Page 87 of Eternally Bound
“I may be a vampire now, but I will always be one of them.”
“They’re here,” Ronan said.
“Where?” Kadence asked as she searched the woods. A fresh, subtle scent wafted from her right, and she turned in that direction as Nathan emerged from the woods with Asher and Logan flanking him.
“There are others still in the woods,” Lucien said.
“Yes,” Ronan replied.
“We didn’t expect them to be brave enough to reveal all their numbers,” Killean said.
Kadence glared at him before focusing on her brother. Her heart leapt as joy and love swept through her. She took a step toward Nathan, but Ronan blocked her from going any further with his arm. She turned her angry gaze on him.
“I told you before we came here that you were to stay by me,” Ronan said.
“He’s my brother.”
“And if he wishes to come to us, he can, but you willnotgo to him.”
She opened her mouth to protest, but when his eyes shifted to a more volatile red color, she held it back. Everyone was on edge enough without her pushing it to a breaking point. Nathan stopped ten feet away from them; his gaze ran over the vampires before settling on her.
“Are you okay?” he demanded.
“Yes,” she assured him. He studied her, as if trying to figure out if she were telling the truth or not. “Really, Nathan, I’m fine.”
Logan glanced at her before focusing on Ronan. His lips flattened when he saw the protective way Ronan stood against her. Kadence’s heart twisted, and unexpected tears burned her eyes. She’d never loved Logan the way she loved Ronan, but she cared deeply for him. She’d never wanted to hurt him or her brother, but she knew she had, and she would have to live with that for the rest of her life. She could only hope that one day they would forgive her, but she didn’t expect it from them.
“I’m sorry,” she said, keeping her gaze focused on Logan as she spoke. “Know that the last thing I ever wanted was to hurt anyone. I just…” She trailed off as she tried to think of how to explain what had happened without making it worse. “I broke out only to see Joseph die, but once I was free, I decided to try to see more of the world.”
Logan’s eyes finally slid to her. “You didn’t get very far.”
Kadence winced at the accusation in his voice. “I was going to go to Ireland. I was there, in the airport, getting ready to board the plane, but I couldn’t do it.”
“Why not?” Nathan demanded.
“Because we have it wrong,” she told him again. “And if there is a chance I can save one hunter’s life, or one innocent vampire, I knew I had to try to make it happen.”
“Innocent vampire? Sounds like an oxymoron to me,” Logan spat.
“I’d say you’re the moron,” Killean grumbled, his face stone cold as Logan glowered at him.
Kadence swallowed heavily. She’d cut Logan far deeper than she’d realized. Ronan clasped her nape, drawing her closer. Nathan stiffened at the possessive gesture, and Logan looked as if murder was the only thing he wanted.
“Shit,” Asher hissed.
“What have you done, Kadence?” Logan demanded. “You can’t be stupid enough to trust them!”
“Watch how you talk to her.”
The low, lethal tone of Ronan’s voice caused the hair on her neck to rise. She’d known this wouldn’t be easy, but it was rapidly deteriorating into an explosive situation. “Listen to me!” she cried and stepped forward.
Ronan moved with her. He bared his fangs at the hunters as he held every one of their gazes. “Know that if you try to harm her, I’ll kill you,” he promised.
Nathan’s eyes darted between them.
“Animals,” Logan scoffed.
Nathan held his hand up. “Enough,” he said before focusing on Kadence. “Tell me what is going on. What do we have wrong?”
