Page 92 of Sinful Mates

“Yes, but where are we going?”

“I have a cabin out in the woods a few days’ drive from here,” Claire says.

“We are going to Claire’s until we come up with a plan. At least now we may be able to find out something about your family, and what you are. The blood tests came back yesterday, and all we found was that your father was a vampire.”

“My father was a vampire?” I’m stunned.

“Yes, we found trace amounts of vampire DNA in your system. It was very weak,” Caroline explains.

“Well, we know one other thing, the mother's side are witches,” Claire chimes in. I don’t know how to feel about that, if they are witches? How did they hide it from me and why I’m not a witch, too?

As if reading my thoughts, Claire says, “You don’t believe me?”

“That talisman holds your power or magic , as we like to call it. When we get to my place and are safe, we can try to unlock that talisman and let the magic find its way home.”

“But if I’m a witch, why do we have to run?” I ask, confused.

“Because you may not be forced to change from the council, but you are still technically human. Tobias won’t allow you to die just to have a child, Imogen, they will still change you, regardless.”

Her saying that reminds me of what Theo said last night.

“Theo says my blood changed, that it reminds him of Tobias's,” I tell her. Caroline glances at me in the mirror.

“That means you’re having a were-baby,” Caroline says, confirming my assumptions.

Chapter Twenty-Six

The moment she stepped into our building looking for a job, I smelt her innocence. Not in the sense of her virginity; no, that was gone long before we got to her. She was experienced in that area and very open-minded. But purity is near impossible to explain. It wasn’t just how she looked; it was more a sense. Everything about her was pure; her thoughts were pure and had no malice, despite her pain, her intentions, and the way she carried herself. She had this aura around her, following her, leaving pieces of herself everywhere she went. Her heart truly has no limits for ever giving, not asking for anything in return. Imogen is the sort of person who will give until she has nothing left. She gives herself over completely if she thinks it is in another’s best interest. She trusts blindly, yet when betrayed, fights wildly—almost irrationally—in her anger, only to continue to forgive and let others take from her even when it is killing her slowly piece by piece. But I doubt the girl has ever held a grudge in her life longer than five seconds. It isn't in her nature. She can forgive and forget like it is a flick of a switch, always choosing to give another chance, no matter how much we wrong her. I fear that will be what gets her killed, though.

I know we have taken from her, taken her choice, taken that innocence from her. But what we found after taking everything from her, is everything she is capable of. The girl has flare and fire deep within her she keeps hidden away, never trusting of her own emotions never letting them show even when we knows she was breaking. She has the ultimate control within herself and what she feels, yet in her thoughts she feels out of control. Sure, we have seen her anger, but with it came her forgiveness. It’s like she isn’t satisfied unless she has nothing left. Like she is more comfortable, having nothing, like she thinks she is undeserving.

When I left Imogen this morning, something pulled at me. This overwhelming sense of longing, even though she was right in front of me. Walking out of the house, I felt like I was losing everything I love about her, yet I knew by the look in her eye that she had found an additional reason for life. Her eyes held hope even in impending doom.

She no longer fears her death, and I wonder why she suddenly has the light back in her eyes. I’m left wondering who else she has to fight for. Same as last night when she woke; I had this immense feeling she was saying goodbye, the way she touched me, the way she said my name was almost like she was afraid it would be the last time she would speak it.

Getting in the car and driving to work with Tobias, I know he feels the shift too, something has changed. I just can’t put my finger on it. Something deep is nagging, trying to pull me back to her. The pull she has over us is always there, yet right now we truly have to fight against her pull, just to stop ourselves from turning back and going home again. Neither of us saying a word, both trapped in our own heads. When we pull up to work, we both stand silently waiting for the elevator, both watching the numbers go down.

“You feel it, right?” Tobias asks, glancing in my direction before looking at the stainless-steel doors. I nod.

“Something has changed, I can feel it in every part of me. What if we broke her?” he asks. Worry laces his words. I have never seen Tobias like this; he is always so concealed in the way he feels. Even after centuries being by each other’s side he always keeps those walls up, never letting slip how he truly feels, keeping himself guarded and not giving anyone the chance to hurt him, not even me. Yet Imogen has softened him. It used to bother me, jealousy can be a cruel thing sometimes. We have known her for a year yet her impact on him has him opening up, letting both Imogen and myself in. I haven’t had that effect on him, and we have been together for centuries.

Tobias has always been the dominant one, the one who needs control and I let him have it, but with her came a sort of possessiveness that both of us weren’t prepared for. I love Tobias, but if I had to choose, I would choose her and I know Tobias would choose the same. She is light in our darkness. I worry the darkest parts of us are tainting her and will be her undoing. We have already condemned her, took her idea of life away from her selfishly, all because we couldn’t live without her.

“We haven’t broken her. I don’t know, I could even taste it in her blood. Something is different; like something is coming alive in her, then there is also something else.”

“Something else?” Tobias asks, pressing the button to our floor.

“She tastes like a werewolf. I can literally taste you in her blood.” Tobias glances at me and I can feel his head racing trying to think of why. When I suddenly feel a light click on inside him.

“No, can’t be. I saw she was on the pill. I noticed them in her bag,” I answer his thoughts.

“I haven’t seen her take them, though, have you?”

I tried to think, but I come to the same conclusion: the only pills I have seen her take are pain meds.

“She can’t be, can she?” I asked.

“Ring the council and get her blood test results. Surely, they looked for everything.” The door opens, and my eyes instantly dart to her desk even though I knew I wouldn’t find her there. Walking to my office, I pull my phone from my pocket, deciding to call Tarina. If anyone has seen her blood test result, it’s her, and I know she will answer with honesty.