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“Yes, but it doesn’t have to change anything for you,” I add quickly.
“How so?” she asks.
“Because I’d never pressure you into accepting it.”
If possible, her brow furrows even further. “Can mating bonds be rejected?”
“In a sense.” I scoop up some water and let it slip through my fingers. “In order for a mating bond to be accepted, the mates must partake in the Pledging. It’s a ceremony that results in what’s essentially an unbreakable marriage. Through that ceremony, our very beings are inextricably bound for all eternity. If a pair of mates choose not to partake in the Pledging and they separate from each other, their attraction and desire will fade in time, but it never really goes away. Even if the other dies, they will feel as if a piece of them is missing.”
She’s quiet as my words settle into the space between us.
I’m eager to fill it. “I promised you wouldn’t have any regrets, and I meant it. You’ve been through so much, and this life is new to you. I want you to have the time and space you need to truly decide what it is you want.”
“Thank you.” Her eyes are glassy as she reaches forward and cups my cheek. “Until then, if my blood will heal you from Mihal’s brutality, you should drink it.”
“No—”
“Quill,” she whispers as she drops her hand from my face and angles her wrist toward me. “Please.”
“Are you sure?”
“It’s the least I can do for all that you’ve done for me.”
I cradle her thin arm and bring my lips to her wrist. For her, I will do anything. The bite is not gentle as I tear into her skin and groan against her flesh. Sweet blood spills across my tongue. She moans. I watch as her hand slips beneath the water, as it parts her thighs and she touches herself as I drink, as I heal. The moment the buzzing along my back stops, I release her. Her eyes are heavy lidded as she gazes at the wound on her wrist and how it stitches itself back together.
“That,” she pants, “was exhilarating.”
I tilt her chin so her eyes meet mine. “Thank you for healing me.”
Her hand is still working the bundle of nerves between her thighs, and I take its place with my own. She is slick and needy as she grinds against my palm, as my fingers dip into her. My lips brush hers affectionately. “Let’s get back to the game.”
She grits out, “I can’t really focus on that right now.”
I chuckle and release her. “How about now?”
“Tease.” She flicks water at me. Pursing her lips, she seemingly contemplates her next question. “Is it possible to use your scrying mirror to communicate with Cress? I haven’t seen her since the fitting, and the last I heard, she may have had her baby and fled Adelphi. I want to make sure they’re both all right.”
“The scrying mirror only works if the person you’re contacting also has an enchanted mirror in their possession,” I say. “We can try tomorrow to see if she does.”
The playful glimmer in her eyes winks out. “And if she doesn’t?”
“I’ll figure out another way for you to speak with her.” I conjure a spark of magic, creating an illusion of a miniature toy wolf, and hand it to her. “Until then, you can hold onto this.”
Her mouth parts. “How…?”
“Vampires each have their own unique power. Mine is illusion magic. You might have seen me wielding it at the rite?”
“Heaven and stars eternal. I remember…” Her words trail off as she studies me. “The nightmares, the three dozen versions of you…”
“All magic.”
“And the others?”
“Risna can shapeshift into any animal of her choosing, Carver can animate inanimate objects, and Eivor can control the weather.”
“That’s incredible.” She laughs faintly. “And you just have an endless supply of it?”
“Not necessarily.” As her head cants, I add, “It varies from vampire to vampire. Think of it like a well. Some vampires have wells that run deeper than others.”
