Page 78 of Blood Bought

“Well, thatisa problem we’re having. We can see them better than a human can, but it’s hard as hell,” Ren added unhelpfully.

“The other option is sitting here and waiting to die. All of the New Allegiance territories need to fight this war together, or we’ll all die.”

Again, Alaris only made me feel worse, but I knew he wasn’t wrong. It just didn’t make it any easier to digest.

“Then I guess you’d better not die,” I said quietly. “How will I know you’re okay?”

“By this point, if something happened to me, I believe you’d feel it. Of course, after we bonded you’d feel a lot more, but for now, Kell will be staying with you. He’ll be in direct contact with me and Ren the whole time. He’d let you know if anything happened to me or anyone else.”

The bond. Suddenly, I wanted to beg him to wait, to do the ritual with me before he left — but I realized before I said a word how bad of an idea that would be. “Kellian’s staying?”

“Yes,” he said, stepping up. “With the Discipline and Hunting families gone, my family will be in charge of Veresian. You’re stuck with me, Addy Cat.”

The news made me feel a little better, but I was worried for Alaris and Renzo in ways that nearly shocked me. “You said the territories will have to work together. Do you have the support of the other clans?”

“That’s what we’re working on now. Draterion’s Hunting family is taking more to convince. They’re a little... apprehensive to join sides with wolves. Ciro and I have to go see them, along with our fathers. They need to know how serious it is.”

“Oh, great. So if the djinn don’t get you, Kalon will?” I asked. “Brilliant.”

“Kalon will stay in his lane,” Alaris hissed, but an unfamiliar chuckle from behind us sent a chill up my spine.

“Will I?”

Alaris moved to stand in front of me as I spun around, hiding one of the most insanely, brutally handsome men I’d ever seen. “I... take it that’s Kalon?” I asked, swallowing. He was at least a foot taller than Alaris’ own considerable height, twice as thick, and his eyes were the brightest red I’d ever seen in an Obsidian vampire.

He checked me out in a way that would have had his head ripped from his shoulders if he’d been anyone but an Heir. “Handsome, huh? Discipline here not big enough for you?”

“Enough,” Alaris growled. “This isn’t the time for your mind games. I thought we’d be meeting in neutral territory?”

Kalon shrugged. “Ehh, why do that when I could just... come. Not like your guards are paying any attention right now.”

“You’re here, at least,” Kellian interrupted. “That’s good. Does that mean you’re willing to help?”

“Not necessarily. We have a condition of our own if you want us to stick our necks out in a war with djinn. We need a little—” he paced around the room like standing still wasn’t something he was capable of — “insurance, if you will. We’ll fight, bleed and die with you, if you can give your word you won’t betray us and vouch for those stinky wet dogs you’re going to make us fight beside. Think you can do that?”

Alaris looked apprehensive at best, but he nodded. “You have our word.”

“Great!” He clapped his hands together once. “So, she’ll just come with me now and we’ll keep her safe down there. Unless of course, you go back on your word.”

Suddenly, Alaris was ready to battle right then. His fangs popped out, a growl vibrating through his fingers to my own as Kell and Ren moved up between them to stop the fight. “Ris! Don’t.”

“Don’t what? Adalind isn’t going anywhere,” he snapped. “Why my mate?”

“Because Kellian doesn’t have one, and let’s face it, this is far more interesting for all of us. I’ve heard how emotional this human has made you. Glad to see that wasn’t exaggerated.”

The world went quiet. I could see their lips moving, yelling and arguing about it. I could feel the power and anger coming off my boys in waves powerful enough to make breathing near them hard. I sensed it all, and yet... I couldn’t hear a thing. The one hope I had to stay close to Alaris while he was gone had vanished, and all the freedoms I’d been given were following it.

I was going to be a prisoner.

Again.

“Okay,” I whispered, but they didn’t hear me. “Okay!” I yelled. “I’ll do it. I’ll go. If this is how we get Draterion’s help, I’ll go.”

“Not alone, you won’t,” Kellian growled. “We’re sending Azel with you whether Kalon likes it or not.”

“Azel the witch? Didn’t know she was still alive,” he said flippantly. “Whatever. And it won’t be prison again, beautiful. You can stay in my room.”

“Touch her and you die. I don’t care if it starts a war, if it’s the promise that will end us all, I don’t care. You’ll die for it.”

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