Page 27 of Medium
“Got it.” He touched my arm as he passed me, and I fell into step beside him. He opened his mouth to protest, and I could feel through the bond that he didn’t want to leave Rory alone until we knew him better, but then he said, “Oh, right.”
I snorted. “We need to figure out how long our leash is.” I winced when I stepped on a twig. I hadn’t noticed my bare feet on the way to the tree, but now I was ready to put some shoes on.
When we went inside, Ms. Jackson had walked over to Pia and lowered their head to be scratched.
CAL’S CAMPAIGN COMPENDIUM
BONDING, PART TWO: STRENGTHENING THE CONNECTION
In order to bond with a partner or partners, your connection has to have grown strong enough to support it. This follows a few steps:
Resonance and Compatibility: On first meeting a potential romantic interest, if your magics are compatible enough to eventually bond, you will notice what is called resonance. Resonance is displayed when your respective magics can be seen reaching out to each other when you are in close proximity. If you and your potential partner wish to see if you are compatible, touch each other in a non-sexual way (e.g. holding hands) for a few seconds. Compatible magics will intermingle with each other.
Connection: A connection for bonding purposes is a voluntary* non-permanent** link that over time, as the partners grow to care for each other, becomes permanent. As the connection grows, some of the abilities enjoyed by bonded partners will manifest when the connected partners are touching skin-to-skin. These abilities might include mind-speaking and sensing each other’s emotions.
Note: See theConnectionscompendium entry for more information on the different types of connections and how to create them.
* Highly compatible partners may find their connection is created without their consent or intent simply by touching each other.
** Highly compatible partners may find their connection to be so strong initially that it is immediately permanent. In these cases, if the individuals do not wish to move forward with bonding, it is recommended they do not spend any further time together, and they absolutely should not continue to touch each other skin-to-skin.
CHAPTER 7
SHANE
I would’ve preferredEllis to stay behind with Rory. Not that I had any specific suspicions about the man, but we didn’t know him, where he came from, or what his intentions were.
On the other hand, I was glad Ellis couldn’t stay behind, because I’d been getting flashes through our bond of the attraction Ellis felt for Rory. Our bond which was only a few fucking hours old.
I’d been working hard to hide my hurt and anger from him, but the bond kept fighting me. Which was understandable. It was still trying to set itself in place, and not only was it wonky, but one of the parties involved was already looking elsewhere.
I couldn’t blame him. Rory seemed like a fucking catch. Gorgeous, rich based on the car he drove, and he had to be a ton smarter than me. Ellis was probably regretting our bond now that he saw what he could’ve had.
But I wasn’t about to be a doormat. If he wanted out, I deserved to know.
It was hard to stomp into the house in bare feet, but I was giving it a go. As soon as the door shut behind us, I whirled and rounded on Ellis. “Are we done? You want someone else already?” I hated the wobble in my voice. I stopped talking and dropped the hold I’d been keeping on my emotions.
Ellis took a step back, his eyes widening. “I didn’t mean to! I’m not—I’m happy we’re bonded! I don’t know why I keep looking at him!” He held out his hands pleadingly.
“You don’t know? Ellis, your fucking magic was reaching for him when he walked past you!”
His face looked shocked.Really?He had to have noticed it.
I was furious, but we didn’t have time to deal with this right now. “Come on. We’ve got to get dressed and find some clothes for Pia.”
“Shane, please. It’s you I want.”
Blinking back tears, I shrugged off the hand he put on my arm and strode into my bedroom. The same bedroom where we’d created our bond only hours before.
I didn’t look at the bed or at Ellis as I pulled on underwear, sweatpants, and a t-shirt. He didn’t say anything, just stood in the doorway looking down the hall to the living room the whole time.
