Page 181 of Vampires of Eden

“It was intentional. I saw this sketchy jerk driving away from the cottage when I was on my way back home. It’s hisdoing. I’m sure of it.”

Intrigued, I lift my head from the bed to meet her eyes. “Sketchy jerk?”

“Yes.” She sits on the edge of the wide bed and near Danny’s knees, facing me. “You know that long, tree-lined road that’s connected to the driveway for the vineyard?”

“Of course.”

“As I was coming toward the house, someone in a dark car sped past me. Drivingwaytoo fast. Nobody typically uses that road except me, you, Danny and anyone else coming directly to the vineyard.”

Nodding, I agree with her assessment. “Did you get a sense of him as he passed?”

“I did—and a glance. He was some dark-haired, gaunt-looking guy. First-gen. I remember the car, too. If I do some digging, I bet I can find out who he was.”

A moment ago, I had felt as if I was dying inside. The darkness is still there, but it’s morphing into something hot and furious. Rage-filled.

First-gen, gaunt and with dark hair. Someone connected to a vampire with motive to hurt Daniel. Someone who works for an old vampire that’s willing to commit an atrocious act against the man I’ve been publicly outed as being in an intimate relationship with.

An arrogant fucking coward who’s just made the biggest mistake of his sad, useless and despicable life.

The words pass through my lips like a growl. “I know who it is.”

Leoni watches me in the silence, considering. “Is he connected to Lord Cherrington? A manservant?”

“Oh, I’d put money on it. But I don’t know his actual name. I call him Smeed.”

“Didn’t Lord Cherrington’s parents famously die in a fire a long time ago?”

“That’s the story,” I say, following the thread of her logic. “It was a terrible ‘accident.’”

She nods as if an important, long-deliberated decision has been made. “Let me gather the evidence about the vineyard fire. Witnesses. Everyone talks—especially within the ranked vampire community. We can’t just go on your word if we take this to the Royal Order. We have to be able to prove it.”

I balk, frowning. “The Royal Order? Cherrington is on the goddamned board. There’s no way they’ll hold him?—”

“You stay with Danny, I’ll look into this. When he wakes up, make him feed again since your blood helps.He’syour priority, got it?”

Exhaling heavily, I lift his limp hand and touch his knuckles to my forehead. I close my eyes and speak quietly. “Yeah, I got it.”

Leoni stands from the bed and stretches her arms up. “I need to go back to the cottage. The emergency team put out the fire, but I want to assess the damage and grab some things, if I can. Then make some phone calls to the main house about repairs.”

This surprises me. “Your parents would help with the cottage? Even though you’re technically an outcast?”

She snickers. “My parents don’t want me living in squalor. That reflects poorly on them in a different, bonus sort of way. I’ll be back later.” She pats my shoulder once more, then leaves me alone with Daniel.

Aside from the soft, steady puff of his breathing behind the simple oxygen mask, it’s stone quiet. The splash of stained-glass lighting his still frame makes me feel like I’m inside of a church and it unsettles me. Reminding me of austerity, death and sacrifices.

I notice an ensuite bathroom along the wall opposite the window. Standing, I investigate and find clean towels and a proper hospital gown. First, I wet a towel, then wipe and clean his face and neck, getting rid of the grime blotting his skin.

Amber comes in to check on us and I ask her if we can change his clothes. She seems shocked for a moment, but quickly agrees.

Carefully, we remove his singed and dirty attire. I wipe him down more thoroughly—his legs, feet, shoulders and chest—then we get him into the gown and pull back the bedsheets without disturbing him too much.

When we finish, I sit down on the edge of the bed and take hold of his hand once more. I stare into his face as he lies there,wanting him to squeeze my palm. Desperate for him to respond to me, somehow.

“Would you like some tea?” Amber asks. “Something while you wait? Coffee?”

“No, thank you,’ I say, not taking my eyes off Daniel. Please wake up.Please.

“Forgive me for prying—I know it isn’t my place, but… the article about the two of you in theCourier and News… could this incident be related?”