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“Sorry for my impertinence, it was an impulse. It won’t happen again; losing control isn’t in my nature, but the thirst got the better of me.” He tipped his head ashamedly.

Aerin’s soft chuckle puzzled him; not many would recover their sense of humor so quickly after being bitten.

“Forgiven, as you can see, you did more damage to yourself than you did to me. However, thirsty or not, you’ve got to learn to control those impulses if you want to stay in town to figure out what happened to you and your ship.”

“My memory might have some gaps, but I’m not some bloodthirsty monster. I can control myself.” Gideon found the strength to stand, but the room swayed a little, like he was still on a ship, and he sat back down.

“You’ve been awake for less than seventy-two hours, and you attempted to break into a blood bank and bit me,” Aerin countered, opening a can and pulling out a small oily fish.

“And I think I’ve learned my lesson,” he grumbled, motioning to his defeated self on the kitchen floor. “I’ll follow your rules if it gets me answers.”

“Good, we should be able to get some answers in town. You should be able to get around easily enough in the evening, as the sun sets earlier. There are wards over the town to protect the humans.”

“Protect them?”

“From mystical activities, the wards prevent humans from seeing any use of magic and features of magical folk, but if they see a blood-covered vampire wandering the street, they might scream zombie, so no feeding on anyone in town.”

“No feeding on the locals, I can do that.”

“Good. Sardine?” Aerin offered, before swallowing one whole.

He shook his head, but it only made the throbbing worse. “I’ll stick to blood.”

“Suit yourself. If you need more blood, there are a few more bags in the fridge,” she said, pointing to the large cold cupboard beside him.

“I appreciate it.” He pulled on the metal handle and grabbed another bag, embarrassed by how much effort it took in his weakened state.

“Help yourself. This is your home until we can figure out when and where you came from. While you’re working on that bag of blood, did you recall anything when you woke up? Maybe where were you going before you ended up in the sea?” she asked, finishing the tin of sardines. “The sooner we figure it out, the sooner you can be out of here.”

“I’m a vampire,” he joked, searching every corner of his mind.

“Good start.”

“I recall being on a ship. 1823 was engraved on the mast, probably the date it first set sail. I was traveling home with my crew to London. All I know is that getting home was urgent, and this weight of grief on my chest hit me before the memory slipped to darkness,” Gideon confessed, wondering if in their haste they had got caught up in a storm.

“Given the length of time you were deprived of blood, it explains the memory loss. I’m sure it’ll come back to you with plenty of blood and rest. With my blood poisoning your system, that will probably take a bit longer now.” She sighed.

“I can’t stay here with a lady alone. It’s not right; it would ruin your reputation.” He gawked.

“As I’ve already told you, times have changed, and my reputation isn’t worth much. You’ll stay here until I say so. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself chained back up in that coffin of yours,” Aerin said, picking up the empty blood bags and putting them in the bin beneath the sink. He didn’t doubt she meant it.

“Do I get to ask some questions? How do I know you aren’t the one who abducted me from my ship? How do I know you haven’t been keeping me hostage for over a hundred years?” Gideon countered. He only had her word to go on. His savior or captor?

“Why would I want to keep a vampire in my basement for a hundred years?” she huffed, crossing her arms across her chest. “Why would I suddenly give you blood?”

“Why would you, and forgive me, but you don’t seem like the goodness-of-your-heart type of person to pull a random coffin up out of the sea?” he asked, getting on his feet and using the counter as leverage.

“Trust me, I had no desire to have you in my home. And, you’re right, I didn’t intend to save anyone. The only reason I pulled your starving arse out of the depths was that I thought that pretty gold coffin of yours would fetch a nice price at auction; I didn’t know it came with a vampire stowaway,” Aerin admitted.

“You could’ve kept the coffin. Let me starve, or stake me. You didn’t have to feed me. Why wake me?” he asked, closing the gap between them, trying to see within her mind.

“A decision I’m regretting. I was curious, one of my worst traits. Staking you would’ve made a mess of the coffin. It would’ve lessened the value if the lining were caked in vampire sludge,” she mused, and he was only half sure she was kidding.

“Fine. I’ll stay here and follow your rules, but I’ve one question.” Gideon didn’t want to go back in the coffin, and he wasn’t strong enough to fight her. Yet. If she brought him back to life when she didn’t have to, it told him there was a warm heart under her cold exterior.

“I’m listening,” she huffed, looking at the ruined kitchen table in the corner of the room. He hadn’t meant to destroy it.

“What are you?” He closed the gap between them, but she didn’t shrink. She stared up at him defiantly, and he could smell the sea in her blood. It was nothing like he had ever smelled before. Intoxicating and dangerous.