☼ Chapter XXIII ☼

picture; Nikiah Beiten

song; "What You Deserve" by No Resolve

author's note; This chapter is quite a long one because I decided not to break it in half. It didn't end up being as extremely long as some other ones, only about 10 pages in Docs. So buckle up with a snack and a little bit of time to read this one.

I haven't had the time or energy to write this week due to all the protests and riots going on in the United States in response to the unjust murder of George Floyd. It has been much harder being black these passed few days than normal, and it's been harder having anxiety too. It has mentally and physically drained me because I think that my brothers or uncles or cousins or son could be the next George Floyd or Breonna Taylor or Tamir Rice or Sandra Bland.

I could be next.

To all of my readers who are non-black, please take this time to support your black friends and family and let them know that you love them and you would not stand for injustice if it were them. We're not okay, and we need your love and support more right now than normally.

With that being said, if you are a black reader who has come to take your mind off the serious issues of today and right now, I am with you. I love you and I honor you. Black is excellence, black is beautiful, and we are human.

Enjoy the chapter. Stay safe.

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Derik gripped my thigh underneath the table, his warm hand sending jolts of fire into my core. I clenched my hands subtly so no one could see the effect his touch had on me and closed my eyes a moment longer than the standard blink.

When my lids fluttered open once again, I took the opportunity to glance at my Mate. He was taking a drink of white wine from a frosty glass and watching Sawyer as he told a story about one of Nora's younger siblings.

"Derik, you are a Protector aren't you, boy?" I turned my eyes to his hand on my leg that had tightened when Eloize addressed him as Sawyer finished his story.

"Yes, Mistress." My Sufletul Oglinda smiled tauntingly as Eloize's eyes flickered with annoyance at his use of her Royal title.

"Hunting or Investigation?" The smile Eloize tossed Derik was good-natured, her recovery from the irritation so quick that if I'd blinked I'd have missed it.

"Hunting. I was stationed here at the Academy for a year to recover from the Change." My eyes cut over to my Mate, suddenly realizing that I didn't know he had recently Changed.

"Oh," Eloize's tone was soft, and she leaned forward slightly, her eyes skimming over to me for a moment before pinning Derik again. "When did you graduate?"

"About four years ago," He said nonchalantly with a shrug, leaning back into his seat and squeezing my thigh once again. "I was top of my class."

"Grade-A? That is... impressive. Seilyars are an explicit example of a largely Powerful family. I've encountered quite a few Seilyar Vampyres in my existence, but you seem to stray from the typical characteristics of your relatives." Derik's eyes narrowed as Eloize made an implication that I didn't really understand.

Was she talking about his mom, or some other Seilyar? Like Genevieve.

"Everyone is different." He said dismissively, a sliver of annoyance swimming through our bond.

What Eloize was saying had gotten on his nerves, but I still wasn't sure why. I knew that Eloize didn't get along well with Genevieve because of her relationship with Lorelai and Ankiel's father, who had some kind of distaste for her, but I didn't expect her to bring it up to Derik.

"What is it that happened between you and Genevieve anyway?" I wondered tauntingly, growing a little annoyed myself that Eloize was poking at Derik.

"Oh, fiica, that is hardly dinner time conversation." Eloize waved off my question and smiled graciously once again. "I simply was commenting on how Derik compliments you. Seilyars customarily are intensely hateful when it pertains to mortals." My mouth slightly parted at the boldness of her words.

"Oh, well. I guess his views are different since his father is mortal like mine." I told her easily, trying to keep my claws retracted. "Dinner was lovely, Eloize. Sawyer, Nora. Thank you both for inviting us. I have combats tomorrow night, so I think Derik and I should go."

I scraped my chair back and yanked Derik up with me. Forcing a sickeningly sweet smile onto my lips, I moved away from the dining table with my Mate in tow. I didn't look to my Mate for agreement, only continued to tugged him toward the exit door.

"Sonya! Here, take my number down so we can hang out sometime outside of class." Nora rushed after us, her words tumbling out just as quickly.

"Oh, sure." I told her and handed over my cell so she could create a new contact for herself. Nora called the number she'd punched in before handing my phone back over to me.

"I'll text you!" She promised excitedly, pulling me in deeply for a hug. Nora was actually a lot stronger than she looked, but I hugged her back before offering a smile and then entwining my hand with Derik's again.

"Oh, Sonya, please come back anytime!" Eloize rushed behind us to the door to walk us out. "Bring Derik along, too." Before we could make it out, Eloize reached out and grabbed my Mate's hand. "He's always welcome." Derik's eyes flickered with confusion, and a single thought infiltrated my mind, born from the bond, as we moved to the door: She's fucking weird.

