Page 71 of Claim of Blood (Blood Bound #1)

Chapter Thirty-Four

Leo

Leo stepped outside and breathed in the cool night air.

The garden terrace buzzed with activity as coven members tended the solstice fire, its flames stretching skyward.

Children chased each other around the stone paths while families gathered their sleepy young ones.

The summer solstice ritual had concluded an hour ago, but the fire would burn until dawn under watchful eyes.

“Ready to head back inside?” Adam asked, his hand finding the small of Leo’s back.

Leo leaned into the touch, still processing what had happened between them. The claiming had changed something fundamental—not just the bond, but how he saw himself. He was no longer the hunter who’d stumbled into this world. He belonged here now, in a way that felt both terrifying and right.

“Are you sure about this?” Leo asked quietly, watching a witch child chase fireflies. “About me being here, being part of this?”

Adam’s hand pressed more firmly against his back. “I’ve never been more certain of anything.”

Leo nodded, although his movements still felt dreamy and disconnected from his earlier self. The blood loss and intense claiming had left him floating in a haze that the evening air couldn’t quite clear.

“That wasn’t so bad. The ritual was shorter than I expected.”

“Emilia knows how to keep things moving,” Adam replied. “Most covens would have dragged it out until midnight.”

They made their way back toward the mansion, saying goodbyes to departing families.

Leo moved carefully, still feeling unsteady on his feet, though whether from blood loss or the lingering effects of submission, he couldn’t say.

The underground complex entrance glowed with warm light, promising the continuation of the evening’s festivities for the adults.

As they descended the wide stone steps, music washed over them—no longer the classical ensemble from dinner, but something with a heavy bass that Leo felt thrumming through his bones.

He accepted a champagne flute from a passing waiter, grateful for the cool liquid against his throat and the way it seemed to ground him slightly.

The underground complex buzzed with life beyond the main ballroom.

They passed a game room where shifters crowded around a pool table, laughter punctuating every good shot.

In a nearby lounge, witches shared drinks and quiet conversation.

Several alcoves housed vampires on velvet couches, some feeding discreetly from willing companions.

Leo’s gaze lingered on those scenes, understanding them now in a way he never had as a hunter.

Inside, the ballroom pulsed with energy that mirrored the slow thrum in Leo’s veins. Buffet tables had been cleared of main dishes, leaving only platters of bite-sized desserts and finger foods. The bar remained crowded, surrounded by supernatural beings in formal attire.

As they neared a group gathered at the edge of the dance floor, Leo recognized Raj’s flamboyant figure and Bai’s elegant posture. Both turned as Adam approached, their gazes assessing Leo with knowing looks that sent heat rushing to his cheeks.

“Still awake?” Raj asked with an amiable smile. “I thought you’d have slipped away by now.”

Adam shrugged. “Appearances matter.”

Bai turned her attention to Leo, her expression softer than usual. “How are you finding the celebrations? Different from your family gatherings, I imagine.”

“Fewer weapons, more champagne,” Leo said, his words flowing easier than they had all evening. “I prefer this.”

Bai’s lips quirked up in what might have been approval. “I see why he likes you.”

Leo smiled politely as the conversation shifted to Court politics and ancient history, the words washing over him like distant music.

He sipped his champagne, watching Lander across the room, speaking with Oren and Gaspard.

The sight of Lander, still carrying faint marks from their earlier encounter, sent a warm pulse through Leo’s chest. Lander caught his eye and offered a small smile that made Leo’s remaining tension ease.

The ring on his finger gave the faintest pulse of heat, so subtle Leo almost missed it. He flexed his hand absently, dismissing it as a reaction to the champagne and lingering arousal.

Just as Leo drained his glass, Claudia appeared before them in a deep red dress that seemed to flow like liquid.

“I’m stealing your claim,” she announced to Adam. “This conversation is putting him to sleep.”

Before Adam could protest, she’d taken Leo’s empty glass, handed him a fresh one from a passing tray, and pulled him toward the dance floor.

“Thank you,” Leo said with genuine gratitude, his words slightly slurred. “I was about to fall over.”

Claudia laughed, her voice seeming to echo strangely in Leo’s champagne-fogged mind. “My brothers forget not everyone finds thousand-year-old grudges fascinating.” She positioned his hand at her waist and began leading him through the crowd. “I never ask about politics at parties.”

