He nodded. I dont know what I would do if I woke up tomorrow and had a choice. Well, I can think of a few things, but a career?
You do have a choice. Pures have all the choices.
He glanced down at me, frowning. No, we dont. Thats the biggest misconception between our races. Halfs think we have all the choices, but we are just as limited as your kind is, but in different ways.
I really didnt believe that, but I didnt want to argue and ruin the moment. So you really dont know what youd do? He shook his head, so I offered my suggestion. A police officer.
Aiden brows rose up. You think Id be a police officer?
I nodded. You want to help people. I dont think youre corruptible. Being a Sentinel and a police officer are kind of the same thing. Fighting the bad guys, keeping the peace, and all that good stuff.
I guess youre right. He smiled then. A mortal girl about my age stumbled as she passed us on the trail. Aiden seemed oblivious to her. Hey, Id get a badge. I dont have one of those now.
I want a badge, too.
Aiden cocked his to the side, laughing. Of course, youd want a badge. Heylook what I see. He pointed around the bend.
Cats!
His hand curved around mine more fully, almost like some unconscious part of him was responding to me.
Several yards of empty space and fencing separated the lion pen from the visitors. At first, I didnt see him, and then he prowled up from behind a rock, tossing his mane from side to side. His orange-yellow coat reminded me of Seths eyes. Actually, the way the lion stopped in front of the gathering crowd and yawnedflashing a row of razor sharp teethalso reminded me of Seth.
Hes beautiful, I whispered, wishing I could somehow get closer. I wasnt one of those lunatics who climbed into a lions den, but I also wanted to touch onea people-raised, totally tame one not likely to rip off my hand.
He looks bored out of his mind.
We stayed there a while, watching the feline stroll around the grassy knoll before climbing atop a large rock and lying down, tail swishing back and forth. Finally, some of the female lions decided to show up. I told Aiden they were the real deal, recalling something I heard on Animal Planet about the females actually being more badass than the males. Within a couple of minutes, two of them joined the male on the rock.
I groaned as they lay down beside the male. Ah, come on. Knock him off the rock.
Aiden chuckled. I think hes got two girlfriends.
Dog, I muttered.
We left the Bushlands, wandering into the North American section. This part seemed virtually empty compared to the other. I guess the mortals were bored by the bears and other familiar critters. Aiden seemed fascinated with them, and I spotted a bobcat. I let go of Aidens hand and went up to the outer fence. A slight breeze rolled in. We were much closer than any of the other exhibits. Close enough that the bobcat appeared to catch our scent.
Itd been stalking some unseen prey up until that moment. She stopped, though, inclining her head in our direction. A second or two passed, and I swear our eyes met. Long, thin whiskers twitched as she smelled the air.
Do you think she knows what we are? I asked.
Aiden propped himself against the guardrail. I dont know.
We werent allowed to have pets on the island. Some pures could use compulsion to control their actions, which meant so could a daimon. It was rare and took an extremely powerful pure to do so, but it was a risk no one ever took. Id always wanted a pet growing upa cat.
Mom believed they did, I said. She said animals could sense we were different from the mortals, especially cats.
He was silent for a few moments, and I was sure his brain was turning. Putting together some sort of puzzle. Did your mother like cats?
I shrugged. I think it had something to do with my father. Whenever wed come here, wed always ended up here right before we left. I glanced over my shoulders, nodding at the weathered benches. Wed sit over there and watch the cats.
Aiden shifted closer, but didnt speak.
I turned back to the pen, smiling. It was the only time Mom would talk about my father. She never really said much about him. Except that he had the warmest brown eyes. I wonder if he had something to do with animals, you know? I curled my fingers around the wire mesh of the fence. Anyway, the last time we were here was when she told me he was dead and told me his name. She named me after him, did you know that? I guess thats why Lucian hated it when Mom called me Alex. After a while, she started calling
me Lexie instead. My fathers name was Alexander.
Several moments passed where neither of us said anything. Aiden spoke first. Thats why you like the zoo so much.
Yeah, you got me. I laughed self-consciously.
Its nothing to be ashamed of, to want to be close to something that reminds you of your loved ones.
I didnt even know him, Aiden.
Still, he said. He was your father.
I watched the bobcat for a few more seconds. It prowled the edge of its pen, no longer curious about our presence. Its powerful muscles flexed under the spotted coat. There was something amazingly graceful about the way it moved.