As soon as Lune said that the rules of social engagement were overrated, Rayth was convinced that he was going to like her. He’d already gotten that impression from their first conversation, but the casually-made statement solidified his theory. Anyone who paved their own way in the world rather than worrying about what others thought of them were A-OK in his book. “Thanks. I eat my vegetables,” he replied, letting the gate close behind them once they had both passed through the opening in the fence. If she had been more comfortable with his supernatural heritage, he would have added that the regular meals of human blood helped too, but it was best not to talk about that. The way she angled her body to keep him in her sight at all times didn’t slip past his notice, and he wondered what she thought she was achieving by watching him so carefully. If he had wanted to feed from her, it would have made no difference if he came at her from the front or the back. He could easily restrain her in the blink of an eye either way. However, the needless behavior seemed to soothe her, so he tolerated it as they made their way to the train and walked alongside the railroad toward the cars meant for the troupe members. “Actually, I haven’t figured that out yet,” he answered her question with a helpless shrug. “I’ve thought about it before, but I’ve never met any other half vampires, so I don’t have anyone I can ask. All I know is that I aged like a human until I turned eighteen, then I either stopped or slowed down so much that I can’t tell if I’m aging at all anymore. I guess I’ll find out which it is in another century or so.” Assuming he lived that long, he mused. While he stayed with the circus, he was safe from hunters, but he’d lived long enough to learn that he couldn’t predict where his life would go ten or five or even one year from the current day. Nothing was certain, and he’d taught himself to ‘go with the flow’ because there was no sense in worrying about things that were outside of his control. “Since you asked me, it’s only fair that I get to ask how old you are now,” he posed, taking a second to look her over in a scrutinizing fashion. “My guess is seventeen. Am I right?”