Page 9 of Eternally Bound

“Gaius, please.” Erik pinches the beige of his nose and sighs.

“You knew Shakespeare?” Emma was going to freak out.

“Another time,” Gaius bows and exits the room, closing the double doors so we are completely alone in what I now notice is a den of some kind.

“You’re married.” I point to his ring.

“To you.” I swallow hard.

“How long?” He smirks.

“An eon.” I frown.

“Specifically.” He leans his hip on a desk and crosses his arms on his chest.

“The first time, in the early fourteen hundreds in Spain. This ring was the last one you gave me in Ireland in the 1600s during the nine-year war.” He twirls the Celtic knot around his finger while he speaks.

“You’re still wearing it?” I look down at my naked finger, and the sadness that fills me is shocking.

I’m mourning a life I don’t remember.

“I’ve never taken it off. The only reason you replaced it was because I lost my left hand in a battle. Theirs had already stolen my ring by the time I found it.” I look up to find Erik opening a safe that was hidden in the wall.

“But your hand is fine.” I stand so I can see what he’s doing better.

He turns with a small velvet bag in his hands.

“My limbs reattach.” He takes my hand in his and cups it before upending the bag.

Dried flower petals fall into my palm, along with a ring that matches his. He plucks it from the fragrant potpourri and holds it up to the light so I can see it better.

“I’ve kept it safe until I could return to its rightful spot. These are the rose petals from your bouquet. The ones I made love to you on when we consummated.” Oh my.

The petals fall to the floor as he turns my hand and slowly pushes the ring onto my finger.

“Would you like to see it?” I nod at the question, not understanding its meaning.

“Kiss me, Madeline, and remember.”

Five

ERIK

Ilean in slowly so she has a moment to back out but as my lips graze hers the sound of breaking glass and screaming fills the manor.

“That would be Emma.” Madeline sighs and gently pushes me away carefully with a hand on my chest.

Her fingers graze my skin from the unbuttoned shirt, and we both shiver as a brief flash of memory overtakes us. My fangs, sinking into her inner thigh.

“Will that always happen when we touch?” I nod slowly as I help her to her feet.

“Annoying little sprite!” Gaius’s voice echoes down the hall.

“Oh shit,” I know that tune.

“MY GOD! You dare call me annoying? Why are you gagging?” We turn the corner to Emma’s yelling, and I groan.

“Do not bring him into this. Even Father is mourning at the loss of that vase!” I look at the scattered pieces all over the floor.

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