Free Destiny (Absent Shadows Trilogy Book 1) by S.M. Spencer Page B

you. So, does that make you sort of like brothers or something? So, like … he can’t kill you?’
    ‘No, he certainly could kill me, as well as Tom and Erranase, if he wanted to. But he knows that we are all on the same side. We help out when things get … hectic. And Tom and I do a lot of the patrolling so Michael doesn’t have to. He knows I won’t kill people. It’s a bit trickier with Tom and Erranase, however … and Michael has warned them both a few times. They certainly don’t kill any people … in the area. But sometimes they leave for a few days and I don’t ask Tom where they’ve been or what they’ve done, but Tom always seems stronger and sharper afterwards, and I’m reasonably certain it’s human blood that strengthens him.’
    Somehow it was all starting to make sense. Well, perhaps ‘sense’ wasn’t the right word, but I did follow what he’d said. And remarkably, I wasn’t scared. I knew I should be scared—in fact I should be terrified. And if anything was frightening, it was the fact that I wasn’t scared. Was I losing my mind? Or was I just so scared that I didn’t even realise it? Was that possible? How on earth, if this was all true, could I be so calm?
    ‘Are you okay, Lili? I know it’s an awful lot to take on board. I’ve had years to come to terms with it, but I can still remember when I was first created, how hard it was for me to believe. I never intended to tell you any of this. I was trying to stay away from you.’
    And that’s when the penny finally dropped.
    ‘That’s what you meant when you said you didn’t mix well with people,’ I said, in a voice so faint I could barely hear it myself.
    ‘Yes. But then Tom won this trip, and said he would take Claire whether I came or not … and I needed to be here, in case something … happened. I’m so sorry. I never wanted to involve you in any of this.’
    ‘It’s okay. I mean, as okay as possible I suppose. I’m not afraid, or at least I don’t think I am. Should I be?’
    ‘No. There’s nothing to be afraid of. You’re safe. But are you sure you can cope with everything I’ve told you? Because I can make it all go away. I can make you forget, like I did with Claire. You can go to sleep and wake up tomorrow, and this won’t even be a bad dream you had.’
    ‘No,’ I said, shaking my head, ‘I don’t want to forget. I just need a bit of time to let it sink in. If this is who you are, then I’m glad I know the truth. But, what do you mean—you can make me forget?’
    ‘It’s just another skill … I can hypnotise you. I can make you forget what you saw. It’s a skill that vampires use to subdue prey—that’s probably how it originated—and in some of us, it’s quite strong. It comes in handy from time to time when there are witnesses to things.’
    I nodded slightly, as if that made everything clear. But really, there was so much to take in, so much to try to reconcile between what I’d just been told, and what I’d always thought were myths and horror films. But when he smiled at me, and his beautiful blue eyes sparkled, it was hard not to believe him. I had this really strong urge to trust that everything he’d told me was the truth. It was like I needed to believe him … to trust him.
    His cool hands squeezed mine and then he got up off the floor and sat beside me on the sofa. When he spoke, his voice was still soft and soothing.
    ‘Do you want to try to get some sleep? You can go lie down in the other bedroom. I’d rather you didn’t disturb Claire yet.’
    ‘No, I can’t sleep—I mean … I want to stay here, with you.’
    ‘Alright, lean against me then, and try to rest a little. It’s been a big day, and an even bigger night.’ He held his arm out for me to curl up next to him and then he wrapped both arms around me, and kissed the top of my head.
    ‘Sleep, my beauty,’ he whispered.
    I hadn’t realised I was so exhausted; both physically, and mentally. Logic and intuition