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“Kragen?”
He shakes his head, stopping the anger from forming. “It wasn’t Kragen. It was my choice.”
“Your choice? Why?”
“Because it was the only way to find you.”
“You…” I stutter. “You willingly changed yourself into a vampire to find me?” The reality of his words hit me. “What the hell were you thinking?” I stand from the settee and move toward the edge of the piazza. “You had a family. You had a wife and a child, and you,” I motion to the building surrounding us, “you had a home that you built.”
He stands, matching my energy. “You’re right, I had all of that, but I didn’t have you.”
“How could you do that to her? How could you do that to them?”
He sighs. “I was a horrible husband and a subpar father. My wife hated me, and I can’t blame her. She was forced to marry me because the man she loved wasn’t of her stature.”
“He was a merchant,” I interrupt, remembering Francis’s words from earlier.
“Aye. Her father refused to let them marry. It was him that she loved, not me. I made sure she would be taken care of for the rest of her life. I gave her every penny I had along with this house and the blessing to marry who she truly loved. She gave me her blessing to do what I needed to do. She understood.”
“She knew what you were doing? That you were planning on becoming a vampire?”
He closes his eyes. “Aye. It turned out to be the best thing for both of us.”
“Francis is your great-great-great-granddaughter.”
“I know,” he whispers. “I’ve watched her off and on for many years.”
I fight to keep the tears forming in my eyes from sliding down my cheeks. “Why did you keep yourself hidden from me?” My words feel selfish, leaving my lips.
His gaze softens, sensing my turmoil. “I never stopped searching. I came close to finding you several times, yet you managed to stay one step ahead of me. I never gave up on you. Iwillnever give up on you.”
Losing the battle with my tears, they stream down my face, making me feel weak. Something I haven’t felt in a very long time.
“I’m so sorry, Elsie. I should’ve stopped him that day. I was a coward, and it’s something I’ve regretted ever since.”
“You survived. That’s not being a coward. You brought my family safely here and helped them when no one else would. For that, I thank you. If you would’ve died that day, they would’ve too.”
He closes his eyes at my words. “It doesn’t make it any easier. Three hundred years have passed since I saw him take you. For three hundred years, I’ve replayed that image in my mind, thinking of the things I should’ve done.”
“You did what you had to do—live. I did what I had to do—survive.” I wipe the stains from my cheeks. “How did you find me?”
One side of Thorne’s mouth liftshigher than the other. “I come to Charleston every few months to check on Francis.”
“She acted like she didn’t know you.”
“Aye, she doesn’t. I stay in the background, never allowing her to see me.”
“Until now,” I interrupt. “Why?”
“I sensed you. I knew you were here and where you were.”
“In your home.” I laugh. “I was looking for something to connect me to you.”
“You found it.” His voice is soft as his eyes peer into mine. “I’m not going anywhere.”
I step closer, giving in to the desire of my heart instead of my head. Thorne’s energy matches mine. His desire is evident on his face.
“Everything okay in here?” Ms. Francis interrupts. Thorne steps back, putting distance between the two of us.
