16. Quin
I stare down at the bloody gash bisecting my left palm in shock, still trying to comprehend Simon’s partial shift. I’ve never heard of another shifter being able to do that, not even here. Perhaps it’s an ability only Altered shifters like Simon can possess?
“Quin, you ready?” Simon’s voice jerks me out of my reverie, and I blink at him for a moment. He’d suggested we go first, so he can show Nick and Luc what to expect, and shredded my hand the moment the word, “Yes,” left my lips.
Simon’s left hand pushes against my own, our blood mingling, a warm, tingling sensation spreading up my arm. His right hand holds the back of my neck as he presses his forehead against mine, his words low, solemn, and heartfelt.
“I, Simon Gatto, swear to you, Quintas Basset, that I will forever more be your blood brother and bond mate. I will stand beside you, fight beside you, and be your shield should you need me. I will never turn my back on you or betray you.Your family is now my family, your secrets are mine to protect, and I will defend all that you cherish to my last breath and beyond. This I vow to you on all that I am and ever will be.”
I swallow around the lump in my throat at the pure honesty threading through Simon’s voice. It takes me a moment before I can speak, and my words waver as I struggle to contain the emotion welling up inside me.
“I, Quintas Basset, vow to you, Simon Gatto, to be your blood brother and bond mate from this day forth. I will shield your back, I will fight by your side, and I will give up my life rather than expose or deceive you. I willingly tie my life to yours. You will always be welcome in my heart, my home, and my life. I swear this on all I hold dear.”
Tingling warmth explodes into radiant heat, suffusing my body in a way I thought I’d never feel again. Concern, compassion, and a decent helping of amusement and affection echo through the newly formed bond, and I’m overwhelmed with gratitude and wonder. Tears spill from my eyes as I stare at my new brother, the same emotions churning in his bright gaze.
I silently make another vow, one that strengthens my spine with steel.
I will free my brothers and destroy my parents and their scheming, if it’s the last thing I do.
***
My left hand aches behind the bloodied strip of towel binding it, but it’s easily ignored in the wake of my new bonds. I can hear my brothers inside my mind, feel their excitement and concerns through the beautiful glowing threads tethering us together. Simon’s varies between blinding brightness and almost imperceptible, and he’s using our connection to teach us how to shield each other from feeling what we’re experiencing. It makes sense for Simon to teach us shielding first and foremost. After all, O’Hare has outright stated that he plans to experiment on the bonds between Nick and Luc, not to mention the ones Simon has. If they can shield each other and their bonds, it will not only foil any experiments O’Hare will conduct, but it will also royally piss him off. Silver linings and all that.
It’s not actually that difficult to mute our bonds. It’s more of a visualization technique, one that you might use in meditation. Being imprisoned in a place like this for so long has made it easy for Nick, Luc, and me to create our own little worlds where we aren’t locked away, tortured, and tormented. Compartmentalizing our experiences so that we don’t go insane is something we’re all dab hands in.
I close my eyes and picture a dark blanket gently covering my bonds. It’s thick enough to smother their glow, heavy enough to keep them flat and imperceptible, yet it has enough give to allow the bonds to breathe. I then imagine the weave transforming from heavy wool to spider silk, one that’s multitudes stronger than Kevlar. I tighten the weave and mentally secure it, before opening my eyes and catching Simon’s attention.
“Hey, try to see if you can spot my bonds.”
Simon reaches for me, pressing his head to mine as he closes his eyes and searches. It’s an inexact science, because we’re learning as we go, and I smile broadly as he shakes his head at me.
“Fucking A, Quin. You’ve got them hidden perfectly. Now, light one up for me and we’ll see if I can do anything to it. Apologies in advance if I end up hurting you.”
I do as he asks and then nod, and he repeats his actions from before. This time I can feel him probing the bond, tugging at it, so I add another layer of mental spider silk to protect it.
Nothing. I can’t feel a damned thing.
Simon pulls away, his gaze taking in my beaming expression.
“I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
I quickly shake my head in the negative.
“No. I felt a little pressure at first, and some tugging, but after I added another mental layer, I couldn’t feel a thing.”
Simon’s eyes light up with glee.
“I let Tálstrom loose on them, he was attacking them for all he was worth. If you barely even felt it, then I think you’re gold. Now, tell us what you did, how you did it, and how it all felt. I don’t know how much time we’ll have before O’Hare comes to take us away again, and I want Nick and Luc as prepared and secure as we can get them.”
Nick lets out an inelegant snort.
“Yeah, I don’t think you’ll have to worry about O’Hare for a little while. He’s gonna need a couple of weeks to recover after what Tálstrom did to him the other day.”
Simon and I glance at each other in confusion.
“Wait, what? What did Tálstrom do to him?”
Simon’s bewilderment matches mine.
Nick looks at Simon as though he’s just spoken in tongues.
“Uh, Simon, O’Hare is human. He can’t heal as quickly as we do.”
“Yeah, so? Why does that matter?”
Nick shakes his head in bemusement at Simon’s question.
“Because Tálstrom ripped off half his face and tore out his eye. O’Hare won’t be bouncing back from those injuries any time soon. It’s why it took them so long to return us. Johnson told us at some point that we’d better pray O’Hare survived, otherwise we might just end up following him. I guess he did since we’re still sitting here.”
Triumph mixes with dread as I meet Simon’s astonished gaze. We may have struck a blow deep in the heart of Vieux Sang, but I know better than most that his actions will not be left unpunished. Vengeance is coming, and it will be wholly lacking in mercy.
We need to prepare.