Page 77 of Inevitably Yves

Damiano offers his wrist first. Vivienne pulls a vial from her pocket, removing the cork and patiently walking to each vampire in the room to collect a drop of their blood in the bottle. As she does, Viper follows her, doing something with her hands over the liquid.

By the time Vivienne returns to me, the dark purple liquid swirls on its own, even sparking every few seconds.

“Do you need my blood?” I ask.

“No.” She hands the vial to Viper. “Please hold my hands, Yves.”

I take her hands in mine, slightly agitated but more interested in what she’s doing.

“I call upon the power of the moon,” Vivienne begins, her eyes closed as she grips my hands. “To merge its energy with the blood. Unite us in love, in life, and wrap us in your protection.”

Then she and Viper chant words that make no sense to me, but as they do, the air in the room shifts, becoming thick and sweet smelling before settling into something that reminds me of summer nights, fresh earth dampened by rain, and rich red wine.

“Drink,” Vivienne says, while Viper holds the vial to my lips.

I do as she asks, but I am not prepared for what happens next. My body seizes and fills with light that shoots out from me to each of my brothers, to my sisters, to Damiano, twisting around us like a tornado and wrapping us in it like a thick blanket.

My brothers are staggered, but Damiano is pushed toward me, stopping just behind Vivienne as she continues her incantation. Our eyes lock over her head, and in his, I see every hope and dream I’ve ever had.

He smiles as his face fills with wonder. He parts his lips as if to speak, but neither of us can as twinkling light floods the space around us.

“May Fate keep her hand on this union,” Vivienne says, releasing my hands and moving hers around me in a design.

She reaches behind her to take Damiano’s hand before taking mine again.

“What Fate has brought together, nothing can tear apart. So mote it be.”

It’s as if a rope fell from the sky and wrapped itself around our wrists, so tangible is the sensation of our souls being bound together.

As Vivienne and Viper step back, I’m left stunned by the emotions and sensations swirling around me. Not only can I hear my brothers’ and their mates’ thoughts, I can feel their pulses, their breath, their love.

The feminine energy embodied by my two witches hits me next, filling me with a new kind of strength and warmth, but then a more powerful sensation takes hold, clenching around my heart and leaving me feeling like I could conquer the world.

It’s love.

Not just love though. Not love for my brothers or my sisters. Not love for the life I’ve built.

It’s that all-encompassing love I’ve waited my entire eternal life to feel. It radiates off of Damiano in waves, confirming without a doubt that this man would give his life for mine. He would do anything for me. He loves me with his entire soul.

I turn to Vivienne with questions in my heart, but I’m unable to speak.

She smiles and offers a half shrug. “I told you that only love could defeat the black magic he’s using. Whatever happened here earlier unlocked the missing piece you needed to be victorious. You are a man rich in love, Yves. If love created electricity, you could light the city with everyone in this room.” She touches my cheek again. “You’re going to need to use it. Rely on your instincts.”

“Thank you,” I finally manage. “I can feel it.”

“We all can.”

Vivienne ducks out between us and Damiano steps forward as if he was being held back. His arms wrap around me as he closes the distance between our mouths, enveloping me in a soulful kiss. My body vibrates as if every nerve just came alive, and as my cock swells, I almost laugh. My reaction to this man is so visceral it’s ludicrous that I ever thought it was anything but fate.

“We were too afraid to see it,” Damiano whispers against my lips. “But we knew. On some level, we knew.”

I nod, gazing into his pretty lavender eyes. Have they always been this vibrant? Always drenched in this much love?

He smiles, turning me to face my brothers and their mates, and I’m hit square in the chest with their love and loyalty.

“By the gods, I am a fortunate man. For all the wrong I’ve done, look at what I’ve done right. Your love and loyalty stagger me, and I am honored to be your maker and your elder.”

Kyson gasps, and we all know why as the ground rumbles again beneath us.

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