"What are you doing, Sonya?" Derik asked once we'd made it to his car.

"I didn't like the way she was talking to you." I bit back, my eyes simmering and indicating to me that they were most likely a radiant russet.

"Feisty." My Mate smirked salaciously at me. "I like it."

☼

My eyes were closed as Derik drove his magnificent Camaro through the snow. He let me pick music to play tonight and we were listening to the soothing beat of Fleetwood Mac's "Rhiannon". With my vision taken away, I could feel the hum of our bond much more, and I revelled in its warmth as the tires of Derik's car crunched in the hardened snow outside.

We pulled to a stop, and I let my eyes flutter open to take in the dome-like structure of the combats building my lesson was held in tonight. "Baby," Derik's smile was simple, but I couldn't help but to find it so handsome on his face.

I didn't want to leave him, but I wasn't about to miss anymore classes, and Derik couldn't miss anymore patrol shifts.

His friend couldn't cover for him forever, so instead I grasped the back of his neck and pulled him deeply into my lips, wallowing in the exquisite flavor that lived on his mouth. After his tongue swept over mine, once, twice, three times, I finally released him, trying to let my body temperature return to normal.

Once again, I was thankful for my amber brown skin as heat crawled over my face at the look Derik was giving me.

His eyes told me he wanted to take me right here, and now, despite how much of me he'd had the night before—and this morning. Derik's hunger for me was insatiable, and I leaned away further, before he decided he couldn't wait until tonight to see me again.

"Thank you for driving me," I told him and pushed the passenger door out of my way, and Derik caught my hand that was still on the center console, pressing a chaste kiss to the skin on the back of my palm.

"Please, Sonya." He replied as a ghost of a smirk found his mouth. "I don't need any kind of thank you after the show you gave me this morning."

Again, I felt my face simmer with warmth, but I stuck my tongue out at him and climbed from his car, tapping my nails lightly against the wintry glass before Derik drove off. I watched the car until the royal blue Camaro was too far to see.

"Aren't you two adorable?" A familiar teasing voice said from behind me, and I turned with a brow cocked up to take in Ever's image. The burnt orange of her hair was a brilliant and stark contrast to the snow surrounding us. "Dare I say even couple goals?" Her lips appeared more full and pink than usual, probably because Lorelai had been attached to them for the passed few days.

"You'd better be treating Lorelai a hundred times better than Derik treats me." I warned as I pursed my lips, my hands jamming onto my hips.

Ever giggled at the mention of Lorelai, turning her head to gaze away into the trees adjacent the combats building. A vivid and new Mark was easy to see on the pale skin of Ever's throat, along with the second one just below the first on her shoulder. Who knew how many times Lorelai had Marked her over these last three days?

"I don't deserve her; she's amazing. Lorelai really saved me, and she came to me at the perfect time." Ever admitted, a serious look crossing her face and her brown eyes glimmered with appreciation.

"Right..." I responded a little guiltily. Ever's sister shared a Thread with her to help dull the effects of the Dark Mark. Now, her Thread with her sister was broken by her death, so Lorelai and Ever Mating probably really saved her. "Well, I guess I'll have to get used to seeing you." I tried to tease to soften the tension.

"Guess you do." Ever told me with a small but genuine smile. We walked into our combats lesson together in a comfortable quiet, and upon entering, we could spot Hyacinth passing around M4 rifles. Ever and I grasped our guns quickly from her, sensing that our Mentor had a no nonsense attitude today.

"We're doing a range test today. Our physical combatives will be put on hold until next week as we are testing the M4s today and then the AR-15 next lesson." Hyacinth marched us over to the marks, and let us get ready to shoot when she called us.

Ever went before me, showing a surprising precision with the M4. She shot great, and her work with her weapon made up for her lacking skills in combats. I, once again, was called towards the end, and not so surprisingly got a great score as well.

Shooting was one of my favorite parts of combats to be honest. I loved the wild vibration of the weapon in my hands, and the pride I felt when I hit my marks every time. If I was deadly without an assault rifle, I was even scarier with one. After everyone was tested for their shot accuracy, we ran moving target drills, and then our real guns were replaced with paintball guns.

Hyacinth told us we could chose our own teams as we ran scenario drills, and Ever and I chose each other, along with a deeply melanated black girl I'd fought weeks ago, whose name I'd learned was Nikiah. She was the one I'd sparred with the day the Protectors pulled me from combats to be interrogated about the farsa.

