Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 46379 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 232(@200wpm)___ 186(@250wpm)___ 155(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46379 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 232(@200wpm)___ 186(@250wpm)___ 155(@300wpm)
“I heard they had godlike powers.” Wolf sounds uncharacteristically serious. “There’s a reason they scare the shit out of the humans, even if history has defanged them out of sheer self-preservation.”
I start to pull away from Malachi, but he hugs me tighter to his chest. His voice lowers, deepens. “It doesn’t matter.”
“The longer she lives, the stronger the bond will grow.” Rylan scrubs at his chest as if he can dig through flesh and yank the bond out by its roots. “The best bet we have is to scatter and get as far away as fast as we can before she calls us back.”
What they’re describing is a monster. If I’m a seraph, that means I’m a monster. The only thing I’ve ever wanted is freedom, and if what they’re saying is correct, then freedom is the very thing I’ve stolen from them. “I’m sorry,” I whisper.
“It’s not your fault.” Malachi climbs off the bed, taking me with him. “Can you stand?”
“Yes.” I’m not sure if I’m lying, but I lock my knees to ensure I stay on my feet when he releases me.
Malachi points at the other two vampires. “Don’t move.”
Rylan shakes his head as Malachi leaves the room and looks at Wolf. “Run. This is going to be your only chance.”
Wolf sits up and eyes me. “Nah, I’m good. This is the most excitement I’ve had in centuries.”
“It will be your downfall.”
“You’re all doom and gloom. Look at her.” He waves a hand at me. “Think, Rylan. I heard the stories of seraphim, too. The bond is annoying, but only in the hands of a tyrant. Think about what else she’ll be capable of if she lives long enough.”
“You’re making some large assumptions.”
I wrap my arms around myself and try not to shake. “Rylan’s right. You should leave. I don’t want…” My breath hitches. “I know what it’s like not to have your freedom. I don’t want to do that to you.”
“See.” Wolf laughs. “Not so tyrannical, is she?”
Rylan seems unmoved. “People change.”
“Then run.” Wolf shrugs. “Me? I’m tired of being hunted. Cornelius only has two other kids; neither of them have managed to pop a baby vampire out and become heir. With her seraphim blood, I’ll bet she’s just as fertile as her mother was.”
I blink. “Um, what?” I realize what he’s suggesting and shake my head. “It’ll never work.” Sometime over the history of vampires, the tradition began that in order for a bloodline vampire to officially become heir, they had to procreate to prove they could continue the line should it fail elsewhere. That was back when they were slightly more plentiful, when three of the bloodlines hadn’t been pruned down to one or two vampires. My father still holds to the tradition, but I’ve never really worried about it too much because it doesn’t affect me. “I’m a bastard.”
“Only because you didn’t have a recognized magic until now. If you show up with a baby and start flashing seraph magic about, all we have to do is kill him to take over the colony.” Wolf grins. “That’s my kind of fun.”
Rylan shakes his head. “She’s right. It’ll never work.”
Malachi walks through the door, my suitcase in hand. “Sounds like the beginnings of a plan.”
“More like a dream.” Rylan looks at me and then away, as if he can’t stand the sight of me. “We have a narrow window to get out of here unscathed. Let’s not waste it. We’ll deal with this later.”
Guilt clamps around me. I want to be happy that I was wrong, that I really do have magic, but the price seems too high. I never wanted to tie these vampires to me, not in a way that defies their free will.
I never want to be my father.
I slowly dress in the clothes Malachi hands me. No answers have presented themselves by the time I pull on my boots. “Rylan’s right. You should leave me. If there’s some kind of geographical limit on this—”
“There’s not,” Rylan says flatly. “As long as you’re alive, there will be a pull on us to return to your side.”
I spin on him. “This was your idea. I didn’t ask for this. I didn’t set out to trap you or bond with you or whatever the hell has happened. Stop looking at me like this is my fault.”
He opens his mouth and I half expect him to cut me down with a few icy words. Instead he sighs. “You’re right. Sorry.”
I blink. Holy shit, that was an actual apology. I glance at Malachi, but he looks just as taken aback as I am. He gives himself a shake. “Get dressed. We leave in two.”
Rylan and Wolf blur out of the room. I take a deep breath and turn to Malachi. “You—”
“Stop telling me to leave you behind. It’s not going to happen.” He dresses in a pair of jeans, boots, and a long-sleeved shirt. Malachi pulls me into my arms, which is right around the time I realize I’m shaking again. “Not because of a mystical bond, either, so get that out of your head.”