again. “When I got here, there was all this freaky shit set up, like a sacrificial altar or something. At first, I thought he was just being really kinky, until Maria walked in the room and he took a knife to his chest…” She held up her hand, which was caked in dried blood. “And he sliced my hand open.”
I gasped. “ Omigod, Erica. Then what happened?”
“I don’t know ,” she replied. “The last thing I remember was the cutting…and then I woke up alone with dried blood all over my hand.”
I pulled her into my arms. “Oh , honey, I am so sorry. We’ll figure out a way to get your magic back. There’s got to be a way.”
“I don’t care about the magic. I just want to know why he did it. Why they did it.”
Vance cleared his throat. “Blood magic is some pretty powerful stuff. You don’t mess with it lightly. It can carry severe consequences.”
“What could they be after?” Tara asked.
“Well, I did hear them talking a little…it’s when my brain was going fuzzy so I’m not too sure. Something about removing a blood bond.” She looked at Leo. “Wait ; something about removing her bond to you . Why would you have a blood bond with that psychotic bitch?”
Leo looked away in shame. “We have the strongest blood bond that exists. I am her maker.”
“Oh, you’ve got to be fucking kidding me!” she exclaimed.
“Afraid not ,” I said apologetically.
“I felt it, ” Leo whispered. “I felt it being pulled away but I didn’t understand it at the time.”
I glanced at him. “ That’s a good thing, right? That you two no longer share a bond? ”
Vance and Leo share d a troubled look. “No, it’s not,” Leo replied.
“Why? ” I asked.
“Because it means that I cannot track her, which was likely her intent. And we will have to worry indefinitely about her attacking you again, which she no doubt also intended. She thrives on others’ fear.”
Vance grabbed my shoulders, trying to pull me into an embrace , but I stepped back. I couldn’t bear his touch knowing he’d had his hands all over her no more than a few hours ago. “Karli, I promise I will find her. I’ll make her pay for this.”
My eyes glistened with unshed tears. “Yeah, I’m sure you will find her, Vance. Or she’ll find you. The question is, what will you really do with her once she’s in your hands?”
He looked guilty but I couldn’t bring my self to blatantly call him out in front of everyone for sleeping with Maria. I turned to Leo. “So blood bonds can be broken?”
Vance’s eyes glittered with triumph as he answered. “Yes, they can. I don’t know the exact process but I can look into it. We can get started as soon as I figure it out.”
Leo looked profoundly hurt, possibly thinking that I wanted to sever our bond. I glared at Vance. “First of all, I wasn’t asking you. Secondly, I don’t want to break my bond with Leo so please wipe that expression off your face. I was just curious.”
Vance looked stunned. What is wrong with you, Karli? Why are you acting like this? Why are you so angry?
I focused with all my might and managed to put up a mental brick wall. He flinched in shock, probably because I’d never been able to block him before. Leo, Tara, and Erica were watching us, clearly uncomfortable with our silent exchange. Leo seemed to pick up on my train of thought and said, “Karli, we can discuss this later.”
“Discuss what later?” Vance shouted. “What the hell are you two hiding?”
“Nothing ,” Leo and I said in unison.
Vance stood there in stony silence. Erica said, “Okay, well now that that’s settled, can we ple ase get the hell out of here?” She shivered. “I’ve had more than enough of this place.”
Vance replied, “Yes, of course . We can take your statements after you’ve had some rest.” He glanced at Leo. “It’s an hour before sunrise. Leo, do you think you have time to give Erica a lift? I’m going to take Karli home with me
I gasped. “ Omigod, Erica. Then what happened?”
“I don’t know ,” she replied. “The last thing I remember was the cutting…and then I woke up alone with dried blood all over my hand.”
I pulled her into my arms. “Oh , honey, I am so sorry. We’ll figure out a way to get your magic back. There’s got to be a way.”
“I don’t care about the magic. I just want to know why he did it. Why they did it.”
Vance cleared his throat. “Blood magic is some pretty powerful stuff. You don’t mess with it lightly. It can carry severe consequences.”
“What could they be after?” Tara asked.
“Well, I did hear them talking a little…it’s when my brain was going fuzzy so I’m not too sure. Something about removing a blood bond.” She looked at Leo. “Wait ; something about removing her bond to you . Why would you have a blood bond with that psychotic bitch?”
Leo looked away in shame. “We have the strongest blood bond that exists. I am her maker.”
“Oh, you’ve got to be fucking kidding me!” she exclaimed.
“Afraid not ,” I said apologetically.
“I felt it, ” Leo whispered. “I felt it being pulled away but I didn’t understand it at the time.”
I glanced at him. “ That’s a good thing, right? That you two no longer share a bond? ”
Vance and Leo share d a troubled look. “No, it’s not,” Leo replied.
“Why? ” I asked.
“Because it means that I cannot track her, which was likely her intent. And we will have to worry indefinitely about her attacking you again, which she no doubt also intended. She thrives on others’ fear.”
Vance grabbed my shoulders, trying to pull me into an embrace , but I stepped back. I couldn’t bear his touch knowing he’d had his hands all over her no more than a few hours ago. “Karli, I promise I will find her. I’ll make her pay for this.”
My eyes glistened with unshed tears. “Yeah, I’m sure you will find her, Vance. Or she’ll find you. The question is, what will you really do with her once she’s in your hands?”
He looked guilty but I couldn’t bring my self to blatantly call him out in front of everyone for sleeping with Maria. I turned to Leo. “So blood bonds can be broken?”
Vance’s eyes glittered with triumph as he answered. “Yes, they can. I don’t know the exact process but I can look into it. We can get started as soon as I figure it out.”
Leo looked profoundly hurt, possibly thinking that I wanted to sever our bond. I glared at Vance. “First of all, I wasn’t asking you. Secondly, I don’t want to break my bond with Leo so please wipe that expression off your face. I was just curious.”
Vance looked stunned. What is wrong with you, Karli? Why are you acting like this? Why are you so angry?
I focused with all my might and managed to put up a mental brick wall. He flinched in shock, probably because I’d never been able to block him before. Leo, Tara, and Erica were watching us, clearly uncomfortable with our silent exchange. Leo seemed to pick up on my train of thought and said, “Karli, we can discuss this later.”
“Discuss what later?” Vance shouted. “What the hell are you two hiding?”
“Nothing ,” Leo and I said in unison.
Vance stood there in stony silence. Erica said, “Okay, well now that that’s settled, can we ple ase get the hell out of here?” She shivered. “I’ve had more than enough of this place.”
Vance replied, “Yes, of course . We can take your statements after you’ve had some rest.” He glanced at Leo. “It’s an hour before sunrise. Leo, do you think you have time to give Erica a lift? I’m going to take Karli home with me
Similar Books
