Page 5 of Hell Storm

My stomach churned like mad, causing a wave of nausea to hit me out of nowhere. I wasn’t … like them. This wasn’t normal to me.

When I peered up, Julian let out a short, chuffed laugh, and the sound of it warmed me to my core. The mood, suddenly lighter, eased some of the tension I carried in my shoulders.

“Not to make light of it or anything,” he started, “but I don’t think you have to take much of it.”

I supposed he meant to console me, but it didn’t work. I didn’t want to takeanyof it.

Woman up, Cori. It’s just a little blood.

It’ll be quick and painless.

Just do it.

The pep talk seemed to work, but I had to act before losing the nerve. Snatching Julian’s arm where it hovered in the air, my mouth clasped over the small puncture wounds and tasted the first hint of blood—bitter, metallic.

Don’t puke, kid.

Keep it down, or you might have to start over.

I swallowed again, this time drawing out more from his arm. One last gulp and I pulled away, using the handkerchief I’d been given, this time pressing it to my lips.

When my eyes slammed shut, another of Julian’s deep, sultry laughs filled the silence. “Wasn’t so bad, was it?”

A dark gaze was my answer, and I was certain he could read it. The sight of it only made him laugh harder.

Despite myself, I smiled too. “Happy my misery can amuse you.”

The deed was done.

“So … what now?” I asked. “Do we just wait or—”

Julian shrugged, and it was then that I remembered he and the others were almost as clueless about this as I was. Even what Silas knew had only come from one night of feverish research. There certainly were no hard, fast rules on which any of us could rely.

“I guess we just wait,” was Julian’s only offering.

Blowing all the air from my lungs, I stared at the wall, at the odd shadows the fire cast on it as an idea struck me.

“Might go faster if we talk.”

The suggestion garnered me his full attention and I, admittedly, shied away from it a bit, avoiding eye contact.

“Sure. Feel free to start,” he replied, a smile ghosting on his lips.

I scrambled for a conversation starter, but decided to kill two birds with one stone—pass time, dig for information.

“What do you four get out of this blood bond? I mean,somethingmade the crowd suddenly cast down their pitchforks when Levi made the announcement?”

Julian’s palms sank into the mattress as he leaned back to get comfortable.

“Well, it’s less about whatweget out of it, and more about what the Ianite community as awholegets out of it.”

His reply only confused me more.

“I don’t understand.”

Julian gathered his thoughts, probably thinking of how he could break things down in a way I, a ‘lowlyhuman’, would understand.

“I’m assuming you already know Ianites from each quadrant have their own respective abilities?”

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