“What do you ask about?” Leo took a large sip of champagne, feeling warmth spread through his already floating system. The alcohol mixed with his lingering blood-drunk haze, blurring the edges of the room until it all felt slightly tilted, like a memory in motion.

“I want to know about you, hunter. What makes you different enough to catch my brother’s eye after so long alone?”

Leo stumbled slightly, his coordination compromised by the layered heat of magic and alcohol that wove through his system. “I’m not that interesting.”

“I disagree.” Claudia moved with effortless grace, making Leo feel like he was floating rather than dancing. “Relax,” she said. “He’s still watching you.”

Leo turned his head. The turn knocked something loose in his balance, and the room seemed to lean sideways around him. “What?”

“My brother never takes his eyes off you for long.” She spun Leo around so he could see Adam’s gaze tracking them across the floor, his dark eyes following every movement. “He’s never been this protective before.”

“I’ve noticed,” Leo said, taking another drink. The champagne tasted like liquid sunshine, making him smile without reason.

Claudia laughed again. “I like you, hunter. You’ve got spirit.”

“Former hunter,” Leo corrected dreamily, finishing his glass. Another appeared in his hand almost immediately, as if by magic. “Don’t hunt anymore.”

“No such thing,” Claudia replied, her hand tightening on his shoulder. “Once a hunter, always a hunter. It’s in your blood.”

“So is Adam,” Leo said before he could stop himself, the words tumbling out with champagne-loosened honesty.

Claudia’s eyes widened, then she threw her head back and laughed with genuine delight. “Good! Keep that fire. He needs someone who won’t break.”

The songs changed, one blending into another in a seamless stream that matched Leo’s floating consciousness.

He lost track of time as Claudia kept him moving, occasionally joined by other dancers whose faces blurred together in a pleasant haze.

His head buzzed pleasantly, champagne flowing freely each time his glass emptied.

“How are you finding Court life?” she asked, her tone casual but her eyes sharp with interest.

“Different,” Leo admitted, words flowing like water now. “But not as different as I expected. Still people, just... older people. With fangs.”

“Politics is politics, whether human or vampire,” Claudia agreed. “Though our grudges last longer.”

Leo’s gaze drifted to where Adam stood, the sight of him sending a warm pulse through Leo’s chest. He was smiling at something Raj had said, but even through the champagne fog, Leo could see the tension in his shoulders.

“He worries too much,” Claudia said, following Leo’s gaze.

“It’s his job to worry.”

“Perhaps.” Claudia spun them again, making Leo laugh as the room tilted pleasantly. “But it’s your job to make him forget to worry. At least sometimes.”

The ring on Leo’s finger pulsed again, warmer this time, sending a strange tingling sensation up his arm. Leo frowned down at it, flexing his fingers. “That’s weird.”

“What?” Claudia asked, her voice suddenly sharp with interest.

“Nothing,” Leo said, dismissing it, but Claudia’s grip tightened on his hand.

“No, tell me. What’s the ring doing?”

Leo blinked at her intense focus, the champagne making her concern seem both important and amusing. “It’s getting warm. Tingling up my arm. Started a few minutes ago.”

Claudia’s eyes were fixed on his hand with laser focus. “How warm? Show me.”

Leo held up his hand, and even through his intoxication, he could see that Claudia’s face had gone pale. “It’s... It’s never done this before. Well, except this morning when Adam put it on, but that was different. This feels like... like it’s trying to tell me something.”

“Describe the sensation,” Claudia demanded, still dancing, but her attention was entirely on Leo now.

“Like electricity,” Leo said during one of their conversations, his words growing more slurred as the evening wore on. “Starting in the ring and spreading up. Getting stronger...”

“Why are you so interested?” Leo asked during another dance, his instincts occasionally piercing through the alcohol fog.

Claudia’s smile became increasingly strained. “Just curious about family heirlooms.” But her eyes never left his hand, and Leo noticed she kept glancing around the room as if looking for something.

By the time they’d been dancing for what felt like hours, the ring had become almost unbearably hot. The tingling had spread to his shoulder, pulsing in urgent waves that made Leo increasingly uneasy despite his intoxication.

“Claudia, what aren’t you telling me?” Leo asked as she spun him again, but the ring suddenly flared with heat so intense he gasped.

Claudia’s expression grew deeply troubled. “How bad?”

Before Leo could answer, the sensation suddenly intensified to an almost overwhelming degree.