Page 223 of The Bonds of Indigo

“I had to get it right or I’d lose my cock,” Kai says with a chuckle. “Good to see you’re up, girl-with-the-mysterious-name.”

“You can tell him,” she says, looking between Kayn and myself.

“Her name is Amarah,” he offers.

“Pleasure to meet you, Amarah,” Kai says while walking past us. “They can tell you who I am. I have a little demon to tend to. She’s only shared her food with her Familiar, so I need to check to make sure everything is okay.”

As our girl lets out a soft giggle, he disappears down the hallway toward the bedrooms.

I turn back to Kayn brushing his hand across her cheek, smiling—probably the happiest I’ve seen him since we left the Beyond. My hand rests on the counter beside her, my other relaxed against her thigh. She reaches out, loops one of her arms over his shoulder, and with her other hand, tucks her fingers beneath my palm before giving it a squeeze.

“Belial didn’t chase us?” she asks, genuine concern threading through her lowered tone.

Kayn shakes his head, but I offer the explanation. “Apparently Xeraphine complicates him coming after us. It’s a lot to wrap your head around, but he wants something from her and can’t jeopardize the deal they made.”

“Deals… so many deals…”

That’s when our brute takes her chin in his hand, directing her gaze up to his.

“Yes. However, we have more pressing matters to discuss.”

Her eyes widen, her throat working around a hard swallow.

“The bond killing the other is a big deal to me, Amarah. How could you just… not tell me?!” There’s pain and anger in his tone, and I understand both.

“I…” Her heart races so quickly it actually surprises me. “I’m sorry.” She flicks her gaze to me as if asking for help, but I shake my head. I’m with Kayn on this one. We’re not here to hurt her; this is communication, something she and I both struggle with, apparently.

“Why?” he asks, his thumb brushing along her jawline. “Why wouldn’t you tell me?”

She clears her throat and forces herself to meet his eyes. “I always planned on breaking it… you knew that. I told you I was going to.”

“That was before I—” He cuts himself off and shakes his head. “That was before you let me in. Remember? You agreed.”

“I know.”

“Do you still want to break it?”

“No!” The panic in her voice soothes something in me. Kayn hadn’t been worried, but I—ever the pessimist—couldn’t shake the thought that she wanted to leave him… leave us.

She tightens her grip on my hand and shakes her head again. “No, I just… I don’t know. Everything went crazy once we got into the Beyond. I thought we’d be in and out. I never imagined Belial of all creatures wanting to keep me there. I never imagined we’d be going after his son.”

“Were you ever going to tell me? About the bond connecting our lives?”

“Of course I was, Kayn. I planned to when we got back. I swear.”

He looks at me for reassurance because he knows what comes next. The part she begged me not to say. But there can be no secrets between us. She’s young, and she still needs to learn that for the life of an immortal, lies only ever end in disaster.

With a heavy sigh, he turns back to her. “Were you going to have me kill you, little slayer, to fulfill the blood bind?”

The color drains from her face, nearly washing out her freckles. “W-What?” Her weary eyes lock onto mine, dread written plainly in them.

“Tell us everything, dollface. No more secrets. We’re here to protect you.” I reach up and brush a strand of hair from her face. “To be with you.”

“Why would you want me to kill you? I said when we were done⁠—”

“I remember very clearly every second with you, Kayn. Every word that’s come from your mouth.” She sighs and shakes her head, slipping free of his grip on her chin. “I don’t feel the way I did before. I’ll tell you someone else I want dead. We can drop this.”

“No,” he says firmly, taking the back of her neck and keeping her from pulling away. “We will talk. Now. So buckle up, little slayer.”