Bound to You, a Paranormal Romance (Book 3 of the Spellbound Series) by Lola James

talking about our future lives—although I didn’t know that he wanted his future with me. Another flash of our lifetime of marriages and our travels across the world, while I had no memory of who I really was. I grabbed my dress at my chest as my body crumpled over onto him. My heart was breaking for him in that moment. Those thoughts played rapidly through his mind and holding his hand transferred them to me.
    I opened my eyes to find a grimace on Kevin’s face.
    “Just know that I love you and I’d rather not see you with either of them.” His face softened as he pulled the stake out of his pocket drawing it back.
    It felt like everything was moving in slow motion. Kevin had the stake in his hands with tight lips pressed together in a slight grimace. I should have used my vampire speed to get out of the way but I couldn’t. I was frozen in time and space. My body wouldn’t move, like it had succumbed to dying. Maybe this is what was needed—for me to die. Hades could live without me, Ben would go on and find another love, and Kevin… there had to be someone in this world or the next that would love him more than he ever loved me. I closed my eyes and a tear rolled down the side of my face.
    Everything sounded warped. Ben called my name as I fell to the ground. My eyes met Ben’s.
    “I love you, always” were his last words before he exploded into dust.
    The wind swept some of the dust, but most fell to the ground.
    I shook my head, realizing what had just happened. The dust had begun to settle as a high-pitched sound came from my voice and tears streamed down my face. Ben had sacrificed his life for mine. I sprung to my feet and kicked off my shoes. My focus was on Kevin. I didn’t know if I should kill or torture him.
    “You killed Ben.” My fangs elongated. I didn’t know exactly how I was going to do this but it was about to happen. I let my natural vampire instinct take over. My strength returned and any pity I had felt for Kevin dissipated.
    “You foolish mortal. You killed the wrong vampire.” Her voice was distinct and one I would have known, anywhere. It belonged to Persephone. The malicious look and frown, coupled with her folded arms and pointed look, showed her anger toward Kevin.
    I glanced between the two of them. One was the puppet and the other the puppeteer. My stomach wrenched and I clutched it on reflex. Bile formed in my throat at the thought of them working together to kill me.
    “Why?” was all that my shaky voice would say in a hushed tone.
    “You,” Persephone said, turning to face me. “I want you dead and I can’t harm you; but your friend here, he can.” She cackled and I directed my eyes to Kevin’s. I dropped my hands to my side and balled them into fists. I was torn between the breaking of my heart for Ben and the loathe I had for both Kevin and Persephone. I moved forward so quickly that Kevin could not react. I grabbed him by his neck. His face turned many shades of red as I cut off his circulation.
    “This is for Ben.” I tore into the side of his neck, puncturing his jugular. Blood ran down his neck and I gulped it, extinguishing my thirst as his pulse stopped with the beating of his heart.
    I threw his limp body to the ground. I wiped the blood that dripped from my mouth with the back of my hand.
    In a blink, I was in front of Persephone. Her smile disappeared and was replaced with a scowl. As I grabbed her wrists, her eyes widened.
    “I will find a way to kill you.” My voice was even and low. I had a desire for vengeance. “My words will haunt you until you go mad and that’s the day you will die.” I didn’t know how I was going to do it, but I was.
    Her eyes narrowed and her perfect brows rose. I could tell my words shook her. The confidence she came with diluted to nothing.
    “We’ll see about that.” Her telltale gray smoke sucked her in and she vanished before my eyes.
    I dropped to my knees, ignoring Kevin’s body and crawling over to the pile