by Marie Medina
EVERNIGHT PUBLISHING ®
www.evernightpublishing.com
Copyright© 2016 Marie Medina
ISBN: 978-1-77339-035-2
Cover Artist: Sour Cherry Designs
Editor: Karyn White
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.
This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
DEDICATION
To everyone who’s been excited to finally read Vane’s story.
BOUND AND BITTEN
The Year of Suns, 2
Marie Medina
Copyright © 2016
Chapter One
Valladora
3155, The Year of Suns
Arion saw lots of movement out of the corner of his eye, and he straightened up when he’d finished sawing the board in front of him. He wiped his brow and picked up the two pieces of wood and set them aside before walking toward the street. Something had managed to cause a lot of excitement in the square, and he had no idea what it could be. But he noticed people looking at him as they walked past his house, and that made him curious. He reached for the pail of water he kept for drinking as he worked outside and splashed a little water on his face before pushing his shoulder-length brown hair off his brow.
Sigmund, the clan’s leader, walked with two men. One of the men talked very excitedly, and Arion saw that he had white irises, which meant he was a vampire. The other man with Sigmund had the scent of a shifter, but Arion couldn’t tell what kind. All three men stopped, and Sigmund smiled at Arion, which made him groan. Sigmund being happy didn’t always mean the person he was about to talk to was going to be happy once they were done. But Arion couldn’t turn away without it being obvious, so he nodded to the elder.
“Sigmund. Something on your mind?” Arion asked.
“Yes. Perhaps we should go inside.” Sigmund paused as he drew his long salt and pepper hair back and secured it with a strap of leather, never breaking eye contact with Arion yet behaving as if they had all the time in the world. “It’s a private matter.” A slight smile touched his lips as he crossed his arms.
“Private matter?” Arion only had one private matter, only one thing he’d never told anyone about. He eyed Sigmund and thought of his secret, wondering if it had just been revealed to the lycan elder. “I see.”
The young vampire looked incredibly distressed, so Arion ushered them into his house and closed the door. He shut the window as well for good measure and then invited them all to sit around his kitchen table. His palms began to sweat as he took in the vampire’s appearance. There was something in his features that confirmed why he was here, but Arion decided to let them explain for themselves.
“These two young men just arrived. They came straight to me without going to Lord Kyo’s castle first because their mission is a matter of life and death.”
Kyo was the current vampire lord in the dominion where the lycans had settled centuries ago after one of Kyo’s ancestors had helped outlaw the hunting of lycans by humans and vampires.
“A matter of life and death?” It couldn’t be related to Vane if that were so, and Arion frowned in confusion because the young vampire definitely resembled Vane. “Wouldn’t Lord Kyo be of far more help with something so vital?”
The vampire shook his head. “My name is Ash, but that might not mean anything to you because I was only a baby when all of this happened.”
Ash. He knew the name. “When all of what happened?” Arion asked, even though he knew the answer.
“Vane is my older brother.” He took a deep breath, as if trying calm himself. “And he has the Dissolution. He’s very sick, almost bedridden. If you don’t come with us and give him your blood, he’ll probably die.”
Arion’s heart thudded hard in his chest. “The Dissolution? I’m so sorry to hear it.” Arion had never thought about Vane contracting the rare vampire disease. He struggled to meet Ash’s gaze as he grappled for the right things to say. Nothing came to him, so he fell back on niceties and said, “You do look like him. A little around your face and eyes, though your hair is lighter, like your mother’s.”
Ash gave him a strained smiled at that comment, and the other man spoke now. “We’ll do anything we have to in order to convince you to come with us. Pay any price. I’ve promised my mate and new family that I’ll see this through, and nothing will stop me.”
Arion felt his head spinning as he tried to contain his emotion. Sigmund eyed him, taking all of this in. Ash’s companion seemed like a force to be reckoned with. “And who are you? You mentioned your mate.” He gave Ash a brief glance as he said this, assuming they’d made this journey together because they were mated.
“I’m Locke. And yes, I’m Ash’s mate. And a bear shifter, in case you’re wondering.” He shrugged one shoulder. “Everyone’s been sniffing quite noticeably since our arrival.”
“A bear?” The shifter was an alpha, if judged by his personality. “I see now why I couldn’t tell what you were.”
“My grandmother and I didn’t advertise it until I met and mated Ash. We know what it is to be hunted, just as lycans once were.”
“Yes. It’s unfortunate how destructive some in this world can be.” Arion looked down and gathered himself, knowing they couldn’t sit here making small talk. “Of course I’ll come.” He lifted his gaze and looked at each of them in turn. “How far away is it?” He had a vague notion, but it had been so many years since he’d dared to venture into that part of the world.
“It took us almost three days with only brief stops. It’s not so far, but we don’t know how long we have,” Ash said. He looked relieved, yet anxiety still showed in his face.
