Bound (World of Shadows Book 2)

by Kensie King

  “Do what?” he asked, kissing my neck.

  “Get rid of Savannah.”

  He stopped kissing me. He leaned back to search my eyes.

  “Then I’ll be able to focus,” I added, still trying to convince him. “Then I won’t have to worry about being around you.”

  He was silent for a long moment. Then he nodded and said, “Okay. But I’m helping.”

  Chapter 22

  Gage lingered after everyone left my house that night.

  “Are you sure you don’t want to go home with Audrey?” I closed the blinds at the front of the house.

  “You healed her.” He followed me to the next set of windows. “She can take care of herself. It’s you I’m worried about.”

  I flashed him a smile and headed for the kitchen. “I can take care of myself, too. You should go home.”

  I shut the curtains over the sink and peered out the back door. When I didn’t see anything, I turned and ran into Gage. His fingers were warm and steady on my arms.

  “Are you trying to get rid of me?” His eyes were dark, fathomless.

  I laughed and stepped around him, walking back to the living room to grab my cell phone, only to realize I didn’t have one anymore. I was going to have to remedy that soon. “I’m just saying, we all need to get our rest for tomorrow.”

  “Your mom said she’d meet us, that’s about all we can do. Worrying about it isn’t going to make it easier. Or help you get any rest.”

  I sat on the couch and unlaced my shoes. “I’m not worried.”

  “You’re lying.”

  I sighed. “Yeah, I’m lying.”

  I was worried because I didn’t want to hurt Gage. I was worried because he said he loved me, but I couldn’t say it back. What if something happened? What if someone got hurt? It wasn’t easy to give my heart so fully when it’d been stomped on more than once in the past.

  Besides that, my mode of coping was keeping busy. Ignoring the fear and worry and continuing on with anything that needed to get done.

  I pulled off my shoes and stood again, ready to put them in my room. Gage stepped in front of me.

  “Hey,” I protested. “What are you doing?”

  Gage stepped closer, enough that I could smell his cologne and feel the heat from him through my shirt. He set his hands on my hips. “Yeah, I kind of noticed your compulsion with keeping things clean. And uncluttered.”

  “I don’t like clutter.”

  “Even in your relationships,” he murmured, kissing me.

  I froze even as his lips continued to trail over my jaw. He nuzzled against my shoulder, breathing in a deep breath. “Why did you say that?”

  He switched his mouth to my other shoulder. “Because,” he said, pausing to kiss me on the lips again, “you want to keep it nice and simple. You’re afraid to tell me how you really feel and you’re afraid to let me stay here or to let me help.”

  “Because I don’t want you to get hurt.”

  Gage straightened. His eyes were gentle, and his tone was soft. “I understand. Because I feel the same way. So if I’m willing to let you go into that cave tomorrow, you have to be willing to trust me some, too.”

  I stepped around him, my shoes still in hand, and walked down the hallway. His footsteps were too quiet to hear, but I knew he was behind me. “Willing to let me go to the cave? Like I need your permission?”

  His breath eased out in a soft sigh. “That’s not what I meant.”

  I set the shoes in the closet, which looked sad and empty. I didn’t travel with much so when I came here I only had a few days’ worth of clothes. Now I was stuck with what I had.

  “I meant I’m willing to stop trying to get you to change your mind,” Gage said, propping his shoulder against the wall by the door, “even though I want to. Even though I want to bring you to my house and keep you safe there until this is all over.”

  I closed my eyes for one long moment. “It’s not going to be over unless we do something.”

  He reached for me. “I know. That’s why—”

  “Gage, no.” I side-stepped his hands, knowing it was harder to argue with him when he was touching me. “It’s probably better if you go home.”

  “No.”

  My eyes narrowed. “No?”

  He stepped further into the room but kept his hands to himself. “You’re scared.”

  “What?” I shook my head when I heard the slight squeak in my voice. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  His smile was gentle. “You’re shaking, sweetheart.”

