Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 79726 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79726 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
But right as I begin to scream from pain, the heat becomes cool, like icy tingles across my skin. Except that’s not all. There’s a humming heat now in my chest.
Remus finally releases his arms, and I break away from him, stumbling back with a confused cry, tears in my eyes.
But I can finally open them without pain to look at him. Is he not glowing as bright?
Which is when, holy shit, I look down at my own chest and realize that now I’m glowing too. “What did you do?” I cry.
“I have shared my life spark with you,” he says, stepping close. “Today, I realized how easy it would be to lose you. After absorbing power from the Devourers when I destroyed them, I saw so many things clearly.”
The look in his glowing eyes is wilder now than I’ve ever seen, which is saying something when it comes to Remus. He steps closer, and I hold still as he reaches out and caresses my face. When his fingers make contact, it sizzles but not with pain. I hiss out in shock at the intensity of the feeling.
“My brothers and I are more powerful than even we realized. Without knowing it, they bestowed extended lifespans upon their wives when impregnating them with offspring.”
I feel my eyes widen.
“But I could not wait for that chance with you. And an extended life is not enough. I cannot lose you.”
I look again at my chest. “What does this mean?”
Remus grins. “You will now live forever with me.”
I about choke on my tongue. “Forever?”
He nods and then bows his head. “If you’ll have us.”
From the back of his bowed head, I can see Romulus awake and blinking at me. “We love you. It can be us, together. Forever.”
I blink in shock. I may never know all of what happened up there when Remus battled those creatures, but I have the feeling it was something momentous if Remus has found peace with his brother.
Remus peeks up at me again. “Well? Will you have us?”
I grin and throw my arms around him. “Forever,” I breathe out happily.
I’m still glowing—both literally and metaphorically—when Remus and I head back inside. Romulus stays awake a little while longer as we’re welcomed enthusiastically by the group when he recounts his victory. Romulus only rolls his eyes a couple of times, I note, but otherwise actually looks happy to celebrate his brother.
Luna starts whining and Ksenia and Kharon stand up to bounce her. Abaddon gets up, too. “Well, I think it’s time we took our leave. Thank you, Vlad, for your hospitality. We will never forget your kindness in this time of need and consider you true allies. Should you ever need the favor returned—”
But Abaddon doesn’t finish talking before Vlad speaks up. “Oh, not quite yet. That one”—He points a sharp fingernail-tipped finger at Remus—“struck a blood oath with me, the terms of which have not been fulfilled.”
“What are you talking about?” Remus snaps irritably. The glow from his chest flares slightly, and Vlad’s sons shy back from the light as if it pains them, but Vlad stands unmoved in front of Abaddon.
“You drank of my sacred blood,” Vlad says.
Phoenix gasps in horror.
“What?” Remus says, arm tightening around me. “We struck a bargain.”
“What did you give in exchange?” Abaddon asks, obviously not happy.
“Hey, take it easy on him,” Romulus speaks up in defense of his twin—a first by the look of surprise on Abaddon’s face. “He just stopped an apocalypse, if you’ll remember.”
“Something my blood may have helped with,” Vlad inserts. “It may have fortified him beyond his own abilities so he was able to take on the Devourers and actually defeat them.”
“In that case, it was to your own advantage that you gave it to him,” Abaddon growls at Vlad, who only just smiles a razor-sharp grin in response.
“That’s not how a blood oath works.”
“I gave you your fee,” Remus says, and when Abaddon turns on him again, he just holds up his hands. “Just some information.”
Vlad laughs. “Only a fool would think the eldest living vampire would give his blood for such a piddling fee. No, by imbibing my blood, you made an unbreakable pact with me that you and all your blood kin are bound to until it is paid.”
“That’s bullsh—” Remus starts, flaring brighter again, but Phoenix steps forward, hand out.
“It’s true,” she says, her face pale.
Vlad just continues grinning. “Your family is bound to me in blood until the debt is paid.”
Abaddon grits his teeth. “And how exactly do we do that?”
Vlad looks at Layden. “It’s quite simple, really. You give your brother to my granddaughter in marriage so she might bear me an heir. Only then will the blood debt be considered paid.”
“Grandfather!” Phoenix explodes, spinning toward him.
I’m shocked too. I thought Vlad hated Layden. At least that was the vibe I got from him whenever Layden and Phoenix were close. But maybe now that he knows how powerful their family is…