Page 36 of Blood Bound

“Good,” he says as we start walking. “Don’t come back here, Rowan. Ever. I forbid it.”

Forbid? Huh! Pompous asshole!

As we march to the car, I can feel Darick’s eyes boring into my back. My mind races, trying to make sense of everything that just happened. Why am I so angry? It’s not like I have any claim on Darick. He’s a vampire, for crying out loud. Of course he needs to feed.

But the sight of him with that witch… It shouldn’t bother me this much.

It’s because he betrayed your trust.

Not to mention that he’s involved with Mia’s disappearance somehow. That has to be it. It can’t be jealousy. It just can’t be.

“So that was out of left field,” says Kara as she slides into the driver’s seat and waits for me to buckle up. My hands are shaking.

“He’s such a dick!” I keep fumbling with the seatbelt.

“I wasn’t talking about Darick, but if that’s who you’d like to talk about—”

“I don’t want to talk about him!” My fingertips tingle, and I yelp as a flash of light sears a hole through the fabric of my black jeans.

“We may need to get a handle on those powers of yours,” Kara observes.

“I’m fine,” I reply, though I know she’s right. I can’t go around frying things every time my emotions flare out of control. Now is a perfect example.

“You okay?” Kara’s eyes are on the road as she pulls out of the parking area, but she slants a quick look at me.

I nod, gnawing my lip. “Yeah. I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s gotten into me.”

Kara is silent for a moment. “There’s a lot been going on, Rowan. Cut yourself some slack.”

I slump against the passenger seat, my heart still racing from our encounter. Kara navigates through the quiet streets, her knuckles white on the steering wheel.

“That was…insane,” she says, breaking the silence.

I let out a shaky laugh. “You can say that again. Did you see how Darick and Lucien were looking at each other? There’s definitely some kind of beef there.”

Kara nods. “Yeah, you could slice the air with a knife. I wonder what their deal is.”

“And what was that cryptic comment Lucien made about our family history repeating itself?” I muse, frowning. “It’s like he knows something we don’t.”

“Maybe Gran would know,” Kara suggests. “She’s always hinting at some deeper connection between our family and the vampires.”

I sigh, rubbing my temples. “I just can’t believe I let Darick get under my skin like that. He’s so…infuriating!”

Kara gives me a sidelong glance. “You seemed pretty upset when you saw him with that witch.”

“I was not!” I protest, but even I can hear the defensiveness in my voice. “I just… I don’t know. It’s complicated.”

Before Kara can respond, my phone buzzes. I fish it out of my pocket, expecting a text from Mom or Dad checking in on me.

My blood runs cold as I read the message on the screen.

“Ro? What is it?” Kara asks, concern lacing her voice.

I swallow hard, clearing my throat as I read the anonymous text aloud:

“Mia sends her love.”

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