"A dhampir?"
"I know, I know. He's the offspring of our mortal enemies, how fateful. This is why I doubt my sister would let him stay here, or let us be together. No one knows about us, besides you and Kale."
That prying witch...
Tiara gives me a picture of her and Aaron that was hidden in the case of her pillow. It takes me a second before I realise why the dhampir looks so familiar...
"Does he have a brother named Steven?"
I know that dhampirs usually have many half-brothers from their vampire parent, but they don't usually look alike, because they tend to inherit their human parent's features. Even so, I can swear that I've met the younger version of this Aaron just a few days ago.
"He has, but his name is Louis. Stevens is their surname," explains Tiara, before furrowing her brows. "How do you know about Louis?"
"He's the reason I was almost killed by vampires," I tell her and briefly retell that day's events, including the fight with that obnoxious lady at the playground and chasing Louis after he realised who I am.
"Aaron doesn't let him stay with the vampires, he doesn't want his younger brother to become a blood-slave like their mother."
"So they have the same human parent?"
"Their mother is a dhampir and provider for the local den. She's been promised immortality for two decades now and still believes the vampires will grant her wish." Tiara takes a few steps to the window and looks at the rain-heavy clouds darkening the day sky. "She and Aaron had an ugly fight last year and he and Louis have been living in the trailer park ever since. It hurts me that I can't help them, that I have to let my mate live in such a house, but we're both more frightened about might happen if people would find out about us."
"I'm sure they'd be understanding," I give her a small smile and try to lighten the mood but she shakes her head.
"In our world, outsiders are dangerous for the community, an oddity you should avoid. Even if my pack would support me because my sister is the Alpha, the vampires would hunt all of us. I can't be so selfish to put so many people in danger just because I've been gifted a star-crossed love story by the Moon Goddess."
It's the second time I'm hearing about an ill-fated romance between people of different species, and I still can't understand it. I've had two relationships with supernaturals, and although both brought me trouble, my family didn't try to tear us apart. Not even when I was certain that my mother is trying to bring me back home so I'll be away from Asher, it turned out that my presence was requested there for a quest. As heartless and cold I've thought them to be over the years, they managed to have the decency of not judging people based on their background. It'd been easy to do it since our family legacy is linked to a never-ending fight with the supernatural, but they didn't. My family might be a model of acceptance and equality, and I didn't even see it before. They must have some hidden interests for being like this, of course, but it's still a good thing. It's something the others might one day want to take an example of, before more people, like Thalia's parents and Tiara and her mate, would suffer.
"If you're saying that Aaron is trying to keep him and his brother away from the vampires, they'd better continue doing it. I'm not risking anyone's life to find the answers I'm looking for."
"Except your own," she says and I don't let a single emotion cross my face. It's true and is also the right thing to do. If they're going to be casualties in my battles, then it'll be me or my enemies, no one else.
"You've told me that Louis went to the vampire's territory, so they might already have a problem. I'm going to tell Aaron about this and he might go to the den anyway. It's your choice if you want him to ask around about what happened that day too, even if I'm sure he'll be informed of such news the moment he arrives there."
"Aren't you afraid of what might happen there? It's very easy for a dhampir to be tempted into becoming a blood-worker, in exchange for becoming a full vampire."
I'd be terrified if I were Tiara. Actually, I'd not let my mate go to such a place if I was aware of the risks. I'd rather go myself, then lose him there to a fate worse than life enslavement.
"He can't be tempted by promises of eternity, because he knows he would spend it alone, as I'm not immortal. And he once told me that what he most despised was becoming a blood-worker, before he met me. Now he's fearing that he may be forced to turn and live the rest of his eternity without his mate."
Tiara trembled as she spoke the last words, probably imagining such a disastrous scenario where she and Aaron were parted. My mind involuntary drifts to the moment I'll have to leave Asher, but I'm not allowing myself to think about it for more than the blink of a second. A heartbeat more and I might start crying for the second time today. I have so little time left with him, but we just fight all the time. Whether it's me that is pissed off by his wish to wait, or he who is annoyed by my little work of concealing the lies threatening to spill to the surface, we always managed to stay angry with each other for the good part of the day.
I thought that moving in with him would give me the fairytale week I wished, but maybe we're not in that honeymoon-state of our relationship. And it's likely that we'll never end there. Some couples are happy in the beginning and then break-up, but some build up their relationship through endless trials and storms, before achieving forever bliss. And I know that'd have been us if we were given the time. Unfortunately, I'll remain only with the wander of day-dreaming about a future together, a chance at becoming the perfect soul mates for each other and being happy in the end.
"It's not your and Asher's case, Aline," I hear Tiara trying to comfort me. She must've imagined what a normal, human person would believe in such a scenario, not what a hunter. "I'm sure your turn will go just fine!"
"My-what?" I ask rapidly, finally snapping back to reality.
"Your turn into an immortal like Asher?"
"We-, we've never discussed it."
"Oh, it's too early anyway," she tries to cheer me up but I'm still analysing her words.
"How can I become immortal like my mate, but you can't, if Aaron becomes a vampire?"
"Because this is the Lycan's gift," she explains and I do feel like I'm hearing this information for the second time. "Their mates help them evolve from a Lycanthrope and become their true selves, and, in exchange, their mates become immortal just like them. So none of them would have to walk the Earth alone again, until the end of times."
I'm beyond shocked and decide that this is too much to handle for now. I won't get to that point anyway... but if I did, what would it imply?
"How would change after my turn?"
"Well, there were only a handful of humans mated to a Lycan, but except immortality, you'd likely still be you. No other wolf-powers, but you may have a different aura than a normal human. And it is helpful only if you're a witch because you can harness this new power."
"I could... that additional power could even lift a curse?" I ask, remembering that soul-analysis I didn't bother to think about after Asher explained the results to me. But given the recent events, I'm taking any possibility.
"You mean your oppression curse?" She asks and I nod. "It was never done, but they praise it as being an ancient, sacred form of magic so it should be able to destroy curses."
I'm tempted by it for a second but then abandon the idea altogether. It wasn't a great idea to become immortal, for all the perks it brought for both of us, because I'm dedicated to the job I have. I can't be a hunter if I'm supernatural myself.
"If Aaron hears anything interesting about me, if he goes to the den, then I'll be grateful if you'd inform me," I tell Tiara, before sitting up and going to the door. "Thank you," I say in lieu of other parting words and shut the door behind me.
I take a deep breath, a million thoughts speeding through my head after the discussion with Tiara. And although I have more questions now than answer, I also have got reminded by the promise I have made myself the night after the semi-formal: I'm going to enjoy these last days with Asher. And because I have no leads for the problem I wanted to solve, neither I may get some in time, I have no other excuses to be away from him now. I know he's probably still angry because I've insisted in seeing Thomas this morning, even if a small part of myself knew it'll be to no avail, but I'm willing to take the first steps this time.
There are eight more days until I travel to Hy-Brasil.
Four days until I'll leave Asher and head to London.
Two days until the Lycans' Semi-Final Competition for the Throne.
And less than 48 hours to spend with my soul mate before all of this happen.