Darkblood Prison - G.K. DeRosa Page 0,67

brain. I’d seen them dozens of times before, in the back of a crowd, at the grocery store, on a walk around Emi’s neighborhood. They were familiar in a way I couldn’t explain. “I’m the reason you and T aren’t together right now.”

My brows slammed together as I stared at the familiar stranger. “What do you mean?” I spun at Talon, but he was staring at the floor so hard I thought he’d bored a hole into the concrete.

Vander moved closer, and I remained still. It didn’t freak me out like it would have if anyone else invaded my personal space like that. “Guarding someone is a difficult assignment,” he began softly. “I’m sure you’ve witnessed that firsthand since your arrival at Darkblood and ending up with this guy.” He flicked his thumb at Talon who still refused to meet my eyes. “Anyway, it’s easy to get wrapped into your mark’s life, into their world. You see more than most friends or family members would. You become protective, maybe even over-protective, to the point that they become all that matters.”

I swallowed hard.

Vander’s hand reached for mine, and I let him take it. His hands were big like Talon’s but not as rough or quite as warm. “I let myself get too involved in your case, Azara. It got in the way of letting me live my own life. I was obsessed.” His eyes chased down to our interlocked fingers, and he exhaled softly. “I thought I was in love with you.” He let out a rueful chuckle before meeting my gaze. “Which is crazy because I hadn’t even met you.”

His words tugged at my broken heartstrings, and an unbidden swell of emotions filled my chest.

“So whatever fight you and Talon were having is likely because he’s trying to be a good brother.” His gaze pivoted to the stoic dragon. “But I don’t have any claim on Azara, T. I may have met her first, but I was only in love with the idea of her. And you, you got to experience the real version. Don’t give that up because of me.”

Talon shook his head, his lips pressed in a tight line.

At least now I knew why Talon had been acting so strange—why everyone had been. That’s what Talon had meant when he said I was the one. Was that really why we weren’t together right now?

There was still the missing bond.

“It’s not only because of you,” I blurted out when Talon remained mute. “Didn’t he tell you about the blood bond?”

Vander nodded. “In all the years I’ve known that surly dragon, I’ve never seen him offer a single drop of his blood to anyone.”

Talon shot him a narrowed glare. “Thanks, brother.”

“Just keeping it real, T.”

Two shrill blasts of a horn put an abrupt end to our conversation. Or maybe saved us from dragging out the awkwardness further. Vander was in love with me? Talon had put the brakes on our budding relationship as loyalty to his brother? I needed time to process this new information before my head exploded. And tomorrow was my first day at the SIA. I needed to be in the right headspace for that.

I waggled my fingers at both boys and darted out of the janitor’s closet.

Chapter Twenty-Six

“Now try controlling the flame.” Ella stood on the opposite side of the sprawling SIA training room. It put the one we had at Darkblood Prison to shame. Not only did it contain every weapon known to man, it also had special magical shields that divided the room to aid in practice.

I stared at the small sphere of witchfire in my palm and imagined it growing larger. Then smaller. Then ginormous. So far, today’s lesson had been a success. I could tell from the smattering of jealousy written across my cousin’s face. She was supposed to be the uber-gifted magical one on the team.

I’d been careful not to let my warlockness slip out but the more I used my mystical powers, the more the dark warlock ones clawed their way to the surface. I’d never really understood why it was such a big deal to be a female warlock until I’d felt the power. Coupled with my inner she-demon, the sensations were heady. I could see why it would cause the Coven Council to be in a tizzy.

Ella darted across the room with a physio spell. It enhanced natural physical abilities, increasing strength, speed, senses, etcetera. Since I already had a lot of those innate talents due to my