Page 6 of The Healer and The Vampire (Bay Harbor Wolves #11)

R emi did not know what to make of this man; he seemed harmless, and yet most of what he told him was lies or misrepresentations.

Why lie if you have nothing to hide? "Is it a scam or are you genuinely healing people?

" Conrad stared at him again with that look of fear that was really unsettling.

He didn't like scaring the man, it left him feeling guilty, which was weird.

"If you let me go, I promise I'll leave town.

" Conrad leaned forward, and so did Remi.

When he touched the man's back to calm him earlier in the garage, he noticed a wave of possessiveness wash over him.

Now, as they sat together in such close proximity, Remi began to notice everything about the man.

His blonde hair long and wavy, so striking, his brown eyes so soulful and vulnerable, and those lips full and red and asking to be tasted.

"You healed that man. Are you a healer?" Remi asked bluntly.

He watched Conrad's face go through a series of expressions from shock to confusion to fear.

He didn't know what to say. Remi wanted to ease his fears, but that was impossible at the present time.

"We need to know if you are a danger to us. " He stated very clearly.

"You're a vampire, can't you just read my mind and know who and what I am?" Conrad asked. "If you do, you will see that I am no threat to you or any of the supernatural beings present in Eastport."

Mind reading was not done without cause, and Remi would need the approval of his Master unless the subject consented to such.

"You're giving me permission to read your thoughts and memories?

" He asked for clarification, and Conrad nodded.

Remi reached out, and after a tense second or two where Conrad appeared unsure, he nodded and leaned forward.

Remi placed his hand on the side of Conrad's head with his thumb and index fingers resting on his orbital bone and forehead, respectively. Conrad closed his eyes at first, but then opened them and stared at Remi.

The power of that gaze caught Remi by surprise, as did his inability to get through.

He could see nothing, read nothing, and the harder he tried, the more blocked he became.

"Are you blocking me?" He asked, knowing full well that there was no way he could block a vampire mind sweep, especially since he's human.

"I don't know how." He said calmly as he continued to lock with Remi's gaze. "There was a vampire back home who ran one of the local clubs. He had no trouble reading my mind and finding out I was underage, and then he immediately tossed me out of his establishment.” Conrad took a deep breath and then added. “The problem here isn’t me, it’s you.”

Remi took a long breath, filling his lungs, and held it while analyzing the young man who sat before him, and gradually the truth became embarrassingly obvious.

He had a habit of letting his mind control everything, letting it take over and suppressing all else, especially when he was solving a puzzle.

He should have known he should have put the pieces together quicker.

Remi should have opened himself more to the situation right from the beginning.

That realization brought with it a flood of emotions that were strong and difficult to restrain, but he managed, and now everything had changed.

Conrad Lowe had now become the most important person in Remi's life.

He saw him clearly now; the details were still fuzzy, but the facts were clear.

"You're a healer." Remi began, reached out, and took hold of Conrad's hand. "You let the others believe you're a fake so as to not have them ask too much of you. That was smart." Remi noticed the delicate smile that graced Conrad's lips, and it made him happy.

"Something is different?" Conrad voiced and let his eyes travel over Remi's face. "What has changed? Something has changed between us."

“I know who you are.” Remi squeezed his hand. “You’re running from your brother, Patrick. You’re tired of the scam and you’re ready to start a new life.” At that moment, Alpha Henrik walked into the interrogation and stood beside Remi. He’d been watching from the adjacent room.

He placed his hand on Remi's shoulder. "What's going on, Remi?"

“He is my beloved, sir. The healer is my beloved.” He clarified. Silence fell for a couple of minutes as everyone in the room contemplated that statement. He could also feel the speculation from beyond the mirror.

Remi released Conrad's hand and stood. "He's not a threat, sir, but he is in some kind of trouble."

“How do you know this?” The Alpha asked.

"Fate brought him to me," Remi said, and he looked at Conrad with new eyes.

"Conrad is a genuine healer. I don't know the extent of his skill, but his authenticity has come through clearly to me.

He's not a magic or a sorcerer his abilities are natural.

" Conrad kept looking from one to the other, not sure of what was happening, and the upheaval of his mind and emotions was being relayed to Remi.

The bond was barely there, but still the emotional load was heavy.

Conrad's eyes widened, and his lips parted on a comment that never came. "Take him to the conference room upstairs and get him something to eat." Alpha Henrik ordered. "We'll talk later." He said to Remi and then added, "Congratulations, Remi," before leaving.

“Thank you.” He responded and then turned his attention to Conrad.

"What's going on?" Conrad asked, and his tone was lighter, and the fear in his voice was fading.

Conrad stood and took a couple of steps toward Remi.

"Why did he congratulate you? Am I in a lot of trouble?

" The questions flowed, and his gradual ease with Remi was building.

Remi stood there and listened, letting him get it all out before answering any of the myriad questions.

"Let's go to the conference room, the chairs are more comfortable, and I'll order you something to eat.

" Remi held out his hand toward the door, beckoning him to go, but it took him a few seconds to actually get moving.

