13. Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

Revealing his truth to Eden was incredibly freeing. No longer a slave to the secret, Nero felt his panther begin purring in his chest—and the weight of his deception slough off his shoulders. Across from him, Eden was positively vibrating with energy. It infiltrated his senses as he rode out the wake of her sudden enthusiasm.

"I knew it! I knew it couldn't all just be make-believe!"

She did a happy little dance, pumping her feet and twirling around until her arms cinched over his neck a second later.

"What are you? Vampire? Werewolf? Sasquatch? Basilisk? Should I never make eye contact again?"

Having teleported back to his kitchen, he cradled her against his chest, savoring each second with his mate. Her happiness was like a potent drug. Even before it was over, he knew he would relish this moment for the rest of his life.

"I'm a Raeth."

"A wraith?" Her nose squished. "Like from Lord of the Rings?"

Grinning, he shook his head no. "No, a Raeth. R-a-e-t-h. We're an immortal breed with the ability to teleport, use telepathy, and transfiguration. It's all very Gothic chic."

"Wait, Nero." Her palm very deliberately pressed into his breastbone. "Can you read my mind?"

"That breaches boundaries we don't cross, Eden," he promised, "and I'd never break your trust in that regard. You do, however … broadcast your emotions quite loudly, so I've picked up the odd reaction. I would love to teach you how to shield that, if you would let me."

Eden's smile was back. "I have so many questions. How many of you are there? Do you live forever? What are your weaknesses? Are you, or have you ever been, at war with the other races? Do any humans know you exist? How do you keep us from finding out and then exposing your secret? Do you kill people who know? Do you have to kill me now?"

The flow of expressions running across her face had Nero watching with rapt fascination, shaking his head yes or no to the easy questions, and waiting for her to take a breath to answer the harder ones. This enthusiasm from her hadn't been what he'd expected, but he'd be lying to himself if he said he didn't love it.

"No, you'll never pay with your life, Eden, but we do keep it a secret from humanity in general." His lips formed a tight white line. "Some humans are friends of our kind; they know of our existence and keep the secret all their lives. But the group that you met with— Citizens —they want to eradicate us."

Eden gasped. "So they were right?"

Sharp, bitter fear spiked through his skull, and he instantly reassured her, "They were right about our existence—not that we mean humanity harm. They believe we're a threat to mankind, but we've lived among humanity for thousands upon thousands of years, never once waging war on them."

"But when I met with them, they said vampires could force humans to do any number of things." Eden took a step back. "Is that true, Nero?"

"Vampires outlawed the use of suggestion years ago. Now, it's only lawful use is when their lives are in danger, or if our secret is about to be exposed."

Eden caught his eye. "Okay—so, you said thousands of years …"

He nodded. "Yes. We live without the threat of natural death, but we can succumb to death through a variety of means."

"How many of you are there?"

Jerking his chin toward the couches in the sunroom, Nero answered, "Raeths? Probably fifteen thousand of us or so—most likely more after recent events. Vampires have more than we do."

"What other breeds of immortals are there?"

"There are four: Raeths, vampires, werewolves, and Elementals. We've come together in the past few years for a defense treaty of sorts. After several terrorist attacks, kidnappings and tortures, the races decided we need to push against the organization that means us harm."

Nero sat down on the loveseat, and Eden gamely followed him. He'd prepared for her horror, fear, or anger, but this kind of excitement had been relatively low on his list of anticipated outcomes. In hindsight, it seemed obvious. As a professor who'd focused on the paranormal for more than a decade, she was understandably fascinated with his culture.

"So, all of the people here—all of the people I've met so far—are they Raeths?"

"Most of them are: Key, Zia, Luna, everyone you've passed on clan lands since coming here," Nero grunted. "All of them except Jeremiah. He's an Elemental."

"What does an Elemental do?"

"Jeremiah, specifically, is a wind Elemental. He has the ability to control the air, fly, stop bullets, and become invisible. Honestly, he's a one-man army." The newest member of Nero's clan had proven his worth innumerable times since he'd arrived, and Nero was grateful for it. "He's a good man, and we're happy he's with Zia."

"I can tell you like him."

"I do. But then again, I'm predisposed to liking everyone in my clan."

Glass-green eyes narrowed suspiciously. "There's that word again. What's a clan, Nero?"

"Raeths form groups—clans—united under one leader. A sovereign," he explained, taking Eden's hand and gently massaging her palm. "In our world, a sovereign is connected to every member of that clan by telepathic link. They protect and shield against any outside attacks or corruption. A sovereign is the foundation the clan is built on."

He continued at Eden's prompting. "Raeth culture isn't set up like the vampires, where a council leads, or like the werewolves, where all the den alphas respond to the original alpha of the species. Our clans are separate entities that self-govern and don't roll up beneath another layer of leadership. Sovereigns of each clan are the final word when it comes to Raeth culture, and there are several hundred worldwide."

"This is fascinating." Eden hung on to his every word. "Man, I wish I could document this."

"Well, perhaps you can." Nero grinned. "We happen to be in need of a historian."

Hesitation, tinged with the bitter taste of regret, bled from Eden's emotional state. "Oh, ah, maybe." She shook her head as if to clear the air. "So, Immortal Coffee Shop Cutie, who leads your clan?"

"I do," he said. "I'm sovereign of my clan. Have been for the better part of three centuries."

Eden's jaw dropped. "Wait. You've lived for three centuries? "

"No, Eden, I'm not three hundred years old." Nero straightened to deliver the next important news. "I've been alive for twelve centuries."

"Holy mother of pearl."

"Of all the things I've said, is it my age that finally broke you?"

"I just can't believe you've been alive for that long." She shook her head. "To have been around when Genghis Khan was conquering the world, or when Chaucer wrote the Canterbury Tales, and Bell invented the first telephone. Heck, you were around when Shakespeare wrote Hamlet !" Her hand flew up to her throat . "I mean, Nero, did you see those torture devices I was babbling on about being used?"

He cringed. "I may have seen a few."

"My word." She collapsed backward into the loveseat. "I can't believe I've kissed a man who's literally older than dirt!"

"Hey now. I take offense to that! And I also happen to know a certain newly awakened Elemental you'll get along with."

At Nero's long-suffering expression, Eden broke out in giggles. "Okay, then, I have to know: how does an immortal come into being?"

"Well, when two Raeths love each other—"

Eden snorted. "I guess I deserved that."

Nero shook his head and laid the cards on the table. Eden had taken everything amazingly well so far, but the next part would decide everything. "Immortality doesn't lend itself to exceptionally fertile creatures. If Raeths are blessed with children, it's a rare occurrence. Perhaps one or two every decade in the greater population.

"The procreation of the other breeds is different. Vampires, as you might've guessed, sire fledglings with a blood exchange. Werewolves bite those they intend to change. And Elementals—they simply come into their abilities when exposed to their elements in extreme contexts."

Dropping her eyes as her mind raced, Eden sighed. "This is incredible. I've never once imagined any of this was actually real. To find out now—" A rueful shake of her head. "It's just wild."

"Eden, there is a reason I'm telling you all of this now, so abruptly. I did intend to reveal the truth about my world, but I wanted us to build more trust, ease you in, let you enjoy your time here and … I'm so sorry." At the somber note in his voice, Eden stiffened. "The wolf that bit you in Chicago was no ordinary wolf. You bear a werewolf's mark."