Page 111 of The Vampire’s Temptation

Epilogue

“Mind if I join you?”

Before he even spoke, she knew Lawrence Derrickson approached her.

Alessandra had learned to feel the different nuances between the local vampires. The feeling of calm she experienced whenever Kenton was near could be bottled and sold as a natural anxiety reducer. With Lawrence, it was as if someone had tossed a warm blanket over her on a cold day, and Laria, the promise of a smile.

“Of course not,” she said as Lawrence emerged at the foot of the running trail. The very same one where they’d first met.

Though she was faster than ever, Alessandra had unfortunately not gained a magical ability to shed the pounds Kenton had helped her put on these last months, with his tendency to love large breakfasts. Kenton found it amusing that she tended to pick up and drop her running habit at random intervals, but she didn’t really like to run, even now that she was good at it. It was beyond her why some people claimed to love it.

“How long is your current running streak?” he asked as they began to move. Alessandra was learning to control her abilities. Running inhumanly came in handy at times, but resisting the urge was necessary unless she wanted to attract undue attention.

She grimaced. “Two weeks, every other day.”

Alessandra tried to swat Lawrence when he chuckled, but he darted away too quickly.

“Any word from Laria?”

His sister had left town last month, restless, and she knew Lawrence worried. Alessandra had chastised him for doing so. After all, he didn’t seem to worry about Torr, whom he’d not seen in nearly a year. He and Laria were closer, he’d argued, but Alessandra knew he worried more about his sister because she was female. Of course, Laria was safe from most external threats. Unless she deliberately made herself vulnerable, she could not be killed. No vampire was stronger or faster, and even the small sect of Cheld who hated all vampires tended to leave the Derricksons alone since they dedicated their lives to keeping them safe.

“Not yet, which makes me think she’s found something.”

Or someone. If any of the Derricksons sensed a Cheld coming into his or her abilities, they would drop everything and go to them. They would fight to keep them safe.

“But you said it’s rare for someone like me to go undetected for so long.”

Alessandra looked up. Did it appear darker than when they’d started their run?

“It is. Most know of their ancestry, which helps the process along as they seek out vampires. You . . . you were a tricky one.”

She knew all this already, but Lawrence relished his role as the resident expert on all things Cheld, so Alessandra let him go on. She’d learned long ago that the Derricksons enjoyed speaking of her line—something that made them feel closer to their fallen brother. Protecting his descendants, even centuries after his children were gone, comforted a family that had never quite gotten over the sudden death of their eldest brother. The man, Lawrence had reminded her often enough, who should have been chief.

“I’m sure she’s fine,” she said, though it was undeniably odd that she wasn’t responding to Lawrence’s efforts to get in touch. Of course, she’d never voice that thought aloud. He worried enough on his own.

“Speaking of wayward siblings, has Kenton heard anything from his brothers?”

If there was a black cloud over the sheer bliss that had been her life with Kenton this summer, it was the constant threat of his brothers appearing at any moment. They all assumed Alessandra’s identity was safe—that she’d begun wearing those rose branches soon enough to protect it, and the same was true of Garrett, but doubt plagued her. She’d recounted the feeling she’d had that night, the danger she’d felt outside her home, and the possibility that his brother had detected her worried Kenton. But, as much as it clearly pained him, he agreed with the Derricksons that if Rowan had known it was Alessandra whom he sensed, he’d likely have killed her on the spot.

“No sign of either of them,” she said, “and they won’t respond to his texts or calls, not that either of us is surprised.” She slowed her pace and turned to look at him. “So how about we discuss the big ol’ elephant in the room?”

Lawrence looked around them, the river to their right and train tracks to the left.

“Don’t see one.”

“You’re ridiculous.”

And kind. And thoughtful. And powerful. She still shuddered at the thought of how quickly he’d restrained a customer at Amendment 18 after the jerk raised a hand against his girlfriend. People still talked about that night.

Lawrence was absolutely and utterly perfect for Toni. The two of them danced around each other like mad, their chemistry undeniable. Tyler made it easier for them to pretend they didn’t like each other, which was fine with her. They could take their time—after witnessing the fireworks between them, she didn’t doubt they’d eventually dance their way into each other’s arms.

Kenton loved it. Although both men denied it, their tentative truce had budded into an actual friendship. They were simply too medieval to admit it.

“So far, nothing,” he said, “but I have been looking.”

Her shoulders sank.

“I promised to let you know if I learn anything new—”