Page 79 of Dark Flame

“I thought so too, but I can’t ignore what my body’s screaming at me.”

He blinks. “That means you drank from her. You risked it?”

“She ran and triggered my hunting instincts. I couldn’t help it.”

“Fuck.” He blows out a breath and swipes a hand over his hair as his attention goes to the shut front doors. “I won’t say I’m happy about this. Just…confused. What now?”

Me too.I don’t admit that part, don’t let him in on my own uncertainty. “I’ll go find her.”

“She left?”

“She has her magick back and overpowered me. That’s why the cure didn’t work—that’s what you saw. When her parents died in the house fire, she lost her powers, but they’re back now.”

His mouth parts in anahmotion. “That’d explain…” He trails off and gestures towards me before glancing at the ground.

“She’s strong.”

“Would you expect otherwise? She’s a Sinclair.”

I watch him, seeking that flush of rage beneath his friendly tone, but it seems faded. “She’s unexpected, that’s for certain. I didn’t—Cora?—”

“Would be happy for you. She always whined about you having no one.”

“And you?”

His stance remains lax when he replies, “If you took her as a mate because you liked her or something, I might have concerns about your well-being, but the stories always stated the Bride bond is unbeatable. You have no choice about having her as a mate, which means I have no choice but to accept it. We have too much history—centuries of it—for me to be pissed at something like this.”

His words should bring some measure of relief, but they don’t.

They’re also not something I need to concern myself with right now, so I shove away from the wall, slapping his shoulder as I pass. “Stay here, will you? Make sure no fucker shows up. The other night, two targeted her.”

“I found them. Pieces of them, anyway. The head by the southern border?”

I shrug. “They should consider themselves lucky that attempt happened before I discovered what she is to me.”

Cedric trails me to the door. “Your people are expecting you to provide information on accessing the cure, but no one’s heard from you since the party.”

“Her being without magick nullified the cure’s effects, so I couldn’t risk it. Anyway, doesn’t matter anymore. Plan’s done. Anything that’ll harm her, even her mental well-being, is off-limits.She’soff-limits. Make sure that point gets passed along.” I’m the only one who’ll ever enjoy her blood from now until the end of eternity. The moment I bit her, the plan changed. Disappeared. Revenge isn’t as important as her life.

Cedric makes a noise of agreement. “All your years of work, gone like that.”

“Yes.” My tone is sharp, ensuring he knows not to question me. I pause by the doors and look back at him, my statement a threat as much for him as anyone. “No one touches her. I’ll keep you updated when we’re on our way back.”

“Good luck,” he calls after me.

I won’t need luck. Just a bond to follow.

Thirty

HARLOW

I walkthrough the same forest I ran through last night with much less fear. If another vampire happens upon me, I’m better prepared, my magick just a flick away.

The night is silent while the light between the trees shifts from dusk to dawn, the early morning glow a tease on the horizon. By the time I reach the edge of the forest, the sun’s more visible, making me suspect it’s about five in the morning.

Even if Alec has woken, the sun will keep him away. While I might not have a particular plan in mind, I’ll be far gone by the time the sun sets.

Exactly as he said last night, by the edge of the forest is a cemented road. It stretches far ahead and behind, giving no sign of a location, but it’s a start. By following it, eventually I’ll get somewhere. Unfortunately, it’ll be by foot as I never grasped the concept of magickal transportation methods, like being able to pop myself from one place to another with only the location in my mind’s eye.