“You both look exhausted. Eat and sleep and we can set out first thing in the morning. You must love your brother very much to undertake this for him,” Arion said. “I’m sure Lord Kyo would lend you fresh horses and give us supplies and—”
Ash stopped Arion’s words by leaping from his chair and barreling into him, knocking the breath from his body as he hugged him.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Ash clung to him and actually began trembling. “I was so scared we wouldn’t find you. That you wouldn’t come.”
An ache settled in Arion’s chest as he held the young vampire, who was crying now. Locke gazed at his mate with a mix of sympathy and fatigue on his face, and Sigmund steadied his gaze on Arion, though he said nothing.
“How could I refuse?” Arion said when Ash finally let go. “I couldn’t live with myself if I let him die.”
Ash beamed at him even as he wiped at his tears. “We tried to tell him that. He refused to send for you at first. Only a few people even knew your name, and he wouldn’t tell us you were a lycan. He’s stubborn, and it nearly killed him.”
“He doesn’t want to see me? Didn’t want you to come?” The ache turned to a stabbing pain, opening the wound that had been made by Vane so many years ago. Had Vane’s sadness turned to hate over the years? Arion knew it was a possibility.
“That’s not quite it,” Locke said. “His lips say that he doesn’t want to revisit the pain you two went through, but his eyes say he’d give anything to be near you again.”
Ash sat down once more, balancing on the edge of the chair. His own fatigue showed plainly now that he’d calmed down. “My mate’s a romantic, but he�
��s right. Vane said he didn’t want to bother you and disrupt your life. We told him he was crazy.”
“He’d die to avoid bothering me? It must be the sickness. His wits are addled or something.”
Ash’s lips turned up in a sad smile. “No, not really. But he’s been brooding over his pain a very long time.” He rubbed his hands together. “My brother’s had a melancholy disposition my entire life, and he’d fly into a rage if anyone asked about you. I didn’t even know your name or what had happened until a matter of days ago.”
Then why did he never come for me? Look for me?
But Arion knew the answer. He’d told Vane he never wanted to see him again, warned him not to come looking. Arion had done it out of anger and spite, yet Vane had honored his wishes. “I’m so sorry for that. You have every right to hate me, seeing how much you love your brother. He has every right to hate me, too.”
“No, don’t say that! You’ll be his salvation.” Ash shook his head, rubbing one eye and then his forehead. “I’d forgive anything if you save him. What’s between you is your business. I can’t care about such things now.”
“You look exhausted,” Arion said. “We can talk later. You need food and rest.” And your mate and his blood. Arion cast a quick glance at Locke, knowing that the man’s presence and his blood would be a great comfort to Ash. Arion felt bile rising in his throat as he thought of Vane and what he might be suffering that very moment.
Sigmund stood up. “Why don’t you two come with me? There’s always hot stew waiting at my hearth, and you’re more than welcome to it. You can write a message to send back if you wish. Lycans can run very fast in their shifted form, and knowing Arion is coming might cheer your brother and lift his spirits. I’ll send someone right away once you have something ready.”
“Thank you,” Ash said. He nodded to Arion before leaving with Locke and Sigmund.
Arion sat there a long time, his mind churning. The last twenty years seemed to melt away as he stared down at the table. Looking into Ash’s eyes drove home how long it had been, how much time had been lost. Arion’s life had never been hard or bad, not really, but the last two decades seemed empty as he looked back on them. Were the gods trying to show him what a fool he’d been? Had all of his doubts only been excuses? He jumped when he realized Sigmund had reentered the house.
“Now I understand the sadness behind your eyes.” Sigmund lowered himself to the chair Ash had been sitting in. “Would you mind telling me what has addled your wits so much that you’ve lived in pain for, what, two decades according to Ash?” Sigmund shook his head. “What could be so terrible?”
Arion grabbed the edge of the table and pushed himself up. “We have work to do. No use digging up the past. I’m going to help Vane, and what else could matter? We should try to see Lord Kyo and tell him of my mission. I’m sure he’ll lend any help he can.”
Sigmund sighed heavily and stood. “Deflect all you want, but you think Lord Kyo won’t ask questions? Vane’s father Lars is a dear friend of his. You think you can travel three days with Ash and Locke and never discuss the subject?”
“It’s been less than ten minutes since I learned that my fated mate is dying. Could you give me some time to process this, please? It’s not your place to fix all of us.” Arion opened the door and walked outside, almost gasping for air as panic began to set in. “I’m well aware of all the awkward and painful conversations I’ll soon be forced to have. Over and over again, I’m sure.”
“I’m trying to process it all as well. When you came home a few years ago, you gave no indication that anything so momentous had happened while you were gone. If I’d known before today that you were a vampire’s fated mate, I could’ve been ready for this.”
Arion clasped his hands behind his back as they walked. He didn’t look at Sigmund when he said, “If you’d known I was fated to a vampire, I’d never have had a moment’s peace.”
“Probably not.” They walked in silence for a bit before Sigmund said, “Don’t you want to tell me the basics before we see Lord Kyo? Might make you feel better to finally share the burden with someone.”
“Will you keep your opinions to yourself?”
“Hard promise to ask of anyone, but I’ll try.”
