Page 92 of Bite
He brushes a wet lock of hair behind my ear, then rests his hand at the nape of my neck. “I’m not good at this,” he admits quietly. “At explaining my motives or answering to anyone.” His thumb drags a slow line along my jaw. “But I owe you honesty, at the very least.”
My throat is tight, but I manage a whispered, “Okay.”
He’s silent again for a long moment, as if gathering his thoughts.
“You’ve occupied every corner of my mind since the first night we met,” he murmurs. “When I requested to feed from you, that’s all it was meant to be. But from the first taste, I knew you were different.” His fingertips ghost over the hollow of my throat, pausing where his bite mark lingers on my skin. “Yourblood is unlike anything I’ve ever known. And now I understand why.”
I twist slightly, holding his gaze as the air seems to thin between us.
“It’s calledvinculum sanguinis,” he says, the Latin rolling off his tongue like something sacred. “An ancient blood bond between human and vampire. According to legend, there was a time long ago when every vampire was paired with a human counterpart. They would share blood, and through it, power.” His eyes darken, almost reverent. “I always thought it was a myth. But the more I drank from you, the more I began to wonder whether those old stories might be true.”
My brain fumbles over the information, tripping on the word ‘bond’. “You think I’m your soulmate or something?” I blurt– half incredulous, half horrified.
A ghost of a smile curves his lips. “Soulmates are a romantic notion. This is more… biological.” His tone is measured, as though he’s trying not to frighten me. “It’s believed that these bonds were so powerful, they altered both parties on a physical level. That when a vampire fed from their bonded, their strength multiplied– senses sharpened, abilities heightened. And if the human drank in return, the bond would fuse, tethering their souls for eternity. The human would begin to change, too– sharper senses, faster healing, greater strength and speed. Their life force would entwine with the vampire’s, so they’d never age. Never die. Not while their bonded still lived. They’d remain human, just…more.”
I blink hard, shaking my head. “I– I don’t understand,” I stammer. “What makes you think that I’m… thatwe’re…”
He catches my trembling chin, gently angling my face toward his. “As I fed from you, I began to notice certain changes in myself that aligned with this phenomenon. So, I started investigating.” His tone softens, almost apologetic. “My initialapproach was to hire a genealogist to map out your family tree, see if your lineage could be traced back far enough to substantiate the connection. But much knowledge surrounding the original bonds was lost to time, so genealogy proved to be a dead end.” He pauses, searching my face for comprehension. “I then turned to science.”
“Dr. Faulkner,” I breathe, my heart hammering against my ribs.
“Yes. If anyone could prove the bond through empirical means, I knew it’d be him. Eli is one of my oldest friends. I trusted him to be discreet– to keep it just between us.”
“Why?” The word slips out sharper than I intend, brittle with disbelief. “Why hide this from me?”
“Not just from you, darling,” he replies, eyes darkening. “From the world.”
I blink back at him, mind spinning, lost somewhere between terror and awe.
“If a vampire suddenly developed enhanced abilities, they’d be considered an immediate threat to the order of things,” he continues, chest rumbling against my back. “Our hierarchy is built on strength. Power must be earned, proven. I’m already a king, but with a blood bond…” he trails off ominously, my stomach twisting in on itself.
“You could be more,” I whisper.
“Yes,” he sighs. “I have no desire to ascend, but the mere possibility that Icouldthreatens those above me.”
“If any of this were even true,” I mutter.
“Dr. Faulkner tested your blood against mine,” James says evenly. “The results were definitive. Our blood is uniquely compatible. That level of resonance doesn’t exist between ordinary donors and vampires.” He pauses, watching me absorb his words. “Eli believes it also explains why my progeny found your blood so delectable. I sired Lucien, so traces of my bloodrun through his veins. He wasn’t as affected as I am, of course, but the draw is still there.”
I let the words settle, feeling the weight of them press against my chest.
“I already know that your blood nourishes me differently,” James continues. “When I drink from you, I’m stronger. And while it runs through my veins, I canfeelyou. Your emotions, your pain, your pleasure. I perceive them as if they were my own.” He tilts my chin toward him, stroking a thumb over my cheekbone. “All that remains to be seen is whether my blood affects you the same way.”
The realization hits like ice. “You want me to drink your blood?” I choke out, horrified.
“Yes,” he says simply. “It’s the only way to complete the bond. And when it’s done, we’ll be more powerful than either of us can imagine. We’ll be untouchable.”
The idea is both terrifying and seductive. My pulse stutters as I search his eyes, desperate for a lie, a catch,somethingto prove I’m not already too far gone. But there’s nothing there– just that steady, burning gaze that promises both salvation and ruin.
“You were made for me, Taylor Holt,” he declares, those icy blue eyes pinning me in place. “Can’t you feel it?”
My pulse skips again. The room tilts.
I can feel it– god help me, Ican– and that’s the worst part. The notion claws at my chest, frantic and feral, begging me to run before I lose whatever scraps of myself I have left.
James’ expression softens slightly. “Are you alright?” he asks gently.
I manage a nod, though it’s a lie. “Just tired,” I murmur. “Tonight’s been… a lot. Can we talk about this later?”
