29. Chapter 29

29

Chapter 29

Rowan

" I think it's time we had a chat, dear."

Crap.

I've been waiting for this. The drive back from the Blood Assembly meeting was oddly quiet; none of Gran's usual easy banter kept us entertained. And I know it's not just because the meeting was tough. She's been thinking. Now she's looking at me strangely.

"Now?" I say. "Can't we get together in the morning? It's getting pretty late, and I…have a ton of work to catch up on." It's not a lie. I'll be getting irate calls about financials not balancing soon. But there's been so much going on; my life barely feels like my own anymore.

"I don't think it can wait, Rowan." Gran frowns at me. "What's happening is important."

"Right. Yes. Of course. You want my thoughts on the meeting," I say quickly.

Gran tilts her head. "Among other things."

My cheeks heat up. "Oh?" I turn away, busying myself in the kitchen. "More tea?" Our cups are still in the sink from before we left earlier. I rinse them out and reach for a dish towel.

"I think you know what I'm talking about, Rowan." Gran has moved up to the counter beside me and leans a hip against it.

I keep my focus on the cups, which I'm spending too much time drying. Gran's bracelets jangle as she raises a graceful hand and sets it on my forearm, stopping me.

"What's going on?"

I keep my attention fixed downward. "Nothing," I say too quickly.

"Rowan, I'm not an idiot."

I huff out a breath. "I'm not sure I'm ready to talk about it."

Maybe I never will be. Right now, none of it makes sense. The magic I've been flooded with. The politics I've been swept into. The irresistible pull of a man who I should hate—

I do hate him, dammit.

But then, why did it hurt so much when he shot me down in that meeting earlier? I shouldn't care either way. Except feeling those cold, indifferent eyes on me cut deep. Maybe it's because he was looking at me so much differently not long ago when he had me half-naked.

Yeah, but that was wrong. So wrong.

It's one thing having some sort of out-of-control erotic reaction to a vampire bite. It's another to let him kiss me…to plead with him to touch me…to do more. None of that was part of the plan. Not that there's been any plan.

"You're going to have to talk about it at some point, dear. Your vampire—"

"He's not my vampire!" I say too harshly.

Gran raises an eyebrow. "I think he might disagree."

"I doubt it."

"Give me some credit, Rowan. I'm old enough to recognize the look of a man who is smitten."

"Smitten?" I scoff. "Is that even a word?"

"Don't sass me, granddaughter!" Gran bumps my shoulder. "You were his entire focus for the whole meeting."

"That's not true. He barely looked at me…aside from when he was calling me a child."

Gran sniffs. "A man does not look at a child the way he looked at you. Besides, I never said he was looking at you. I said he was focused on you."

"What's the difference?" I huff, remembering the disdain in his expression whenever he turned my way.

"The difference is that he didn't want anyone to know."

I frown. "Know what?"

"That he cares , dear." Gran takes the cups from my hands, sets them on the counter and then turns back to me. "There's a lot more going on here than a couple of conversations and an arrangement to exchange blood for magic. That man cares about you, and he is afraid it will put you at risk."

"Nonsense, he doesn't care about me." Aside from being his next meal. "But why on earth would I be at risk?"

"You tell me, Rowan. What did you notice in that meeting tonight?"

I take a deep breath, letting my defensiveness fade. Gran's right – I need to think about this objectively. I close my eyes for a moment, recalling the tense atmosphere of the meeting.

"You're right," I admit, opening my eyes to meet Gran's gaze. "Being around Darick…it's changed how I see vampires. They're so different from us."

Gran nods encouragingly, and I continue, "They're guarded, always holding something back. It's like every word is carefully chosen, every gesture calculated. I could feel the undercurrents of tension, especially between Darick and that other vampire… Lucien, I think his name was?"

"Go on," Gran prompts softly.

"The High Elder, Arabella, she seemed genuine. I got the impression she truly wants peace. But the others…" I trail off, thinking. "It's hard to read them. They reveal so little."

I pause, remembering the cold, calculating gaze of that one vampire in particular. "Lucien, though. There's something about him that makes me uncomfortable. The way he watched everyone, especially Darick. It felt…cunning and calculated. Like he was waiting for someone to slip up."

Gran's eyebrows raise slightly. "That's quite an observation. What makes you say that?"

"It's hard to explain," I admit. "Just a feeling. The way he'd smile when someone else was speaking, like he knew something they didn't. And the tension between him and Darick was very obvious. I think there's more going on there than just clan rivalry."

