Page 59 of Vows Forged in Blood

“Would you be serious! I almost bit and fucked my Consort in a field in the middle of my war camp where the gods and every soldier in my army could have seen. That is not sexy, that is unacceptable.”

Elias pondered that for a few minutes, running his fingers along his jaw thoughtfully.

“Ok, I take your point…but it’s still alittlesexy…” I turned a killing look on him and he held up his hands in surrender. “Ok, ok, I’m sorry. Yes, I understand that may not have been the best situation all things considered, but…well, what if the situation were different? Say, like in the privacy of your cabin?...”

“I can’t…but,” I sighed heavily, “but something is different now. I don’t think I can hold these feelings and desires and needs at bay.”

“Different?” he asked, blonde brow quirking upward.

“When I knew I wouldn’t make it to her in time, when I knew without a doubt that I was about to lose her forever, something inside me burst to the surface, filling me with a strange power that I’ve never felt before. I think…I think I teleported.”

“Teleported?” he echoed, incredulous. Special gifts like teleporting, telepathy, the power to thrall or entrance, used to be more common among vampires millennia ago, but for whatever reason, the abilities faded over the years. “I haven’t heard of anyone having that power in…fuck, a thousand years, at least.”

“I know, but it was like something long ago buried inside me came to life, calling upon those long-dormant gifts in order tosave my mate. One second I was running to her, but still too far across the field, and the next, she was in my arms and I was pulling her out of the way.”

“Holy shit,” Elias breathed. “This is…fuck, this is insane.” He looked at me in awe and then his lips curled into a smile. “But can you imagine battles with the Revenants if you can learn to control it?” I couldn’t help but smile at that, imagining the looks on their faces if I were able to move across the entire battlefield between one breath and the next.If Kilgren ever shows his face, I can end him finally.

I shook myself, focusing on the problem at hand.

“But with this power came something even more primal and demanding than ever before. It’s like the mating instincts have been multiplied by a thousand and are taking complete control over my entire being, every inch of my body and soul screaming out for Dahlia. I don’t think I can physically deny it for much longer.”

“My advice on this matter has not changed, my friend. You say you can’t deny these desires much longer. I say stop denying them then.” I shot him a look that must have told him easily how close to the edge I was. He tilted his head as he studied me, and added, "but maybe, uh, take things slow?"

Slow, slow, slow.

I keep repeating the words now as she opens the door and steps inside the study.

And I realize then that I might just be good and fucked.

Chapter 29

DAHLIA

I’m tired of denying what I want. I’ve practically been on fire all afternoon after the incident with the hellcats. The feel of Alaric’s body on top of mine, of his lips against my neck and his skin beneath my fingers—it was too much and not nearly enough.

I need more. I needhim, in every way you can need a person. It isn’t just the physical, though that’s so intense that I can hardly breathe at the thought of it, but it’s the connection I feel to him, the love coursing through every cell of my body and soul. I love him. Gods, I love him so much it almost hurts. I tried to tell myself over these months that it was just the bonding, the blood exchanged between us forcing me to feel this way, but the blood only tethered us together, it didn’t create this connection between us, these feelings.

I know it isn’t allowed, that there are so many barriers between us, but I don’t care about any of them. Somehow today we defeated death itself—again. Everything else seems so small in comparison now. I’m a Consort and he’s my prince—who cares? He’s a vampire and I’m human—so what? But I need to know what he feels. I know he wants me physically, that muchwas so deliciously obvious this afternoon when he was on top of me. I nearly shudder at the memory, the feel of him hard and ready against me…

But I need to know if he feels more, if hewantsmore. I need to know if he’s willing to travel this dangerous path with me or if I’m traversing it alone.

I bathe, taking extra care to scrub and shave and buff every surface I can think of, just in case…and put my hair into a loose knot at my nape with an emerald-studded clip that Takara gave me. I wonder if I should wear something special, but decide against it. It’s just a normal night in the study, like we’ve had so many of in these past months. I’m determined to talk about things tonight, but I don’t want to put pressure on the situation. So, I put on a short, midnight-blue silk nightgown, pull a matching robe over it, and set out for the study.

I know he’s already inside before I open the door, and I can’t stop my heart from thundering at the thought. The way he’d reacted in the field today, the way he’d somehow gotten to me in time, to save me—again—the way he’d murmured my name andKeevaover and over without seeming to even realize he was doing it, the way he’d shuddered as he’d licked the blood from my neck, his body hard against my own…

I swallow hard and open the door, striding inside. He’s standing in front of the fireplace, his gray shirt unbuttoned at his throat and leather pants riding low on his hips. His eyes travel down my body, the gold darkening and burning as his gaze skates over every curve.

“Are you well, then?” he asks, voice a bit husky.

“Yes, I’m fine. All healed,” I say, tilting my head so he can see my throat easily. We both stand for an endless moment. “How did you get to me?” I ask. It hadn’t actually been what I meant to say, but blurting outI’m in love with youdidn’t seem like a goodplan. “In the clearing. You were too far, I know you were. But then…you were there.”

I’ve drifted closer to him without even realizing it, now standing just before him by the fire. The warmth seeps into my skin through the thin silk.

“I’m not entirely sure, honestly, but it seems as though I somehow…teleported.”

I blink. There were legends of vampires having special gifts long ago—the ability to travel from one place to another in the blink of an eye, the ability to move objects with their minds, the power to control someone’s thoughts, that sort of thing—but they’re just legends now. Vampires didn’t have those kinds of gifts anymore.So how in the seven hells…

“And this is, um, the first time that’s happened?” I ask, though I know it is. He nods. “But how…why…” I shake my head. “I don’t understand.”

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