Hello there readers! Just stopping in to send an update your way. I am currently spending my time working on "Lesson One." Until that is completed I can't not garuntee any updates. I apologize for the wait but that's simply the case. I started these stories years ago, and trying to re-vamp them in order to post has proven tiresome. Still; I intend to get these storis completed for you eventually. Thank you for being patient and I hope you enjoy. - Jade
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When I woke, my mind was heavy and groggy. Every nerve in my body hummed itself awake even as I tried to control my breathing. Before I could marvel at the odd sensation I forced my eyelids to open and looked over at where Collin slept. He was spread across the bed face down, one of his muscular arms draped over my waist. Though tangled in the sheet of his bed, I could make out the bare skin of his body beside me. Looking down I realized my own skin was similarly as bare. It glowed with life, and I stared down at my hand in wonder.
The dull feeling in my mind lifted and in the pit of my stomach I realized it had been his sleeping form I’d felt earlier. I wasn’t sure how much of his blood I’d taken last night in my sudden frenzy of lust, but it was enough that even now I could feel a connection to him.
I traced my fingers over his back, gazing down at Collin as he slept. He’d once claimed that vampires didn’t need to sleep as often as humans, but it seemed like every time I slept over I was waking up first. This didn’t bother me though, and traced my fingers from his back and down the length of his arm. Gently, so as not to wake him, I lifted his arm from me and scooted out from beneath. He may be able to lay in bed all day, but I surely couldn’t. My all too human belly was growling with hunger.
I rose from the bed, stretching out my muscles nervously. They weren’t as sore as I’d imagined they’d be after yesterday’s activities. It turns out the stories had gotten a vampire’s ability to last long right, if close to nothing else. Somehow I doubted a creature that took so long to tire would die from something like a stake through the heart. The thought alone made me smile. According to the stories vampires had no heart to begin with.
Not wanting to traipse about his apartment nude, I snagged his shirt from the ground and pulled it over my head before slipping out of his bedroom. Would he be up in time to eat if I made food for the pair of us?
I made my way into his kitchen, hoping that he wouldn’t wake by the sounds of my food preparation. The clock on his stove informed me it was barely two in the morning and I wondered at the passing of time. How much had been spent with Collin, and what had gone into sleeping?
Not wanting to start a fire I pushed all thoughts of him from my mind and set about boiling some water for noodles as I thawed a bag of meatballs in the sink. He’d said the food was there to be eaten, and somehow it made me feel even more at home than in my own kitchen. I set about making the food, turning on the coffee maker to anticipate his waking.
Like a godsend, plugged in the outlet below his coffee maker was a phone charger. I followed the cord to where Collin’s phone sat at the end of it, resting on the counter on top an opened piece of mail. Deciding he wouldn’t mind, I snuck back into the room to find where my pants had fallen the night before. I dove my hand into the pocket, trying to ignore his sleeping form on the bed behind me, and pulled my phone free. As I did something fell to the carpet, and I instantly recognized the small gold coin even in the darkness of the bedroom. I stopped to pick it up before walking back into the kitchen.
Double checking that Collin’s cellphone was fully charged first, I unplugged it and pushed it gently to the side before moving to plug in mine. The minimal charge I’d managed to get at Shane’s was gone which didn’t surprise me. As always I turned on my phone the moment it was plugged in, and turned my eyes to the quickly filling coffee pot.
If he managed to sleep through the night I’d just keep all of the hot drink for myself. I’d never been one for coffee in the past, but the smell of it as it trickled into the filling pot was enticing. I watched it for a moment, suddenly waiting for it to finish brewing so I could get myself a cup.
“Isa,” a low purr of a growl was whispered into my ear, the feeling of two strong arms wrapping around me following close after, “must you always leave before I wake?”
I smiled to myself, stirring the pasta on the stove. “I didn’t want to wake you.”
“I couldn’t sense you,” he breathed, kissing my neck before stepping away from me. “It worried me.”
Turning to look over my shoulder at him, I watched as he moved to grab a mug from the cupboard. “One for me too please,” I informed with a smile, snatching the finished coffee from its burner.
“I didn’t think you drank coffee,” he observed, setting a pair of mugs on the countertop.
With a shrug I turned over the small coin absentmindedly in my hand. “I didn’t think I did either.”
“Well don’t drink too much,” he advised, lifting the steaming cup of liquid to his lips to take a gulp. I wasn’t sure if he couldn’t feel his tongue burning, or he just didn’t care. Either way, seeing the steam rise around his face as he took a large gulp almost made me wince just thinking about it. “It’s only two.”
