Page 37 of A Heart Of Bitter Poison
The round of introductions extends next to Davina. I hear a stutter in the beat of Cassian’s heart when he takes her hand, but his greeting is delivered with effortless charm. To her credit, Davina stays reserved and unreadable. Pleasant, but not warm. Smart. I can’t fault her for wanting to give nothing away.
Once the full round of intros are made, we sit on the buttery leather couches and chairs. Bianca moves to a wingback that’s the equivalent of the head of the table and I take her former spot across from Cassian. A waiter brings a tray of glasses and another bottle of wine, along with a tall glass of blood for me. My attention darts toward Eryx but he’s unperturbed, thank fuck. I don’t think we’d make a very good impression if he passed out cold right now. And something in me thinks an impression is important to Bianca.
“Where is the other Reaper?” she asks. Her gaze points to me like a polished blade. I press my lips together and hide them behind the rim of my glass as my eyebrows climb toward my hairline with feigned innocence.
“Other Reaper?”
Bianca’s smile appears. It looks a little mischievous. “Your Reaper.”
“I don’t have a-”
“The one that saved you?”
“How-”
“The one to whom you are bloodfated?”
“Blood-what?”
“Tall. Dark hair. Well-dressed.”
“Blood-fated? I don’t know what you’re talking about-“
“Vampira,” she purrs. The word is drawn out, full of both delight and admonishment. My cheeks are burning hot with a crimson blush. So much for a good impression. My mouth is gaping open like I’m a fish that’s been plucked from the sea, drowning on air. “Bloodfated. The more you take, the more your fates intertwine. But I’d say they’re pretty intertwined already, considering you knew from the first time you met. It was in your spell, after all.”
“Wh-what? I... spell…what?” This is truly not how I expected this conversation to go. I am so fucking thrown off course. Sweat mists my hairline and my headache surges.
“Saggiu Ashen hiu. Asallah libukkunu, assus martuktuk,” Bianca says, repeating my spell.
But I don’t hear it in her voice. I hear it in mine. The way mine used to be.
I blink and I’m there in the alley in Sanford, hovering over Ashen with my blood flowing into his wounded heart.
I hear his shallow breath beneath me. The viscous feeling of failure twists through my veins. My hand lays on my stomach where Ashen’s had been as he pulled me from the fight.
There was something that drew me to him. The reason I saved him. It was more than the camaraderie of battle. It was more than the injustice of a demon dying from a poison made of angel wings.
It washim.
It was a past that I could sense but not see. And it was a future that could be if I took a chance. If I accepted a great risk.
I blink and shake my head. Ediye squeezes my arm.
“Lu?..”
“I… I’m…” I glance down to my lap, momentarily grateful I didn’t piss myself this time. I turn my eyes to Bianca, trying to not look as panicky as I feel. I think I’m failing. Her smile broadens. Yep, I’m definitely fucking failing. “It’s not that way. That’s… bloodfated… that’s not a real thing. And I’m not fated to anyone,” I stammer out.
Bianca shrugs. “Perhaps. But worry not,vampira. I didn’t say you were fated to one another. I said your fates intertwine.”
Thank fuck.
“Though, more often than not, the former is also true.”
Christ sakes
“Yes, often love. Or death. Or both. Who knows? Fate is full of mystery.”
Goddammit.
