Page 150 of This Blood that Bonds Us

“Let them. Presley was there when Kilian took our memories of the battle plans.”

“Doesn’t mean you don’t know anything that would help us.”

“Us? So you’re definitely siding with The Family?”

“Well, I’m sure as shit not going to help Kilian, am I? That ship sailed a long time ago.”

“But—”

“No. We’re in this together now whether you like it or not. The Legion are coming to end all of this, and I have people I have to protect, including you. So yeah, I’m going to fight them . . . and so are you.”

He was trying to get a rise out of me, but all I wanted to say was sorry.Sorry I didn’t come sooner. . .

I followed him back toward the castle. It was only seconds after I stepped foot in the door that someone barreled into me.

“You have to come now,” Luke said, holding my shoulders.

“What?” I stumbled back.

Presley interjected. “They have Kimberly. I mean . . . we gave her to the queen, technically.”

“She wasn’t supposed to come this early.”

A scream tore through the air, and my blood ran cold.

“You brought her?” Zach said, his nostrils flaring.

I ran with no idea where I was going. Her scream sounded again, and I felt it everywhere in my body.I’m coming.

The world was as blur as my brothers led me through a set of double doors. That led to a room with a huge window over the ceiling.

Kimberly was crouched on the floor with blood soaking the back of her shirt and a small pool of it gathered at her feet.

A sudden pulse of red crowded my vision, and I almost let go.

Of everything we worked for.

Of everything I cared about.

Of myself to once and for all let that Thing in my head take over and pull the dagger from Sirius’s hand to stick it in his throat.

I fought against the pull of that insanity as Presley backed into me. “It’s not supposed to hurt. She said it wouldn’t hurt.”

Another swipe of the dagger and we all collapsed to the floor. It was too much at once. Anger and pain hit me so hard I couldn’t think.

I had to get to her. I had to stop it.

“Aaron, don’t.” Luke tried to grab me, but I was faster.

Agony. Pure writhing agony tore through me from head to toe. I went for her, but my older brothers were tugging me to the floor by my arms. I was stronger this time and nearly ducked underneath them and pushed them off.

The bond was tearing them apart from the inside, and her screams were taking me from the outside. All of us were breaking at the same time. I could tell by the way Luke winced and struggled to keep me down and the way Zach let go of my sleeve, giving me the ability to free myself, all while Presley’s yelling for us to stop almost drowned out the sounds of Kimberly’s torture.

“Please, stop. I’ll do any—”

As I fell to my knees in front of her, Kimberly placed her bloody hand over my mouth.

“Don’t say it.”