  I clenched my hands together when I realized he was right. How was it so easy for him to get to me with simple words? “Don’t…don’t call me that.”

  “Sweetheart,” he whispered. My heart raced. “You’re scared, I can tell. That’s why you’re telling me to leave.”

  “You’re a mind reader now?”

  He laughed and captured my hands in his before I could back away. “I’ll leave if you really want me to. But not because you think you’re going to hurt me or because you’re afraid of your feelings for me.”

  “I’m not—that’s not—” I blew out a breath.

  “You know,” he said, nudging me to the bed and sitting next to me, “it’s pretty much always been love at first sight for everyone in my family.”

  My heart jolted when he said “love” again. I pushed to my feet, unable to sit still, and started pacing.

  “But that doesn’t mean it has to be that way for you,” Gage said. “So if you’re trying to push me away because your feelings aren’t as strong as mine, you don’t have to.”

  I kept pacing. How did he know what was going on in my head? How did he always know the right thing to say?

  “You really think you know everything, don’t you?” I asked, voice irritated. “Is this really that easy for you? Just say ‘I love you’ and that’s that?”

  He stared at me, a small smile curving the corners of his lips. “This feels like a trick question.”

  I shoved my hands into my hair. “Forget it.”

  Turning to the door, I was prepared to leave the room when Gage was there in an instant, blocking my way. I yanked in a breath. I forgot how fast he could move.

  “No, it’s not easy for me,” he said, eyes dark. “I’ve never felt this way about someone before and it makes me uncomfortable.”

  “Gee, thanks—”

  “Let me finish, please,” he snapped.

  I folded my arms and pressed my lips together.

  “It makes me uncomfortable because I know it’s real. It makes me uncomfortable because I can feel myself changing every day and I don’t want to have to put you through that. But I can’t help myself.”

  I blinked, surprised he told me the reason. Surprised he opened up to me because Dylan wouldn’t. Not about his past and not about his powers.

  “You’re faster,” I said, nodding. “What else?”

  He lowered his chin, as though he didn’t want to say anything. I reached up and touched his cheek. My thumb brushed his lips.

  “Your teeth?”

  He met my eyes. “They ache. It’s worse every day because the spell has already started being reversed. Audrey noticed it too.”

  “Are you, uh…” I swallowed, trying to find the words. “Do you want to bite someone? Or suck their blood or something?”

  “It’s not that bad,” he whispered. His eyes were stormy and worried as he caught my hand in his. “Are you scared?”

  “No.”

  The irises of his eyes deepened to a darker shade. “Are you sure?”

  My body slumped against his automatically. “No,” I whispered.

  “Shit. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do that.”

  He was holding me up. I could only manage to shake my head. “You’re getting stronger…how did you do that?”

  “It’s in our nature—a vampire’s nature—to influence our…”

  “Prey?”

  He winced. “Okay,
maybe we shouldn’t talk about this. I didn’t mean to do that, it—”

  “I want to. I want to talk about it. I don’t want you to keep yourself from me.”

  “I don’t want you to keep yourself from me either.” He took my face in his hands, eyes back to clear, deep blue. “Even if you’re scared to let me in.”

  I swallowed. I was scared. But if he was going to open up, I had to also. “I’m still not sure it’s a good idea if you stay the night.”

  “It’s a great idea,” he said.

  He started to back me to the bed when we heard a thud against the window. I yelped and spun around. Gage took my arm, pushing me behind him.

  “What was that?” The thud sounded again, making my heart slam against my ribs. I gripped Gage’s arm tightly. “Something’s out there.”

  He looked around as if searching for a weapon. “Stay here.”

  “Hell, no.”

  I followed him into the hallway, and he glanced back. “Link—”

  “I’m coming with you.”

  He got a knife from the drawer in the kitchen, and I backed away, images of me holding the knife over Gage’s chest flashing through my mind.

