“I'll help. I just want to go home,” I readily agreed. I just wanted to see the ocean and feel the sand beneath my feet. Not to mention I was growing tired of feeling like a t-bone steak in a room of starving people.
“You both can go. Stefan, we'll be in touch,” Nigel said, rising to signal the end of the meeting.
“I need to find a bathroom, Stefan.”
He nodded, and I followed him down a hallway to a spacious bathroom, decorated in expensive red glass tile. Heading to the sink I splashed water on my face, taking in my tired expression. My green eyes were bloodshot and my reddish-blond hair a tangle of waves. I ran my fingers through my hair to try to smooth it, but it seemed to make it worse. Patting my face with a fluffy hand towel, I opened the door to see Stefan waiting on the other side. A smile of relief broke over his face as I rejoined him.
“Are you ready to leave?” Stefan asked, his large hand smoothing down the side of my face tenderly.
“Yes. Get me the hell out of here,” I muttered. If I had the energy, I would have sprinted out of the building to escape. I settled on linking hands with Stefan and relying on the groaning elevator for my getaway.
We started down the hallway towards the elevator when a door opened, blocking our path. An otherworldly looking man stepped into the hall, his red hair shining under the bright overhead lights. His clear green eyes were large and almond shaped, his body compact and small boned. His very presence spoke of power and ageless strength. I could feel my mouth open and close as I tried to speak, feeling my heart racing out of control. Looking at this man was like looking into a mirror.
Stefan's arm wrapped possessively around my waist, holding me close to him.
“Josephine, I have been waiting for this moment for 28 years. You are everything I expected and more.” His voice was filled with depth and authority. He was well dressed in a dark suit and shirt and his skin was pale with the same iridescent quality I'd come to associate as a vampire characteristic. “And Stefan Lifsten, you have found your mate. Wonderful!”
Eying him with a calculating expression, I was curious as to the identity of the vampire that looked like me and acted as if he knew me. And why was he so happy that Stefan had met me? Speechless, I could only stare at him in disbelief.
“Have we met before?” Stefan's asked, his voice smooth and guarded.
The man let out a laugh that resonated throughout the entire floor. He stepped closer to me, his green eyes sparkling as his piercing eyes searched my face.
“Stefan, you are always so pragmatic. I am Kian Ahearne. I am on the Administrative Board.” He paused, a dry smile breaking across his face. “I am who you've been searching for, Josephine. I am your biological father.”
My mind slowly closed in on itself like a falling house of cards, effectively shutting down and refusing to accept any other information. My knees buckled and I was aware of the hardness of Stefan's arms catching me as I began to collapse to the floor. The last thing I recalled was seeing Stefan's face hovering above me, his face lined with worry before everything turned black.