Page 128 of This Blood That Binds Us

It was the perfect picture. The perfect gift. I wanted to drink it all in. Aaron’s expression melted into one of peace, and we sat close together. My mind wandered back to our meeting place in the campus cafeteria. If anything hadn’t lined up perfectly, I wouldn’t have been sitting there. I would probably be in my dorm alone.

My chest tightened at the thought. I turned my attention to Aaron, and the light tinged every feature on his face an ambient pink. Even the pale blonde streaks in his hair were tinted like a glow from a fire. He turned to me without any words. His winning smile took over his lips.

“Aaron, what are you doing?” I chuckled. “You keep looking at me like that.”

He let out a quick breath and averted his eyes. “What are you talking about? I’m not doing anything.”

“That look...you keep looking at me like that,” I said, with a wide smile.

“Well, you’re nice to look at, Burns. What can I say?” He wiggled his brows.

Nervous laughter escaped my lips, and I kept my gaze out on the water. I pulled my hair behind my ear as heat rose to my cheeks.

“You’re blushing again.” He grinned.

“Well, so are you.”

He tilted his head back and laughed. “So what if I am? I think it’s you that’s givingmethe eyes.It’s like you’re secretly in love with me or something.”

If I wasn’t blushing before, I was right then. My breath hitched in my chest, and my heart beat faster.

“So what if I was . . . hypothetically . . . would that be bad?”

There were a handful of reasons why it would be bad. The most glaring one is the fact that Aaron was immortal and I was not. But in the crux of the prettiest sunset I’d ever seen, I didn’t care. There was no way to deny the way I felt when he was near me.

Aaron looked shocked by my seriousness and was instantly nervous. “Uh...no. Hypothetically...I’d be really happy if that were true. Even though, hypothetically speaking...it might be a bad idea. Probably not the smartest thing we could do. But hypothetically, I might say that...I felt the same way.”

I smiled. “All hypothetically, of course.”

He smirked. “Totally.”

His attention was on my lips. The air buzzed between us with electricity. Fireflies were starting their night. Slowly floating around us. He leaned forward, and my heart responded. After a long pause, he reached over, grabbed my bandaged wrist, and softly traced his fingers over mine.

He wouldn’t forgive himself easily, if he ever would.

“We have...time,” I said, leaning my head back and letting what was left of the sun warm me.

But we did have time. I didn’t need to rush it. I could let it burn. Grow. Enjoy the moment and not think too far ahead.Every minute that passed, my heart grew softer and more used to the idea of him being around for good.

“Oh, I’ve got all the time in the world.” Aaron was all smiles again. Our expressions were a perfect reflection. The longer I stared into his eyes, the more it hurt to turn away.

Aaron stretched his arms and let out a big yawn. “Gosh, I’m just so tired. Must be left over trauma from last week.”

He placed his arm around my shoulder, and my heart leaped in my chest.

“Yeah, Yeah.” I scooted closer and rested my head on his cotton shirt.

Every muscle in my body relaxed. Our hands touched in the amber light, and the soft echo of Aaron’s heartbeat reverberated in his chest. I knew there was one truth I would always hold on to.

Everything was better when we were together.

“California? What thefuck are they doin’ there?” Akira said, sitting on a table from the French revolution. His thick-soled boots scuffed the finish.

The Queen’s Guard were sitting in the library, every wall filled with towering book shelves that went clear to the ceilings. The shelves were lined with century-old reads with tattered spines and old parchment. A large, lavish rug brought warmth to the velvet couches. The soft glow of the fireplace lit up their brief reunion.

“They’re being protected by The Legion.” Sirius walked the length of the room, his hands shoved into his high-waisted trousers, his warm skin contrasting the white sweater that covered his neck. Dark brown locks covered his ears. The gears turned in his head like a well-oiled machine. As third in command, his smarts kept the Guard in line.

“Legion? Protect? Who the fuck are they gonna protect? They’re weak bastards.” Akira pulled his hands through his jet-black hair, his arms covered in tattoos. His style always changed, but he’d found a love in tech wear. He loved the overlapping fabric jackets and the large, over-the-top baggy shorts he could tuck into his boots.