Page 72 of Vampire Blood

“You came back to me,” I said, barely more than a breath.

Her eyes opened again, shining with something that looked an awful lot like tears. “I’ll always come back to you.”

I didn’t know who moved first. Maybe it was both of us. But before I could think, my lips were on hers, soft and slow, as if I was terrified she might shatter beneath my touch.

She didn’t.

Instead, her fingers curled into my shirt, pulling me closer, grounding me. And for the first time since this nightmare began, I felt like I could breathe.

When we finally broke apart, I rested my forehead against hers, holding her close.

But then, softly, almost as if she could sense it, Rowena’s voice broke the fragile moment.

“You can’t get lost in each other just yet.”

I groaned inwardly, but I knew she was right.

“You need to be cautious, Annika,” Rowena said, her voice calm but firm. “Aurelius may seem gone, but the bond between you two hasn’t been severed entirely. The power he left behind… it’s still there.”

I tightened my hold on Annika instinctively, though I knew Rowena wasn’t saying anything I didn’t already fear.

“You’ve already come close to losing control of it once,” Rowena continued. “His power lingers. The darkness doesn’t leave so easily.”

Annika sat up a little, her brow furrowing. “What does that mean for me? For us?”

Rowena’s gaze softened slightly, but there was still an edge to her words. “It means you have to be vigilant. He may not have the strength to rise again yet, but the bond is there. If you’re not careful, if you let your guard down, you might find yourself drawn back to him… even if it’s against your will.”

My chest tightened at the thought, and I felt a surge of protectiveness, my jaw clenching.

“I won’t let that happen,” I said firmly, my voice low.

Annika gave me a tired but determined look. “I won’t either,” she replied quietly. “But I’ll need time to figure out how to stop it for good.”

Rowena nodded slowly, then stepped closer to us. “You will. But be careful. The bond between you and Aurelius is more dangerous than you realize. You have to be strong enough to resist it, or it will pull you back into his darkness.”

I looked down at Annika, my hand resting lightly on her shoulder, a silent promise passing between us.

“I’ll protect you,” I whispered, more to myself than to her, but I knew she heard it. And I knew she believed me.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Annika

The town was unrecognizable. The once bustling streets were now lined with broken buildings and charred remains, the air still heavy with the scent of smoke. People walked about with a look of devastation, some standing still, as though they couldn’t comprehend what had happened. The silence hung heavy, broken only by the distant cries of those searching for their loved ones.

I felt a pang in my chest, a deep sadness for the people who had lost so much… homes, family, peace. This town had always felt like a place of warmth, a sanctuary for us, and now it was a ghost of what it used to be.

As we walked through the ruins, Lucas kept close to me, his hand brushing mine, grounding me in the chaos around us. He must have noticed the sadness in my expression, because he turned toward me, his eyes soft yet determined.

“Don't worry,” he said gently, his voice steady. “We’ll rebuild this, Annika. It’s going to take time, but we’ll do it. We’re stronger than this.”

I looked up at him, his words sinking in slowly. He was right. There was strength in the people here, in the ones who had survived. But the weight of what had happened felt like a crushing burden, one that I wasn’t sure could be lifted so easily.

But then Lucas smiled at me, that warm, reassuring smile that I couldn’t help but believe in. “We’ll make it right. We’ll rebuild everything, piece by piece.”

I nodded, forcing a small smile, though I knew it wouldn’t be easy. Still, his confidence gave me hope. We weren’t alonein this. We had each other, and with that, maybe we could face anything.

“Together,” I whispered, more to myself than anyone else.

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