For a moment more I watched, my eyes dancing over his features. He’d said he couldn’t feel me this morning, which caught me as a surprise. To my knowledge he’d always been able to feel me. Once he’d said I’d overpowered the rest of the room. Slowly, pouring myself a cup sure to leave room for some cool milk, I mulled over it. Had drinking his blood been what had muddled his sense of where I was, or did it come with being around me so often? If anything I would have thought it would mean he could feel me that much stronger.
Though the answer bothered me it didn’t for long. Setting down his cup of coffee Collin was now at my side, snatching away the pot of noodles so he could drain it for me. “Do you still have some clothes here for me?” I asked, realizing that he had the advantage of wearing pants while I did not.
“Top drawer,” he responded with a smile, looking towards me through the steam rising from the sink.
Following his directions I strode back into his room, my fingers playing with the hem of his shirt. It was big on me, and barely long enough to cover the essentials. Like everything else about Collin; his shirts fit me perfectly. I smiled at the thought, pulling open the top drawer of his dresser. Sure enough there were a couple of articles of girls clothing. All of them I recognized from our little impromptu shopping spree, and I pulled out the first pair of cotton shorts I found. I slipped them on, not bothering to look for any underwear. We hadn’t bought any, and I had the distinct memory of the pair I’d been wearing being ripped from me not so long ago.
Unsure what to do with the coin in my hand I tucked it in with my clothing before sliding the drawer closed. I glanced over my shoulder as I pulled on the shorts, and towards the closed bedroom door. The issue from earlier creeping back into my mind as I made my way across the room. Collin had said he’d been able to feel my panic and yet he hadn’t shown up. I didn’t take him as the type to wait for me to call on him when worried.
A strange thought occurred to me, and I followed it blindly. Already on the doorknob, my hand returned once more to my side. I cleared my mind of all thoughts of Collin, focusing instead on the wood of the bedroom door. I’d barely traced my eyes over the first discoloration in the wood when it was suddenly pulled open. A very confused Collin was the first thing my eyes met.
“Let me guess; you couldn’t feel me?”
He nodded, his eyes dancing over my face. “It was as though you disappeared.” As though suddenly taking in my question a flicker of curiosity crossed his eyes. “You already knew?”
“Actually,” I admitted, looking sheepishly away from him, “I just did it on purpose.”
“How?”
“I don’t know,” I lied, the words slipping from my mouth. I raised my gaze to meet his, the monster in my stomach taking over on its own. “I followed my intuition.” Unlike any of the times before, I found I was able to control the usually rebellious part of me. It meshed with my own thoughts, only breaking away to make decisions on its own. For some reason it wanted me to keep my methods a secret.
Collin didn’t seem to pick up on my lie and instead scanned me over as though amazed. “Do you think you can do it again?”
My dark curls bounced as I gave a little nod in confirmation. Silence followed, and the intensity of his gaze suddenly caught me. “Now?” I asked, aware he was waiting for me.
“If you’re not able-“
His voice stopped dead, just as my mind worked on its own. Rather than clearing itself of thoughts it focused on one in particular: Don’t let him see me. The words seemed to whisper through my veins as though willing it to be so. Had Collin’s eyes not widened in surprise, his voice catching in air, I would have merely thought I was crazy. Yet apparently my body knew what to do better than I did, for the approach seemed to work almost instantly.
He let out a slow shaky breath, his eyes scanning over me once then twice. “Even looking straight at you. . .” he muttered, trailing off.
Scouring his face, I absorbed his flabbergasted expression. “Is it that unusual?”
Slowly, he shook his head. Behind his seafoam eyes I could picture his brain ticking away. “No, there are always those who can mask themselves. But-“ he hesitated, “usually a bond binds one from doing that.”
A warning tickled through my nerves. “Let’s not talk about how messed up I am,” I cooed, stepping forward to him. My hand found his chest, resting against his smooth skin. For a moment I looked at my hand upon his pec before lifting my gaze to his face. “I don’t want to have to think about it anymore.”
“You’re perfectly fine Isa,” he countered with a soft smile, his hand reaching up to cover mine. “Incredibly reckless and prone to danger, but nothing I can’t handle.” Collin intertwined his fingers with mine, my hand lowering so he was holding it in his own. As his eyes held mine I could feel the familiar hum of energy tingle through my veins. The feeling seemed to be shared, for he smiled. “Have I mentioned how much I like seeing you in my clothes?” he asked, his voice suddenly husky as his eyes danced over my bear legs.
