Page 13 of Blood Bound

“Hello, Rowan,” he says, his voice low and controlled.

5

Chapter 5

Darick

Even crouched on the floor in the dingy alley, her beauty sucks the breath from me. Her eyes are wide, her auburn hair a tousled mess framing her pale face. She’s so fucking vulnerable. The sight of her stirs something in me – a pull I can’t explain, mixed with frustration at her impulsive actions.

She tried to kill me, for fuck’s sake. Yet here I am, drawn to her like some kind of impulsive kid.

“Hello, Rowan,” I say, keeping my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me.

She shoots up and backs away, eyes wide with shock and fear. “How…how are you alive?” she demands, stopping short as she bumps up against the wall behind her. Her hands start to crackle with uncontrolled magic, the air around her shimmering with power.

I take a step forward, palms raised in a calming gesture. “I’m not that easy to get rid of, little witch. Though I must admit, you gave it a good try.”

“Stay back!” Rowan warns, her voice trembling. Sparks dance between her fingers, and I can sense the raw energy building around her.

I stop, torn between the need to explain and the urge to grab her, to feel that connection again. “We need to talk,” I say, trying to keep my voice calm. “About what happened, about Mia, about all of it.”

Rowan’s eyes flash at the mention of her sister. “What do you know about Mia? Those photos on your phone…”

I shake my head, frustration mounting. “It’s not what you think. If you’d just let me explain—”

But Rowan’s shaking her head, her magic crackling more intensely. I can see the fear and confusion in her eyes, mixed with something else – a reluctant attraction she’s fighting against. I know it’s there. I can feel it in our bond.

“Explain what?” she spits out. “That you never took her? Lies! And how are you even here? I saw you die. I saw the ash. How the hell did you do that?”

“I’m an ancient.” I shrug. “We’re stronger.” I don’t tell her that it had taken nearly everything in me to recover from the heat of that blast. It had charred skin from flesh, flesh from bone, seared organs… I’d been unrecognizable when I’d materialized back home after transporting myself there. Pure instinct had taken over.

“So what? You…you…just reconstituted or something?” She looks horrified.

“Or something. Yes.” I’m not going to go into a detailed lecture on the biology of vampires. Most of us have no idea how these things work ourselves. All I know is that when necessary, my cells simply regenerate. Although what happened this time was unprecedented…and very likely attached to the fact that I’d just fed from her.

“It’s not…natural,” she husks out. She reaches a hand forward as if to touch me, then snatches it back. A perverse part of me wishes that she hadn’t.

“I’m a vampire, Rowan. I’m supernatural.” I meet her eye. She blinks owlishly at me for a second. I take a deep breath, knowing I need to be honest with her if I want to regain any semblance of trust. “Rowan, your magic…it did affect me. More than I’d like to admit.”

Her eyes widen, a mix of surprise and something else – concern, maybe? – flickering across her face.

“What do you mean?” she whispers.

I exhale slowly, remembering the searing pain. “I’ve survived damage before, but that… I’ve never experienced anything like it in all my centuries. It took all my strength to recover from that. Strength I got from you. And now, it’s gone.”

Rowan’s face pales. “I- I didn’t know…”

“I know you didn’t,” I say softly. “But it’s important you understand the power you possess. You’re not just some weak witch, Rowan. You’re something…extraordinary.”

I take a step closer. “And that’s not the only thing that’s extraordinary about you.”

Her eyes meet mine, confusion and wariness swirling in their depths. I can see her pulse quickening at the base of her throat.

“Rowan,” I say, my voice gentle. “Surely you remember our connection? The way it felt when we were together?”

I reach out slowly, giving her time to pull away if she wants to. My fingers brush her arm, and I feel that familiar spark, that undeniable bond between us.

“Can you feel it?” I ask, my eyes locked on hers. “This isn’t just some trick or illusion. What we have…it’s real.”

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