Page 44 of Blood Bound

“But that’s dangerous, isn’t it?” I ask, rubbing my arms to dispel the sudden chill I’m feeling. “If Darick needs my blood to survive…”

“It puts you in a precarious position,” Gran nods gravely. “Other vampires might see you as a threat or a valuable commodity. And Darick himself…well, the hunger for a blood match can be overwhelming.”

“Great,” I mutter. “So I’m basically vampire catnip now.”

“It’s not all bad,” Gran says, a hint of a smile on her lips. “This connection could give you incredible magical power, Rowan. The kind of strength our family hasn’t seen in generations. And if you learn to control it, to work with Darick rather than against him, you could be a formidable force.”

“But I don’t want this,” I protest, my voice shaking. “Can’t we break it somehow?”

Gran’s expression softens. “I’m afraid it’s not that simple, dear. This magic is ancient and powerful. It’s not something that can be easily undone.”

“But there is a way?” I’m hopeful.

“One of you would have to die.” Gran’s eyes are quietly assessing as she watches my reaction.

“Die?” It feels like the blood has drained from my face.

“That’s hectic, Gran!” Kara says. “Isn’t there a spell or something?”

Gran shakes her head. “There might have been a chance…before the bond was sealed. Before they—” She stops abruptly.

“Before we what?” I ask, already knowing the answer.

“Before you made love, Rowan.” Gran’s voice is gentle. “

Kara makes a choking sound. “You made love to him? A vampire?”

“It wasn’t love!” My voice rises.

“You’re right,” Gran acknowledges. “It was something deeper.”

I stare at her in horror. I feel like I’m suffocating, the walls of Gran’s cozy living room suddenly closing in on me.

This can’t be happening!

“There has to be another way,” I insist. “I can’t just accept this!”

Gran’s eyes are full of sympathy, but her voice is firm. “Rowan, dear, sometimes we must face difficult truths—”

“No!” I shake my head vigorously. “This isn’t just difficult, Gran. It’s impossible!”

Kara reaches out to touch my arm, but I jerk away. “Ro, maybe if we just take some time to process—”

“Process what?” I say. “That I’m magically bound to a vampire? That my blood is some kind of supernatural drug for him? That I’ll never be free?”

The fear and anger swirl inside me. And underneath it all, there’s something else – a pull, an attraction I don’t want to acknowledge. It only makes me angrier.

“If being free of him means Darick has to die, then I hope he does! Let the sun take him, dammit!”

“I’m afraid that won’t be a solution, Rowan.” Gran shakes her head. “You’re bonded. You’d be left…incomplete. You’d lose your magic; your life source would be drained. We’d watch you fade away before our eyes, sweetheart.”

“I don’t freaking care, Gran!” The words explode out of me, filled with venom and desperation. And suddenly, it’s like a dam has broken inside me. Power surges through my body, wild and uncontrolled.

Before I can stop it, the room around us comes to life. Books fly off shelves, Gran’s teacups rattle on their saucers, and the lights flicker ominously. With a deafening crack, a beautiful crystal vase on the mantle shatters into a thousand glittering pieces.

I stare at my hands in horror, feeling the magic tingling at my fingertips. When I look up, Kara’s eyes are wide with shock, and Gran… Gran looks deeply troubled.

Shit.

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