“I was lucky. I remembered what you taught me and was able to get out. Lucien was there to save me as well, but I kind of beat him to it,” I joked as Lucien looked our way at the mention of his name. My dad pulled me back into a hug, placing a kiss on top of my head.
“Well, it looks like you came just in time. Help me out with these bags?” dad asked, too uncomfortable with the emotional exchange.
Frowning, I walked over to the pile of discarded bags full of groceries. Mostly my favorites from what I could see. “Dad, I already bought groceries last week. What’s with all of this?”
“Never hurts to have more food. Come on, help your old man.”
Lucien took the bags, using his vampire strength to make everything in one trip, but I remained outside as I looked at them warily. I had taken over shopping by his request a few years ago. Dad hardly left the house itself unless it was to fish or hunt or to see his therapist, Dr. Bailey.
Something gnawed in my stomach, but I chalked it up to anxiety and finally stepped into the house. Lucien and my dad were talking to each other, but as they saw me, the conversation halted for a moment.
“What were you two talking about?” I questioned and dad gave me a sympathetic frown. “What’s wrong?”
“Those men came again while you were gone. This time they gave me an envelope to give to Lucien. The seal is—.”
“It seems someone in Shadowhaven wants your land and my father used it to send a message. We are being summoned back home,” Lucien finished for him. I wasn’t aware of what that meant, but by the looks on their faces, it was not good. Lucienshoved the folded letter into his jean pocket with an aggravated sigh.
My father stared at him briefly before looking in my direction again to answer my first question. “We were discussing how long I had left with you.”
“Why can’t I come back to visit?”
My dad shook his head. “Mates cannot be apart for too long. The bond is like a string and the further it’s pulled, the worse off it is for both parties. If you were here for even a day while Lucien was in Shadowhaven, you would become a shell of a person riddled with pain until you died. The bond is there to ensure that you two remain together.”
I looked to Lucien, who nodded his approval to me. What my father said was the truth. I could no longer visit here, already bound by laws of a place I had never been and a bond I had no say in. The joy I had felt from the bond was now coupled with the pain that came from knowing I would never see those I cared for in this town again.
Now I really needed that drink.
“Could we borrow your truck?” I asked. “I need a drink and I’m without a vehicle.”
“What about Lucien?”
“First, he’s not a vehicle. Second, there may be some people here that know what he is, but there are those that don’t also. I’d prefer not to break any of these Shadowhaven laws I know nothing about.”
Sighing, he pulled his keys from his pocket and handed them to me. Lucien took them, knowing I wouldn’t be the one driving and thanked him before leading me outside. He pulled me against his chest where I let out a shaky breath.
“What’s this for?”
He squeezed me gently as I spoke, “I won’t be leaving tonight or tomorrow. You have time, Mel. I can feel your heart, remember? I felt your fear and anxiety over leaving him here.”
I had forgotten, but it was a hard thing to remember. To have been a book left at a title read, to now being a wide open book to him. He got to see andfeelbehind all my layers.
“I love you.”
He chuckled as he placed a kiss atop my head, “I love you too.”
***PAGE BREAK***
I threw my head back, taking the burning liquid to the back of my throat while John cheered me on. Slamming it onto the bar, I hissed at the alcohol sliding through me. John high fived me as he handed me a lime, which only helped the burn a little considering this had become my fifth shot of the hour. Lucien watched me carefully and I smiled drunkenly at him.
“Do vampires not get drunk?”
“Oh, we do. It just takes more than it would for a human.”
“I’m not human, I'm a witch, remember,” I slurred while motioning for another. Bryon came over, frowning in disappointment at me. “Oh no, the fun police.”
This only increased the frown lines forming in his forehead. “Mel, for someone who came in here just to pool, you seem to be drinking more than normal. I just worry.”
I motion to him with my eyes on Lucien. “Fun police.” Lucien snorts at my remark, but says nothing and I look at Bryon again. “Am I getting cut off? It’s only a few shots.”
