Better Off Undead - Cynthia Eden Page 0,81

here to help her.”

A born vampire had a guide? “Where the hell was my mother’s guide?” The question ripped out of him, the bitterness and pain never far from the surface. “When she was killing my family, where was her guide, huh? Where?”

Sadness flashed on Vincent’s face. “I don’t know. There…there aren’t many born left. Until Jane, I was worried there wouldn’t be more. Vampires aren’t all evil, despite what you think. I’ve tried hard all these years to fight my own darkness. To help others. That’s why I’m here now. I will do anything to see that Jane makes it through this change.”

“That’s why we’re all here,” Aidan muttered, his fingers still holding tight to Jane. “To make sure…” He cleared his throat and focused on Bob Heider. “I knew when I pulled you out of that fire that you’d come in handy.”

Bob’s eyes narrowed as he slipped his glasses back into place. “Are you saying you didn’t just save me because it was the right thing to do?”

Aidan stared back at him.

“Liar…” It was a soft whisper, so faint that, even with Aidan’s enhanced hearing, he almost missed it. But—

His gaze whipped down to Jane.

Her lips moved again, the smallest of motions.

“Liar…” Her voice was louder. “You saved…him…because it was…right.”

“She shouldn’t be awake.” Paris grabbed another drug-filled syringe and hurried toward them. “She shouldn’t be—”

Jane’s lashes lifted. She stared up at Aidan and said, “If he knocks me out again, we’re going to…have issues.”

“Stop, Paris.” Aidan couldn’t look away from her eyes. His beautiful Jane. “Are you…in control?”

“Are…you?”

“Yes.”

Her lips curved. “Then so am I.”

Without thought, he bent and pressed his lips to hers. “I missed you,” he whispered against her mouth.

Missed her so much that his entire word had gone dark.

“Uh, excuse me.” Dr. Bob’s voice—though not as pompous as normal—filled the room. “About these tests…”

“The tests aren’t needed now,” Annette announced, as if giving a decree. “Aidan changed her. He didn’t know it at the time but giving Jane his blood…it made her different.”

Aidan was trying to figure all of this shit out. Staring into Jane’s dark eyes, he said, “You can only feed from werewolves.”

A furrow appeared between her brows.

Annette stepped toward the exam table. She smoothed back Jane’s hair. “You can only feed on them because you need the blood of your own kind to survive. To give you power.”

But Jane was shaking her head. “Werewolves aren’t just going to let me drink from them…”

“Not them,” Aidan stated. “Me. You drink from me.”

Fear filled her eyes. “I don’t want to hurt you. If I lose control…I-I will.”

I won’t let you lose control. “That’s why when you have your first drink, we’ll do it with these straps in place.” His hand moved to the metal strap that slid over her chest. “Just as a precaution.”

“But your wolf…”

“I will keep him controlled.” And if he didn’t, well, he’d make sure Paris was close with his drugs. Still, there was something else Aidan needed to test out before he was sure they were in safe waters. “Paris, come closer to Jane.”

Paris inched closer.

Jane tensed.

“Smell her,” Aidan ordered.

Jane’s nose scrunched. “That is so—”

Paris leaned in close to Jane and inhaled.

“Do you want to kill her?” Aidan asked, then held his breath. Just because his beast was in control around Jane, it didn’t mean that other werewolves would react the same way. In the cemetery, Quint Laurel had certainly been desperate to get at her…but the young alpha had already been in a killing fury. Had he attacked because Jane was in his way? Because he recognized her and wanted her dead? Or had it been something else entirely?

If her vamp scent was going to send his wolves into attack mode, then Aidan would have to leave the city with Jane. There would be no other choice.

“I don’t want to kill her.” Paris seemed surprised. “Didn’t want to kill her at the cemetery, either. She…kind of smells like apples.”

“And lavender,” Garrison blurted.

Aidan’s gaze shot to the younger wolf.

“That’s…how Jane has always smelled,” Garrison’s cheeks flushed. “Apples and lavender. She’s still the same.”

No, she wasn’t. She’d changed, and there was no going back. Just as my mother changed. But this time, things were different. Aidan was using science and magic and even his own blood to ensure that he didn’t lose Jane to the darkness. He wasn’t his father. She wasn’t his mother.

Their ending didn’t have to be the same.

“Everyone…get the fuck out,” Aidan ordered.

People got the fuck out—fast. And they