His confusion was tying him in knots, and Remi planned to work on an explanation as soon as they were in the privacy of the conference room.

Remi took him by the arm and hurried him along to the elevator, not in the mood to field too many questions at the moment. His wonderful discovery was fresh, and he needed time to understand what he had and what was ahead of him.

He also wanted to get a feel for what Conrad knew and what he would have to explain in terms of their new relationship. He was aware of the paranormal, but that didn't mean he had any knowledge of their customs and culture regarding beloveds.

They got out on the main floor, and Remi led him to a large room beyond the lobby, off to the left, down a hallway. It was a pleasant space, although Remi would have preferred something more personal, but taking him to his room could be taken the wrong way.

Conrad had remained silent in the elevator but kept sneaking glances at him.

He was trying to figure him out, but with Fate's hand in the mix, he could not read him.

If he relaxed and reached out with his heart, he would get a basis or a foundation of their emotional connection, but he seemed to be too busy fretting.

Remi had ordered a light meal of salad, rolls, and lemonade.

He wasn't sure of Conrad's taste, but he got the feeling he wasn't in the mood for anything heavy.

"Is there anything else you'd like?" He asked once the meal was set up and they had taken their seats at the end of the long table.

Conrad shook his head and then began on his salad.

He was hungry and not trying to hide it; this gratified Remi.

"The man you helped was taken to the hospital, examined, and released, apart from a scar on his heart that was quickly regenerating; he had no issues," Remi stated, and Conrad stopped with his fork halfway to his mouth and glanced up at Remi.

"That's good, I was afraid I might have been too late." Conrad set his fork down and took a long sip of his lemonade. Remi watched him and waited, hoping he was going to open up, and he did.

"I'm sorry, I know I've been acting odd and refusing to answer direct questions, but I don't know who I can trust. Lately, I trust no one and definitely not anyone from the paranormal community." Remi smiled at his inadvertent put-down, and Conrad quickly apologized.

"I didn't mean that the paranormal are all untrustworthy, but just that the ones I've met have been less than stellar."

"I understand, and we feel the same about humans, so it takes time, but eventually we figure it out." Remi then launched into a brief outline of vampire culture and tried to pick up on anything Conrad already knew. It was a bit off subject, but Conrad didn't complain.

“Vampires keep to themselves, and it took our Coven over fifty years of living beside the wolves before we began to trust them and they us.

But with that said, let me assure you that I will never lie or deceive you, that I am dedicated to your health and welfare, and that you can lean on me and I will always be there.

Look into my eyes and tell me what you see.

" Remi locked his gaze with Conrad, who was tense but also anticipatory.

He was coming on strong, but he wanted to get past the introduction and get onto their future.

"We are a Fated bond. I see it in your eyes, and I feel it in my heart." That utterance took Remi completely by surprise, and he let it show. His eyes popped wide for a second before he schooled his features.

“Yes, we are.” He told him honestly and waited for whatever was next.

"I know what that is. I lived among vampires, and it was always a hot topic with them. I saw it once with a bartender who was a vampire and a waitress who was human. It changed the vampire in that his tendency to be a raging asshole at all times was tempered to being a raging asshole only sometimes and never when she was around.” He smiled when Remi laughed.

"It definitely can improve a person's mood and outlook on life," Remi interjected.

"How about you? How do you feel about it?" Conrad was fishing and trying not to seem too invested in Remi's answer, but the stricken look that flashed in his eyes spoke of his insecurities.

"I'm quite okay with it." He said without hesitation.

"Fate is never wrong; her matches are always perfect.

She brought you here to me at this time for a reason.

You're young, and she may have waited a few years to bring us together, except for the fact that you are currently in significant danger.

" Conrad reached his hand out tentatively to touch Remi's, and Remi responded by taking his hand and holding it loosely.

"I'm nineteen and old enough to take care of myself, which I have done for quite some time. My brother has never been a caregiver . . . I looked out for myself."

"I didn't mean to demean your age. I was only pointing out that Fate brought you to me to protect you and to secure our bond." Remi really didn't mean to insult him. He would remember that age and vulnerability were touchy points for Conrad.

“You don’t want to bond with me because I’m a dumb kid? You wish that Fate had waited a while so you could decide if I was worth your time.” Conrad was getting worked up, and Remi was at a loss for the cause or how to backtrack.

Conrad's eyes filled with tears that threatened to spill, and Remi jumped to his feet and snatched Conrad from his chair, picking him up and crushing him to his chest. He was overcome by Conrad's emotional burst and was attempting to channel his feelings and the excitement he felt at finding Conrad.

“I wish for nothing apart from what Fate has most generously given me. I wasn’t judging, I was only explaining our present situation.” Remi was careful with his words this time

Remi had never lost control like that before.

Conrad's needs overruled everything else, and he was compelled to comfort him.

Conrad leaned into the embrace, and slowly, Remi felt his arms raise and felt Conrad wrapping them around his waist, and held on just as Remi was holding on.

"This feels good," Conrad said in a breathless tone, his face pressed against Remi's chest. It did feel good, really good, and Remi hoped that the pull would bring Conrad to him physically and emotionally.