Page 147 of A Bond Beyond Blood

“The here and now of your query are simple enough.Here, because I’ve been coming to Fiorino’s Meats for twenty-one years, and when I returned, my reasoning was two-fold.I was feeling a bit of nostalgia”—he paused to look at me pointedly— “old age will do that to a man, and two, I wanted to meet the boy who’d taken over in Franco’s stead, so that I could resume my monthly supply pick-up.Imagine my surprise...”Elias tilted his head back to rinse the shampoo he’d been lathering into his white hair, then he reached for Jacqueline’s conditioner.

“And to answer your third question,” he mused, “why Jacqueline?”Elias sighed thoughtfully as he ran his fingers though the strands of his hair before turning toward me once again.“You aren’t going to like my answer.”

I tensed, bracing myself for whatever bullshit he was about to toss my way.

“She belongs to me, you see; it’s as simple as that.”

My jaw clenched and my hands dropped to my sides, curling into fists.“The blood bond,” I growled, and Eli side-eyed me as he finished rinsing off.

Humans indebted to a vampire through a blood bond could be made to do literallyanything, from financial servitude to sexual slavery.The magnitude of what Eli might be planning for my girl twisted my stomach into knots.

I breathed deeply, letting the Jacqueline-scented steam fill my lungs and offer me a sense of calmness, even though it was Elias who now smelled like her.

When I thought I could speak steadily, I asked, “What will you force her to do?”

“Force her?”He scoffed, then laughed heartily.“I won’t have toforceher into anything.She belongs to me.Her blood calls to mine and mine to hers.”He narrowed his eyes as he turned off the water.“You already know I cannot compel her, and I have no doubt that you could scent her arousal in my presence.She’s smitten with me, as I am with her.”

I snorted.“You’re delusional.”Mockingly, I bowed my head.“Sir.”

“Careful, Vincenzo, or I’ll send you so far from this place she’ll have no choice but to turn to me for comfort.”His smile made my hackles rise.“Behave, and I might continue to share what is rightfully mine.”

I closed my eyes and breathed deeply to keep from lunging for him.I wouldn’t win in a fight against a vampire king, no matter who I’d been in my past life.And I couldn’t do anything that might jeopardize Jacqueline’s wellbeing—or the relationship we’d started to build.

“Now,” Eli said, pulling me back to the present.“I assume you have suitable clothing I could borrow?It’s time for me to be on my way.”

At least we agreed on that.

I dug through the chest of drawers and pulled out a pair of jeans and a hoodie, then tossed them toward Eli, whose lips curled in distaste.

“Many thanks,” he said, though he clearly didn’t mean that.As he dressed, he said, “I’ve initiated my return to the throne, as you now know, and in doing so have abolished the Council of Lords.”

I choked on air, then said, “Abolished?”

“Forgive me, I misspoke.It truly has been such a long day.I have endedthreeof the five council members.The others, well...”He chuckled.“I don’t expect them to lie down easily, so I’d like to repeat my earlier offer.The girl should come live with me—”

“Not fucking happening.”

Eli stood, and, dressed in my clothing, the vampire king couldalmostpass for normal.But those freaky blue eyes were so very clearlynothuman that maybe normal-adjacent was more like it.He exhaled dramatically.“If you’d allow me to finish,” he said with a huff, “the offer is extended to you and the boyfriend as well.”

“Ex-boyfriend,” I clarified.

Eli tilted his head.“Hmm.”After a beat, he added, “Anyway, like I said, the three of you are welcome to join me in theformerHouse of Lords.”

I scoffed.“You’re moving in?”

“Why, yes, obviously.”He clasped my shoulder as he left the bedroom, stopping only briefly to add, “Home is where the throne is, after all.”

Well, I guess I could be grateful he hadn’t decided to move inhere.

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