This Blood that Bonds Us (This Blood that Binds Us #4)

64. Sixty-Four

Sixty-Four

Aaron

The steeple of the cathedral grew nearer and nearer. I’d tried to get a feel for the castle, but there wasn’t any use because they’d dragged me down the hall and through a door that led outside. The men we passed bowed and averted their gaze at the sight of my brothers. The air smelled of ash and ocean water. I thought I’d spotted a huge pile of ash off in the distance, but I’d had no time to gawk at the landscape in my predicament.

The doors of the cathedral opened, and I stumbled inside. Underneath my feet was a cracked marble floor. Something about it seemed oddly familiar.

My brothers pushed me farther inside until I saw Her. The other two Guard members were at Her side, waiting for me.

“You’re late” was the first thing She said with Her eyes on me.

I’d dreaded that moment and secretly wondered if when I set eyes on Her I’d crumble into dust at Her feet, but the woman in front of me wasn’t ethereal and otherworldly beautiful. She was a woman whose skin was gaunt and dry from the cold. The closer they brought me, the more of Her flaws I could see: the crepe skin on Her hands and the lines by Her eyes. Like that place, She was a master illusion, a mirage, and now that Her blood didn’t affect me at all, I saw Her for what She was. A shell of a woman possessed by something draining the life out of Her barely living body.

“Hi.” It was the only word I could recall.

Luke forced my head down to bow.

She spoke. “Our family is finally complete. A momentous occasion.”

Neither of the other Guard members smiled. Ezra—I remembered with his piercing eyes—stared me up and down like I might bolt. The person next to him, I guessed, was Sirius.

“What do you mean I’m late?”

“We expected you on another moon.” She smiled, and Her arm beckoned me.

My stomach was in my throat. All I had to do was keep everything under wraps. Easy, in theory.

“I already told Her everything,” Presley said, with his voice echoing.

“Boy,” Sirius cautioned Presley, “what did we discuss about talking out of turn?”

Some deep grumbling came from Zach’s chest, and he put himself between the two. “Watch the way you talk to my brother.”

She smiled. “Families sometimes take time to understand each other.”

“You told Her?”

“He showed me everything. Your childhood. Your time in Blackheart . . . and your secret hideaway with your lover.”

I was suddenly thankful Kilian had the caution to keep our heads free of the plan. We didn’t know their exact arrival time or their plans to infiltrate, but one thing Kilian hadn’t taken . . .

I opened my mouth to speak, and She stopped me.

“Not to worry.” She moved Her fingers through my hair, and chills ran up my spine.

“Stop.”

Her face fell.

“Luke, please . . . you have to help me. Don’t make me do this,” I said.

“It’s not bad if you don’t fight!” Presley said.

Sirius grumbled.

I backed away from Her before I was stopped by Luke’s shoulder.

“Is there any way he can have a few days to adjust?” Luke asked.

“We need the information of Kilian’s plan,” Sirius said.

“But he won’t give it up easily,” Luke stated.

“Torture it outta him!” Presley said.

Zach held up a finger to silence him.

I let them bicker. If She was in my head, She would know everything about Kimberly. I’d lose my only edge. If I told them Kilian wiped my memory, that might prompt Her to want to check.

“Darling, is something bothering you?” She looked over to Zach who was now pacing in circles.

Darling?

Zach scoffed. “Yes, Dear . I am.”

He spat Her pet name like an insult. There was real hatred there, yet his eyes softened when he looked to Her.

“I know how this is going to end. You’re going to force your way into his head, and it’s going to put us all on our ass. They haven’t ascended yet. We feel everything that they feel, and that shit hurts.”

“He’s right. We need to be prepping for The Legion’s arrival. We won’t be as useful if it’s anything like the last few months have been,” Luke said.

They still believed we were all bonded. Even if Presley had told them everything, they couldn’t have confirmed it.

“Then maybe you’ll finally reach your true potential and harden yourself for your queen,” Sirius said.

“Fuck you. No one is talking to you either,” Zach spat. “I’ve proven my loyalty over and over.”

“He’s right to consider it,” Ezra said. “But I agree and plead on Luke’s behalf for more time.”

She watched me. Her hands moved to my arm, and I had to act like it affected me. Like it was anywhere near the feeling of Kimberly’s embrace. I had to say something.

“Kilian kept my head clean too. I don’t know about their plans.”

“He’s lying,” Sirius said.

“Silence all. Let him speak,” She said. Her long slender fingers raked across my cheek.

“I’ll take your blood to prove my loyalty. Will that be enough for now?”

I stared into Her light-gray irises. I needed to prove myself with something that would satisfy everyone in the room.

“Luke said . . . it would make everything easier.”

“It will.” She knit Her hands into the hair at the nape of my neck, then pulled Her hair to the side.

The urge to bolt ran through me. I thought of Kimberly and wanted to go to her. The queen forced me closer till my lips were at the nape of Her neck, and I bit down, letting Her blood into my veins, but nothing good rushed through me. Just the anxiety of knowing I needed to put on a show for Her.

And that I did. I gripped Her cheek and drank deeper. The disgust was the only thing making my hands shake, but it tasted like nothing. I let Her pull away first.

“There. He did it. Can we help him get settled in now?” Zach asked.

My eyes settled on Luke who said nothing. It wasn’t like him. Everything was strange and horrible.

“Yes, find him a suitable room.”

Presley skipped to sit closest to Her and began stroking Her hair.

“What should we do now? Maybe you want me to wash your hair? I can massage your feet, braid your hair . . .” He traced the skin on Her arms. “Please, anything you want.”

My stomach turned.

“Oh! I could paint your nails too.”

She placed Her hand on his cheek. “Whatever you want. I’m yours.”

Zach grabbed my shirt to drag me again.

“Wait, what about Luke?”

“He’s sworn himself to Presley’s side. Wherever he goes, Luke will stay. I guess I’m going to have to do the same to you now. Are you all right? After the blood.”

“Yeah, I feel . . . like I want more.” I thought back to the ravenous hunger I’d felt before. I’d have been consumed and overtaken if not for the bond Kimberly and I had broken. There was a little relief in the thought. Our opening worked.

“Get used to it.” Zach dragged me out the door.