Page 2 of Blood Bond

The wall stands ahead—a daunting obstacle. But Nico has faced taller. He lunges toward it, reaching out with his hands, ready to grasp the top. His fingers make contact, and he struggles to pull himself up. But the creature is right behind him, lightning fast. Its massive paw swipes past Nico's back, a near miss that threatens to ensnare him.

Nico struggles with every ounce of strength left in him to hoist himself up, reaching desperately for that extra inch. A bead of sweat trickles down his temple, his heart pounding double-time in his chest. He taps into a well of energy he thought was depleted, his arms propelling him upwards with a grunt.

But the creature is faster. It catches him and yanks him down, its snarling face closing in on his. Its jaws snap with sharp, deadly teeth.

Nico's arms quiver as he clenches his teeth, a desperate battle for escape raging within him. He attempts to scramble away, but the creature drags him back with ease, a cat toying with its prey.

Fear squeezes Nico's heart like a vice, his attempts to scream producing only strangled cries. The creature's hot breath washes over his face, teeth bared, poised to strike.

"I'll rip you to fucking pieces." The creature's visage shifts, transforming into a man—Donovan. His transformation is grotesque, mid-change as his bones shift at an unnatural speed, faster than any shifter Nico has ever witnessed. The horrific sight forces the scream from Nico's throat, his stomach churning with dread.

The shift gives Nico a chance to escape. He takes it, but Donovan is an unstoppable force, closing in on him. Nico scrambles backward, frantically clawing at the ground in a desperate bid for escape. Donovan snags his ankle and jerks him backward, pulling him into a suffocating embrace.

Terror chokes Nico as Donovan's hand clamps around his throat. "Make a move, and I'll snap you in a second."

With effortless grace, Donovan rises, lifting Nico off the ground. Nico's only recourse is to grasp at Donovan's hand and wrist, trying to pry it away as he's hauled toward the door. Payton's father stands uselessly on the sprawling porch, a silent witness to the unfolding horror.

Donovan drags Nico inside and flings him toward two men—vampires.

"Take him downstairs."

The vampire on the left is dressed in a suit, his long dark hair pulled back, his bloodshot eyes not red like Seth's, but rather the crimson hue of a vampire on the brink of starvation, pushed to the very edge of thirst before being pulled back. A torturer for the undead.

Donovan's upper lip twitches as he strides across the hallway, where a woman holds out a robe for him. He slips it on, concealing his naked form. "Do not fucking touch him. He is mine. Take one bite, and I'll ensure you regret it for all eternity."

The man nods and bows. "Yes, sir."

Donovan exhales heavily, then turns to face Jonathan, who stands apart from the tumultuous scene. "I had her. I fucking had her. All you had to do was have her in here, and this would be done."

"I'm sorry...."

"Do not placate me with feeble human emotions. Next time, you will not fail."

ChapterThree

The ground is coming up so fast, too fast. I hold on to Seth and press closer into his body. He tightens his embrace, holding me closer.

His wings flap frantically, trying to keep us airborne, and he stays focused, ready to make an impact with the ground.

We hit and roll, me encased in the safe cocoon of his hold all over again, but I can't help but let out a gasp of shock at the suddenness of our fall. Seth grunts, but then stillness follows.

We lay there for what feels like eternity, my head on his chest and the sun beating down on us.

His heart is pounding in sync with mine, a deep bass thumping resonating through our bodies. "Seth ..." I whisper his name and it feels like we’re one single being, connected in ways I don’t understand.

I have to pull myself back, remember what he is and what he is to me.

His eyes and mouth are open, baring the tips of his fangs. The red circle around his pupils is bigger, as if he’s just fed. Blood-red lines snake under his skin, a network of capillaries visible in the sun.

The sun… My stomach does a somersault. "We have to get you inside—" I gasp, then stop abruptly. "Y-You’re not burning."

He shakes his head slowly, his gaze so intense it feels like a physical force pushing against me. "No." The finality of that one word sends a chill down my spine.

But that is all he says.

I push myself off from him, and as soon as I am out of his hold, he sits up straight and his wings fold back in one graceful motion.

I feel so lost and strange. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do. My body is warm from his touch, my nerves buzzing with the way the sun’s rays beat down on us.