Page 32 of Blood Bound

I feel a surge of conflicting emotions wash over me. Part of me wants to rush over to her, to explain that this isn’t what it looks like.

Don’t be an ass, Drake!

It’s exactly what it looks like. Besides, why should I feel this way? She was the one who told me to get lost, who refused to hear me out. I have no obligation to her.

Yet, seeing the hurt in her eyes stirs something in me I can’t quite understand. It’s frustrating, this pull she has on me. I shouldn’t care what she thinks, but I do.

I start to move toward her, but Lydia’s hand on my arm stops me. “Is everything alright?” she asks, her voice laced with curiosity.

I nod curtly, my eyes never leaving Rowan. “Just some unexpected guests,” I mutter.

Rowan’s face hardens, the stubborn set of her jaw tightening further. She turns abruptly, grabbing Kara’s arm and pulling her toward the exit. They move quickly, weaving through the crowd with an urgency that catches the attention of several more nearby vampires.

Dammit! Stop fucking drawing attention to yourselves.

As I watch them disappear into the throng, a wave of annoyance washes over me. Not just at her being here but at her seeing me with the witch. Because I have no doubt that the damage is done. Whatever fragile trust we had built has likely been shattered by what she’s seen tonight.

But more than that, I’m worried. Rowan has exposed herself and her sister to incredible danger by coming here. Does she not realize how vulnerable they are in a place like this? The thought of what could happen to them sets my teeth on edge.

I need to go after them, to make sure they get out safely. But as I move to follow, I’m acutely aware of the eyes on me, of the delicate balance I need to maintain in this world. I can’t be seen chasing after a witch, not here, not now.

But then again, how can I not?

11

Chapter 11

Rowan

Istare for a second, taking in the sight of him. The shadows define his strong features, his eyes catching the flashing lights. There’s a tiny smear of red on his bottom lip. The woman in front of him has a pale arm draped gracefully around his neck. Her eyes are glazed. Blissed out. I know that look all too well. I’ve felt what she’s feeling.

He’s been drinking from her!

I can’t tear my eyes away from the scene before me. Darick stands there feeding on some random witch like it’s the most natural thing in the world. My stomach churns, a mix of revulsion and something else that feels too much like…

Jealousy.

It’s not! I refuse to go down that road.

“That lying, manipulative bastard!” I hiss through clenched teeth.

My face burns hot with anger, and I can feel my power prickling just beneath my skin, begging for release. How dare he? After everything we’ve been through, after what we shared, he’s here doing…this?

Stop it, Rowan. You didn’t share anything; it was just sex.

I curl my fingers into tight fists. My breath comes in short, sharp bursts as I struggle to control the fury building inside me. Part of me wants to march over there and blast him into oblivion for real this time.

But another part, a traitorous voice in the back of my mind, whispers that I have no right to be angry. Didn’t I push him away? Didn’t I tell him to get lost?

“Dammit!” I mutter, furious at myself for feeling this way. I shouldn’t care what he does or who he feeds from. He means nothing to me. He’s just a means to an end, a way to find Mia.

So why does seeing him with another witch make me want to scream?

My magic flares, causing the lights around us to flicker. Heads swivel in our direction. Kara grabs my arm, her touch grounding me slightly.

“Rowan!” Her voice is sharp. “What’s going on?” As she looks up in the direction I’m staring, her eyes widen. “Shit,” she mutters.

“We need to go,” I growl. I spin on my heel, but not before shooting one last glare in Darick’s direction. Our eyes meet for a brief moment, and I see something flash across his face. Surprise? Guilt?

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