  “It’s okay, Link,” he said when he saw my face. “Go back to the bedroom.”

  “No, I’m okay.”

  The banging sounded again, this time on the window at the front of the house. I hitched in a breath and followed Gage to the front door. “Stay inside, okay? You’re probably safer in here.”

  If it was a vampire, yes. But if it was something else?

  Gage opened the door and peered one way, then the other, along the dark porch. I flipped the porch light on but stayed inside the house.

  “Do you see anything?”

  He shook his head and walked down the steps to the lawn. When he got farther out, I could barely see him in the darkness.

  “Gage?”

  Silence.

  I curled my fingers around the handle of the screen door and opened it. It creaked on its hinges. When I heard Gage’s hiss of surprise, I stepped onto the porch, my bare feet cold on the planks of wood.

  “Gage?”

  I walked closer to the stairs and spotted him swooping his arms through the air. Another few steps and I saw the blackbird. It dove low over Gage’s head and then backed up. The knife glimmered in the light of the moon, but I could tell he was trying not to use it on the bird.

  The bird dove again and scratched Gage on the arm. I ran down the stairs, reaching for him. “It’s the same bird that’s been following me.”

  “What?”

  “I’ll tell you later.”

  “I think it hit the window,” he said, eyeing the sky. “Like it was trying to get our attention. Let’s get inside.”

  I turned, but the blackbird was there again. It dug its claws into my shoulder, and I tore away with a yelp.

  “Link!”

  Gage pulled me to the porch while the bird flew after us. Its claws tangled in my hair at the same time I saw a flash of something. No, someone. Dark blue eyes like Gage’s and midnight black hair. He was talking, whispering, saying my name.

  I tripped on the stair, but Gage caught me before I fell. The knife clattered to the wooden planks, and I grimaced, trying to get my bearings. A wave of dizziness hit me, and I slumped over.

  Gage took another swing at the bird and it connected. The blackbird slammed to the ground. Gage’s hand closed around my elbow, and he snagged the knife with his other hand before hauling me up the stairs.

  “Gage,” I said, voice coming out faint.

  My vision swam for a moment. I wanted to sit down right in the middle of the porch, but Gage wouldn’t let go until we were inside. I felt like I felt the first time I’d touched Gage, back in the bar, and saw the vision of fangs. And, consequently, passed out.

  Once we were in the living room, he shut and locked the door while I stumbled to the couch.

  “What the hell was that?” Gage asked, glancing at me before stepping over.

  I sighed and closed my eyes. “I think it was a shapeshifter.”

  Chapter 23

  Gage crouched next to me by the couch. “A shapeshifter?”

  The room was swimming, so I leaned over, pressing my cheeks to my knees. “Hold on.”

  “God, Link, what happened?”

  “I saw someone,” I mumbled. When I looked up, I frowned and touched his cheek. “You’re bleeding.”

  He brushed the back of his hand on his cheek. “It’s already healed.”

  I peered closer and saw that he was right. “That was fast.”

  He caught my hand in his, eyebrows furrowing. “Link, you’re scaring me. And you’re hurt.”

  I looked at my shoulder, saw the scratches from the bird’s claws there through my shirt. Beads of blood were forming, but it wasn’t bad. Still, Gage swallowed and looks away.

  “It’s fine.” I covered my wound. It had to be hard for him to see my blood, to be around it. I wondered if it made him feel more like a vampire. Hungry. “Let me get a bandage or something.”

  He stood abruptly. “I’ll get it.”

  Since the room was still spinning, and I knew he needed a moment, I nodded. “Hall closet. There’s a first aid kit and some washcloths.”

  He gave me a small smile. “You’re always prepared.”

  When he walked away, I closed my eyes. I wasn’t prepared for the blackbird to attack me. Or to see another man in a vision. One who looked so much like Gage.

  I opened my eyes, dread settling into my stomach. He walked back into the living room, and the resemblance was too obvious to ignore. The man in my vision was his brother. Which meant Kane was definitely here and he didn’t care if we know about him.

