Talk about anal. "They're scared of a bird?"
"They aren't scared. They're powerful, stronger than the hunters' bloodline."
"They're vampires." No one was stronger than the hunters.
"They're more. They're a different species of vampires."
"You guys have species?!"
Roane chuckled and found my hand with his. "Each vampire is born from the bloodline of the vamp that turned him or her, but those guys are different. They were born as vampires. There's magic in their blood that lets them reproduce. They give birth just like humans."
"Baby vamps." Holy crap.
"Baby vampires." He nodded.
"How do they do their sonar stuff?"
"No one knows. They stick to their own. We don't even know if they follow the decree. We know about them only because Lucan found a baby girl one time. He had a thing for anything unusual. My brother was obsessed with anything more powerful than us. It's why we found Talia when she was so little."
Every hair on my body stood upright. I shuddered. "How did you know they'd be here tonight?"
"I didn't. I knew Bennett was obsessed with having you change Lucan."
"You think Bennett knew where Lucan is?"
He shook his head. "I know he didn't, but he knew where you were. I think Lucan found that girl and her line has taken him in. If I were him, I'd have them find you. You're an unknown to him now. He thought he knew everything about the Immortal, but he now knows that he doesn't. He didn't take your power. You made him human instead. That's never been in the lore. You're going to become his new obsession now."
And that was alarming on a whole other level. "They were following him to find me?"
He nodded and clenched his jaw.
My eyes got wide. "That's why you killed Bennett, isn't it?"
"As much as I'd love to follow them back, I won't risk you."
"How would you be able to follow them? It sounds like they're living ghosts to the vampire community."
Roane looked at me and titled my head up. His hand cupped the side of my face and his thumb caressed my cheek. "I'd follow you, not them."
There went my heart. It stopped its pitter pattering.
"I could follow you anywhere."
Now it took off like a horse race.
His hand dropped and he stood up. "I drank from you before you fully became the Immortal. I can smell you from a continent away."
My shoulders slumped down. The pitter patter race ground to a halt. "You know just what to say to a girl."
"It's the aroma. Your blood overwhelms me at times."
My nose wrinkled. "So I'm smelly?"
He looked out over the quad and murmured, "Yes. Exactly." Then he abruptly looked down. "No, not in a bad way. It's a good way. We were lovers. It's an intimate aroma, like perfume."
"Were?"
Roane laughed and took my hand. He pulled me to my feet and then hugged me tightly. "We will be again. I'm hoping." His eyes held mine captive and the Derby race started once more.