The Shadow's Son by Nicole R. Taylor Read Free Book Online

empty table in the far corner. "What's up?" she asked, sliding into a chair.
    Aya gazed out of the window, watching the outside world go by. "This is difficult for me," she said after a moment.
    "I know things aren't too good between you and Zac lately," Liz said. "He's worried about you, Aya."
    "I know."
    "What's going on? You know you can tell me, right?"
    Aya turned her gaze onto the young vampire and suppressed a snort. One of the new things she'd learnt about the modern world was that humans liked to go to therapists to talk through their problems. Liz was not going to be hers. Not by a long shot.
    "I care for him, you know," she continued, warily. "I don't like to see him hurt."
    Aya didn't compel Gabby, but that was because she couldn't. Not effectively anyway. But, Liz? Liz she could. She knew she was fiercely protective of Zac, after all, he had once loved her and now she looked up to him like a big brother. She wouldn't let her do this without a fight and she didn't have it in her to argue.
    Leaning forward, she stared into Liz's eyes and said as evenly as she could, "I'm leaving and probably won't come back any time soon. All you will remember about me is that I'm a vampire and I helped to save Zac. You will forget about my little resurrection trick and what I really am. You will only remember when I say you can." Liz nodded as the compulsion took hold. "Oh, and my blood is poison to vampires. Remember that part, it's important."
    "Is Zac going with you?" the young vampire asked in a monotone voice.
    "No. It's safest for him here."
    "Okay."
    Aya stood, pushing her chair back under the table as Liz shook her head, a bewildered expression on her face. "Gotta go, Liz."
    "Aya? When did you get here?"
    "Just now," she grimaced. "But, I forgot something. I'll see you later."
    "Oh, alright ," she lifted a hand. "See you later then."
    But, Aya didn't hear her - she was already out the door and looking across the street to the gardens that had become so familiar. She'd come to sit here and listen to the world around her that first day after she had woken. One hundred and fifty years had passed and everything had changed beyond recognition. It wasn't the same Ashburton she had known in the 1800s. Not on the surface, anyway.
    The gardens held many memories, not all of them good. Here was where she first met Alex, the human gardener, best friend to Liz, Gabby and also to Sam. In the beginning, he had no idea that he was friends with vampires and a witch. Not until the night she and Sam saved him from a rouge vampire in Katrin's employ. As it always seemed to pass in these situations, he found out in the worst way possible. With time, and full disclosure, he came around and he was her greatest champion.
    Aya crossed the street with a sigh. All she had left to do now was to go and see Alex. He was one of the good ones, which made all of this that more difficult. Humans had been a means to an end for her. On one hand, they were food. On the other hand, they were easily manipulated. The more she had gotten to know Alex, the more she saw how selfish she had been all these years. There had been many humans she had known and respected, but she had never considered any of them worthy of knowing her secrets. None of them she had ever truly called friend. Not until Alex.
    She found him up a ladder pruning some unruly ivy that had grown up the trunk of an old looking willow. It was slowly suffocating the life from the tree and the irony of that didn't escape her. She watched him wresting with the hedge clippers for a moment, debating how she would go about telling him.
    "Hey," he said, finally noticing her.
    "Hey."
    "Is everything okay?" he asked concerned, dropping the hedge clippers into the turf and climbing down the ladder.
    She looked away, not knowing how to begin.
    "Things aren't too great with you and Zac, are they?"
    "No," she said. "Alex, I have to leave."
    "Yeah," he sighed, not surprised in the least at her