Page 122 of A Bond with the Dark

And even if he does, who’s to say he’ll also know who I am?

“Well…” His voice is exactly the way it had been in my dreams. Cool, calm, deep, like a babbling brook. “A little birdie told me that my little brother was in town. With a girl no less, so I had to stop by and see for myself.”

My heart races.

Dom glares at Ollie—the little birdie—and Ollie also greets him.

Scarlet, Jasantha, Hattie, and Dom exchange looks of annoyance, and something unspoken between them all.

The woman at Bash’s side is mesmerizing. Although I don’t know her—or him, for that matter—I’m jealous of her. Of her looks, of her life, of the man on her arm.

She is breathtaking as well. Her eyes almost glow a pale brown, like an autumn yellow. Her hair is blonde and hangs in waterfall curls to her shoulders, and her large, prominent breasts spill out of her shirt.

I try to hide my head behind Dom, unable to see Bash as he turns around, hoping he won’t see me.

Nobody at the table gets up to greet him. They remain seated, and the silence is resounding throughout the house. A disquieted tension.

So many things are running through my mind.

“Hello, siblings,” Bash says, and I can hear his boots clunking on the floor as he approaches us.

This is it.

He’s about to see me, and I’ll know by his reaction if he knows me too.

No one answers him.

Instead of finishing his walk to the table, he turns to his father, sitting at one of the barstools on the island.

“Father,” he says casually, indifferent. There’s steel in his voice.

“Sebastian,” answers Everett. “What brings you to Lake George?”

“I told you. I’ve come to see my brother.” His voice is cold, like a rapier’s samba—elegant, deadly, and utterly merciless.

“That’s bullshit, and you know it,” Dom says defensively, andnowhe’s about to turn around and see me.

He turns.

Those blue eyes catch mine, and he stops. I’m immured by his gaze.

Nothing is said. I can’t breathe.

“What do you want, Bash?” Dom asks at my side.

His eyes linger on mine momentarily, and I can’t tell if he recognizes me. “Why, I don’t want anything, baby bro.” His eyes leave mine, and he narrows his gaze on Dom. “Just wanted to see your sweet, cherub face is all. Haven’t seen you in, what? Eighty years or so. Wanted to see how you are, what you’ve been up to. Meet your girl.”

He sits down at the table across from Dom and me and pours himself a glass of wine.

“Sit, baby,” he orders, and the woman flashes over to him and sits.

She’s a vampire, too, obviously.

He pours her a glass of wine and hands it to her.

“Siblings, this is Talora. Talora, this is Hattie and Dom. You met Ollie over there, Jasantha, don’t know the dude here, Ollie’s girl Allison, Scarlet, and Dom’s woman…I’m sorry, what’s your name, princess?”

My heart’s pounding so loud, I’m sure the entire room can feel it like bass in a little car.

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