Page 68 of Blood Bound

Istare in disbelief at the man framed in the doorway. It can’t be. It just can’t! He flicks a wave of dark hair from his forehead, violet-blue eyes crinkling at the corners as he smiles at me – as if he’s not a monster.

“Hello, Rowan,” says Heath.

I shake my head as if the gesture would clear my mind and replace the sight of him with something else.

“Heath?” I blink in confusion. “What are you doing here? Have you come to rescue me?” I ask the question but I know it’s not true.

I curl my hands into fists, feeling the familiar tingle of magic trying to spark to life. But it’s useless here; whatever’s suppressing my powers is too strong. I glare at Heath, searching his face for any sign of the kind mentor I thought I knew.

He starts to chuckle. “Rescue you?”

God, I want to hit him!

“What the hell is going on, Heath? Why are you here?” I spit out.

Heath leans against the doorframe, looking maddeningly relaxed. His lips curl into a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. “Now, now, Rowan. Is that any way to greet an old friend?”

“Friend?” I scoff. “Friends don’t typically show up when you’re being held captive. Unless…” I narrow my eyes on him. “You’re part of this. You twisted bastard.”

He claps slowly, the sound echoing off the damp stone walls. “Very good, Rowan. I always said you were clever.”

I shake my head again, trying to make sense of it all. “But why? You’re one of us. A witch. How could you betray your own kind?”

Heath’s expression hardens, all pretense of friendliness vanishing. “Betray? Oh, Rowan. You have no idea what’s really going on here. The bigger picture.”

“Then enlighten me,” I challenge, struggling to keep my voice steady.

He takes a step closer, and I instinctively back away, my legs still unsteady. God, I wish I could shake this lethargy.

“All in good time, Ro. For now, just know that everything that’s happening is necessary. For the greater good.”

“The greater good?” I laugh bitterly. “That’s what all the bad guys say.”

I stare at Heath, trying to come to terms with this. This can’t be happening. The man I’ve known for years, the one I spent countless girlish hours longing for, now stands before me as my captor.

“Why?” I croak, my voice hoarse. “Why are you doing this?”

Heath’s eyes soften for a moment, a flicker of the boy I once knew. “Rowan, there’s so much you don’t understand. So much that’s been hidden from you.”

“Then tell me,” I demand, finding my voice. “What could possibly justify this?”

He takes a deep breath, pausing as if considering his answer before he goes on, “It goes back generations, Rowan. The Moonshadows, the Blackwoods – our families are bound by something greater than you can imagine.”

I frown, confused. “What are you talking about?”

“There’s a prophecy,” Heath says, his voice low and intense. “Ancient, older than the feud between witches and vampires. It speaks of a union that will change everything.”

My heart races. A prophecy? About our families?

I try to process this information. “But what does that have to do with kidnapping me? With Mia’s disappearance? Is she connected to all of this?”

Heath’s expression darkens. “Mia is none of your concern. This obsession of yours has become…an unfortunate complication.”

“Complication?” I stare at him as if he’s lost his mind – which he clearly has. “It’s not an obsession. She’s my sister!”

“I know,” Heath says, holding up his hands. “And I promise you, she’s safe. But Rowan, you have to understand. The stakes here are higher than just one person. This is about the future of our entire kind.”

I open my mouth and then close it, words failing me. This can’t be the same person who taught me magic, who encouraged me when I felt like a failure. But as I look into his eyes, I see a stranger.

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