Page 145 of This Blood that Bonds Us

A set of hands grabbed me from behind, and I pushed back on my heels and used my weight to throw them off balance. My attacker landed on the grass with a thud.

“Presley,” I breathed.

“You. I’ve been waiting for you.”

“What are you doing?” I asked, checking for more of his brothers.

“Hiding from Luke. Come on.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the castle. “I’ve got it from here Connell!”

“But sir—”

“It’s fine! Don’t tell anyone she’s here yet.”

Presley’s fingernails dug into my palm as he walked me toward the castle. I searched for the sounds of the twins or Aaron. Or the smell of anything familiar. He dragged me through the hallway a little too forcefully. With the blood loss, I could barely keep myself upright. It was all a vivid blur.

Where was Aaron?

Everything about Presley had changed. Not just his clothes that were now all black, with black boots that looked too big for his stature and a long black coat with a tight undershirt. His expression was twisted in an unfamiliar scowl that didn’t belong on his face.

He pulled me into a room and locked the door behind us. A dining room. A little like Kilian’s with a long table and chairs, but these were ornate and likely expensive. Every design choice, from the rugs to dusty lavender candles in the chandelier above, seemed intentional.

With one arm, he shoved me into a chair.

“I thought you’d know better than to come. You know, because you’re the smart one.” He stepped onto the table and walked, kicking off the ornate chargers and table runner.Uh-oh.

It hadn’t occurred to me that Presley could be dangerous. In all the scenarios, I hadn’t thought of it once. The Presley I knew wouldn’t hurt me. How much could one person change so drastically in a matter of days?

He crouched down to my level. “You look a little scared. There’s nothing to be afraid of. This place is amazing. And these people . . . they love me.”

The sun from the window cast a long shadow over his face. This wasn’t Presley. There was barely any light left in his eyes.

“But I guess this isn’t a social call, huh? You being here can mean only one thing . . . you want Her.”

“I came for you actually.”

“Oh really . . .” He moved behind me and snatched the bag from my shoulder. “What did you bring me as a housewarming gift?”

He pulled out the dagger, and my blood ran cold. With a lightness in his steps, he jumped up and onto the table again.

“Presley . . .”

“Don’t say my name like that. You’re just trying to manipulate me. That’s what She said you’d do. Try to make me feel sorry for you. She said I may not even have to see you again, but I guess . . . this is a different timeline.”

A different timeline. A different future than this one.

“I would have preferred the other. But of course you’d want this one. You’d want to hurt me and hurt Her. So that means . . . I have to hurt you.”

He stalked toward me, with the dagger gleaming in the light. Was this it? Was this the part where I met my fate? Something about it didn’t feel right. I wouldn’t hurt Presley. I couldn’t, but I also couldn’t let Presley do something he’d never be able to forgive himself for. He was making it out of the castle alive. That was nonnegotiable.

“Wait. We can talk about this.”

“Why would I waste my time in eternity talking to you when I could be talking to Her instead? You’re not even supposed to be here. I could have been with Her way earlier than this, but you just had to come into our lives. You ruined everything. And for that, I have to hurt you.”

Presley plunged the dagger into my leg, and every muscle in my body seized. I cried out, and the shock of it caused an agonizing panic in my entire body. I fought to steady my breath so I could remain present.

Something stronger burned in my veins as the adrenaline surged. This was Her fault. She did this to him.

Presley laughed in the wake of my pain. Not his usual chiming laughter that filled every room with a sense of ease. It was hard and forced through his chest.