Taken by a Vampire (Vampire Queen) - By Joey W. Hill Page 0,69

her. But something about that touch made him keep talking, like a fool.

“Starvation took a lot o’ our young and old, but sickness had its way with those in-between. She was a braw lass, but she couldnae hold against it. My daughter went with her but it spared my son, Eric.” He pushed his chair back. “My brother and his wife . . . they had no children. They helped me raise Eric, and when I saw him handfasted to a lovely lass, I turned over the croft and all that went with it to him. Things were getting summat better, and he had some job prospects in Jamaica with a sugar planter, so I knew he’d be fine. I told him my grief for his ma was giving me the yen tae travel, to seek my life elsewhere. His aunt and uncle were like another Da and Ma to him, so I knew he’d be all right. Back then, if your kin left Scotland, it was likely you wouldnae see him again, though I sent letters. Until there was no need to send them anymore.”

He rose abruptly. “It was a guid breakfast. I’m going to finish up the wood. Next visitors will appreciate it when the snow flies.”

Her fair brow creased, those bonny brown eyes seeing far too much of his heart. “I’m so sorry, Niall. I didn’t mean to raise difficult memories.”

“You’re a guid listener, lass. It makes a man say things better left unsaid. That’s not your fault,” he added at her stricken look. “Anyone who remembers me died a long time ago, and I made sure they didnae suffer from my absence while they lived. That’s all a man can do.” Giving her a nod, he left the cabin.

After the first hundred years, he’d stopped thinking about most of it. It wasn’t until recently, facing his own closing life span, that the ghosts had stirred. A man didn’t fester over these things like a woman did, and probably for this very reason. It left a dull ache in his belly, made the sun seem a little less bright, the crisp breeze more cutting than cooling. Picking up the axe, he twirled it, then brought it down with such strength, he cut a good three inches into the stump itself.

Take the time you need. I know you’ll honor your oath. You’ll feel it when it’s time to come find me.

Niall spent eight years with his family after making his oath to Evan. During that time, the vampire wasn’t wholly absent. He’d recognized his future servant needed to get to know him. Therefore, whenever he was within range of Niall’s mind, he would reach out. After his initial start at the unexpected intrusion, Niall found the vampire good company. He became accustomed to those surreal, long conversations in his head while working the field, seeking scarce game or thatching the roof.

When he was with Ceana or the children, he could sometimes feel Evan there, watching, but the vampire didn’t try to distract him then. Niall even felt an occasional sense of warmth, as if Evan was enjoying a family vicariously through him.

Evan told him about wonders Niall never thought he’d see, and offered him counsel about managing his relationship with the landlord. Thanks to the advice, Niall revealed to the man that he was a good tracker, and earned some extra coin taking the gentry out on their hunts.

Evan had packages delivered to Niall, books about the places where he was, the legends of Norway or history of China. Niall’s reading was rudimentary at best, but he enjoyed the pictures. Evan also sent money. At first, Niall had been reluctant to use it, but a look at the thin faces of his family, and those in worse shape in his village, and he’d gotten beyond that. Evan also chided him for it, reminding him about his oath of service, telling him he would end up earning every cent. Why shouldn’t he use the coin to make things better for as many of them as he could?

To his neighbors, Niall explained he had a distant relative sending him funds from the Colonies. Ceana met Evan on his in-person visits, but she never warmed to the vampire, as if sensing the things that bound Niall to him. Evan treated her with great courtesy and kindness and, except for the circumstances of their initial meeting, he never made another inappropriate move toward Niall during her life span.

It wasn’t all smooth, however.