Carson moved over to our group of Powerful women, a wide smile on his face and brown eyes twinkling suggestively. I rolled my eyes and playfully shoved him, but we let him on the team.

Our team ended up being down to one player against a team with two people left. Nikiah was the last one left that could secure victory for our final drill. The other two Novices tried to head her off, but she slid under their bullets, Matrix style, before shooting the one in front her several times in the chest.

Dodging behind an obstacle, she moved around to the opposite end silently and quickly while crouching before peeking out and nailing the other Novice right in the center of their helmet. Ever, Carson, and I all cheered for her, and I saw Hyacinth shake her head at our celebration, but there was a small smirk on her face.

We were dismissed after the scenario drills were finished and as Ever, Nikiah, and I were coming out of the locker room side exits, Ever noticed Lorelai and Ankiel standing at the front of the combats building first and rushed over to her Mate.

"Hey, guys." I greeted pulling Lorelai in for a hug once Ever finally released her. "I've missed you." I pouted and Lorelai scoffed, folding her arms over her chest.

"Please," She told me, that meticulous smile gradually finding her mouth that was coated again with cherry Chapstick. "You've been the one whose been MIA. Is Derik taking my place now?" Lorelai pouted back, her steely eyes swimming with humor.

"Never." I promised, and Lorelai held her hand out for our handshake: palm-to-palm, then back-to-back before our thumbs encircled one another's and we kissed each other's pinkies. "Hey," I began again and turned slightly to gesture to Nikiah. "This is Nikiah. She has combats with us. Nikiah, this is my best friend Lorelai and her brother Ankiel."

"Oh, right." Ankiel tsk-ed his tongue at my words. "I'm just the best friend's brother." He ruffled his chocolate ringlets of hair as he stepped into Nikiah's personal space. "The brother that definitely believes in love at first sight." He winked at her, and Nikiah laughed lightly, while shaking her head at Ankiel's antics.

He was a charming guy. There was no denying that his charm even made me warm up to him too when Lorelai had been my only friend the passed six years.

"The Testificans festival starts in a bit." Ever cut off Ankiel's attempt to flirt with Nikiah as she peered down at her phone with her free hand, her other one entwined with Lorelai's. "I don't know if you guys wanted to come along, but Lorelai was going to go with me." She told the rest of our group.

I knew what the Testificans celebration was. It was a Sorcerers' holiday that occurred annually on November 29th, but I had never gone. The Academy allowed Sorcerers to host the celebration in the common square.

But Lorelai and I never saw a reason to participate in the Sorcerers' holiday because neither of us are Sorcerers. It was still open to all Novices and Protectors, regardless of if they were Sorcerers, and there's food and other events.

At the end of the festival, an hour before the sun starts to rise on November 30th, a Powerful coven will lead a Ritual where they draw from the elements and then replenish the Veil between the Unknown World and the human world.

Novice Sorcerers can also partake in the Ritual from the crowd. The coven also blesses the spirits who passed during the year, and sends prayers to the Goddess to take care of our loved ones.

"Sure. I actually love Testificans and go every year." Nikiah told Ever, and I shrugged. I wanted to spend time with Lorelai anyway. There was a bunch I wanted to talk to her about, including the fact I'd met Eloize and Nora.

"Well, I guess I've got nothing better to do." Ankiel joked, his Cockney accent extra strong around his taunting tone.

As we started off toward the common square to the south of Centre Plaza, I probed the Mate bond, checking for Derik. He was alert, and I snapped into his body for a moment, seeing he was patrolling with another Protector, most likely his friend Kailo.

I'm going to the Testificans celebration with Lorelai. I told him, and Derik seemed confused for moment, so I continued with an explanation. That girl we saw at the farsa. Ever Dahlyke? Well, she turned out to be Lori's Mate. They met a few days ago, and they're going tonight and I want to spend some time with Lori.

You're third wheeling? Derik wondered, even his inner voice sounding amused at the thought, and I rolled my eyes.

No, Ankiel is here too. And another Novice Ever and I know from combats. Her name is Nikiah Beiten. Derik's presence faded for a moment before he replied.

Nikiah? That's Kailo's little sister. I nodded at the information, a small smile finding my lips.

Small Academy. My tone was easy and Derik's emotions invaded my chest. Something like laughter bubbled in the bond, and I wonder if Kailo was making a joke about him and his sibling being friends with us. Come to me when your shift is over?

