Page 121 of This Blood That Breaks Us

Luke and I entered the cathedral as the last bit of sunlight left the sky and the moon took its place. The whole room was filled from front to back with no overhead light other than fromthe candles on the windowsills and the thousands of candles covering the floor.

Sirius and Ezra waited next to Her throne while She waited for us.

I wasn’t nervous anymore. All of our pain was coming to an end. I stood at the altar ready for whatever was next. Luke was beside me, looking determined as ever. Sirius told me when we finally accepted our roles, we’d know true peace, and I was ready for something other than what we’d been going through.

Luke nodded to me, and we kneeled on the marble floor.

“Sirius, please read The Divine’s word.”

Sirius stood next to her, paper in hand, and read,“The sun and the moon shall herald in devastation and demise to all save for Thee. Embrace them together, for they were born into ruin and shall sow it upon all who cross their path.”

Born into ruin.

Luke was looking at Her with devotion and love in his eyes. This was our path. He’d care for Her in that way he does, and I’d protect us all. I felt it in every fiber of my body. My brother and I were born for this moment. I’d had it all wrong. This place wasn’t hell. It was home calling to us before we formed in my mother’s womb. We belonged to Her. It finally made sense. All that gibberish Ezra and Sirius spoke over me. There was no way to mess this up, because this is who we were.

In seconds, Her hands pressed firmly to my cheeks. It was impossible to think straight when Her skin was on mine. I clenched my eyes shut, attempting to shield myself from Her, but when Her fingers trailed along my clenched jaw, I knew it was an invitation to let go. To finally give Her every part of me I’d been holding on to. She’d waited patiently for us. She knew us before we were born, and She’d waited for this moment for us to be together.

I opened my eyes. I was ready to stop Her waiting. She was the most enticing thing I’d ever seen in my lifetime. When Her breath hit my face, I didn’t pull away.

She bit into Her own wrist and the strangest feeling ached in my chest. Ezra brought over a bowl filled with black liquid. Droplets of Her blood fell into the bowl.

“The blood of our brothers is with you,” Ezra said

She moved in closer like She would kiss me, and I’d have let Her. I’d let Her do whatever She wanted. A second later, Her teeth were in my neck. I didn’t fight as She took from me. The world slowed, and Her fingers knotted my hair.

Take it all. Take everything.

The world blurred when She pulled away. I felt slow and human. Empty. Those perfect fingers reached to wipe Her lips, then mingle my blood in the bowl, and She spread the wetness over my wound.

“We’re one,” She said.

Before I could manage the chaos in my head, She bit Her wrist again to drink and fill Her mouth with blood. My lips parted with Hers, and my blood ran cold as the coolness of Her blood filled my throat. She emptied all that blood into my mouth with a bloody kiss and there were hushed gasps and praise.

Nothing in the world mattered. Not all the assholes watching. Not the future. Not even my brothers. I was gone. Truly gone. Lost in euphoria while Her blood stitched me back together and filled me. So I savored every last drop until I couldn’t feel my body anymore. I let go until Zach Calem no longer existed. Just Her. She was pure ecstasy in my veins.

I didn’t know what was next, but I was certain I’d never be the same, and as She pulled away to do the same to Luke, I knew something in me had changed because I wanted him to follow me into the same madness. To drink Her blood so we couldbe lost together. This fucked-up alternate reality was mine, and there was no more holding back.

Thirty-Nine

Luke

Who was I?That was my first thought when She pulled away from me. Surely, I had a name, but I couldn’t take my eyes offHer as She walked away from me. My heart yearned for Her, but She was only feet away and wasn’t looking at me . . .

I’m yours, My Love.

Her voice was in my head.

How could I live like this? If She wasn’t touching me or looking at me, how could I function? What was my name again?

“Luke.” Ezra grabbed my arm, and the pressure brought enough blood to my brain again where I could focus. His eyes locked with mine, demanding attention.

He was looking for some kind of answer from me, but I looked to Her instead. Catching the tail end of Her dress as it dragged on the floor.

He shook me. “Look at me.”

I fought the irritation climbing its way up my throat and the urge to push him off, but he didn’t look willing to let me go until I complied.

“Are you okay?”