Page 129 of This Blood that Bonds Us

“It will be dangerous for you to both go with that current knowledge.”

“But then you’d have to take our memory of the night that we . . . did share blood, right?” Kimberly gripped my arm.

Kilian nodded.

There was something about that night that I wasn’t willing to forget. We’d had many nights together, but not like that. I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it. It was more than the sex. I’d never felt so connected to anything, let alone another person. Kimberly shook her head at me, confirming my decision.

“No. I’m sorry, I can’t.”

“We’ve given The Family too much already,” Kimberly said.

“Very well. We will make do.” Kilian was only briefly disappointed before his lips curled upward again.

I squeezed Kimberly’s hand in mine and glanced outside at the shaded area. No lights, but we couldn’t wait anymore. The remnants of my dream played again in my head.

Luke . . . Zach. I’m coming.

Fifty-Seven

Presley

I did a bad thing. I said I wouldn’t, and I did. The car was barely enough to cut through the falling snow lingering on the road. Wiping my eyes with one hand, I gripped the steeringwheel with the other. The car slipped on every turn, but I couldn’t slow down. My chest. My chest. My chest.

Pressing the pedal, I forced the car faster down the snow-packed road. I’d packed a bag with cash and my passport. I hadn’t left The Legion everything . . . because I knew I’d need it.

I couldn’t take it anymore. If I crashed the car, I’d run on foot. Nothing would stop me from going to my older brothers anymore. Not Hell Bitch, not Kilian and his cult, not even my family.

They would be so disappointed when they realized I was gone. It only made the pain worse. It was the most agonizing feeling I’d ever felt. Ever. And it wasn’t going away.

I tried to focus on anything else, but my face was hot with tears. Focusing on the road was out of the question. I needed to pull over before I hit someone or derailed into the ditch. That’s what Luke would say, but Luke wasn’t here. He was hurt somewhere; I could feel it. Or maybe Zach or maybe both.

Whatever it was, it was bad.

They needed me. Which meant I couldn’t stay at the cabin anymore. I had to go.

Did that make sense? Yes. It was logical.

They would do it for me. They’d have never stopped searching.

Aaron would flip. Mom and Kimberly would cry. I threw my phone out the window a few miles back. If they called me, I’d cave.

I had to be strong. Determined. Brave. Like my brothers.

Fifty-Eight

Aaron

I couldn’t wait to tell him. Presley would be so happy. I’d tried to get him out of his slump all week. He was quiet again, but the only solution was getting my brothers back.

And it was finally time.

My mind reeled with the new information. Kimberly and I cried tears of relief in the car. Things were finally moving in our favor.

We didn’t make it back to the house until late. The sun had disappeared behind the trees, and the car was gone from the driveway.Maybe Mom took Presley somewhere to cheer him up.

When I opened the door to the cabin, my mom was at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee. My heart drummed faster at the thought of telling her our time together was over. Sarah greeted us with a soft cry and by nudging my shin.

“Where’s Presley?” I asked. “I didn’t think he had a shift today.”