Page 74 of This Blood that Bonds Us

“Definitely not.”

“That leaves strength for Presley or Zach,” she said. Kimberly was already moving the pencil and writingLoyaltyunder Presley’s name. “I have a feeling about this one. What do you think?”

“It fits. Then Zach is strength and I’m . . . the protector?”

“Yes,Presidiumrepresents guardianship. Being the ultimate protector.”

We didn’t have the words in the right order. I didn’t fit into any of those roles well.

“How would drinking from Her make me a protector?”

“Something for us to contemplate, indeed.”

I thought about my brothers’ dreams again. That place was all they’d known and all they believed in. They were forced to fit into those roles. It was like there were two roads before me. Maybe I was their protector, but not as a member of The Guard. I could be the protector of our dream of freedom.

Thirty-One

Presley

All I had to do was get to the pub across town without Kim and Aaron knowing. It would be a bit of a challenge, but the love birds were easy to distract, Luke wasn’t there to pick up on mylying, and Zach wasn’t there to be overly protective and want to follow me everywhere. It sucked, actually.

It was snowing again. I still didn’t understand why Luke couldn’t have picked a place in the Bahamas or something. At least a place that wasn’t constantly overcast.

My thrifted shoes weren’t made for the snow, and every step packed more snow into the treads.

“What did you want to do first?” Aaron asked, pulling Kimberly between us so we were all shoulder to shoulder. We were overdressed for the cold.

“I was thinking we’d grab a beer or two and hit the museum.”

“It’s 10 a.m.,” Aaron said, like it mattered.

“Yeah, but we’re vampires, so it doesn’t matter. Come on, the plan is to get day drunk and have a good time, you know, since everything sucks and the world is ending.”

“I get it. Yes, okay. Pub it is.”

“Whatever you want. We’re doing it.” Kimberly smiled.

“Oh, Kim’s getting drunk, then?”

“If it pleases you,” she said.

She did need to relax. She was always journaling and reading. I’d snooped once. It was all these old books about the moon cycles and their meanings, along with constellations and Irish history. That wasn’t even the weird part. She’d make lists filled with pros and cons, different scenarios. There were notebooks full of her scratched-out thoughts. Even as we walked, her hands were smudged with ink as she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. She was trying to fix our problems again.

After I met up with my stalker, I would help too. Hopefully then, I’d have some information that would get us to my brothers. I could give it over to Kilian, and everyone would be better off for it. Lying and sneaking around could be a good thing.

I convinced a hot guy with hazel eyes to buy us drinks at a random bar. Two scotches deep, I was finally warm. He’d gone back to sit with a friend, but his attention lingered on me.

Focus, Presley.

Hot guys could wait. I checked my phone. One missed call.

“I’m going to go outside to get some air. Maybe you can take Kim to the museum over there.”

The bar was part restaurant and part shopping mall. Groups of people—mostly older couples—funneled in next door. It was probably something boring like historic stuff.

“Yes!” Kim’s eyes lit up, then she frowned. “Do you want someone to come with you?”

“No, I’m going to smoke. I’ll be right back.”