Page 58 of Eternally Bound
“You’ll get her past that. You need to change her and mark her so that every vampire will know who she belongs to and so you don’t completely lose it.”
“Mark her for death, you mean,” Ronan replied. “Because I will be painting a bullseye on her for all of our enemies if I do that.”
“If anyone can keep her safe, you can, and we will all help you do so.”
“She won’t understand any of this.”
“She will, if you explain it to her.”
Ronan laughed harshly. “She’ll understand that any hope of freedom she ever had is gone?”
“That’s not true. Things can change over time.”
“There will always be vampires who turn Savage.”
“Yes,” Declan said. “But maybe one day we won’t be the only ones fighting them. She gave herself to you; I would say she cares about you a great deal if she did that. In fact, I think she has already given you her heart. She’s a good woman, Ronan.”
“Too good for the likes of me,” he muttered.
“Tell her what is going on and see what she decides.”
“I won’t put this burden on her.”
“She’s strong and she’s smart. You deserve some calm in your life; deserve someone who cares for you. Tell her and let her make the choice.”
The scent of vanilla drifting to him silenced Ronan’s response. He took a step back toward the swinging doors and nudged one open with his heel as the sound of Kadence’s footsteps on the stairs reached him.
He’d considered himself somewhat settled, but having her so close caused hunger to surge through him once more. “Get her out of here, Declan.”
“Ronan, you know what must be done.”
“I need more control over myself before I can see her again. Get her out of here.”
“Ronan—”
“Now,” he hissed. “I might hurt her otherwise.” Declan turned to leave. “Declan.” He looked back, his silvery eyes troubled. “I understand why you didn’t stop her from doing what she did with her brother, and that you weren’t trying to go against me, but she can’t stay.”
“She can if you give her a chance to decide.”
Ronan didn’t have the time to get into it with Declan again as Kadence’s scent strengthened on the air. “Keep her away from Saxon and Killean; I don’t want them to know about this yet.”
“I will. I threw a pair of sweats at you earlier.”
As Ronan slipped back into the storage room, he vaguely recalled Declan tossing him something earlier. He spotted the blue sweats on the floor amid the bags of blood as their hushed voices drifted to him through the swinging doors.
Ronan returned to the fridge and took out more blood. He was determined that one of these bags would finally drench the fire within him.
CHAPTER 27
“Is he okay?” Kadence inquired.
Declan heard the concern in her voice, saw it in the way she kept turning her head to look over her shoulder for Ronan. A spurt of jealousy went through him. He wasn’t jealous of the condition Ronan was in now, for he wouldn’t wish that on his worst enemy, but of the relationship he and Kadence could have together.
They already cared for each other, that much was obvious. It was only a matter of time before it deepened into love.
He shook his head to rid himself of the crazy ideas running through it. No, he was much better off the way he was. The last thing he wanted was to get shot by the bullet that was taking Ronan down. Ronan was going insane, and Declan was calmly walking the cause of his insanity away from the gym.
“Declan?”
