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I clear my throat roughly, “I may have…tasted her blood. Accidentally.”

“Accidentally?”

“It was a heat-of-the-moment thing. My fangs grazed her and drew the faintest amount of blood. She didn’t even know she had bled or that I tasted it.”

I shiver, remembering the exquisite bouquet of flavor that exploded across my tongue when I tasted her. If I didn’t have a horrible feeling that something terrible was wrong, every last ounce of liquid in my body would be traveling south.

Eric is quiet for a moment before softly asking, “Did you tell her?’

Sadness and regret war for dominance.

“No. I planned to do it tonight. Something romantic.” I mumble as I inch forward, going absolutely nowhere as dread pounds through me like a drum.

“It’s gonna be ok, Augustus,” he says, trying to reassure me.

It’s little comfort.

We may not be fully bonded, but I know something is wrong. I can feel it.

“Fuck this,” I say as I turn out of traffic and hop a curb into the nearest parking lot. “I’m ditching my car.”

“What?”

“Keys are in the glove box,” I say, turning off the car and tossing the key into the glove box.

“Augus-”

I hang up the phone and get out of the car.

Then I run.

My limbs feel heavy, chest heaving for breath. I’m weak from the lack of blood, but I don’t care. I just keep running.

Past the accident. Past residents getting ready for tonight’s trick-or-treaters. All the way down Main until I reach the Twisted Broomstick.

Two patrol cars are parked out front by the time I push my way through the door.

“Cordelya!” I shout, making my way to the bar where two officers, Darren, and Mason are gathered.

Darren shakes his head. “She’s not here. I sent her home early because she was a nervous wreck.”

The guilt written on his face matches the remorse on Mason’s.

“I walked her to the bus stop,” he says, voice rough with emotions, “She was acting odd, but she’d had a rough shift, and we had heard about the break-in at your house.”

Unshed tears glisten in the elf's eyes.

“We don’t know that anything is wrong at this time,” one of the officers calmly says.

I want to punch the man.

“I know something is wrong.”

The other officer quirks a brow. “How do you know? Do you have informat⁠—”

“She’s my mate! I know!” I exclaim, placing my hand to my chest.

You could hear a pin drop.