Free B007Q4JDEM EBOK by K.A. Poe Page A

e replied coldly, narrowing his eyes. “But, there might be some meaning to it. Our bloodline has been around for a long, long time and every Waldron ancestor has been involved in vampire slaying. History claims that some of them have been able to turn themselves into ravens, but it's probably just all stories and tall tales .”
    “Do you believe it really is just all made up ?”
    “Of course. I know that might sound odd coming from someone who kills the undead, but real ly – transforming into birds?” h e shook his head. “That's ridiculous.”
    “I guess you’re right , ” I looked down. “There was another thing that was bothering me.”
    “Is it about Janet?” h e frowned. I guess he must have seen the news, too.
    “No. But , I am a little concerned about her too . I think Mark...might have had something to do with it.”
    His eyes grew suspicious, “Do you think he is a vampire?”
    “I might know that he is, ” I whispered, worrying what Salem might think – was I betraying him by telling Paul this?
    “If he is...” he gritted his teeth, “h e'll regret having laid a hand on her.”
    “Calm down, Paul. It's not for certain. It may have just been a bear attack like the news said .”
    “Have you spoken to her?”
    I told him about the conversations I had shared with Janet and about how skeptical I was of her story.
    “Sounds awfully suspicious to me. I might need to be makin’ a trip to Denver .”
    I gulped. “Back to that other question...” I wanted to sway him away from that conversation altogether before he did anything irrational . “What can you tell me about my mother...my real mother?”
    Paul's face displayed an expression of anguish, and I knew I wasn't going to like the s tory. “Her name was Destiny,” h e smil ed faintly as he spoke her name, “w e met in high school, fell in love, and got married when I was 24, she was 22. I hadn't told her my secret, I was afraid she would freak out. Of course, once I did tell her, she did freak out. She was very uncertain about whom I was – what I was – but I insisted, time after time, that I wasn't crazy, and that vampires do exist.
    Eventually, she had her proof. I took her hunting with me. She was terrified at first, but thrilled all the same. About a year later, you were born. She adored you, Alex...” h e sighed, looking at me briefly, “y ou look so much like her.”
    “I do?” I whispered, wondering just what my mother looked like.
    “Yes, so much so it is hard to believe you are not her. You definitely have her eyes; the shap e of your face is the same, too,” he laughed lightly. “During my next hunting trip, she insisted she went along again . I tried to convince her to stay home with you, but she insisted you would be safe with a baby-sitter. She hadn’t been able to go along with me in a long time due to the pregnancy and recovering and all. Well , she eventually convinced me , and I r egret it more and more each day that I let her come.
    It was late in January ; we were scouting through the woods – a common feeding ground – when one approached us. He was stronger than I had been prepared for ...I told Destiny to hide, but it was no use. I knew he could smell her , I knew he could hear her...” h e paused; I could see the grief in his eyes. “He took her from me...from us...I vowed that day that I would kill every last one of those bastards I could find until the day I that I die !
    That was when I sent you away. I didn't want to, you have to understand that. You were the world to me, Alex. You were all I had left of her. But it was for your own good, you were safer that way.”
    “I understand, ” I said, watching a tear trickle down his cheek. I could feel the moisture welling up in my own eyes, but I forced it back. “Paul – dad... there is one more thing I need to know.”
    “Anything, Alex,” h e reached over and gently touched my hand. I smiled warmly, feeling closer to him than I ever