Page 6 of The Bonds of Indigo

“Hi.” Her voice breaks on the word as she lifts her head. Her eyes are blood-red, veins threading through them like cracks in glass.

“Hungry?” I ask. No point in asking how she’s doing—it’s written all over her face.

She shakes her head.

I press my lips together as her gaze drifts to the cell in front of her.

“I don’t know how to move on, Kayn.”

Honestly, I don’t blame her. It’s an ache that never really fades. Being a Vampire means outliving almost everyone else. Death—at least the kind that isn’t ours—is something we just have to live with. But losing her best friend like this… Something Xera herself chose? That’s a wound that won’t close.

I know firsthand how painful that is. Fucking Incubus. If I get my hands on you…

“You don’t need to ‘move on,’ Sydni.” She looks up at me, confusion pinching her eyebrows. “That doesn’t mean you should kill yourself over it. Xeraphine wouldn’t want this. Live the life she’d want for you, the life she gave you.”

When she shakes her head, I grin. “Yes. If she’d stayed, you’d be the one watching her deteriorate.”

“She once got mad at me… saying I’d choose Brice over her. I’d have never done this to her if the roles were⁠—”

“You would have.” I cut in before she can get too deep. “You gave Xera everything she needed, and now it’s Kairhyse’s turn.” Footsteps approach us. I slide my hand to the back of her neck and force her to look up at me. “She gave you what you needed, too. Don’t let that go. Hold onto her in whatever way you can.”

Her cheeks flush as she sniffles. “Okay…”

When her eyes flick over my shoulder and back to me, she drops her gaze and whispers, “Kai was right… you do know you’re pretty, don’t you?”

Throwing my head back, I let out a full, unrestrained laugh.

“I heard that,” Brice’s deep voice echoes down the hall.

Before I even hear his footsteps round the corner, I’m already standing and stepping back from her. The last thing I need is to start a fight with that Werewolf. Sure, I could kill him with my index and thumb, but I’d rather not add to Sydni’s pain.

Brice turns the corner, eyes narrowing to slits. He’s built about as big as I am—maybe a little broader, courtesy of genetics—and though he’s taller by a few inches, on my tiptoes we’d be eye to eye.

He brushes past me without a word and crouches beside her. Sydni doesn’t hesitate; she lifts her hands and lets him help her to her feet. She’s maybe five and a half feet tall, but she holds her head high, unafraid even with two giants boxing her in against a wall.

I shouldn’t be surprised. Nothing’s scarier than having a Succubus for a best friend.

“She isn’t wrong.” That comment has the Werewolf growling. “I know I’m pretty, but don’t worry your furry tail, I’m not interested in my own kind.” I look down to her, seeing the makings of a smile forming. “As I once told Xeraphine, I like to feed while I fuck, and I⁠—”

“Please, just shut up,” he says through a groan.

“—can’t do that on Vampires. Now you, big boy, I definitely can if you’d submit.”

Sydni giggles.

We’ll all be alright, but it’s time we get out of this house and let Xeraphine and Kairhyse be together, like they wanted.

As for me, it’s time I find that ex of mine and figure out why he’s with his father. No—I need to know why he left me. That’s what matters. I couldn’t give a shit that his dad is Belial himself. I’ve got a bone to pick with them both.

Chapter 2

Ican’t say that I’m surprised I’ve come up with nothing over the past week, but it still bothers the fuck out of me. All of my resources, from my militia connections to my underworld contacts, and no one can give me anything. No matter the money I’m ready to forfeit, not a single soul can explain to me how I can get to the Beyond.

I’m not a textbooks guy, but I even spent some time in the library—a fucking book warehouse. Come on now, that should easily spell out how desperate I am. It also doesn’t help that the one person I figured could give me the answers I needed quite literally told me no.

“No.” Just like that. Absolutely shut me down. Fallen asshole.

The tapping on the bar top grows louder with my irritation. It’s not to get the bartender’s attention, but it’s to keep me from shattering the empty glass in front of me.