I couldn’t stop the smile from gracing my lips as he pulled gently on my hand, guiding it behind his back and effectively drawing our bodies together. In a heartbeat his other arm was around me, holding me close. “Yeah,” I nodded, smiling up at him. I wasn’t sure when we’d gotten so touchy feely, but the humming in my body agreed that I liked it.
Collin reached up, sweeping the rouge curls of my hair over my shoulder, eyes focusing on the skin of my neck. “When Tedur formed his bond with you,” he asked slowly, fingers gently running over the skin of my neck, “how did he do it?”
It seemed like such an odd question, and I searched his face for some sort of an explanation. Why would he be asking me about bonds? I was much less informed on them than he was. “What do you mean?”
“To form a bond you have to offer blood of your own free will,” as he spoke his eyes remained on the skin he was ghosting his fingers over, “and there’s more than one way to accomplish that.”
“I accepted his offer and let him feed from me,” I answered slowly, the entire time feeling as though this wasn’t what he was asking.
“You let him bite you?” I barely managed a nod before he asked, “Where?”
“My neck,” I responded earnestly. He nodded, two fingers coming to rest on the soft skin beneath my chin as though checking for a pulse. His seafoam eyes closed, a small breath rolling from his lips and washing over my face. “Was that bad?” I posed the question somehow knowing his answer even as I asked it. I could feel it as clear in my mind as though it were my own.
“No,” Collin answered, his eyes opening as he met my gaze, “it’s a good spot; a main artery. It makes for a stronger bond.”
“You’re not upset?”
“I never would have suggested it,” he admitted, “but it’s for the best.”
I could feel the sincerity in his words but couldn’t comprehend it. When I had accepted Matthew’s offer I had been fully prepared for Collin’s anger. I wouldn’t have blamed him either. But his approval? For some reason I couldn’t accept it. There was something I was missing here and I knew that I had to get to the bottom of it. “What do you mean?”
Collin withdrew his hand from my neck, the arm around my waist relaxing its hold as he eased off of me. The feeling that came with it flittered through me before I could name it. “Tedur’s family is old,” he explained, running a hand over his hair, “and large; much larger than mine.”
“Meaning his sector is larger…”
“He can protect you anywhere within the greater Chicago area,” he confirmed my suspicions with a brief nod. “Now that his family believes you’re one of his flock you should be able to pass through without confrontation.”
I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something he was hiding from me. Before I could ask however, the sound of my utterly generic ringtone began to sound from the kitchen. Looking over my shoulder down the hallway, I was mildly surprised that it sounded so close despite being so far away. If I wasn’t forgetting to charge, and it wasn’t on silent, then I never put it past the lowest volume setting. There was no reason to in the past. No one called accept for- “Aiden,” I muttered before looking back to Collin, “probably wondering where I am.”
“You haven’t contacted him yet?”
“This morning at Shane’s- well,” I corrected myself, “yesterday morning now. Where did the hours go?” Collin’s sly smile made my heart skip a beat and I found myself returning it with a blush. After drinking his blood I’d felt invigorated like never before. Mix that with the energy that always seemed to be sparking between us and our first bedroom experience had been fulfilling to say the least. “I don’t know why he’s calling so late though,” I added, eyes flashing back down the hallway.
“Probably worried sick. That is typically what happens when you leave those who care about you in the dark,” he chided me with a scolding look.
I opened my mouth to defend myself only to close it. He was right after all; I had been thoughtless. I should have contacted him the moment I reached Shane’s and had him come to get me. In my defense my cellphone had been dead and in Matthew’s possession. Instead of saying this however I realized the same was true of Aiden. While he may have been lacking in the friend department most days I knew better than anyone my wellbeing was always the exception. “Duly noted,” I flashed him an apologetic smile before turning to stride down the hall.
Collin followed behind me, no reason to continue standing in front of his bedroom door. We’d glossed over my odd abilities and I was thankful for it. It was only fair if I cut him some slack on whatever secret he was keeping from me. If it wasn’t for his blood still coursing through my veins I would have never known in the first place after all.
He joined me in the kitchen, pouring himself a glass of coffee as I snatched up the phone just as the ringtone was winding down. A smile passed between us as once more he drank the steaming liquid without hesitation, striding from the kitchen to give me privacy. Without so much as a glance I flipped open the ringing phone. “What do you want?” I answered, knowing anything else would make Aiden suspicious.
