The way he looked so much like his son was jarring, but it wasn't my experience with his son that ran through my mind. It was the fact that he and my father had fought over my mother. That all they had wanted to do was breed us so that we could give them the Krae blood.Disgusting.
Vesper and Cedar passed through my mind, unwarranted. I couldn’t keep them at bay. At least not for long.
I miss them. I missed Vesper and Cedar more than my soul could handle. The bond ached constantly, reminding me we were so far apart.
I knew only I could save us. And I had a plan. As painful as it was, I held onto my violent daydreams and used them to fuel me as I threw myself back into the crowd, flitting from vampire to vampire, conversing about everything and anything.
Adrian’s heavy, lingering gaze was always on me and hard to ignore. I could tell that he was enjoying this little game of ours. He loved that I was flattering his ego. Showing the world what a good sibling I was.
Taking it up a notch, I decided it was time to start showing off. When the music changed to a waltz, I joined in without hesitation. It took only a few partner changes for me to get to Caspian Hart. His familiar face provided me with the comfort I needed.
“Just a little longer now,” he whispered.
As our dance came to an end, I was passed to another partner. But right in the middle of being tossed, bright red flashed across my gaze. Panic and hope rose in me, but I didn't let myself get excited.
She can't be here. If she is, I may just ruin?—
The male vampire dancing with me now tried to say something, but it all sounded like underwater gibberish. My eyes darted around, trying to catch another glimpse of the impossible.
And then I saw the flash of white behind him.
My breath caught in my throat. The sore spot between my breasts where the unfulfilled bond ached made itself known.
Vesper?
No.I couldn't let myself get distracted. There were only a few more minutes until I changed the course of my fate. This was my mind playing tricks on me.
I was twirled again and sent off to the next partner, only to come face-to-face with…
“Vesper?”
The world floated around me. All the panic and hope swirled together and threatened to burst out of my chest at the sight of her golden eyes.
The bond thrummed to life between us, begging me to bite her. But there was something different about her. She was Vesper, there was no doubt about that, but she was… taller. Her eyes were sharper and…red?
“My princess, don’t you look beautiful tonight.”
Even her voice held a husky quality that wasn't there before.
She was wearing an all-black ensemble embroidered with swirls of silver. Something vampire royalty would wear, not a vampire hunter. It fit her well, hugging her shoulders and arms, showing off her muscled figure.
Her skin was smooth, save for the scars that seemed carved even deeper than before. I wanted to run my fingers down them, trace away the bad memories they left. I almost did, until I was snapped back to reality with one thought.
The Vesper in front of me was no longer mostly human with a small percentage of vampire.
She was changed.
My heart ached for her. The selfish part of me was happy that she would live as long as I would, then I was hit with the pain of the realization.
What happened to her?
I wanted to ask. Wanted to pull her to me. Wanted to run away.
But I was done running.
“You need to go,” I said through gritted teeth. Forcing the words out was harder than I imagined. It felt like barbed wire was tied around my throat.
My eyes pricked with blood as she gave me a small smirk.
