“Impressive,”
Flynn stood, offering his hand. Taking it meant I was forgiving him, but I needed to know a few more things. When he tried to release my hand, I held on, and immediately his body stiffened.
“When’s the last time you drank merblood?” I asked.
“I’ve never done it of my own accord.”
Puzzled, I released his hand. “Then how are you still alive?”
“I’m living on my natural life years and the first hundred the drink gave me.”
“Do you go around killing people?”
“No, and I haven’t touched human blood in over ninety eight years.”
“What happens when the hundred years are over?”
Flynn shrugged as if it didn’t matter.
“Flynn?”
“I won’t die. That’s all I know.”
“But you won’t live either?”
The realization of how much Flynn hated himself hit me.
“That’s not a life,” I breathed, shocked to the core.
“It’s what I deserve.”
“You didn’t deserve any of this – none of it.”
Flynn stared at the ground and I dipped down, making him look me in the eyes.
“You didn’t want any of it. This life was forced upon you and,”
“I’ve hurt people, Morgan,” he interrupted, his voice desperate. “I’ve,” he hung his head again. “I gave into the need more than once. I cut people and drank their blood.”
“Have you ever killed anyone of your own will?”
His face filled with disgust. “No!”
“Have you ever turned anyone into a vampire?”
“No.”
I nodded. “You did what you could to survive and you did it as humanely possible.”
He snorted, crossing his arms.
“You’re not going to hell.” I added.
Flynn sad eyes shot through me. “I will for the torture I’ve inflicted.”
He was never going to understand. Walking around him, I reached for Thayde.
“You need to wait on your plans. At least until after I meet with the head of the families. I don’t want any of us doing something we might regret later.”
Gavran heaved a sigh of relief. “That sounds wise. Flynn?”
Flynn nosed the ground with the tip of his boot. “Yeah, that sounds good.”
“Then for now, let’s head back to Vero and get ready for the meeting tomorrow.”
Thayde pulled the car keys from my hand and chucked the bike keys to his brother. “Ride the bike back. I’m driving Morgan home.”
The guys rode off in a cloud of dust, leaving Thayde and I sitting in my Cobra. Thayde turned the ignition and adjusted the seat for his long legs. After moving the air vents, he rested his hand on my knee.
“A lot happened today.”
“Yeah,”
“More than I expected.” He watched me nod. “I’m proud of you.”
“I’m not proud of me. I almost got you killed!” My stomach flopped around, making me nauseous.
Thayde chuckled. “I wasn’t almost killed.”
“You were hit by a car!”
“More like I hit the car,”
“It isn’t funny!”
“I think it is,”
“That guy almost died.”
The smile fell from Thayde’s face and he was silent. “We need to be incredibly careful, Morgan.”
“I know. We can’t let people get hurt.”
“That’s not what I mean,” Thayde shifted the car into reverse, backing away from our secret meeting place. “Vampires are dangerous. They are just as powerful as we are. Flynn is a huge exception to the norm. His power is very unique and I’m sure that the ‘Master’ as he calls him, wanted him for something important. What you said in there about the vampires making one of their own a merperson? It got me thinking – with today’s technology, honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me if something like that could be done.”
“Are you serious?”
“Very.”
“Why do you think they’d do that?”
“Power, control, you name it.”
“But they already have that.”
“Well, it’s like you said: it opens a whole new realm to them. What if they could have it all? Don’t you think they’d jump at the chance? I know Herra and she would do anything to be The Link.”
Thayde shifted into first, smoothly entering the heavy traffic. “When we get home, I think you need to see if you can try and locate this ‘Master’. If you can, you’ve got to read his mind – see what it was he wanted with Flynn.”
“Without him in front of me?” I scoffed. “Impossible. And I’ve got to prepare for the meeting tomorrow. We’re on the brink of war.”