Whispers in the Dark by Niranjan K

Author:Niranjan K
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-393-34545-9
Publisher: DRAGONCASTLE PUBLISHERS

Chapter Twenty-Six

Alistair felt him before he saw him. Aiden. He felt a surge of pleasure that he made him feel guilty. One of his oldest friends was dead and here he was, feeling glad that his first fledgeling had come to visit him.

I’ll be upstairs, Aiden’s thought came through the bond. I’ve been travelling non-stop and I’m tired.

Whatever you need, he conveyed. We’ll talk later.

How’s she doing?

Not very good.

How about you?

Death isn’t new to me.

Alistair.

Not good.

It was something he wouldn’t have admitted to anyone, not even Jon, but Aiden was different, had always been different.

Aiden was silent and Alistair turned his attention to Daphne. She hadn’t spoken a word since she came, just sat in a chair, still holding the drink he had handed her. She hadn’t taken even a sip. He didn’t say anything either, waiting for her to open up if that was what she wanted. If she only wanted company, he could provide that. It wouldn’t be the first time he was comforting a Haspel after the death of a partner. He still remembered Bert breaking down in his arms after Marta’s death. Ned had been only four then, and not old enough to understand what it had meant to lose his mother.

“I need sedatives to sleep,” she said suddenly, breaking the train of his thoughts.

He made no comment. It was understandable after all.

“He never thought he’d die like this, you know?” she said. “I mean, most hunters do die at the hands of rogue vampires.”

It was a truth. Despite the fact that most of the old hunting families still kept their traditions alive and trained their children, the incidence of mortality from rogue vampires was high. There were also people like the Calens who turned their back on their traditions in the belief that it wasn’t required any more. There was a treaty in place after all. That the treaty had provisions regarding rogue vampires should have warned them, but it didn’t. It was surprising the Calens had stayed unscathed till the rogue that had killed Tate, Nancy and Shane.

“I think...” she said softly. “I think given a choice, Ned would have preferred to go out fighting.”

“He did go out fighting,” he said softly. “It was just a different kind of fight is all.”

“He was fighting his own body.” she said, her voice breaking. “Fighting just to stay alive, to draw breath, to make his heart beat, and we… we were arguing over trivialities at home.”

“They weren’t trivialities.” he said. “You all had things you needed to work through, and you had to do it. Don’t beat yourself up over it.”

“I should have been there with him.” she whispered.

“It wouldn’t have made any difference,” he said. “He died in his sleep. Dan and Anton were both there. You being there would have made no difference.”

“It would have to me.” she said, wiping the fresh tears that were spilling out of her eyes.

“Daphne, you can’t change what happened, no matter what. All you can do is honour his memory and go on.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.