Gabriel slammed his fist on the desk in frustration. “How can that be?”

Thomas shrugged. “Not sure. The doc can’t explain it either. He was certain it had to be inherited. Maybe a birth defect?”

Gabriel looked back at her mother’s file. “Let me see what the OB-GYN says here.” He skimmed through the notes, until it hit him. It couldn’t be, but it was right there. “Her mother had a hysterectomy.”

“Cancer?”

“Yes.”

“The chemo could have done something to Maya,” Thomas mused.

Gabriel looked at the date of the notes and suddenly stared at Thomas. “She had her uterus removed before Maya’s birth. Maya isn’t her daughter.”

A stunned Thomas exhaled sharply. “Adopted?”

Gabriel considered it. Back over thirty years ago, surrogacy wasn’t as prevalent as today, which meant her father probably wasn’t her biological father either. “Most likely.” As he said it, he remembered the photos in Maya’s living room. “I should have figured it out earlier. I saw pictures of her parents. They looked nothing like her. Maya’s skin is so much darker—her parents are both blonde and of a much lighter complexion. There’s no way she could be their biological daughter.”

He looked straight at Thomas. “We have to find her real parents. Only then can we figure out what’s wrong with her.”

“I think we might have to ask her whether she knows that she’s adopted.”

Gabriel shook his head. “Let’s wait on that. Check the adoption records first. Start with Social Services and see what you can dig up. I don’t want to tell her about her genetic abnormality yet—she’s got enough to worry about. Promise me you won’t mention anything.”

“Your choice, Gabriel, but you’ll have to tell her eventually. And between you and me, the sooner the better. Women don’t like it when they think they’ve been lied to.”

“What suddenly makes you an expert on women?”

Thomas shrugged. “Common sense.” After a brief pause, he added, “And you might also want to tell her how you feel about her instead of moping about.”

Gabriel snorted. Was it that obvious what he felt? And if Thomas had noticed, did that mean Maya had noticed too? Was that why she was avoiding him? Did she not want his attention? “I don’t remember asking for your advice on my private life.”

His colleague grinned. “Prerogative of a gay man.”

“And besides, there’s nothing between me and her.” Who was he kidding?

“Uh-huh,” Thomas answered.

Fourteen

Gabriel didn’t want to sleep. It was midmorning and most vampires would be in their beds. Instead, he sat in the armchair in the living room, staring into the low fire crackling in the fireplace. Maya hadn’t called to feed off him. He’d listened for her, figuring she would be thirsty by now, but she hadn’t asked for him. He guessed she was mad at him. He had to do something about it, but he didn’t know what.

He’d used her vulnerability and exploited it without concern for her wellbeing. As if she didn’t have enough to deal with as a new vampire. She shouldn’t have to fight off a horny vampire who wanted nothing more than to get into her pants.

Why had he suddenly become so aggressive in his sex life? All these years, he’d never had a problem keeping himself in check. He’d never truly pursued a woman before. It had never mattered. Yes, he’d always wanted a companion, a woman to hold, a woman to have sex with, but he’d been okay with taking what he could get and paying for the rest.

Of course, the loneliness had started getting to him, and that’s why he’d contacted Drake, but while there had been a desire to get rid of the ugly deformity, there’d never been this urgency before. Now he couldn’t wait to be rid of the darn thing for one reason, and one reason only: so he could go to Maya as a real man and woo her. Of course, there was still the ugly scar on his face.

A woman like Maya could do much better than taking a man like him. Once she had adjusted to her new life, she would have all kinds of offers from eligible vampires in the city. If he didn’t make a play for her now, he’d have even less of a chance later when all the competition kicked in.

He had to try now. A small glimmer of hope had sparked when she’d responded so passionately in the study. He hoped it hadn’t all been due to the feeding. Maybe there was a tiny sliver of attraction she felt for him. Or why accept his demand for a kiss at all? He couldn’t give up his fight for her as long as he could cling to this tiny spec of hope.