He took a sip of his drink. “So?”
I drank my liquor slowly, trying to gather my nerves. I finally managed to make eye contact with him. “So……..I don’t really know where to start Leo.”
He moved over to the couch and sat down. “How about the truth Karli?”
“Will you quit calling me Karli?” I whined.
“Why?” He asked. “It’s your name. Unless that has been a lie as well.”
“Dammit Leo, you know that is my real name! You also know that you rarely address me using it!”
“I’m sorry if I offended you, my dear. Is this better?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Leo, please stop trying to placate me. I can feel your pain. Trust me, it’s hitting me right in the fucking face. It’s pretty damn hard to ignore.”
“That’s an interesting choice of words………What do you mean when you say you can feel my pain?”
Oh God. Now what the hell am I going to do? I can’t lie to him again. I sat down next to him and let out a big sigh. “What do you want me to say? I’m at a loss for words here.”
He grabbed my hand. “I want you to trust me with the truth about you. What have I ever done to make you think that you shouldn’t? I would give my life for you. Why can’t you see that?”
I sighed even deeper, raking my hands through my hair. “Leo, it’s not what you’ve done or haven’t done. It’s what you are.”
“You mean, a vampire?” He questioned.
I was suddenly feeling nauseous so I tucked my head in between my knees. “Yes.”
“And why is that relevant?”
I groaned. “It matters because of what I am.”
“And what exactly are you, my sweet?”
I sat up and turned towards him. “If I tell you that, I’d be trusting you with my life. Literally. Can I do that?”
“Again, what have I ever done to make you think otherwise?” He asked.
I closed my eyes, not able to bare his reaction to what I was about to tell him. “Leo, the reason I could feel your emotions is because I am empathic. I also have quite a few more……..uh, abilities. Most of which I haven’t even figured out yet. The reason I have these abilities is because of what I am……..And what I am………is a fairy. A pure blooded fairy.” I braced myself, ready for the consequences of my confession.
He pressed his lips to the inside of my wrist. “I know, my love.”
My eyes popped open. “You what?!?!?!?!?”
He smiled. “I said, I already know that you’re a fairy, my love.”
Chapter 29
*******************
I held my breath for an indeterminate amount of time, until I was able to form a sentence again. “What? How? When?” Okay, maybe not a whole sentence.
“I pieced it together after you told me that Vance was the only person who could help you.” He replied. “Well, actually I suspected it at that point but I didn’t know for sure until the night of your attack.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Well, don’t take this the wrong way, my sweet but you have an unnatural curiosity about vampires. I could always sense an underlying fear behind your line of questioning whether you realized it or not. That fear, coupled with the timing of your immortality and the fact that Vance is part Fae told me what you are. I must admit, it took me much longer to figure it out than I would have liked. Your rounded ears threw me off for a while, but I knew for sure after ingesting a substantial amount of your blood. Fae blood is legendary among vampires. I couldn’t fully identify the taste that night you hurt your hand in the bar because I had such a small amount. The fairy essence gets stronger as you continue to drink.”
Oh God, I feel like I’m going to puke. “How did you know about Vance?”