Page 38 of Blood Bond

Nico remains motionless inside, curled up on his side with his eyes closed.

“Get up,” Donovan demands, but Nico doesn’t stir.

He's naked, his skin pallid, marked by claw marks that Donovan is certain are Amelia's handiwork. “I said, get up,” he repeats, his voice rising in frustration.

Still, Nico remains unmoved. “I know you're not dead. I can feel your heart beating,” Donovan says, noting that the rhythm isn't fast but rather slow and erratic, not the pattern of someone sleeping.

“Ameilia ..." Donovan exhales in exasperation. She's pushed the boy to the brink of death, interpreting Donovan’s command of not killing him in her own twisted way. Nico is dangerously close to death.

Donovan leans in, turning Nico over. The boy’s eyes are hooded, barely open, his lips cracked, eyes bloodshot to an almost vampiric red, his skin a sickly grey. “You humans are so weak, so pathetic. I'm glad I only spent twenty-nine years as one,” Donovan sneers, his lip curling with disdain. “You don’t deserve what I’m about to give you.”

Anger courses through Donovan, fueling a transformation. It's like a magic within him, and he harnesses it, feeling it spread through his body. His fingers begin to change shape, nails retracting as claws emerge.

Nico’s eyes suddenly widen, watching Donovan transform. He shakes his head, trying to recoil.

Donovan grabs him, his features now more beast than man or vampire, with sharp, canine-like teeth. He leans in close to Nico. “This will make you all better,” he whispers menacingly, then bites.

ChapterTwenty-Nine

My chest feels tight, and my breathing becomes erratic. Donovan’s face keeps appearing in my mind. It’s not just an image or a memory; it's as if he's actually inside my head.

It’s what their kind does. "How could he reach me like this? Doesn’t he have to be close to do that?" Realisation dawns, and my eyes widen. "Does this mean he’s here?"

I stagger back, not to distance myself from Seth, but from the possibility that his brother ...

"He’s not here," Seth assures me, his gaze intense. "If he were, we’d know. I think my brother is desperate. That’s all this is. He’s connected with you before, so he can do it again. Could Craven connect when he wasn’t close?"

"Not with me." My voice drops. "Craven barely bothered with me. My blood seemed to repel him. He only tried it when desperate, saying it made him ill. But he never refused the sex. Fortunately, his aversion meant he didn't summon me often. I was just a toy he thought he wanted, not what he actually needed. That's why we never had a connection."

"But with others?"

"Yes," I confirm. "He connected with others, and I've witnessed it. Our minds are never safe."

"Your minds are like locked doors. Once we find the key, we can always open them," Seth says.

"So he used that door to try and find me."

"Yes, and he failed."

"I pushed him out," I say, a sense of pride in my voice.

Seth tilts his head. "You pushed him out?"

I nod. "I told him 'no'. I pushed back and slammed the mental doors shut. He was furious. I felt this sudden burst of anger as he left."

"My brother doesn’t like to be told 'no', whatever the occasion. I've never known a human who can push us out of their minds, but then …" Seth pauses, placing his hand gently on my face, studying me. "I’ve never met a human like you before, either." He holds my gaze for what feels like a long minute. "I need to check the lands around this place. Naneve mentioned we might have some unwelcome visitors lurking. I don’t think my brother will try again, at least not tonight. I brought you some clothing; Elena got them for you. She wasn’t sure about your size and had to guess. Anything you don’t like, you can change. I’m afraid your old clothes were torn and tattered, as were ours."

My clothes were, our clothes were ... maybe Seth’s the worst. It doesn’t matter. Theo had given me something to sleep in, and I’d not worried beyond that. Clothing was a luxury in Craven’s place, so it never entered my head to think about it.

There are clothes at the end of my bed. I reach for them; they're soft. "Thank you," I say. "What time is it?" I realise I’ve lost track of time, the days and hours just flying by in a blur of events.

"A little after eleven," he answers. "There’s a bathroom through that door," he gestures. "Shower, dress, and come down. Theo is preparing a hot meal. You must be hungry."

His mention of food suddenly makes me realise my hunger, because yes, I am. Even with everything. "Yes."

He doesn’t step back from me immediately. Instead, he tilts my head up and places his lips to mine, inhaling deeply. He closes his eyes, as if savouring the touch. It makes me swallow hard, wanting to reach out to him. Then he moves his face, sliding until we're cheek to cheek, his mouth near my ear. "Katherine."

He pulls back and, without another word, heads towards the door. "Come down when you’re ready." And then he's gone, leaving me to sigh deeply.

---