“The only way known to a vampire. Blood.”
Could it be that simple? With a trembling hand, she touched his lips, remembering the texture and taste of him. Delicately, she slipped a finger inside to touch his teeth, sliding over his sharp canine, pricking her finger.
Blood trickled a little inside his mouth as she retrieved her hand, leaving a trace of red on his lips. For the longest moment, the three of them held their breath, waiting for any sign from Finn.
“It’s not working. He’s not waking up.” Hunter’s statement echoed her own thoughts.
On the other hand, Layla whipped her tail at him. “You humans are so dramatic. You want everything to be immediate. Magic doesn’t work like that.”
“I thought it was the very definition of magic, cat.”
Violet would have laughed at the banter if her entire being hadn’t been praying to everything she held holy, seeking the grace of her parents even, for the vampire to wake.
Her hand over his, she felt such a faint tremor she almost didn’t believe it was the first sign.
On the verge of losing all hope, she saw him lick his lips, followed by his first breath.
Violet crumpled into a heap in relief when he opened his eyes, bloodshot and red… and hesitant when he turned his head to look at her.
It may only have lasted a second, but it was undeniable. It confirmed that she had been the one who’d hurt him.
Before she could react to this devastating reality, Finn sat up and pulled her into a tight hug, a bittersweet reassurance.
His mouth kissed her brow before skimming her earlobe. “We’ll get through this, my darling. I trust you.”
And everything vanished into love and ecstasy when he sank his fangs into her pulsing vein, his words in her head.
I love you, Violet. Whatever you are or becoming, I can’t do anything else but love you. Until the end.
His words couldn’t be denied as he filled every ounce of doubt with love, tenderness, and care. As she succumbed to him, her body seized in recognition as an orgasm flooded her veins, and she answered back.
Until the end.
Chapter 21
For the first time in her life, Violet’s mind emptied. There was too much to process, too much to feel. After what happened at the apartment, and Finn asked where she wanted to go, her mind went blank. When she came back to herself in Bohn’s apartment, even with Finn’s arms still around her, Violet felt like a boat drifting in an immense sea.
The most logical destination would have been Sanctuary to be surrounded by her friends or Impossibilities Inc. devising a plan with Layla, but the only word that came out of her mouth was home.
As she crossed the entrance to her little cottage, Violet thought she’d feel more connected to her childhood house, but her chest still felt frighteningly silent.
Finn tried to stay by her side, but she closed her bedroom door in his face, and he let her.
Standing in the middle of her room, Violet still didn’t know what to do next. Undecided, she sat cross-legged on the floor.
From a distance she heard voices and people moving, and there was no need to guess who’d arrived. Her friends wouldn’t allow her to go through all this alone; in their own way, they were as stubborn as she was. However, Violet wanted to understand what was happening inside her before bringing Valeria or Sera in. Logic dictated that by bringing the women in, more questions could be answered, but part of her held back.
There had been a shift inside, and since she’d returned, the proof of it was twofold. The black mark was gone, and she felt way too calm, too settled. Could the integration be complete? Abrams had been adamant that when it happened, the Violet she knew would no longer be, and yet, she was still here.
Was she the same as before the kidnapping? Definitely not. Would she ever be the witch she once was? The answer scared her to death, but she couldn’t deny it. She was Violet Shaughnessy, with the same brain, courage, and sassy mouth. As for the rest, she would need to figure it out as she went.
Eyes on the floor, thoughts circling in her brain, she noticed something shimmering by the foot of the bed. A dragonfly. It must have entered through a window and died some time ago, but its wings were still iridescent, catching the dim light around it and transforming it into colors despite the grayish tone of its decaying body.
Violet liked dragonflies, how beautiful they were, but also what they symbolized. A dragonfly passing by meant the winds of change bringing joy, strength, and harmony. It could also mean a cleansing storm was coming, one that would put the world back on its axis again. Seeing it dead in the one place so close to her, her heart felt like doom fell on her shoulders, way worse than whatever curse had been put on her.
Could this dragonfly be announcing her fate? She couldn’t accept it; every cell of her being rejected it. All her life, she had fought. When her parents died, she had grieved and promised herself she’d get through. Through hardship, she had made a life for herself, embraced her powers. She could do it again.
Violet carefully cupped the gem-like insect in her hands, and something stirred deep inside her, a swirl of hope, fear, longing with a deep-seated faith in herself instilled by her parents, her friends, and now Finn.
Love swelled inside her, and she couldn’t help but smile. Whatever happened, she was going to be all right.
With newfound purpose in her heart despite the unknown, she felt something flutter in her palms.
When her eyes lowered, the dragonfly batted its wings before taking flight.
What had just happened was impossible on so many levels, Violet screamed and scrambled back until her back slammed into the door. She was scared, but also
