“Tev.The fated pair stay here, on the plains, until the mating call subsides, usually a few spans,” he said.
“It lasts fordays?”she gasped, turning on him with wide eyes.“Surely you’re joking.”
“Nix, I am not,” he purred.“And on the first night of theravraxia, a blood bond is performed.It is when the fated pair, during the first mating of the night, bond themselves to one another forever by drinking one another’s blood, at the same moment.”
“Not going to lie, that sounds a little…gross.”
Vikan smiled, his smile just wicked enough to make her heart skip a beat.“In the moment, I have heard that nothing compares to it, female.”
Her voice went breathless as she said, “So after the blood drinking, what happens next?”
“Thefellixixis formed.The bond.Thatis what you felt in your visions, Taylor.That connection.”
Taylor closed her eyes for a brief moment, remembering the way it felt.That love, that happiness, that warmth.She’d never been so certain of anything in her life, than when she’d been with him, when she’d felt him through that connection only they shared.
Everything was becoming…complicated.So, so complicated.
When she opened her eyes, she stepped forward, out of the circle of his arms.It was hard to think when he was touching her.
She wanted to get a closer look at the Fates, but Vikan snatched her quickly before she stepped into the circle.
“Nix,” he murmured in her ear.“Unless you wish for the Seeing to begin, you cannot enter past the boundary.”
Taylor’s eyes found his own.“But this is only a dream.”
He shook his head.“It does not matter here.The Fates know this is real.They know we are dreamwalking.They will come if summoned.”
“What does this all mean?” she asked softly.“Why did you show me this?”
“You wished to know what a blood bond was, in its truest form,” he replied.“And I wanted to show you this because your visions show you a path of your future.Thiswould be a part of that future, should you choose it.”
If you chose me,was what went unspoken.But Taylor heard it loud and clear.
“Vikan,” she whispered, turning in his arms so that she could face him.“You know I cannot stay here.You know I have to leave soon.”
He went silent.And Taylor’s heart felt so heavy that she wondered if she was making a terrible, terrible mistake.
But what mistake was she thinking of?Did she think it was a mistake to lead Vikan on like this, to pretend that they had a future together?
Or was her mistake thinking that she could leave?Was her mistake thinking that she’d be able to give him up when the time came?
“Our journey is not over yet,luxiva,” he finally said, drawing her close yet again.
Taylor’s eyes slid shut when he dropped his head so he could kiss her and tears burned in the back of her throat at the sweetness of it.She clutched his neck tighter, keeping him against her.
“We still have time,” he whispered against her lips.
SIXTEEN
“VIKAN, WAIT,” HIS female gasped, early the next morning.The suns had just risen and Vikan had slowly brought them out from their shared dream.
He was ready to bring his mate to another few orgasms before they started on their journey for the span, but she’d stopped him before he could get far.
“Tev?” he murmured.“What is it?
Taylor blew out a breath, her cheeks flushed.“I think we need to talk before we do anything more.”
His brow furrowed, but he slowly came up to a kneeling position in between her thighs before sliding up her body.Light was already filtering through the cave and he could see the tide beginning to come in.They would need to leave soon.
