Everlasting

Chapter 15

Griffin

I loved my parents. Really, I did. And I had a special bond with Dad in particular... but I wasn't thrilled to see him here. Not now. Not when I was finally getting to see my mate.

My mate, who was amazing. He was hot, sure, but it was so much more than that. Touching him was intoxicating, and when he touched me, it was like a dream. I couldn't believe my luck. But that wasn't even the best part. Effortlessly, it seemed, Wulfric quieted my mind. There was a voice of doubt that usually nagged at me and wore me down, and Wulfric could silence it with just a few words and a tender look. I shared with him all the worst parts of myself and he washed them away in seconds. If being with him was already so soothing, what would it be like later when we really knew each other?

My mate didn't care that I'd been sleeping around. He didn't mind our different species, and he had taken my neediness into stride. He knew just how to tease me to disarm all my defenses. What more could I ever ask for than that? Especially after our rocky start, I was so relieved I wanted to cry.

But then in came my father, pulling us out of our little bubble and bringing back the real world. And from the way Wulfric went stiff and stopped touching me, he wasn't comfortable in front of my dad. Was it any wonder I was annoyed?

Annoyed... and a little concerned. Because it seemed like Wulfric had something unpleasant to share with me.

"We were never told much about our curse," Wulfric said. "My father kept the details very limited in the beginning, no matter how we pressed him. Last night, I learned the truth. My father orchestrated the curse and worked with a caster to implement it."

That was fascinating, but it didn't explain the guilt in Wulfric's eyes. Dad frowned at me, and I knew we were on the same page. That can't be all.

Wulfric cleared his throat and seemed to have trouble meeting my eyes for the first time. "I also learned that the curse will not force me to become human," he said, looking down at his hands.

I was glad Wulfric wasn't watching me, because I didn't react well. I couldn't make sense of what I was feeling, but none of it was good. My dad shifted in his seat, drawing my eyes.

"This is between the two of you. I'm going to go check in on Glenna and Safiya," he said, and made his exit. He didn't get away fast enough to hide his pitying expression from me.

Wulfric hadn't moved at all, and I knew he must be waiting for some reaction from me. "So, you're going to stay a vampire?" I asked.

"Yes."

That was it. Just "yes."

What was I feeling? I really couldn't tell. The closest word I could find was "betrayed." But that wasn't right, was it? Wulfric never said he was going to become human. Had I assumed as much when he invited me over? Yes. After all the "I can't even be in your vicinity without a blindfold or else I'll turn human" drama the day Fen took him to me, excuse me for thinking it meant something when he invited me to spend time with him.

He never actually said he was going to become human, part of me argued. Was that my rational side? Or was it that desperate part of myself that clung to any idea that meant avoiding conflict? It was true that I really didn't want to get into a big argument on our first morning together.

The silence drew out between us until it started to feel oppressive. But too many questions swirled in my mind for me to want to add to the turmoil by speaking aloud.

What will this mean for us?

Can I change his mind? Should I change his mind?

What's so great about being a vampire anyway?