Page 21 of Forever Bound

And I will do anything to protect him.

Chapter 7: Time to make a bitch pay, if ya’ catch my drift. Also, don’t wake the sleeping vampire, he won’t be happy.

I failed my family.

I failed myself.

For too many years I have failed everyone around me because I wouldn't forgive myself.

I will not fail the man sleeping by my side.

I'm guessing it's mid-day, and since Ivan hasn't turned me yet, I still get to enjoy the sun. That means I can end this nightmare he's been living in for too many centuries.

He's not going to like my plan, but if it works, it will be worth it.

I just have to avoid getting killed, since that would kill him too, and I'm not going to be responsible for another death of someone I love.

The quietness of the cave settles into me as I stare into the face of the man who has stolen my heart. I brush my lips against his and whisper, "I'm going to fix this. I'll be back."

And then I dress and leave, making my way back to Vara's house through the forest and the snow. I really need my own wardrobe if I'm going to keep living here. I shiver and pull my cloak tighter around me as I approach the village.

It's a somber day with a gray sky. Almost no one is out, which makes me wonder what else happened while we were sleeping.

I come to Vara's back door, making sure to avoid detection by anyone, and knock.

She answers on the third knock. "Evangeline, come in. What are you doing here?"

I slip into the house, and she closes and locks the door behind me. "I had to speak to you," I say. "I need your help."

She frowns. "This isn't a good time."

It takes me a moment to realize her eyes are swollen and red and she looks like she hasn't slept. "What happened?" I ask.

"The creature struck again. He killed a dear friend of mine." She locks her gaze with mine. "You have not been able to kill him, I take it?"

I shake my head. "That's what I came to tell you. There's been a huge mistake. He isn't the killer you think he is."

She invites me to sit in front of her fire, and we sip on tea as I tell her everything and explain my plan. "I think Boris is controlling the Koschei. He must have found the egg that houses his soul. We have to break into Boris's house and find it, then we can stop the killings."

This, of course, is assuming the egg is in his house. But it's a small village. Where else would he keep it where he knew it would be safe?

Vara nods slowly. "This is…astonishing. How could he have kept this from us? What was he thinking?"

"Those are questions for later. Right now we need end this bloodshed. I don't think Ivan can keep this up much longer. Fighting the Koschei each night is hurting him."

"Ivan?" she says, raising an eyebrow.

"That's his name," I say, trying not to show too much emotion.

"How have you been able to speak to him?" she asks. "Has your Russian improved so much in such a short time?"

For some reason, I don't feel comfortable telling her about the bond. "Between his bits of English and my bits of Russian, we've made do," I say. "How is it you know English so well?"

"From my grandfather. He wasn't from here. He was English and stumbled upon our village by accident. Then, of course, he could never leave. He eventually fell in love with my grandmother and they made sure my mother knew both English and Russian."

I nod. "Have there been a lot of outsiders who have come here over the years?" I ask.

"More than you might expect. Unfortunate for them, but it has helped keep our gene pool diverse. And though we can't incorporate technology, we can learn about it. But I do wonder sometimes what it would be like to embrace the rest of the world." There's a longing in her eyes I've never seen before, and it makes me curious.

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