But Damon ignored what I said and continued along his own thread of thoughts.

"You knew you hadn't long to live. But you wanted Lucian's happiness. There was really only one sure way to ensure that happened and that was to come to us. You spoke to my mum and told her that Lucian won't drink from anyone other than you. If you died so did he. You were both locked racing towards an early grave," said Damon grimly before feeding me the last bite.

I felt my bile rise up from all that he had said and had difficulty swallowing.

"So while you worked your end of the plan in getting Lucian to us. We began our own strings of negotiations. Dad had to be brought around to our way of thinking. Your proposal of a memory wipe worked to our advantage. We were able to achieve the desired outcome on all points. But we needed to get Lucian to agree with your plan," said Damon pausing to await vmy reaction.

" Lucian knew?" I gasped out.

"Not at first but Dad filled him in with your coming to us for help. I think it took the seriousness of that action to penetrate his natural stubbornness. He was convinced you were in no danger that he would somehow go on saving you. He was in short delusional in his worry for you. You dud well in coming to us when you did. Any later and there may have been nothing anyone could have done with your situation except maybe turn you."

I shuddered at that. Never would I wish for becoming infected by the blasted parasite that turned one into the living dead. I knew there were lunatics out there who actually desired the condition but like all fad this too would one day fade. But by then it would be all too late for those who had already succumbed to the fad. They would have already given up their very humanity to embrace the life of a blood sucking parasite.

I knew from experience there could be no joys from that. on both sides of the fence.

"Dad worked on Lucian in the days that followed your capture weakening him to prepare his mind for the change. In all that time Lucian stayed true refusing even a drop of blood from anyone who was not you. It made our work that much easier. For he went without entirely." Damon rose to his feet to pace away from me in agitation then.

"He pleaded daily that we did all we could to save you. But dad was against that from the start. He wanted you dead and out of the way for good. So he made a deal with Lucian. His agreement to wed Vanessa in exchange for your life. His deal with Dad overrode our own with you. In the end dad did work on Lucian's memories but not to remove his love for you as you anticipated. He removed instead all memories of Lucian tasting your blood. That went back a lot further than the last five years. For it to work at all he had to get even the slightest taste of your blood removed from his memories. "

Damon stopped his rapid pacing to stare at me.

"He asked only one thing in return and that was for us to save you. So I fed you my blood. I actually started as soon as you got here. I secreted little vials of my blood into your food or drink. It help you gwt stronger and even to some extent made you a lot more susceptible to my manipulating your memories. I removed all memories of Lucian from you for the past five years. I did it to spare you the pain of watching Lucian move on as he must. I did it against your wishes. I won't hold it against you if you decide that what I did was wrong. "

Damon moved closer then before settling beside me on the bed. He reached over my shoulders to pluck the glass of water that accompanied the meal and offered it to me.

I took a serious gulp then drained it whole completely unaware that I had been parched from thirst for most of the day. But Damon had known. He had always known just what to do and when. He saved me. Saved Lucian. His parent's. But never himself.

I lifted a trembling hand to cover his own and said softly, "Thank you for helping me... for helping Lucian."

I leaned forward and was instantly enveloped into his embrace.