For punishment and a debrief.
As per our custom, we should be taken back to the family estate, but my brother wasn’t going to let me out of his sight so easily.
“How could we miss our first transfer?” Caspian said with a knowing smile. “Three hundred vampires, ready to take their bond, fifty feeders, and the deed to a very profitable gold mine. Just like we agreed on.”
On the outside, my brother’s face didn’t change, but the glint in his eyes was back. The other vampires around the table could barely conceal their gasps and whispers.
“Off with you now,” he said, his smile dropping as he turned to the rest. “Where were we?”
We turned, arm in arm, keeping close until we left the castle and were loaded into the awaiting car. As soon as the soundproof divider was up and we were away from hearing distance, I pushed him away with a scoff.
“Did you have to get so touchy-feely? Krae, the bond feels sogross.” I let out a noise of disgust and rolled my eyes.
“You think your blood was any better? I can’t get the disgusting taste out of my mouth,” Caspian replied, shooting mea glare as he continued to rub off the invisible dirt I somehow left on him.
“The blood you gave me was far more than I gave you.Ishould be the one complaining about the feeling of the bond,” I said with a hiss.
I could still feel it settling deep inside me, trying to push Vesper’s bond out. I hated how invasive it felt.
Back when I had been accidentally bonded with Vesper, I had been pissed. It hurt. Like I had been forced into a position I didn’t want. But then I realized it was just because I had been scared of what it meant to be bonded. Scared to lose her. Lose myself. Not because I didn’t want it.Her.
Now that I was bonded for the purpose of marriage to someone I barely knew, I started to understand what it truly meant for the choice of who I loved to be taken from me.
This was supposed to be the most important moment of my life. But the person was all wrong, and it was tainted with anger and the hope of revenge.
I shifted, trying to get as far away from him as possible. He signed on to this to help me. He was barely getting anything out of it. But I couldn’t help but hate every moment as the bond settled in my chest.
We were lucky Adrian accepted us without a public fight, though I was concerned about what it meant when I finally made my way back home. He hadn’t hurt me yet, mostly only threatened, his power enough to control me.
But I had a sinking suspicion my luck was running out.
Images of Vesper and Cedar as they fought against my brother’s guards came to my mind. I was happy she had been released. At least I hoped that’s what happened, given what Atlas said about them being her guard.
I yearned to go to them. To let them take me away like they promised. It was a dream. One my mind had wondered to more than once.
My bond with Caspian pulsed as I thought of my lost lovers. It felt like an intruder.
“Thanks,” I muttered after a few long moments. “For helping me.”
I turned to look at him, but instead of looking disgusted, he seemed only slightly uncomfortable. Both of us were coming to terms with the fact that, while this might not be what we wanted, it was working.
“It’s not like I have any use for my family’s fortune,” he said, then his gaze turned dark. “Plus, I would do just about anything to see that bastard pay for what he did to my little sister.”
The pain in his eyes pulled my own from deep inside me. The memories I tried to bury from my time in the witch coven were pushing their way to the forefront.
“Still, I’m sure there’s someone out there wanting to marry you for real.” I gave him a small, but forced, smile.
His eyes shifted to his hands, then the window.
“No, he made that very clear. This marriage, while not fully what I imagined for myself, will send a good message.”
I nodded and looked outside again.
I didn’t think it was my place to ask anything else, so I let us sit in silence the rest of the way to our destination.
After the wedding, the small club seemed like another world.
It was the same place. The same vampires. The same purpose. But it just felt… different.