“Isadora,” the startled voice came, “I- I’m sorry I didn’t mean to-“
“Shane?” I cut the apologetic voice short in surprise.
“I-“ his voice hesitated on the line, a few seconds of silence lingering before he continued, “I’m sorry. I know it’s late-“
Once more I cut his apologies short, mentally shaking my head at myself for not checking the caller ID before answering so stiffly. “It’s fine; really. I thought you were Aiden,” I explained, a small amused smile slipping onto my face. Shane Kelson getting flustered by me was never going to get old. “Is something wrong?” I asked, eyes flickering to the stove’s digital display. 2:37 – he was right; it was late.
“Aiden called looking for you,” Shane responded. My brow furrowed as mulled this over. Aiden had called Shane and not me? “I told him that you had already gone to bed,” his voice came through the receiver as though reading my mind.
Unlike my boyfriend and the rest of his fanged family I knew that wasn’t the case with Shane. It was oddly reassuring to know I was talking to a normal human being. Though I felt oddly at ease with being thrown into this supernatural side of the world I’d never before known existed it somehow felt right. I had a feeling it was all thanks to Collin. “You did?” the meaning behind his words suddenly washed over me; Shane had covered for me.
“It was the first thing that came to mind-“
“Shane,” I had to pointedly stop him before he could get out any more apologies; I could tell from the tone of his usually smooth voice that was the direction he was once more headed in.
He’d fallen silent and I knew he was waiting for me to say more. Smiling, I decided to let him stew for a moment or two. While I didn’t quite understand what had the head jock of our school so nervous to talk to little old me I couldn’t really blame him. I had, after all, just told him I was dating a vampire. “Yeah?” he asked sounding nervous, seemingly unbothered by how many times I’d interrupted him. Aiden would have thrown a hissy fit.
“Thank you for saving me from Aiden’s wrath. Don’t let his protectiveness fool you; it wouldn’t stop him from killing me,” I chuckled knowing it was true.
“You don’t need to tell me,” Shane’s smooth chuckle came, his nervousness seemingly evaporating, “he always loses his head when it comes to you. I practically had to wrestle the bat from his hands when you pulled that stunt with Castin.”
“He told you about that?” I asked, unable to stop the wicked smirk from creeping onto my face just thinking about it.
“More like I pieced it together from his ranting,” he returned and I could hear the smile to his voice. As odd as it was it only made me smile brighter. Having Shane as a friend was like a secret in to Aiden’s life. I’d known I’d gotten to him with that little prank, as was evident by him locking me out, but hearing how it had upset only made it funnier. “Hey Isadora,” he paused a second, “is everything okay?”
The unexpected worry mixed with hesitation in his voice threw me off guard for a second. Eyes flicker towards the entrance of the kitchen I waited a second before sensing Collin wasn’t eavesdropping. He was grading papers; I just knew it. “Yeah, everything’s groovy,” I answered, shrugging despite the fact he couldn’t see me.
“He’s not mad?”
I furrowed my brow, reaching out for the coffee pot as I used my shoulder to prop the phone to my ear. “Who?”
“Your boyfriend,” Shane responded. As if realizing he should expand, he continued on, “You know; for sleeping over at my house and all.”
“Oh, no; not at all. I explained everything. I mean I wouldn’t exactly say he was happy about it,” I thought back to the random possessive kisses Collin had littered on me during the drive to his apartment, “but he accepted it.”
Pouring a cup I waited for his reply, my hazel eyes taking in the time on the stove once more. Just a few months ago if anyone had told me I’d be talking the Shane Kelson at the buttcrack of dawn about my vampire boyfriend I wouldn’t have even graced them with an eye roll. Now? Now I was surprised to find he was easy to talk to. “Will you need a ride tomorrow?”
“No, I should have that covered,” I smiled just thinking about how I’d have to walk a few blocks for the sake of not being seen with Mr. Marrs. It was totally worth it. “Thank you though.”
“Okay. Well, I guess that was all. Uh- I’ll see you Monday then?”
“Yup,” I confirmed.
“Do you think-“ Shane stopped short.
I waited for what more was to come, but it seemed as though whatever he’d been about to say he had changed his mind for all I was met with was silence. “Shane?” I asked, moving the phone to my hand. It said he was still connected.
Over the line I could hear him clear his throat. “Sorry again for calling so late,” he got out awkwardly.