Of course, baby. Have fun with your friends. With that, Derik pulled away and I sighed. It couldn't be healthy to miss a person this much. I've been almost living with the man lately, and I still want to see him more.

"How's Derik?" Lorelai's voice was right next to me, and I dismissively waved.

"Living the life on patrol." Nikiah laughed at my reply, her arms crossed over her chest to keep her warm. Why she was cold in this weather as a Lycan was beyond me.

"That's exactly what my brother would say." She explained, shaking her head. "He just got back from some mission not too long ago, but he's itching to be placed on another one." Nikiah's Russian accent was interesting with her deep brown skin tone and orange-brown gaze. I think the accent was pretty though it was thick.

"My Mate works patrol with your brother." My gaze connected to hers and she nodded.

"Yeah, he and Seilyar are good friends." My brows raised slightly as I didn't know that she knew Derik. "I've met him once before, but I don't think you two had found each other yet."

"Oh," A small smile found my lips at her words, wondering if her brother had gushed to her about his friend finding his Sufletul Oglinda. Lycans are some of the most congratulatory people you will come across when finding your Mate. "Have you found your Mate yet?"

"Not yet," Nikiah admitted on a sigh, but a small grin birthed itself on her full lips anyway. "But I'm focusing on becoming a Protector right now, anyway. I know she'll come to me soon."

"Why does everyone else see their Mates coming but me?" A small frown settled onto my face.

I was a Seer, yet I didn't know Derik was coming my way, but he knew my name from the moment we met. A memory of Lorelai saying that she could sense her Mate was coming months before meeting her assailed me then too.

"Not everyone does. Some people feel their bonds with their Mates much stronger than others before meeting them, but it's also normal not to." Nikiah laughed gently when I cut her a sideways glance. "Don't worry about it, Sonya. That doesn't mean you're less of a Mate or anything like that."

Shrugging, I accepted Nikiah's encouragement as Ever chimed in. "I didn't sense Lori either until she was right there. I've known very few people who do sense their Mates before meeting them."

"Well, your senses suck." I told Ever jokingly before jutting my tongue out at her, which she scowled at. Lorelai pulled Ever deeper into her side and hid her laughter in her Mate's fiery hair.

"Sonny," Ankiel's tone was smooth as the familiar slow smirk melted onto his lips. "Always ready with the witty comebacks."

Everyone laughed as Ankiel made a jab at me, and I rolled my eyes. "Honestly, shut up."

"Ooh, nice one." He egged on, mocking hurt as he clutched his chest. Crossing my arms over my chest, I took my own advice as everyone chuckled again at Ankiel.

After a few more minutes of walking, we started to merge in to the main crowd entering the common square. It was lit up with white lights, wrapped around all the light posts and ledges of short buildings on the perimeters.

Crystalline diamond-shaped decor hung underneath the white lights, seemingly suspended by magick. Red candles littered the brick stones all around, causing the area to be lit up a wavering but soothing warm pink.

The main altar was decorated with hyacinth and carnation flowers, symbolizing rebirth and gratitude. White candles surrounded the altar, lit with a radiant blue fire created by more magick.

The square was decorated beautifully, and I looked around in awe, wondering why I never bothered to attend Testificans. Ever breathed in happily, a content smile littering her expression.

Nikiah, Ankiel, and I started to move over to the banquet tables, my mouth watering at the sight of the ceremonial foods for the celebration. Food cooked with magick was the best thing I'd ever tasted. As the three of us were making jokes about learning some Rituals in order to be able to cook like this, a new presence joined us.

My body began to thrum with the dull but cordial zip of electric sparks as he pressed the proximity to a close. "Kel, Sonya." Trent's voice was cool, not a sliver of emotion crossing his face as he greeted us. "Fancy seeing you here."

Ankiel watched his friend for a long time before a wide grin broke out over his mouth and he greeted him back with a dude-bro hug. "We've found our other MIA friend." Trent shook his head at Ankiel and snorted.

It dawned on me that Trent probably hadn't been around Ankiel since he found out Derik and I completed the Mating Rituals a few days ago.

Trent smiled slightly at me as he pressed a cigarette to his lips and cupped his hand around the flame meant to light it. I waved the smoke away, the scent making me wrinkle my nose. Trent noticed, but didn't put it out or even make an effort to keep the smoke away from me.

Ankiel gestured to Nikiah and introduced the two; I watched as Trent's smile became suggestive, and Ankiel looked at him pointedly.

