Her mother stilled. "Are you challenging my authority?"
"No." Genesis hung her head. "I'm sorry."
"I do this because I love you."
Bullshit!
Instead of staying in Genesis's room, I followed her mother to the other room where she sat down at a kitchen table and started pouring over bills.
Most of them were overdue.
"Stupid girl," she said under her breath. Her hands shook.
I glanced harder into the mother's eyes.
Jealousy stared right back.
"My number wasn't called." Her mother sniffed, still talking to herself. "Of course hers won't ever be called. It's all because of that stupid bitch."
She wasn't talking about Genesis.
Confused, I moved away from the mother and made my way down the hall again. Pictures lined the walls.
I smiled at the pictures of Genesis as a child.
Something about her struck me as familiar. Almost oddly so.
Her mother was in one picture.
And then another elderly woman. She had pretty, almond-shaped eyes.
The pictures went on, years and years of pictures. The color turned to black and white.
When I reached the end of the hallway, there was one final picture.
It was ancient. I leaned in.
My knees buckled as I braced myself against the wall.
"Ara," I breathed.
Genesis
He slept for hours. I stayed. A part of me wanted to leave, but he was right. After ten minutes, I'd calmed down enough to think about the situation logically, not that I still wasn't terrified he'd end up killing me. I no longer felt safe, but I didn't feel like Ethan was a threat.
I'd used his fangs to drop blood into his mouth, hoping it would have the same effect, since he was going to sleep. I wasn't sure if it would help him understand me better, but if it was a night for sharing, maybe he could at least pull information from my past.
I wasn't confident it would be helpful. He'd probably be bored out of his mind, but it was worth a try.
Two hours after giving him my blood, he jolted awake, nearly sending me off the bed in fear.
"Ara," he yelled.
I flinched. "Ethan? You were dreaming. It's okay." Clearly, my blood hadn't worked.
He turned, his eyes predatory. "Tell me you didn't know."
"Know what?" I brought my knees to my chest. "What are you talking about?"
"She's from your bloodline."
"Who?"
"Ara."
"The mate you killed?"
He growled.
"I—" Tears welled in my eyes. "Are you sure?"
"Her picture." His eyes went black. "I saw a picture. It was old — it was her."
"You have to believe me." I held up my hands. "I would never lie."
Ethan shook his head; dark circles appeared under his eyes. "Sorry…" He trembled. "I'm still exhausted. It was a shock. We need to visit your mother."
"She hates me."
"Shall I kill her for you? Once I've gained the information I need?"
"No," I blurted.
Ethan sighed against my neck. "Just give me the word if you change your mind. The woman's insane."
"Ara?"
"No. Your mother."
"I hope it doesn't run in the family."
"Your blood is pure." Ethan kissed my neck. "Believe that truth, and you'll be fine."
"Is that—" Insecurity wrapped itself around me. "Is that why you wanted to mate with me? Because I remind you of her?"
"No!" Ethan pounced on me, his eyes so black that I was afraid if I stared too long I'd fall into their depths and never come back to reality. "You're different — you feel different."
"Different," I repeated.
"Better," he soothed, nipping my lower lip. "The best."
"I don't want to be her."
"You aren't." His voice was commanding. "And I'm too exhausted to spend the night arguing with you."
"You can take more blood… if you need to." The thought sent a little thrill of excitement through me as his eyes faded back to green.
Ethan moved off me and stared up at the ceiling. "You don't want me to do that."
"Why?"
"Because," he growled, "it won't be a little blood, just like it won't be a little bite… just like I won't stop at the bite but will continue kissing you and possessing you until you can't breathe — until my body fills yours, until you scream for more just when you don't think you can take it."
I had no words.
"Scared you?"
"I'm not sure." Was I feeling fear? Or excitement?
"Your heart's racing."
"Yes."
"If I asked you for everything, would you give it freely, knowing what you know?"
"If I offered you everything, would you take it? Knowing the possibility of my bloodline?"
We lay in silence.
I thought Ethan had fallen asleep.
Until he moved, hovering over me, his lips grazing mine with the softest of kisses. "I don't think I can stop myself…"
"What?"
"I can't set you free. I know I said I could. I can't. I lied."
"A vampire who's a liar. Who would have thought?" I teased.
He didn't return my smile. "It's a death sentence."
"Then show me sweet death." I wrapped my arms around his neck. He let out a pitiful groan before his mouth touched mine again.