“Forget about that; I was already up. What is it?” I pushed, knowing that there was something he had wanted to say. Normally I would have just let it go, but something inside told me not to.
“Can you call me tonight?” he asked after a moment of indecision.
Why Collin’s blood in my veins was pushing me to question him I wasn’t sure, but I found I couldn’t stop it. “Why; is something the matter?”
“No. It would just be nice if you could, you know,” his voice growing more confident as he spoke, “check in. I couldn’t sleep not knowing if you were okay.”
If he’d been standing in front of me, then Shane Kelson would have been greeted with my open mouthed stare of incredulity. Now why the hell hadn’t all the magic vampire blood prepared me for this? “There’s no reason to worry about me,” was all I could manage to get out. I had no idea how to respond to such a request let alone such a reason.
“Still; will you?”
Despite the fact he couldn’t see me I nodded numbly. “Yeah.”
Over the line I could hear Shane breathe a sigh of relief. “You will?”
“It’s the least I can do after you took me in for the night,” though I paired it with a chuckle my insides were still churning in surprise.
“Anytime,” he replied and I could hear the smile in his smooth voice yet again. I could almost picture that heart stopping, blush inducing smile that The Shane Kelson was so famous for. “Good night Isadora.”
“Night,” my voice came out as a mumble.
Just as the line went dead I looked up to see Collin standing in the doorway with his eyes trained on me. “Who was that?” he asked, and though he looked nonchalant I knew better.
Normally he wasn’t one to pry, and I looked into his seafoam eyes lost for a moment. Even without us touching I could feel the electricity dancing in the room. In my stomach I could feel the monster purr. The jealousy that had been missing earlier peeked its head out as he waited for my answer. “It was Shane,” I answered honestly.
“I knew he was persistent, but does he always call you so late?”
Lifting my coffee to my lips I took a few drinks of the hot beverage as I considered my answer. Collin’s tone of voice had been mildly bitter, and while I could feel his irritation I didn’t quite understand it. Making a bond with Matthew doesn’t worry him but Kelson calling does? All I could do is assure him there was nothing to worry about. “Aiden called looking for me,” I set the cellphone back on the counter, “so Shane told him I was still there.”
“So you need to go?” Collin asked, drawing away from the wall.
“No,” I shook my head, “he was just covering for me. Aiden won’t actually check; he’s lazy. If anything he’ll give me the cold shoulder for a while.”
He stepped up behind me, string arms wrapping around my waist as he pulled me into his embrace. I could feel the buzzing warmth between us as lively as ever. “I was under the impression he wanted the two of you to be together.”
“Oh he’s always been like this. He decides things all on his own and then when things don’t work-“ I shrugged, “well, he gets upset. This is probably driving him crazy. He wants me with Shane but on his terms.”
“How did you end up at Kelson’s house?” Collin asked, resting his chin on the top of my head. With one hand he snatched my coffee to claim it for himself, the other arm still wrapped around my waist.
It was then that I realized there was a lot Collin didn’t know. How could I begin to explain when some part of me felt it best to keep that information withheld. It wouldn’t do any good to upset Collin further by telling him I’d run into Matthew with Shane before. All it would bring is a scolding of the likes I had no patience for. I knew that I’d gone about everything terribly but hey; I never claimed I was smart. “Claudette could sense I shouldn’t be at my house,” I opted for the truth, just not the whole truth, “so I had him bring me to Shane’s.”
“I would have thought you’d go to Castin,” his reply was casual as he pulled away from me, “especially considering you confided in him about me.”
I turned to look up at him only to get locked in his gaze. Not only were there things about Shane I hadn’t shared with Collin, but there were things I had omitted concerning Castin as well. The familiar warning in my veins kicked up, successfully driving me from spilling my guts. “I haven’t seen him in a while,” I admitted instead.
“Maybe he grew tired of Kelson’s newfound attraction for you,” Collin commented wryly, a dark smile playing at his lips.
When I rolled my eyes he chuckled, confirming the fact he was teasing me. He would have to be insane to worry about a mere human boy like Shane. While his blonde hair, captivating hazel eyes and winning smile made him the jock god of our school he was still nothing more than to a walking meal for a vampire. I couldn’t make sense of it but that thought actually angered me, and I pursed my lips in frustration. “He’s actually not that bad. I showed up out of the blue and he didn’t even question me,” as I told him I realized how truly amazing that was. “I even told him I had a boyfriend and that was where I’d be and he still covered for me with Aiden,” I mused.
