Page 121 of Blood and Ruin: The Complete Series

“You’re my Siren, my soulmate, my entire world. Choose us now and I vow to always show and remind you just how magnificent you truly are.”

My heart flutters wildly in my chest as he looks over me with those golden flames. Rion leans in, placing a kiss on my forehead.

I’m left speechless. Each declaration, each vow and promise another chip left on the armour I wore. It crumbled piece by piece leaving my heart raw and vulnerable to each beautiful word that leaves their lips.

Rion looks at me like he wants to say so much more. Instead, he gives me one of his signature smiles and steps back for Kai.

Kai…

Kai kneels down beside me, his eyes checking me over and frowning the more he stares.

“We need you, Kiarra. I know you’ve been fighting. I know there’s so much more that we don’t know. I know there’s a sadness and pain so deep, it’s left a mark on your soul. I know it because I’ve been lost in the dark for so long, I’ve forgotten what it feels like to walk in the light. Forgotten where to look to find it. But it’s you. It’s always been you. You’re the light that guides us and the hope that binds us together. We’re not whole without you. We haven’t been these last six years.”

Grunts of affirmations sound out around us, drawing a smile to Kai’s lips.

“It’s selfish to ask this of you. To ask you to be ours when we haven’t proven we can be trusted. But none of us could bear the thought of losing you… Not again.”

Kai reaches out, running a hand across my cheek. I try to lean into it, but my body isn’t my own. Not yet.

“You’ve owned my heart since we were kids and long after you were gone. You’re ours. You’ve always been ours, just as we’ve always been yours. I’ll fight for you now, forever and always.”

Kai takes my hand, his eyes full of reverence and love. “I’m never letting you go. Never again. I will hunt you down and find you each and every time.” He gives me a wicked smirk. “So, you might as well just get it over with now. Bond with us. Give us a chance and we promise to never let you down again.”

The guys turn silent, all looking at me with hope in their eyes.

My stuttering heart splutters trying to keep up with my racing thoughts and worries.

What if I open my heart and it gets crushed again? Alana… or Morana, did a number on me. One I didn’t think I would be forgetting anytime soon.

I was naive to trust her, seeing only what I wanted. Is that what I’m doing here too? Am I leading with my heart instead of thinking this fully through?

I’m a mess, my body and mind a mirrored projection.

But this is the guys,my guys. The boys I grew up with. Axel, who’s stubborn nature matched my own. The boy who always pushed me to do better. To believe there are no limits until you make them. Luka and Jax, my shadow twins. One couldn’t be more different from the other, but they are as close as could be. Both teaching me love and laughter is a big part of happiness. That happiness is a choice, one you get to make.

Rion, my basilisk. His blood might run cold, but he has the warmest heart. His mind always thinking three steps ahead, he knows exactly what I need to say when the words can’t leave my lips.

And Kai, my hound of hell. The boy who stood guard against every nightmare, every fear or worry. He made sure to keep his brother’s together, never giving up on them or letting them give up on themselves and has vowed to do the same for me.

I can’t run from them, not anymore. Kai is right, they are mine as much as I am theirs.

They are my soulmates, each holding a piece of my soul. How can I give them something they already have to begin with? They’ve owned my heart, body and soul since the very beginning.

But… King.

Reality crashes down around me as I realise what my future truly entails. The tag will soon re-activate, and King will hunt me down, killing them in the process.

As much as I want them, crave them and their beautiful hearts and souls,Ican’t be selfish, not when there is even the slightest possibility of them getting hurt.

The thought of any of them no longer here sends a bolt of pain so sharp, it overshadows my injuries as it makes its way to my heart.

“I can’t…” I whimper giving them my answer, the words breaking the last piece of my shield.

Jax’s face falls, his eyes dimming as he looks away.

Axel clenches his fists, not accepting my answer. “So, you’d rather fucking die than bond with us?” He shakes his head, looking at me with disappointment.

How could they think that? If I didn’t have the tag King placed on me…

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