Arion knew that was the best he could hope for from Sigmund. “After Mother died, I left to explore the world. Barely a week after I left, I came across a group of bandits beating a man. He was vastly outnumbered, and I shifted and jumped in to help. I saved him, and it turned out he was a vampire. And I was his fated mate. I was reluctant but trying to be open minded. I’d just begun to care for him and work up the courage to let something physical happen between us when something awful happened. A girl was attacked and raped. She was very young and still terrified when they brought her to Vane to tell her story. She began to scream when she saw me. Said I was the one. Vane had me taken away and locked up in the dungeon without further questioning.”
“But she was wrong?”
“Yes. It was actually one of the bandits who’d attacked Vane. He was caught trying to rape another girl not long after. He had dark hair almost exactly the same length as mine and a very similar build. It was understandable that she would mix us up. So I was set free.”
“You fought with Vane?”
“Yes, but it wasn’t like an ordinary fight. We were both just … just so hurt. I felt betrayed. He seemed angry and ashamed and confused. But he begged for my forgiveness. I gave it, in a way, but I had to go. I couldn’t trust him. Felt he couldn’t trust me. It would always be there between us. I thought we’d be miserable.”
“Looks like that happened anyway.”
Arion considered giving Sigmund a warning look, but he knew it wouldn’t do any good. “You don’t understand. I was young and not attracted to men. I’m still not, at least not enough to ever pursue a man.”
“You’ve never pursued anyone.”
This time, he did give Sigmund a look. “I’m barely keeping it together right now. Are you just going to keep poking at me until I’m a sniveling mess?”
Sigmund didn’t even flinch. “I don’t care if you trust to fate or to the vampire gods or whatever else you please. Things happen for a reason. You’re getting a second chance. You’ve bottled all of this up for years, and it seems well past time for you to deal with it. Feel it. Who cares if you cry or laugh or collapse and beat the earth beneath you?”
Arion felt like doing all of those things and more. “A second chance? You forget that I left him twenty years ago. He needs my blood because I’m his mate. He might have a lover.”
“Didn’t you hear what Locke said? They would’ve told you if Vane had taken a consort in your place.” They’d reached the castle and strolled into the courtyard. “Ash said Vane’s been brooding over this for twenty years.” Sigmund quickened his pace and under his breath he said, “People are so damned stubborn. Why the gods don’t give up I’ll never know.”
Arion hurried to catch up with Sigmund, a little angry at the criticism but also seeing the truth of it. He couldn’t fault Vane for never coming for him—he’d never gone back himself, even though it would’ve been a hundred times easier for him to find Vane than it would’ve been for Vane to find him.
They encountered Lord Kyo in the foyer, and the vampire stopped in his tracks when he saw Sigmund striding forward with such a determined look about him. “Is something wrong?” Kyo asked.
Sigmund didn’t give Arion a chance to say anything. “Lord Vane’s youngest brother, Ash, has just arrived with his mate. They’ve come for Arion.” Sigmund gave him a brief glance before saying, “Lord Vane has the Dissolution, and they need Arion because he’s Vane’s fated mate.”
Lord Kyo always had a calm demeanor, though Arion could see the emotions swirling in his eyes as their gazes met. “You’re a vampire’s mate?” He took a deep breath and held it a few seconds before exhaling. “That’s news to me.”
“News to me as well,” Sigmund said. “But I’v
e already bled the story from him. We were all young and stupid once. At least he’s getting a chance to do something about it.”
While Arion was grateful Sigmund hadn’t spilled his story then and there, he still felt awkward and self-conscious under Kyo’s gaze. Kyo’s fated mate was part lycan, and though he tried to avoid listening to gossip, Arion knew there had been some drama at the start of their mating and that Hatori had left Kyo briefly because of it.
“Yes, my lord. I’m Vane’s fated mate. We had a falling out, and I left him. I never told anyone, and it seems he kept the secret, too.”
“No one can force you to accept the mate bond, but,” Kyo paused, looking very sad and weary suddenly, “I hope you understand the sacrifice he made in letting you go.”
Arion lowered his head. “I’m going to try to make it right, my lord.”
Kyo came closer and put his hand on Arion’s shoulder. “I don’t mean to make you feel worse.”
Arion looked up and tried to maintain his composure, which seemed to grow harder to do with each passing moment. He nodded his understanding. “I know you don’t, but I deserve it.”
Kyo studied him. “I’m not sure that it’s anyone’s place to say that. I can see you’re suffering. Just keep in mind that there’s been pain for him as well. It might sound condescending, but words really can’t convey what a vampire feels when separated from its fated mate.”
“I know there’s been pain for him.” I remember his face when I left. Panic gripped him again, and he turned to Sigmund. “Can you arrange things? I must go to Lord Ash.”
“What’s so urgent?” Sigmund asked.
“If he’s sending a letter, I want him to tell them to expect a wolf. I’ll start my journey with them so I can learn more about Vane and what his life has been since we last saw each other. But I can run three times as fast as a horse and take shortcuts. Once I get to a point I can make it without any supplies, I’ll set out on my own. I have to reach him in time.”