Page 128 of Claimed By Blood

CHAPTERTHIRTY-FOUR

VANE

The thrall bondhas been vibrating with Evie’s emotions since she left. First it was a kind of sadness-tinged nostalgia, which isn’t unusual for her to feel around Frost, so I did nothing. But after that shock and apprehension took over.

The only reason I didn’t charge down the mountain was because she wasn’t wounded or unsafe, and I knew Frost was with her. Now, as I watch Frost and Evie return to the manor just after darkness has fallen, her emotions are murkier than ever, as though she doesn’t know how to feel.

Over the past two weeks, the two of them have lost most of what remained of the awkwardness between them, though I’m not sure Evie is aware of the change.

Watching them now, both frowning and huddled together as they walk, I get the horrible gut feeling that our fortnight of relative harmony is about to come to a crashing end. Damn, I hope I’m wrong. It’s been nice to stop running for our lives and just be a pack for a while.

Evie has slowly worked her way into the centre of our group. Sure, she’s spent a lot of time with Silas and Finn, but we’ve all noticed the way Gideon has been sneaking her away into dark corners. She’s even dragging Draven further into the fold. He’s her ever-present brooding shadow whenever he’s not out on patrol.

Whatever plan the alpha and his omega came up with, it’s working. Finn is happier than I’ve ever seen him, and without the discord at the heart of the pack, the rest of us have been able to function.

But Evie’s biggest miracle has to be Gideon. Our alpha has been more relaxed than I’ve ever seen him—fuck, he actuallysmiledtoday. Whatever grip hyper-fixation had on him is gone. He’s begun to take my advice on board again, and a few days ago, he even let slip a rare few words of praise that left Silas glowing.

But there’s no sign of his good mood as he comes up beside me and follows the direction of my gaze. He takes in Evie and Frost quietly, then comes to the same conclusion I have.

“Trouble,” he mutters, and I nod once.

“I’ll get the others together,” I murmur, stomping away from the doorway and back into the shadows of the manor.

My absence will give Gideon and Frost a chance to decide what they want to do before they have to talk about it with the pack, and I have a feeling they’re going to need it.

Finn is at his desk—or rather, under it—grunting as he fiddles with the wires coming out of his computer.

“Pack meeting,” I grumble.

“In a minute,” he says, though his voice is muffled. “Something’s going on with our signal. It cut out midway through my call with the lab. I need to fix it.”

“The lab?” I frown. “Is this about Evie’s—”

“Oww! Fuck!” Finn’s head hits the underside of his desk with a dull thump. “Stupid, fucking…”

The omega shuffles out from the space, still cursing, and I roll my eyes at him, offering my hand to help him up. He takes it and leans into me in a casual half-embrace.

“The lab?” I prompt, staring at the blank sheet of glass.

“Evie’s blood results came back. Completely normal.” Finn shrugs, but I sense a kind of defeat. “Well, as normal as any first generation vampire’s blood can be, I guess. If we’re going to identify any remaining witches…”

“It won’t be by DNA testing.” Shit.

“At least that means Cain can’t find them that way either,” Silas says, dropping a grinning kiss on Finn’s lips as he saunters by, not even bothering to pretend he wasn’t eavesdropping. “Did I hear someone say pack meeting?”

“SILAS!” Draven’s furious roar echoes seconds later, and I raise a brow.

“What did you do this time?” Finn asks, exasperated, as the three of us trail behind my brother towards the door.

“Nothing!” He holds his hands up in mock innocence. “Honestly, I’ve been a saint since we got here. I’m practically reformed.”

“Then how did my tent mysteriously get filled with portraits of Cain?” Draven demands, his voice silky with danger as he appears behind Silas, flicking a knife between his fingers.

My idiot brother—who clearly has no regard for his own life—shrugs. “We’ve all got our kinks, D. I’m not going to judge yours. But… I do have to wonder what Evie thinks of you yelling ‘Grandsire’ every time you come.”

Draven lunges, only my incremental shift to the left trips him, giving Silas just enough time to dodge.

“Your ass is mine,” the vampire hisses at my unrepentant sibling, who’s currently skipping away towards the door. I groan as he turns his eyes on me. “Next time, don’t intervene.”

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