that. We can falsify your identification, add some Fae lineage to it, so no one will suspect you when you live for centuries. You can have a longer career, many careers, try out different things. Or stick to the job you’ve got right now if you continue to love it as much as you already do.