His Eternal Bond Was Never Mine

I spun around.

Darius had appeared silently behind me.

He stood just outside the balcony door, like a figure condensed from shadow, his eyes like chips of ice.

The lingering pain from the energy clash had made me forget—a Prince’s hearing can cut through walls.

Thank the Night Goddess he hadn’t heard everything.

“A healer from the Southern Coven,” I said smoothly, not breaking stride as I walked past him. “She’s leaving for the Amazon to study primal bloodlines.”

Darius followed me, sitting back down. “Which friend?”

“You don’t know her.”

“Her name.”

“Why should I tell you?”

Livia coughed delicately. “Darius, don’t be so hard on Isolde. A girl’s secrets are important.”

Her words seemed to pacify him.

“Sorry,” he said to me, though his eyes were still full of suspicion.

But he didn’t press further, seemingly unwilling to sour the mood again.

His gaze softened as he turned to Livia, pulling a beautiful box from his jacket.

“What’s that?” Livia asked curiously.

“For you.”

Inside was a ‘bond amplifier,’ fed by his own heart’s blood and engraved with complex runes.

I could read them clearly: Darius and Livia, Eternal Blood-Kin.

“It’s exquisite,” Livia breathed, her fingers tracing the runes as she fastened it. “A betrothal gift?” she asked, her eyes wide with a perfectly rehearsed innocence.

“Mmm-hmm.” Darius fastened the clasp for her. “I’ve infused it with my princely power. It will protect your soul.”

He took out his comm and snapped a photo of her in the mirror.

“Smile.”

She smiled like an innocent child, her eyes sparkling with pure happiness.

Darius immediately sent the photo to her with the caption: My soul’s guardian.

“It suits you,” I commented.

Darius looked at me, a flicker of distance in his eyes.

The next afternoon, I went to an antique shop for some last-minute travel supplies.

As I approached the door, I heard a familiar voice from inside.

“Check the bond strength again.”

It was Darius.

Through the glass, I could see Livia lying on a diagnostic table, Darius standing anxiously beside her.

“Everything is normal,” the blood-healer said. “The bond is very stable.”

“Thank you,” Darius said, taking Livia’s hand. “The healer says our power will be very strong.”

I turned to leave, but the bell on the door gave me away.

“Isolde?” Livia called from inside. “Are you here to shop too?”

“Just passing by.”

“Wait, we can walk together,” she said, turning back to Darius. “I’ll be right out.”

Ten minutes later, they emerged together.

“How are the ceremony preparations going?” Livia asked innocently. “I hear it’s going to be grand.”

“The ceremony will proceed as planned,” Darius answered for me. “It’s just been slightly delayed.”

I looked at them and said nothing.

“Isolde, I know you must be terribly upset,” Livia said, taking a step closer to me. “But I hope you won’t give up on Darius. The one he truly loves is you.”

Her voice was sincere, her eyes brimming with tears.

“I don’t deserve a man as good as him. You are his fated mate.”

People on the street started to whisper.

“That girl is so kind.”

“She’s willing to suffer for someone else’s happiness.”

“Why does that Isolde woman look so cold?”

I turned and walked away.

“Isolde!” Livia called after me. “Please don’t misunderstand, I really don’t want to take him from you!”

She ran up, trying to grab my arm.

“I know you’re angry, but please, give us a chance to explain—”

“Let go of me,” I said, shrugging her off.

The moment my hand touched her, her gasp was pure theater. She didn’t just stumble; she launched herself sideways, a missile of calculated fragility aimed directly at the blessed silver crosses hanging from the antique shop’s doorknob.

“Ah!” she let out a piercing scream. Puffs of black smoke rose where her palm made contact with the silver, as if it were being eaten by acid.

It was a holy power a low-level vampire couldn’t withstand.

“Livia!” Darius roared, rushing to her side.

He saw her on the ground, then looked at my outstretched hand, his eyes burning with a rage I had never seen directed at me.

“What the hell did you do?!” he snarled, kneeling beside her. “She shares my blood!” he roared, his voice cracking with fury. “How could you lay a hand on her?!”

“I didn’t—”

“Enough!” Darius cut me off. “Apologize to Livia, in front of all these people! Now!”