Page 116 of This Blood That Binds Us

Aaron and I shared a look. Aaron started squirming under his restraints and tried to scoot forward.

Luke shot him a smile, blood still oozing from his arm. “Don’t worry. I got this.”

Another crack of thunder vibrated the walls.

Zach and Luke shared a look. Silently reading each other’s minds. My heartbeat was in my ears again as I contemplated what it meant. The thought of one of us being left behind took the breath from my lungs. Let alone the thought of only one of four of us was making it out of the church.

Luke watched Kilian. “How can we know you’re going to keep your word?”

“You’re still alive, aren’t you?” William said.

I couldn’t see his face, but I could tell he was smirking.

“Let Kimberly go.” Luke’s eyes met mine.

William grabbed me by my shirt, lifting my feet from the ground. I struggled against his grip, but I wasn’t allowed to look back at the altar.

“As you wish.”

William dragged me toward the double doors. The two other Guard members grabbed the twins and pulled them toward the altar in my place.

“Can I talk to her first? Please.” Luke shrugged them off with his big shoulders. “Just for a second.”

“I’ll allow it,” Kilian said, a barely-there smile appeared on his lips.

William didn’t remove my gag and just flung me in front of Luke without a word, while Zach was gagged and dragged toward the altar to join Aaron.

“Kim, Presley will come and find you. If you want to...you can go with him and get away from this place. I won’t be there to protect you guys, but you’re smart, and I know you’d be able to make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid. But it’s up to you.Whatever you want to do. Thank you for keeping our secret and caring about my brother. If I don’t see you again, I’m happy to have met you.”

Luke smiled in a way that made my stomach turn. Despite his world crumbling, he was still trying to give me some of his strength. To instill me with hope, that I would carry on.

All I could focus on was their blood falling to the floor, the same way Aaron’s was, and the sinking feeling that this may be the last time I would ever see them. Tears formed in the corners of my eyes, and I made eye contact with Aaron one last time. In the dim light, I could see the glistening reflection in his eyes. Relief.

“All right. Goodbyes are said. Dominique. Come with me.”

William brought us through the doors and to a hallway. A dusty, abandoned space, with nothing but old, tattered paintings hung on the walls.

The tears kept falling, and William removed my gag once we rounded the corner.

“Let go of me!” I screamed, and it echoed in the empty hallway.

He chuckled. “Gladly. Once you’re out the door.”

A wooden door was just up ahead, with an oil lantern illuminating the brass fittings.

I struggled to free myself again, only causing more pain and bruising to my already sore arm. The one named Dominique was right on my heels.

“What are you going to do with them . . . ?”

I didn’t want to know the answer. I couldn’t save them. Tears ran from my eyes, and I fought with everything I had to refrain from sobbing in front of them. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction.

We reached the door, and he stopped. “Kimberly, I understand this has been hard on you. I do. So, I’m going to giveyou an option...the deal was, you get to go and find Presley, but I could make you forget this ordeal for a while. You won’t remember what happened here for at least a couple weeks, even with your strong will, and by the time you remember, they’ll all be long gone. You’ll mourn them, but it will be easier. You can move on with your life. Let all this go. With no more connections to the Calem brothers, The Family won’t have any reason to come find you. You’ll be free.”

I was dumbfounded by what he had offered. Something so unbelievable and out of this world, even for a world where vampires existed. Forgetting would be bliss. The blood on the floor, the fear in Aaron’s eyes. The pain ripping through my chest.

The thought of Aaron and me swaying in the forest came to mind. The soft scent of pine and Aaron constantly stepping on my foot. His smile and his laughter changed me. It made me believe in a life I had given up on. Aaron’s brothers were part of that, too. I didn’t want it to be easy. I wanted it to be hard and messy. Because that’s how love and family was.

“No. I want to go with Presley.”