longer Aidan healed him, the more pain the immortal siphoned away from Cliff and into himself.
Yet there he stood, doing just that and promising to repeat the action every day if necessary. “Why would you do that for me?”
“Because you’re my friend,” he said simply. “My brother. And this is what brothers do for each other.”
The two had become good friends since Aidan had transferred to North Carolina.
Cliff now considered Aidan one of his best friends. And when Emma’s voice surfaced in his mind, asking him if he would do the same if the tables were turned, Cliff nodded. “I would do it for you.”
After a moment, Aidan arched a brow. “You hear that?”
Cliff cocked his head to one side, listening. “What?”
Aidan grinned. “I think we shocked the voices into silence.”
It was true, Cliff realized with amazement. All he heard was birdsong and the rustle of leaves as a breeze passed through the trees.
Cliff laughed, his shoulders loosening with relief. “I think you’re right. My mind hasn’t been this quiet in a long time.” Still smiling, he took in the beautiful scenery. Verdant meadows and forests adorned lovely hills. He drew in a deep breath, reveling in the sweet scents carried to him on the wind. “Where are we?”
“My home in Scotland.”
Cliff motioned to the trees around them. “All this land is yours?”
“Yes.”
“Wow. You’re a lucky man.” Happiness suffused him. Standing here with the sunlight bathing his skin and his mind blessedly quiet, he felt more normal and at peace than he had since his early months with Emma.
Squinting his eyes, he sent Aidan a sly glance. “Are you sure you aren’t just trying to keep me alive longer so I can help you find a wife?”
“Any luck yet?” A hawk floated above them on the breeze, capturing Cliff’s attention. How wonderful was it to be able to observe the majestic bird without voices clamoring for him to butcher it, slowly and painfully?
Aidan shrugged. “I met Veronica Becker.”
“You did?” That surprised him. “I thought you crossed her off the list because she’s still mourning her husband.” Based on the conversations he’d overheard, Cliff had concluded that Veronica and her husband had loved each other as deeply as he and Emma did. Veronica had taken her husband’s death hard.
“I did. But she got a flat tire.”
Cliff gave him a pointed stare. Aidan hadn’t wanted to approach the women on network premises, where they would instantly know who and what he was. He preferred to arrange casual, accidental meetings which—on more than one occasion—had entailed flattening one of their tires on their drive home from work, then happening by to help them.
“It wasn’t me,” Aidan protested.
“Sure it wasn’t,” Cliff replied drolly.
Aidan laughed. “It truly wasn’t, but she thought it was.”
That sparked a grin. “Figured it out, did she?” Not surprising. Veronica was brilliant.
“Yes, and kindly suggested I find another MO.”
Cliff laughed. “I told you so. North Carolina is like a small town. Word gets around.”
“Well, when I didn’t show up to change her flat tire, she got out to do it herself and was attacked by vampires.”
His amusement vanished, replaced by concern. “Is she okay?”
Aidan nodded. “She’s fine. I escorted her and her son home, then went to see Dana Pembroke.”
“The psychic?”
“Yes.”
“How’d that go?”
“She had a vision of the two of us making love.”
Cliff’s eyebrows flew up as he smiled. “That’s awesome!”
“Aye. And she agreed to go out to dinner with me tonight.”
Hot damn! “Do you think Dana’s the one?” he asked, happy for his friend.
Aidan shrugged. “I don’t know. But I like her.”
“And she’s psychic and saw you two naked together. Holy hell, that’s a good sign.”
Aidan grinned. “I hope so.”
The hawk’s shadow swept across them as it took off after whatever prey had caught its attention.
Cliff soaked in the beauty that surrounded them. “It’s weird, the things you take for granted. The things you wouldn’t expect to miss much if they were taken away.” He wished Emma could be here to experience this with him. “I’ve always been a night owl.” Despite his strict adherence to the early-to-bed, early-to-rise schedule school and work demanded before his transformation, he had always felt more rested during the summer months when he could stay up and sleep later. “So when I realized I couldn’t go out in daylight anymore, I didn’t think I’d miss it.” He drank in the bright light, enjoying the tangible warmth of it on his skin. “But I do. I really do.”