Page 41 of Dark Bonds

My world goes red. Anger, hot and primal, surges through me, and before I can even think, I whip around, moving with a speed and power I didn’t know I possessed. My hand connects with a resounding slap against Amanda’s cheek, sending her stumbling back in surprise. My heart races and my head spins as I take in what I just did.

Tori stares at me wide-eyed, shock etched on her features, then Amanda moves, her arm whipping back for a haymaker. I’m ready for her this time. I dodge her attack with ease, moving with a speed and agility that surprises even me. Without thinking, I grab her wrist and twist it behind her back, causing her to cry out in pain.

“You think you’re so tough,” she spits at me, struggling to break free from my grasp, “just because you have some supernatural powers now? You are nothing. I should have made sure you were dead.”

My grip tightens on her wrist. “No,” I say through gritted teeth. “I don’t think I’m tough, and I don’t think I’m better thananyone else.” I lower my voice, a dangerous edge creeping in. “But I do know I am better than you.”

With a final shove, I send Amanda stumbling backwards. She glares up at me with hatred burning in her eyes, but there’s also fear there now, a seed of doubt I planted with pleasure.

“You’ll pay for this,” she hisses before scrambling to her feet and slinking back to Chloe’s side.

“Stupid bitch,” Chloe mutters, her red hair bristling like a cornered cat. “I’m going to take your pack.”

A scoff escapes my lips. “Joke’s on you, I don’t have one.” Technically true, but the possessiveness in Chloe’s voice makes it clear what she’s really after.

“So you’d be cool if I took Bishop?” she sings, a cruel smile twisting her lips. “Leo? Matteo?”

She forgot about Dorian, but I keep that information close to the vest for now. There’s no need to give them more ammunition.

“Yeah,” Amanda chimes in. Maybe the fight knocked some sense into her.

“That college education really expanded your vocabulary, Amanda, I’m so impressed,” I deadpan, sarcasm dripping from my voice. The last thing I need is them turning this into a bidding war over the guys.

“Oh please, let her keep my sloppy seconds.” Amanda flips her hair over her shoulder, a forced confidence masking her earlier fear.

“Oh please, Amanda, you and I both know you never got anywhere with Bishop.” Tori dusts herself off and glares at Chloe while remaining on the ground. “Or you. Neither of you have any chance with the guys.”

Chloe lunges, her nails extended like claws, but instead of connecting with my skin, a shimmering, smoky barrier materializes around me and Tori, deflecting the attack. A gaspescapes Chloe, and she stumbles back, staring at her hand where a thin red line mars her pale skin.

Time seems to slow down. The air crackles with a faint light that emanates from the barrier. It’s dark but not a true black, more like a swirling smoke. My heart pounds in my chest, a frantic drum solo against my ribs.

What the hell just happened?Exhilaration and terror course through me. The power I’d just wielded felt both foreign and familiar, like a part of me I’d always known but never acknowledged.

“Whoa,” a voice rumbles behind me. I spin around, my vision clearing just in time to see two guys materialize from the shadows. One, with dark hair and dark eyes, is tall and imposing, his chiseled features etched with concern. The other, with sun-kissed blond hair and a mischievous grin, seems more laid back but no less watchful.

Matteo and Leo.

“Are you girls alright?” Matteo asks, his gaze flitting between me and Tori, who’s slowly pulling herself off the ground.

“We… We’re fine,” I stammer, the barrier dissolving around us, leaving me feeling strangely drained.

A deep, composed voice cuts through the air, steady and authoritative. It sends a vibration right down my spine—a familiar sensation I’ve been trying to ignore. “Everyone, let’s take a step back,” Bishop says, his dark eyes assessing the situation. Our gazes lock for a moment, and I see a flicker of our shared past in his expression—foster siblings, summer lovers, and now… what? He clears his throat. “Frankie, Tori, come with us. We’ll sort this out.” Fuck, I’ve been able to avoid him until now.

Leo steps forward, his usual easygoing grin in place, but there’s a glint of steel in his eyes. “Hey now, Chloe,” he drawls, “if you wanted my attention, you could’ve just asked. No need togo all feline fury on my friends.” He winks, but it’s more warning than flirtation. The tension in the air shifts, not quite breaking but changing flavor.

Amanda and Chloe, clearly flustered, mutter something under their breath and disappear into the throng of students.

Matteo just shares a look with Bishop, a silent conversation passing between them. “We were just coming to find you two,” Matteo says.

“What was that?” Leo asks, stepping closer. His dark eyes bore into mine, as if searching for answers.

I shrug, still trying to process what happened. “I… I don’t know. I just… felt a surge of energy and then…” My voice trails off, the memory of the barrier returning with a jolt—the dark, smoky haze that enveloped us and the way it deflected Chloe’s attack.

“It was a shield,” Matteo says quietly, his gaze thoughtful. “A powerful one. You protected yourselves without even realizing it.”

My mind reels with the implications. A protective shield? Could that be part of my newfound abilities?

“What does it mean?” I whisper, a mixture of excitement and trepidation bubbling in my chest.

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