Read Online The Dark Gifts Birthright by Willow Cross - Free Book Online Page B

pass.
After it turned into the next tunnel, she exhaled, slipped her hand
inside Liz's, and continued through passageway. “She really is the
best mother anyone could have. Loving, kind. Oh, and very wise.
She's been around so long that I'd guess she knows just about
everything.”
    “That's really great. So you do like being a
vampire then?”
    Her smile didn't falter, as she artfully
dodged the question. “Now Gregorio is an interesting character. Did
you know that at one time he was also revered as a god?”
    Liz tried not to laugh as she answered, “No,
really?”
    “Oh yes. He's quite mysterious.” Angie looked
around before dropping her voice to a whisper. “No one knows who
his maker is or how old he is. No one. I've asked mother
many times and she doesn't even know. And she knows
everything!”
    “Wow.”
    Angie's face lit up. “I know! Crazy, right?
And the best part is, he has the ear of the Eldest. And when you
have that...”
    The girl talked so fast and so much that an
hour later when they had reached the rooms, Liz was certain she
knew the entire history of every vampire living in the
fortress.
    As they entered her new home, Angie’s
conversation turned to make-up, music, and typical teenager things.
She was going to do Liz’s hair and toes, and they were going to
have so much fun. It was all very amusing to Liz, although at
times, she had sympathy pains for what she must have put her own
sisters through when she was a teenager.
    Angie had spent the majority of her 300 years
in the fortress. She explained how the land above had been
purchased and turned into a wood mill. When this part of the new
world became populated, they needed a justifiable reason for the
traffic in and out of the area. No human had ever worked there. No
humans were allowed on the property. Except, of course, those that
were living there by choice, but they were never allowed to
leave.
    “Wait. Back up just a minute. What do you
mean except the ones that choose to live here?”
    “Those that want to become, they live here,”
Angie replied.
    “I don’t understand.” Liz saw a look of fear
pass quickly over Angie’s face as she questioned her.
    “Oh boy, am I in for it now. I’m sorry, I
can’t tell you anymore. Mother will tell you when it’s time,” Angie
said sweetly and promptly disappeared down the hall. No goodbye, no
see you later, just gone.
    Refusing to let yet another moment of
confusion delay her, Liz began to examine her new living quarters.
The apartment offered one large sitting area with two connecting
rooms. She stood in the main room, surrounded by stone walls and
luxuriously carpeted floors. The décor was similar to Athena’s,
with the over-sized, plush furniture covered in warm, inviting
fabrics. Unlike Athena’s quarters, however, this place seemed
empty, like a discarded set design or a staged magazine photo. No
silks or satins, and no hint that Michael had ever lived in this
place.
    Through the main room, a bathing room housed
a marble bathtub large enough for several people and oddly
reminiscent of ancient bathhouses. The mirrored walls and ceilings
made the room seem spacious.
    Through the bath, another door led to an
overly masculine bedroom. Where the main room had been covered in
tapestries and ancient artifacts, this room was full of pelts and
weapons. Hundreds of swords and knives were neatly arranged on the
walls around the room. Even the proverbial suit of armor stood in
the corner holding a mace and shield. She wondered how many times
the various weapons had been used, and how many people they had
killed. After a thorough investigation of her new home, she ended
up back by the fire. She didn’t want all this time to think. She
didn’t want to let her mind wander. She wanted Michael.
    Chuckle. “Not so easily distracted I see.
Patience, I will be there soon.”
    She shot a mental bullet back at him, “How
long is soon?” She stood motionless waiting to see if a reply
would come. She