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He broke their kiss on a sharp sigh. “I can’t forgive myself until he’s dead and this place is destroyed forever. He’s done terrible things. I don’t mean everything he did to me. None of that matters to me now. It’s the other people he’s hurt. My mother. The Breedmate who came after her. And to the little girl, Kitty. What he did to her is unspeakable.”
Carys soberly nodded her head. “I know. But she’s strong, Rune. And she’s coping as best—” Her eyes widened when she saw his confused frown. “Oh, my God . . . you don’t know. Of course, you don’t know. Your sister, Catriona—Kitty. She lives in London now. She’s mated to an Order warrior, Mathias Rowan. For the past few days, they’ve been in Boston, staying at my family’s Darkhaven.”
He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “She’s alive? She’s okay?”
“Yes. And she’s happy, Rune. She’s in love. And there’s more. She’s expecting a baby with Mathias.”
“Holy shit.” The shock of it, combined with his injuries, made him rock back on his heels. He leaned his ass against the wall of the corridor as his brain worked to process the details. “So often, I’ve wondered what happened to her. I’ve worried that she was dead.”
Carys nodded gently. “She’s been worried about you too.”
“You’ve talked to her about me?”
“We’ve become friends. Even before we knew we had a love for you in common.”
Rune swallowed. He dreaded asking, but he had to know. “Does she blame me for leaving her here? Does she think I knew what was happening to her?”
“No, she doesn’t blame you.” Carys leaned her shoulder against the wall beside him, standing close, caressing the worry from his face. “She didn’t allow you to know any of her pain. Just as you hid yours from her.”
He lowered his head. “Jesus Christ. My little sister is alive. I never thought I’d see her again.”
“Then let’s get out of here so you’ll have that chance. We both want to see you come home where you belong.”
Home. He hadn’t known the meaning of that word for a long time. If he ever really had. But now it burned in front of him like a beacon in the dark, lighting the way.
And as he looked at Carys, he knew that path would always lead to her. She was the only home he would ever need.
He pressed a kiss to her forehead, then threaded his fingers through hers. “Let’s go, love.”
He stepped away from the support of the stone wall and her sharp intake of breath made him pause. She was looking down at their feet. At the dark pool of blood that had collected beneath him where he’d stood.
“Oh, my God. Rune . . .”
“I’m okay,” he told her. But she saw through his lie. He knew that for the rest of their time together, whether it was measured in minutes or centuries, Carys would always see through him to the truth. And he didn’t want to hide anymore. “I’ll be all right once we’re out of here. I can heal when I’m home.”
“No, Rune. You can’t. You won’t heal, not from wounds like this. Not unless you get blood right now.” Her Breed instincts were already responding to the fresh red cells on the ground. Amber light sparked in the blue of her eyes. The tips of her fangs now glinted behind her parted lips. “You need to feed, Rune. The only thing that can heal this is the bond. My blood.”
Even as he growled in denial, everything Breed in him ached for what she offered.
In his heart, in his soul, Carys already was his mate. In all ways except this one. And he wanted it with her more than anything. But not now. Not like this.
He shook his head, scowling furiously. “I’ve never wanted to bond with anyone. Not until you, Carys. I sure as hell never wanted it to happen in this hellish place. With you offering your vein out of worry for me, or, fuck . . . out of pity.”
“Is that what you think I’m doing?” Anger gave her voice a sharp edge. “I love you, Rune. And if drinking from me now, in this place—under these fucked up circumstances—saves your life, then I can’t think of any better time or place to do it.”
He blew out a low chuckle in spite of his pain and doubts. “You are a stubborn female.”
“Goddamn right I am. You said you love me.”
“Christ, yes. More than anything in this world.”
“Then drink, Rune.” She didn’t give him another second to refuse.
Bringing her wrist up to her own mouth, she sank her fangs into the flesh. Blood pumped from the twin punctures, red and sweet and powerful.
The fragrance hit his senses more intensely than any drug his father or Opus Nostrum could ever hope to concoct.
He took her hand and forearm in his grasp and lowered his head over her wrist. The instant her blood hit his tongue, the rush of power was so swift and immense, he staggered back as if he’d been punched.