Throw in the fact I’d been dressed like arm candy and it was the middle of the night and it was even more outstanding. I’d clearly judged Shane Kelson too soon. I was no supermodel but had it been any of the other jocks and they would have made a pass. Hell, if I weren’t me then even Aiden would have taken advantage of the situation. It seemed it really never had anything to do with my change of wardrobe after all.
“You told him?”
“That I’m dating my history teacher?” I teased at his taken aback expression. “I wouldn’t tell him and he didn’t want me to lie so he didn’t need a name. I think he just assumed I’m trying to hide it from Aiden,” I reassured him. We both knew how precarious of a situation we were in. Between his fanged family and our scandalous teacher-student standing we had to be careful.
For a second he stared at me, eyes flashing for a mere second. As quickly as the frustration had taken hold he let it go, letting out a low sigh as he shook his head. “Things are certainly never boring with you,” Collin was on me in a heartbeat. One second he was setting down the coffee and the next his arms had already secured me in his arms bridal style.
Against his broad chest I practically melted in bliss. In my core I could feel a ball of humming energy growing, and as I met the seafoam green eyes that sparkled down at me it exploded. Warmth shot through my veins, the bare skin of my exposed thighs shooting tingles of energy into Collin’s muscular arm that held me aloft. “And there’s that,” he added in a low growl, our lips connecting as he effortlessly raised me higher for a heated kiss.
As always I was consumed by him entirely. The thudding of his heart was all I could hear, his scent surrounding me as the taste of him on my tongue made my body feel as though I were glowing. When I pulled my mouth away for air the feeling lingered. I could feel myself being set down on his bed, my limbs growing heavy as I sunk into the soft mattress. It didn’t even surprise me anymore how quickly he could move. What did surprise me was how tired I’d suddenly grown. “The food..”
“-will have to wait,” Collin smiled, sliding into bed beside me and quickly getting comfortable. “It’s an effect of the blood,” his warm breath washed over my forehead as he pulled me onto his chest. “When you exert that much energy after consuming blood,” Collin explained, answering a question I hadn’t even had to ask, “your body returns to normal more quickly. You’ll have to sleep in order to become reacquainted with your body as it is naturally.”
“But I’m not tired,” I managed to get out. It was true; as worn out as my body was my mind continued to buzz.
He chuckled, chest rumbling beneath me with the low sound. “I warned you about the coffee.”
I pursed my lips, tempted to point out that he hadn’t warned me that I’d feel like I was about to go into a coma. In fact there was a lot he hadn’t told me. “Collin,” I started, lifting my head to look at him, “what exactly happens when a bond is formed?”
“You look worried Isa,” he observed, eyes dancing over my face. His brow wrinkled in worry and he asked, “Did Matthew tell you something?”
Pushing aside a few waves of my hair I returned my head to rest on his sturdy chest. Though I was tired I still had energy enough to get one answer out of him. “Only that it helps you find me by the imprint of my blood. He didn’t say how.”
“You’re allowing the other to taste the pure you. It’s difficult to explain, but it’s much like allowing them past your defenses to taste you at your weakest. There is no faking a bond,” he explained slowly, “it can only be formed with true consent.”
I nodded, already gathering this much from what Matthew had told me. “But what does it really mean?”
Collin wrapped his arm over my waist, fingers splaying out over the dip in my waist. “When you form a bond you’re granting the other access to your bloodlife. Since it’s pure it leaves an imprint behind. This means that for those that consumed the blood a part of you, in fact, remains with them. They can sense you from greater distances which can be heightened further; either from you calling their name or spilling your blood.”
For a moment I waited for him to continue only to realize he wasn’t about to. “And that’s it?” I asked, hesitantly. I wasn’t so sure I wanted the answer anymore.
“It may not sound like much, but if a bond is strong then a call can be heard from across the globe. There’ve been cases where just thinking of the name with whom they were bonded called them,” he explained further.
I should have been relieved. Forming a bond with Matthew hadn’t given him a hotline to my head then. While I could explain it away by the fact I’d consumed his blood I somehow knew that wasn’t true. I’d felt him. More than I’d felt any of the other vampires I’d tasted in the past 46 hours. Collin, Claudette, Francis . . . none of them had been in my mind. But when I’d gone searching for Matthew he had been there which made me wonder; why?
Did I have a stronger bond with Matthew than Collin? If so why; was it my body that had decided or me? Worse of all was the possibility it had nothing to do with bonds at all. It could have to do with the fact I was clearly insane.