Gran nods slowly. "Precisely what I'd been thinking," she says. "Although I'd been less aware of this Lucien you mention. Now that I think about it, there was something unsettling about him."

She turns and leans back against the counter, staring off into space for a moment before looking back at me. "Don't think I'm letting you off the hook, though."

I roll my eyes. "There's nothing going on with Darick," I lie.

Gran gives a light laugh. "Rowan, give me some credit. I was young once, too. And I was standing at the door long enough to get a fair idea of what was happening in here."

"Gran!" I blurt.

Earth, swallow me now.

"Don't be coy. You're a woman. You have needs. And I'll admit, he's…intriguing."

"How could you say that, Gran? He's a vampire!"

"You're right, of course. Relations are strained between our kinds. But they weren't always that way. And they don't always have to be. Tonight's meeting could be the start of a change that could be good for us all."

"You mean a change that would stop us from having to live in secret? Hide who we are?" I say drily.

"That would be nice." Gran smiles. "Although I'll admit, I rather like my privacy. If witches were more exposed, our lives would be so much more complicated."

"They're pretty complicated right now," I grumble.

"What's complicated?" a small voice intrudes. Poppy bounces off the window ledge and lands next to me. I leap several inches off the floor.

"Edgy much?" She wrinkles her nose and then looks around. "Where's Nosferatu?"

"I sent him away."

"Good thinking." She peers into an empty teacup. "Planning to put something in here, or are these just for display?"

"Interesting way to ask for tea, squirrel." Gran laughs.

"She's pushy," I grumble. "If only she was as proactive about being my familiar." As I reach for the kettle, a sudden warmth spreads through my fingertips. To my shock, the water inside begins to boil without me even touching it. Gran's eyebrows raise.

"Well, that's new," she says mildly. "Your powers are growing, darling. We should discuss that…"

"We don't need to," I retort. "It's probably because of the strengthening spell. That seemed pretty powerful, right?"

"It wouldn't have worked so quickly. I think we should be looking at its connection to a certain vampire."

I groan internally. "Gran, please. Do we have to go there?"

"At some point, yes." She's not letting up. "Would I be wrong in assuming that you're softening toward him?"

"Very wrong!" My response is too vehement. Gran notices it, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"Wrong in every way," Poppy agrees. "Someone should put a stake in that creature's heart."

I blink at her in surprise. "That's a bit extreme, don't you think?"

Poppy sniffs. "Just looking out for you, witch. Can't have you falling for the undead. Next thing you know, you'll have a ring through your eyebrow and be acting all emo."

I can't help but chuckle, even as I feel a pang of guilt. Poppy's right to be wary, but there's a part of me that can't deny the pull I feel toward Darick.

Gran sighs, her expression growing serious. "These growing tensions worry me, Rowan. I fear you may play a larger role in vampire-witch relations than any of us anticipated."

I stare at Gran, my mind reeling. "What do you mean, I might play a larger role? I'm barely keeping up with everything as it is."

Gran's eyes soften. "Rowan, you've got me thinking. And seeing how Lord Drake reacted to you tonight…" She pauses. "Your situation…it reminds me of stories from long ago. Our family, the Blackwoods… We have a history with vampires that goes back generations. Both good and bad."

"What?" I blink, trying to process this new information. "Why haven't I heard about this before?"

"It's not something we often discuss," Gran says, her expression contemplative. "But our lineage has shaped vampire-witch relations more than you know. And now, with your magic growing stronger after being weak for so long… I can't help wondering if maybe you're a bridge between our worlds."

I shake my head, overwhelmed. "This is too much, Gran. I thought you were worried about what's happening with Darick. Now you're talking about me being some kind of…what? Vampire-witch ambassador?"

"Oh, hell no!" Poppy retorts. "No, no, no. Nope."

Gran shakes her head. "I am still concerned, dear. But as I've said before, I trust your judgment."

I bite my lip, not sharing that I don't exactly trust my own judgment right now.

"Besides," Gran continues, "I've learned over the years that sometimes the Universe has its own plans. Fighting against it rarely ends well."

"So what? I'm just supposed to go along with whatever happens?" I ask, frustration creeping into my voice.

"Not blindly, no," Gran replies. "But perhaps with an open mind. Your unique perspective could be valuable, Rowan. You've experienced both sides – the struggle of weak magic and now this sudden growth. You understand what it's like to feel different, to not quite fit in. That understanding could be crucial in closing the gap between our kinds."

