Page 64 of Vampire Visions

“Lo,” Grim’s concerned voice caught everyone’s attention. “I think you should take all their symbols, but maybe wait on giving yours until you know if having a sealed bond changes anything.”

“You’re right,” she agreed, and I was instantly relieved. “We’ll give it a few days and see. I can always share the symbols between you guys, if you want.” She studied us, and we all made indecisive sounds. “Right. Something else for later. I’ll just sit here and you guys can come to me. When we finish, you guys can throw your bags into the back of the Nav for Jack and Grim to take home. Then we’ll play tag.”

“How do Briggs and I step into the Void?” Novak questioned her.

“When you feel the pull — because that’s what a summons feels like — think really hard about getting to me. You step forward, pushing with your magic to cross the barrier in between this world and the Void. Parting a curtain when you walk through would be the best way I can describe it.”

“What magic?” Briggs asked. “We don’t have magic.”

“Aye, ya do,” I replied.

Stone finished my thoughts, simplifying them. “You know the feeling you get right before you shift or before the bloodlust takes over you? That’s your magic, and it’s what you need to access in order to step across.”

“The first few times are easier if you don’t think about it so hard.” Vaughn concluded.

Before York stood, Sloane rubbed her fingertips across the arch of his foot, healing the blistered skin. He joined Jack and Grim as they walked inside to begin packing up. We took turns going to Sloane, and I regarded her carefully. She didn’t flinch through the branding, not even once. I examined the marks every time she moved her thumb.

A clawed paw print for Briggs.

A flame for Stone.

A snowflake for Vaughn.

Fangs for Novak.

And a tornado for me.

“Why’re those the symbols that appear?” I asked, inspecting her foot.

She shrugged, her eyes alight. “I picked them. They each mean something to me.” Then she winked at me. “I won’t tell you what, though… unless you guess.”

I huffed. “Well, now I need ta know.” Why was I a tornado?

She held her hands up to me so I could pull her from the ground. When we were standing in front of each other, she pressed her chest against mine, running her fingers along my jaw. “Catch me, and maybe,” she leaned into me further, whispering in my ear. Taking one step closer, her body pushed across the Void’s barrier, and I heard her say, “I’ll divulge my secret.”

26

Sloane

Sunday Late Night

I don’t know why, but the thought of being chased by my mates was thrilling. I’d put my whole body against Palmer before I disappeared, and I could still smell his scent on me. Like a windy seaside escape, I basked in the saltwater and wildflowers, even if it was only a part of my imagination.

The conversation they were having when I came back from shopping with Blaire had made me take notice of the differences between them. They each smelled nothing alike, but somehow the scents were all familiar to me. All things that I enjoyed.

I was confused about the rush of feelings. I’d thought that some girl time with Blaire was what I needed. Getting away from all the testosterone was helpful, but her questions were as bad as Jack’s. There were no doubts in my mind that he’d made the guys answer things they’d probably rather avoid. Feelings and all that bullshit.

I moved through the Void, observing the guys as they packed up and talked amongst themselves. I watched the way they interacted with each other, laughing and jesting. They were so fucking cute. I wanted to see them like that all the time.

Slipping to the empty monstrosity that was home, I immediately missed them. The house was too quiet, too dark, too spacious to be in alone. Completely different from my thoughts just days ago. I could no longer keep track of how quickly I changed my mind.

Annoyed at being alone and needing to make sure everything was safe, I called my hounds to me first. Atlas, Cronus, and Helios popped out of the Void, and after a few scratches behind their ears, they went about their business. Helios searched inside while Cronus and Atlas trotted to their room with the magical dog door that led outside.

I gave them ten more minutes, making sure Helios hadn’t found anything unusual inside, and then I began to summon my guys. One at a time, I focused on them, the way they looked, felt, smelled. Grabbing that invisible thread that linked us together, I tugged them to me. The threads between Novak, York, and myself were just as thin as the others, but they felt stronger.

Heading to my bedroom, I sighed at the thought of how much work would be piled up on my desk. Real life work. Documents and contracts and paychecks, oh my. What I wouldn’t give for a movie night or time to read a book…

I heard distant chatter and tilted my head, trying to hear them better. It wasn’t really eavesdropping, since they weren’t being quiet at all, but the subject should have made me give them their space. Should have, but didn’t.