  “Shit.” I stood up.

  Gage put his arm around my waist to help keep me steady. “What are you doing?”

  “We need to call Audrey.” I tried to pull away, but he wouldn’t let go. “Gage, I need your phone.”

  “You’re going to fall down. Link, stop for a minute. Breathe. Tell me what’s going on.”

  “Grace was right. There’s another vampire here. And I think the bird is helping him.” I nodded. “I bet it is. The shapeshifter has been watching. He’s been watching and—”

  “Hold on. Link, I don’t understand.”

  “I need a phone.”

  “Just tell me—”

  “Then you call her.” I reached for his pocket where I saw him put his phone. “Come on, Gage—”

  “Link, what are you—okay, stop.” He grabbed both of my hands and held them tight against his chest. “What’s going on?”

  I blew out a breath. “I saw someone when the bird attacked me—like a vision of the person Grace was talking about. The one who came into Knob Creek when we felt the earth shake.” He nodded. “I saw him, and he is a vampire.”

  “What did he look like?”

  I met his eyes, staring at the familiar blue—the same shade I saw in my vision. “He looked like you.”

  A muscle worked in Gage’s jaw. “Kane.”

  I nodded. “Your brother. See? I want to make sure Audrey’s okay. Please call her.”

  He released my hands and pulled out his phone. “Will you sit down, please? You don’t look like you feel well.”

  I did as he asked. I pulled off my shirt so I could press the washcloth to my shoulder.

  It was getting late, but Audrey answered right away. Gage paced around the coffee table as he told her what happened.

  “Be careful,” he said to Audrey.

  “Tell her she should come here,” I said. “Just to be safe.”

  He nodded, waited for Audrey to finish saying something, and told her she could come to my house. “I know, but it would make Link feel better. You sure?” He listened for another moment and said goodbye.

  “Is she coming?” I asked.

  “She said she would if she gets worried.”

  “But—”

  “Or she’ll go to Grace’s
. She wants me to take care of you.” He returned his phone to his pocket and crouched in front of me again, his eyes examining the wound on my shoulder. “Are you okay?”

  “What if your brother decides to go see her?”

  “He won’t hurt her. But I don’t know if he’d go see her anyway.” He frowned and reached for the first aid kit. “It seems like you’re the one he wants.”

  There was worry at the corners of his mouth and in his eyes. I reached out to touch his cheek. “It’s okay. We’ll deal with one thing at a time.”

  He took the washcloth from me, cleaned the wound, and put a bandage over the top of the scratches.

  “Gage?”

  He lifted his eyes to mine.

  “One thing at a time, right? We’ll look for the Book of Shadows tomorrow and then try to figure out how put the spell back in place. Then Kane can’t do anything.”

  He nodded. Before he could turn and put back the first aid kit, I wrapped my arms around his neck. “You don’t seem convinced.”

  He stood, and my arms fell away. He propped his hands on his hips. “I’m not. This whole thing is—” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “All I wanted was to help Audrey. And I screwed it up. Now you’re involved and my brother is here. I’m not the best guy to be around. I know I’ve proven that. But Kane is worse.”

  I took his hand and urged him to sit. “You’re a good guy, Gage. We all make choices that we could have done differently. But I would have done what you did—I would have done anything if it meant saving someone I love.”

  He leaned back against the cushions, pressing his hands over his eyes. “I’m the reason you’re stuck here.”

  “You’re also the reason your sister isn’t sick anymore.”

  When he didn’t answer, I swung my leg over so I was straddling him on the couch. He dropped his hands, eyes level with mine. “What are you doing?”

  A smile curved my lips. I settled my hands on his chest. “Trying to make you feel better.”

  “Hmm…” His eyes dipped to my mouth. “This seems wrong.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Not this,” he said, sliding his hands over my bare chest and then resting them on his thighs. “I mean, I should be trying to make you feel better.”