The thought of never being alone again resonated strongly with Vail. Even though he’d always lived with the rest of his family, he spent most of his time by himself. Vampires were both familial and solitary creatures. It was an odd dichotomy of their kind. They banded together to form strength in their numbers, but when it came to day-to-day activities, they often preferred to engage in individual hobbies or hunt in seclusion. He was the same way, rarely seeking out the company of his parents or cousins unless he needed something from them. Every once in a while, he got his social fix from attending human events—as he had on the fateful night of her birthday party—but his interest in attending them stemmed from his fascination with their species rather than a need to spend his time in a group setting. He usually kept to himself and observed, only interacting with the partygoers when there was something to be learned, such as when he’d taken an interest in dancing.

However, his isolated past didn’t inhibit him from being drawn to a future with Victoria at his side. She was the only person he actively wanted to be near on a regular basis. He enjoyed his time with his family when they were together as well as with other vampires like Sylvia, with whom he was close enough to relax. However, he didn’t crave their attention and affection like he did with the woman who had just kissed his hand. The bond they were forging was different, stronger in a way that he’d never experienced before. Never being alone again sounded quite appealing when it meant spending the rest of his immortal life with her.

When she questioned him about what she should do, he considered their options quietly. As a born vampire, he was just as clueless about what they should expect as she was in regard to her transformation. He’d read a bit about it in the tome, but there wasn’t very much information beyond the ritual itself, so he genuinely couldn’t say whether it was better for her to get up and adjust to her new life or rest for a while longer.

“If you feel strong enough, you can try to get up soon,” he mused, deciding Victoria would be the best judge of how she was doing. “It would probably be best to keep you away from humans for a while, but there are none in the summer house, so I don’t see any reason why you shouldn’t come with me when I check on my family… I’d like you to be there.” Somewhat selfishly, he wanted the rest of his clan—particularly his father—to see that he was just as dedicated to his former human lover as he had been before. He also simply wanted to be next to her after he’d lacked the warmth of her company for the last week. So, if she was able to join him, then he would bring her along on the short trip to the Hygraces’ temporary shelter.