[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

 I do not deserve you, Riley said, kissing her again.
 Of course, you do, she replied with a laugh.  You are my love,
my neverending surprise.
 Riley likes to surprise you? Victor asked.
 Really, we don t need to talk about this. I d like to hear more
about your family, Riley quickly answered, his face flushed red,
obviously embarrassed.
 No, I think I will like this explanation. Micah chuckled,
wrapping an arm around his mother, taking the glass of wine his
father handed him.
 Sorry, Riley, Marian said.  But I love telling this story. It was
one of the most touching moments of my life. She waited until Riley
nodded to continue.  Riley was the baby of his family, the youngest
by over a century. I lost my husband several centuries before Riley
was even born, so he would spend days with me while his mother was
at work.
 Well, I love gardening but seemed to always have problems with
roses. One day, when he was about two maybe three years old, Riley
watched me come inside the house sad, with dying roses in my hand.
Seeing that I was upset, he toddled outside and went over to my rose
bush, touched and breathed life right back into it.
 He came inside all excited and dragged me outside, saying he
had a surprise for me. I figured he made a mess and wanted to show
me, like all little boys do. When I saw what he had done and figured
out his gift and how happy he was to fix my roses for me, I cried and
cried. I assumed I confused him. He was so small, but I told him how
Micah 81
proud of him I was. Marian wiped a tear away from the corner of her
eye and sniffled.  Riley has always been full of surprises, always
doing things his own way if he felt it was the right thing to do. I
mean, there aren t many of our kind who attend human college and
medical school to learn to become a doctor. He s developed quite a
few medications for vampires that stem from human inventions and
has helped bring up our birth survival rate.
 Okay, Gram, Riley said, placing a hand over her mouth.  You
told the story, now you re merely giving them my resume. Everyone
laughed at that, only to be interrupted by one of the staff informing
them dinner was ready.
 That s how you found out you were a healer, isn t it? Micah
asked, wrapping an arm around his mate.
 Yeah, even though I was too little at the time. When I got older, I
started playing with my gift, seeing what I could do. My grandma
always supported and pushed me. She even gave me the basement as
my own person lab, even if it was nothing like the lab I have today.
But as a child, it meant a lot to me.
 I think that s great, the love you share for each other. Besides,
that story is adorable, Micah said, laughing and planting a kiss on his
head.
 Adorable, great, Riley said, snickering.  I m already short, now
I m adorable. Just what every grown man wants to be, adorable.
Micah smiled, knowing he took the compliment the way it was
intended and that Riley wasn t really upset.
82 Joyee Flynn
Chapter 6
Riley was still shaken up from the conversation they had had in
the sitting room as they took their places on one end of the very long
dining room table. Their salads were set down by staff members. That
had Riley reeling. He now lived in a house that had staff. Riley tried
to settle himself down, taking a long drink of water, then smiling at
Micah.
 So, you turned my younger brother into a fruit, Micah s brother
Stefan said. Riley was so shocked he spit half his water out, making
the situation that much more embarrassing.
 Stefan, you will not speak to my mate that way, Micah roared.
 I know Elena has taught you better manners than that, Gram
admonished at the same time.
 Please, both of you, Riley said calmly.  I appreciate your
willingness to defend me, but I am more than capable of fighting my
own battles. Desmond, Elena, this is your home, and I will not argue
with one of your family while in it.
 Riley, while that shows you have better manners than my son,
Desmond replied, glaring at Stefan,  it is your home now as well.
Argue away.
 Thank you, Riley replied, nodding at Desmond before turning
his attention back to Stefan.  Spoken like a jealous man who has yet
to find his mate, Stefan. However, I m sure you have been told, fate
chooses our mates, not us. As for your brother now being a fruit, that
is your opinion, but I suggest you keep it to yourself. You may call
me what you wish, but I will not stand for you to disparage him like
that.
Micah 83
 I don t disparage him. Stefan sneered.  I think you did
something to him. He s under some delusion that since you saved his
life, now he is your mate. What, did you give him some of your blood
while he was injured?
 No, I did not give Micah any blood. His injuries were mostly
from energy blasts from a demon. As you are not of the medical
profession, I will explain that energy blasts cannot heal faster with
blood, only time. I was able to speed that time up drastically by using
my own gift, and his claw marks were not bleeding much either. It
was simply a matter of removing the poison and stitching him up,
Riley said, much calmer than he really felt.
 You probably learned that from your human schooling. I mean
you are a human lover, aren t you?
 No, again your ignorance astounds me, Riley began to say.
 Did you just call me ignorant? Stefan snapped, standing up and
slamming his hands on the table.
 Would you like me to answer the first question, or would you
rather keep shouting? Is that it? You like to hear yourself talk,
Stefan? Riley asked, tilting his head to the side.
 Fine. Answer away, fag.
 Fag, cute, Riley replied, trying to ignore Micah s growl next to
him.  Human institutions do not teach anything about the reality of
our kind. They have literature classes that read the myths and legends,
but their understanding of vampires is much closer to what demons
really are. They do not generally believe we exist. Riley smirked at
Stefan.  That being said, I think humans are amazing. They are
ingenious at times, intuitive and in ways centuries further ahead in
their thinking than vampires are. I do not favor them over our race,
but I respect them as equals to our kind. As your father can tell you, I
have approached the council that doctors of our race should attend
human schools as I did, instead of the old way of apprenticeship,
which humans got rid of centuries ago.
84 Joyee Flynn
 Their genetic makeup is close to ours, so there is much we can
learn from them, and I have. I ve read your medical file, Stefan.
You ve been injured several times on missions. Did you enjoy the
pain medicine you were given while you were hurt? Riley asked.
 Yes, of course. What does that have to do with anything?
 Riley developed that for vampires, based on his studies on
human medicine, Desmond answered.  Dr. Johnson has kept the
council apprised of his experiments and developments over the years,
even coming up with solutions for problems that we have approached
him with.
 Fine, he s smart. He s learned a lot from humans. That doesn t
mean I have to believe he didn t do something to my brother. It still
seems suspect that he knows all about drugs, and now Micah is a fruit
and mated to the good doctor, Stefan replied with utter contempt.
 Micah nor Riley is no more a fruit than I am, brother, Remus
said from next to Stefan.
 You re gay? Stefan asked Remus, his chin almost hitting the
table.
As grateful as Riley was to be out of the spotlight for a few
minutes, he felt bad for Remus for throwing himself under the bus.
 Yes, I m gay, Remus said, shrugging.
 Nice of you to break the news this way. Stefan sneered. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]