Page 54 of Entombed By Blood
The ice returns, and with it comes rational thought. I came so close to messing up my cover.
And now she’s defending me. This pathetic, fragile doll stands no chance against Callista—who’s close to full strength, even with her collar—but Evelyn remains between us anyway, forming a barrier with her weakened body.
Shock roots me silently in place as I stare down at her in confusion.
Callista straightens, raising a brow as she glares between us. “I’m hissire. I have first rights to his blood.”
“This posturing is—” Bella is cut off as Evie smirks.
“Your rights to his blood ended whenoursire decided to force a thrall bond between him and me. He’sminenow. Touch him again, and I’ll gut you for the insult.”
“Cain won’t let you hurt me. He’ll put you down like the rabid dog that you are.”
Evie laughs in Callista’s haughty face. The sound is humourless and broken, cutting through the quiet clearing like a gunshot. “He won’t let me die, Callie. I begged him to. All he’ll do is scold you for not being fast enough to stop me.”
Callista must recognise some truth in Evie’s words, because she backs up a step, righting herself and soothing a few loose hairs back into place before pulling her collar up and rearranging it to cover the silver chain around her neck.
“Fine. Enjoy your freedom while it lasts. We both know you’ll slip up again soon enough. How long do we think this will last? Two decades? Three? Or just until the next good-looking mortal comes along?”
Evie has gone as stiff as a board. “I believe our tour is over,” she grinds out. “Draven will see me back to the Tower. Thank you for your company.” The last is aimed at Bellatrix—not Callista—who nods her acceptance.
Evie’s hand takes mine, dragging me away from her sisters.
I stare at the place where we’re joined. She’s warm to the touch, and focusing on that helps to soothe my anger as she pulls us through the park, with no clue as to where she’s going.
It’s only when we’re far away from her poisonous family that I stop in place, tugging her to a halt.
She’s breathing hard, her limbs shaking so hard they’re almost vibrating from the force of her anger. I expect that. It’s a normal response to conflict for most people.
What I don’t expect is for her to turn her wide eyes on me and ask: “Are you all right?”
I stare at her, frozen with incredulity for several seconds.
Since waking up, this woman has been forced into an intimate bond with six strangers, poisoned, tormented by bloodlust, and tested mercilessly. And she wants to know ifIam okay?
I see now why the pups are so obsessed with her. She’s clearly awoken from two centuries of torture without any sense of self-preservation.
A surge of protective tenderness rushes through me, and I freeze.
I’ve not felt much beyond calculating apathy and anger in decades. This softer, gentler emotion prodding at my ribcage is a peculiar thing, and I cock my head in confusion.
In the decades since I was released, I’ve met countless helpless people, male and female, and not felt this way. Even Finley, with his familiarity, his brutal youth, and his omega nature, has never prompted this kind of reaction from me. This must be the thrall bond at work, and I can’t even say I’m truly opposed to it. It feelsrightto be protective of this shattered woman. Natural, even.
I could cut it off now, severing the root of the emotion before it can form into a true weakness to be used against me later. It’s the sensible thing to do.
But the memory of her placing herself between me and Callista plays in my mind like a broken record, taunting me. She put herself in danger to protect me. I release a heavy sigh, wondering if she knows her small gesture of kindness has won her the loyalty of Cain’s assassin.
This might have started out as a plot for vengeance, but Evelyn is mine to protect now. A complication I didn’t ask for, but which feels inevitable all the same.
The thrall bond purrs between us, digging its claws into me a little deeper as the decision is made. She doesn’t move, still waiting for my answer, but I know she feels it as well by the slight widening of her eyes.
“The Tower is in this direction,” I say, ignoring her question in favour of turning us around.
Chapter Eighteen
Evelyn
For a full dayafter Callie’s test, I wait for Cain to deal out my punishment, but it never comes. Instead, what follows is the summons I’ve been dreading. My thralls said I’d have until the week’s end to prepare to return to court, but it appears my sire has changed his mind.
