Page 28 of Blood Bond

"I know you're looking for explanations. It seems like we're keeping secrets from you.

"Because you are," I say instinctively, not holding back. “It feels a lot like...” I pause, trying to hold back my words, but they spill out regardless. “Ever since you bought me, it's been nothing but secrets and conflicts. It's been about people wanting something from me or deceiving me. Your brother, Killian, Naneve. It’s …” My voice falters unintentionally. “Everyone seems to want something from me or dislikes me, and I don’t understand any of it. When I ask, no one gives me straight answers.”

“We will,” he assures me.

“No, you won’t. I don’t understand what’s happening. I see these visions, hear voices, and it feels like you all know, but back at the house ... What was that just now? What happened back there? You all know something, and no one tells me anything. I’m expected to just… just…” Words fail me, unable to fully express the turmoil inside. ”

He steps closer, and I notice his glance shifting between me and the headstone. “It's complicated.”

“You say that, but maybe I’ll understand,” I counter, holding his gaze. Our eyes lock, and in that moment, a silent communication passes between us. It's a mix of his hesitance and my insistence, an unspoken acknowledgment of the complex world I've been drawn into and my growing need for truth.

His top lip twitches slightly, revealing the edge of his fangs, a reminder of the supernatural world he belongs to. “What you just felt is magic,” Seth reveals, his voice carrying a note of earnestness. “A kind of magic my brother doesn’t know how to wield properly.”

“Magic?” The word feels strange, almost surreal, on my tongue.

He nods in confirmation. “Like I said, it’s complicated. There's much for you to learn, but it has to be in your own way and on your own time.”

“But I will learn it,” I say, a determination settling within me.

“Yes.”

“The magic, it’s connected to the book he stole?” I ask, trying to piece together the fragments of this intricate puzzle.

“Yes.”

I look at him, feeling the weight of his gaze as I process this new revelation. Finally, I ask, “What is the book your brother took?”

He nods, the seriousness in his expression deepening. “A grimoire.”

“A grimoire? What’s that?

“A witch's sacred book. A book of magic and life passed down witch to witch.”

I frown, puzzled by the situation. “But you're not a witch.”

“No, I am not,” Seth confirms.

“Then why do you have this grimoire, and why does your brother want it?” My curiosity grows, along with a hint of frustration at the complexity of it all.

He pauses, as if carefully considering his response. Then he exhales slowly. “It was given to me a long time ago, when I was first turned and filled with a desire for vengeance.” This revelation about Seth's past, his transformation against his will … Was he like the woman? Like the man?

“By a witch?” I ask, trying to piece together this intricate puzzle.

“Yes,” he replies.

“But why? If it’s sacred, why would she entrust it to you?”

“Because I needed it,” he says, his voice laced with a hint of mystery.

“That sounds like more riddles,” I say, my tone reflecting my growing impatience for clarity.

Seth looks at me, a solemn expression on his face. “It was given to me to care for, so when the rightful owner came into my path, I could hand it over," Seth explains. "My brother has taken it because the magic contained within it is immensely powerful. In our hands, it's potent, but in the hands of its true owner, that magic surpasses anything we've known in this world. My brother desires it to ascend to power, to control our kind.”

I stare at Seth, trying to process the enormity of what he's revealing. “That’s how you became king? Because of that book?”

“The magic within it granted me abilities I never sought,” he admits, a hint of reluctance in his voice. “I fear it's the same magic that has empowered my brother in the ways we've witnessed.” Seth glances upwards towards the trees, where the sky is visibly brightening, the hues shifting with the dawn. “Come back to the house with me. Rest. The sun is rising.”

Seth extends his hand towards me, palm up, a gesture that seems to bridge the gap between us. In this moment, he isn't just the centuries-old existence vampire, but rather a man, someone with depth and an untold history. For reasons that escape me, I find myself drawn to him, sensing a connection that goes beyond the surface.

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