I slump against the counter, feeling the gravity of Gran's words. "I don't know if I'm ready for this, Gran. It's all happening so fast."

Poppy hops onto the counter, her tail twitching. "You know, this whole vampire romance thing? It never ends well. Trust me, I've seen it all before. Pretty soon, you'll be wearing all black and writing terrible poetry about eternal love and bloodlust."

I smile. "I'm not writing any poetry, Poppy."

Gran chuckles, shaking her head. "Oh, hush, you dramatic little furball. Rowan's got a good head on her shoulders." She turns to me, her expression softening. "I just want you to know that I'm here for you, sweetheart. Always. No matter what happens. I just hope that from now on, you'll trust me enough to come to me when things get complicated. I was hurt that you kept this from me. That you've been feeding me details in small bites. You should have spoken to me immediately."

I nod, my feelings conflicted. "I promise, Gran. I'll come to you. It's…it's good to know I can talk to you without being judged."

"Well, I'm judging you now." It's the damn squirrel again. "I'm still waiting for tea."

I roll my eyes and fill the teapot, then splash some into a saucer for her.

"What? No cream? Sugar?" She glares at me.

"Oh my God." I push the sugar bowl in her direction, then turn to Gran as something occurs to me. "What about Mom, Dad, and Kara?" I ask, suddenly worried. "Should I tell them about…all of this?"

Gran shakes her head. "Not yet. They'll need to know when the time is right, but for now, it's best not to burden them. Losing Mia is still too raw."

At the mention of Mia, I feel a pang in my chest. "How can I let myself get more involved in the vampire world if they're the ones who took Mia?"

Gran looks at me thoughtfully. "Do you believe Darick was involved in that?"

I pause, considering. "No," I admit finally. "I don't think he was. At least, I'm not so sure anymore."

"Then trust your gut," Gran says firmly. "And remember, if there's any chance of finding Mia still alive, having contacts in the vampire world could be useful. They might be our best chance of finding her."

I lean against the counter, my mind whirling with everything Gran has said. There's so much to think about – my growing powers, the complicated history between witches and vampires, and the role I might play. It's overwhelming, to say the least.

Gran must sense my turmoil because she reaches out and squeezes my hand gently. "I can see you're tired, darling. It's been quite a day, hasn't it?"

I nod, suddenly aware of the bone-deep exhaustion seeping through me. "Yeah, it really has."

She smiles softly. "Why don't we take a raincheck on that tea? You look like you could use some rest."

"Are you sure?" I ask. "I don't mind making it if you want to stay."

Gran shakes her head. "No, no. You need time to process everything we've talked about. And I think I could use some time to reflect as well."

She gathers her things and makes her way to the door. I follow her, relieved yet reluctant to see her go. As she steps outside, she turns back to me.

"Remember, Rowan. You're stronger than you know. Trust yourself, and don't be afraid to come to me if you need anything."

I nod, grateful for her support. "Thanks, Gran. I will."

With a final smile and a wave, she heads to her car, leaving me alone with my thoughts and a very demanding squirrel.

"Sweet dreams, you little troublemaker," I murmur.

"Dreams? Who's dreaming? I've got things to do, places to be." She slurps her tea.

"And nuts to crack, I imagine." I yawn.

"That too."

"Try not to wake the whole neighborhood," I tease, tickling the top of her head before turning away. My feet feel like lead as they carry me to my room. I climb into my pajamas on autopilot and slide into bed.

The darkness of the night envelopes me as I slip under the covers. The events of the day replay in my mind like a broken record.

Do I really have a part to play in all of this?

I close my eyes, trying to push away the doubts and uncertainties that cloud my mind. The urge to see Darick again tugs at me, despite his infuriating presence earlier.

It's just for the magic , I tell myself, knowing deep down that there's more to it than that.

As I lay there, lost in my thoughts, a voice breaks through the silence. My eyes snap open at the unexpected sound.

"Rowan."

It's him.

"I'm breaking your rule," Darick's voice drifts through the darkness.

I sit up, surprised by his sudden appearance. "What are you doing here?" I ask, trying to keep annoyance in my tone but failing miserably.

His voice is oddly gentle as he says, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

Before I can respond, he vanishes from my mind as if he'd never been there. Confusion swirls in me as I sink back onto the pillows, his words lingering in the air.

Why did he come to me? Why did he apologize?

A strange blend of emotions wells up inside me, making my heart ache in a way I can't quite understand.

Don't think about it. Go to sleep.

Exhaustion pulls at me like a heavy shroud, and moments later, I'm fast asleep.