Page 158 of Gift from the Nexus

My heart hurts with the fact he had to add that last bit in there. Granted what I’m going to say in just a moment is going to prove he probably needed that vow. I know he doesn’t know me yet and I know trust doesn’t come easy, but I would’ve thought with the scent of my blood, he would’ve instantly realized I’m not a threat to him unless he harms the ones I love.

“What was the last term you wanted to add?” he asks after my silence stretches.

My gaze turns to my men, and I suck in a deep breath as my eyes begin to water. Locking my mind up tight, I step as close to Keeper as I think won’t get him killed to keep this between us. For now.

“You’ll vow to get to know your son. You’ll vow not to hurt him in any form. Mentally, physically, or emotionally.”

“You’re mistaken. I have no heirs,” he disagrees immediately.

“You do. He was conceived twenty-nine years ago when his mother was given to you.”

His face turns a shade of white I’m not sure I’ve ever seen. It’s almost translucent. He staggers away from me for a moment before inhaling deeply and stepping back into my personal space. I know what it is he’s looking for, so I lift my healing hand for him to smell.

“Impossible,” he mutters, wide-eyed.

“I share a soul with him. He is my soul. He means more to me than you could ever comprehend. I wanted to tell you before you smelled him and realized who he was because if your intentions aren’t to have a relationship with him, you won’t say a word to him, you won’t go near him. I say this with no disrespect but full conviction. If we tell him, and you hurt him, I will not kill you, but I will burn your realm to the ground. I am not a monster, but I am a very protective predator, and I’ll protect him, avenge him, kill for him, and love him with my last breath. So you’ll tell me your intentions now.”

“He…he doesn’t know? Is he here?” he stutters, grabbing both of my hands. This is the most genuine, most subdued I’ve ever seen him, and deep in my heart, I hope that means he’ll do the right thing.

“He doesn’t know. And…yes, he’s here.”

His eyes begin scanning the large crowd of E.F. members and when they fall on Draken, his fingers flinch around mine. Standing here in person, there’s no denying their similar features. Their eyes, although different colors, are the same shape and size. Their shades of red hair. Keeper’s is brighter, where Draken’s is darker, a perfect blend of his mother’s and father’s. Their heights and builds are almost exact. Draken, I think has about an inch on him, though.

“He’s perfect. Magnifico. But I felt…” He closes his eyes and bows his head. “My beloved doesn’t walk this realm anymore,” he whispers as he turns his ruby eyes back to me.

“She doesn’t. I’m so sorry, but that’s not my story to tell. It’ll be Draken’s if he decides to.”

“Draken…” he says slowly. “You may take my head yourself, Willow, if I hurt him. I vow this to you, and I’d like to meet him.”

“We’ll make our vow first,” I agree with a watery whisper.

“We need no vow. Where my son and his beloved go, so shall I.”

“No offense, so please don’t take it that way, but I’d feel better with one.”

“As you wish.” He tilts his head down and offers me his hand easily.

After Trex tried to convince me to make a vow with him, I read up on what that means and what it entails. It’ll be up to my magic to bound us because Keeper doesn’t have any, but it’ll hold all the same. The magic will weave around us, connecting us as if we had a bond, but not nearly as stringent.

If the vow is broken between either of us, we’ll feel the connection snap as if it’s been cut by a pair of scissors. The person who breaks the vow, depending on the terms, can suffer violently. That’s not the case for Keeper, though, because he doesn’t have Elementra-blessed gifts, and that’s why the Summum-Master put the cord in his neck. He needed some way to uphold his punishment. What Keeper didn’t pay any attention to when they made their original vow is he didn’t put in any reinforcements for himself, so the Summum-Master can go forever with no punishment for breaking their vow over and over.

That’s probably why, over the hundreds of years, Keeper’s learned the art of loopholes and sly words. That won’t be the case with us, though.

“Ready?”

“I’ve been ready for hundreds of years,” he says with a small smile.

“I, Willow Vito, promise to uphold the intentions set forth between us. With vows pronounced, our paths align. Take this swear as our lives entwine.”

My magic flows from my chest, circling and caressing our joined hands. Although he doesn’t have any to flow with mine, I no less, feel his essence, part of his nature intermingling with my magic.

“I, Keeper, promise to uphold—”

“Dericko. You, Dericko Keeper,” I interrupt and again, I seem to take him by surprise. He gapes at me with his mouth nearly on the ground. It’s either shock, astonishment, or maybe anger, I don’t know, but he was caught off guard.

Names have power.

“I, Dericko Keeper, promise to uphold the intentions set forth between us. With vows pronounced, our paths align. Take this swear as our lives entwine.”

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