I’d rather die.
I almost said it—I would have said it if Ronan hadn’t been standing there. But something told me I couldn’t let him see how informal I’d gotten with Carden.
“You are welcome to join us anytime, Master McCloud.”
That cleared the fog from my brain. I jerked my head to look at Ronan, dragging my chin from Carden’s grasp in the process. Wow. He had to call Carden by his formal title, Master McCloud.
I could tell by the furrow in his brow that Ronan had noticed me noticing. “Curfew is soon,” the Tracer told me. “Be careful. Until we learn who killed Trinity, there is a killer on the loose.”
There was an unspoken challenge in the words, but Carden didn’t rise to the bait. Instead, he gave Ronan a jaunty smile. “If you’re done here…?” He waited for Ronan to get the hint.
Ronan gave a curt nod. “Of course. Tomorrow at seven, then, Acari Drew.” And then he left me alone with my vampire.
CHAPTER SIX
I felt a peculiar twinge in my chest as I watched Ronan walk away. He was one of the few people on this island who cared about me, and I wasn’t entirely sure why. Would those feelings change if he discovered I’d bonded with a vampire?
It was a wonder he hadn’t figured it out already. Carden’s posturing wasn’t exactly subtle. “Way to keep our bond secret,” I chided him. “Maybe you should just brand me.”
Carden scoffed at that. “He’s but a boy. He doesn’t see what’s right in front of his face.” The way he traced his finger down my cheek implied that I’d been what was in front of Ronan’s face only to be ignored.
The notion stung. I lashed out. “He behaves better than you do.” I bit my tongue, regretting the words at once. I’d seen how angry these vampires could get.
But Carden shocked me with a rollicking laugh. “You’re pretty when you’re peevish, little one.” With a glance right and left, he tugged my hand. “Come, eilean mo chridhe, let me feed you. It will ease your mind.”
I felt the tug of his hand like it was on a direct line to my lady parts. I flashed to a fantasy of going with him, disappearing into the shadows, where he’d kiss me like he’d kissed me before. I’d melt into him like a pat of butter on a hot skillet.
And then we’d be discovered, and I’d be killed.
Or he’d be killed, our bond would be severed, and I’d realize I was never truly attracted to him in the first place. Then some other vampire would try to bond with me and I’d be back to square one.
No, thank you.
I tugged back, reclaiming my hand. “Was that Gaelic? What ridiculous thing are you calling me now?” Honeybun? Sugarbear maybe?
His normally lively expression grew quiet. “Isle of my heart.”
I swear, I felt an actual twang in my chest. Because that was how I felt.…I was an island, choked by my solitude. Did this reckless, inscrutable vampire actually see inside me? We had a blood bond—I’d assumed it was a purely physical thing. But had it attuned him to the ways of my heart? Could he sense my deepest secrets? Had he noticed just how lonely I was?
I felt vulnerable, and it made me wary. “I’m not going with you until you tell me what’s going on.”
“What’s going on?”
“Why can’t I get you out of my head?”
“Because I’m a handsome devil?” He gave me a naughty smile, knowing the truth of the matter was that my head had nothing to do with it—I couldn’t get the feel of him out of my body. “What’s going on is you need blood.”
“I have a shooter of the stuff with every meal.”
“My blood,” he said with a sexy growl. He got that look in his eye again—that twinkly, beckoning look—and nodded his chin away from the dorm. You’d think he was merely suggesting we sneak around back to make out like real teenagers would.
I crossed my arms at my chest, closed for business. “Not until you explain this. Do other Acari have bonds like this? Why can’t anyone find out? Is it permanent?”
“Perhaps. Because. And not necessarily.” He snatched my hand and began to walk. “Now come. Your peevishness is wearing.”
I dug in my heels and snatched away my hand. “If you’re not going to answer my questions, then it looks like we’ve got nothing to talk about. I’m going inside.”
Anger flashed in his eyes, sharp and crystalline. Adrenaline dumped into my body as I saw what rage smoldered beneath that carefree surface. “You’re a foolish child to deny me,” he snarled. “To deny yourself. It was foolish what you did to us. Now, more so, what you continue to do.”