"Hands off, Codaihme." Ankiel warned as he jabbed him in the chest with his pointer finger. Trent held his hands up in the universal surrendering gesture and Ankiel tugged Nikiah off back into the direction of Lorelai and Ever.

Nikiah didn't object, but snagged one more piece of meat and blueberry dessert before allowing him to pull her away.

"Why are you attending Testificans?" I asked Trent finally, grabbing more food from the banquet table as I did, along with a berry fizz drink.

"Do I not strike you as the school spirit type?" He countered, his voice thick with smoke from his cigarette as he breathed it out.

"Of course you do." My tone was sarcastic and I hungrily bit into my meat pie, savoring the heat of the food as I did. "Nephilim are the most outgoing and cuddly people I've ever met." I continued teasingly around the huge chunk of food in my mouth.

"Yeah," His lips curled into a lop-sided smirk, clear amusement glinting in his violet-amber gaze. "And you strike me as lady-like." Trent quipped before taking another deep drag of his cigarette, the cherry glowing brightly as he did.

"That's funny." My tone was humorless as I spoke. Swallowing with a nod, I took another gracious piece of the meat pie. "I never claimed to be lady-like."

"You're a Royal." He retorted evenly as he nonchalantly flicked the ashes from his cigarette.

"So?"

"So, you should have a bit more manners." Trent explained, his tone quirking up with an unspoken "duh" somewhere in there.

"You're a Royal too, and you have even less manners than me." I fired back, a small grin teasing the edges of my mouth.

"That's not true." Trent stepped deeper into my personal space, and my grin dissipated immediately. "If I really wanted to be disrespectful, I'd pursue you even though you're fully Mated to Seilyar."

"It doesn't matter even if you did." Biting into my food again, I chewed thoughtfully for a moment as I watched Trent's unwavering demanding eyes. "You're not him, so there's literally nothing you could do."

To my surprise, he grinned wickedly, and I quirked a brow up but kept the shock off my face. "Is that a challenge?"

"No," After taking a swig of my berry drink, I shrugged offhandedly. "It's the truth." I deadpanned, but Trent didn't seemed fazed by my nonchalant demeanor.

It was a complete one-eighty to the emotional Trent I'd come to see him as. This Trent was a girlfriend-stealer, a charming trickster. It was strange how different he seemed, but I didn't doubt that he probably was just as much of a charismatic guy as Ankiel. They were best friends for a reason.

"We'll see about that." Clicking my tongue, I started off into the crowd in the direction I saw Ankiel and Nikiah walk off in minutes ago, and Trent fell in step beside me.

"You know, you seem quite confident in comparison to a few days ago." I observed, keeping my gaze away from him as I scanned for my friends.

"I was just shocked that you actually completed the Rituals with him." He finished his cigarette and flicked the butt near the treeline. My face scrunched at his carelessness, but I didn't say anything.

"Why would that surprise you?" Scoffing, I finished off my meat pie as I waited for Trent's response. That meticulous and taunting smirk of his tugged at one corner of his mouth and his intense eyes crinkled a bit at the edges.

Trent cocked his head to the side, making a few strands of his black hair fall into his eyes, obscuring their jolting deepness a bit as he leaned in to me.

"You don't seem like the type to be attracted to weakness." Trent's tone was taunting, and I sneered as I stepped away.

"You've got some nerve calling him weak when you don't even know him. I'd watch my mouth if I were you. I'm not going to stand here and let you disrespect my Mate." Gritting my teeth and clenching my fists, I watched as Trent shrugged but the wolfish grin never fell.

"Well sit."

"Huh?" My eyes turned away in confusion as my brow furrowed.

"You said you won't 'stand here' and let me disrespect Seilyar. So, I told you to sit. I don't need to know your Mate to know I don't have any respect for him. Seilyars are shit." Trent's apathetic tone had returned, but the reckless laughter in his gaze told me he couldn't be serious. He was saying this just to get a reaction, just to provoke me.

"Okay," Folding my arms over my chest, I shook my head as Trent peered down at me expressionlessly. "You're fucking crazy. You're just jealous that Derik is my Sufletul Oglinda and it isn't you. You wanted to get a happily ever after with a Reinove Vampyre just like Sawyer did with Eloize. Well, sorry, but to be quite honest I'm happy you're not my Mate because you seem like a whiny, moody jerk."

Trent, being the courageous, daring bastard he was, hooked his thumb into the top of my jeans and yanked me into his chest. When I fell into him, I put my hands on his pecs to brace myself against his strength, and then I glowered up at him.

The devilish grin from before reappeared, and the slithering volts tried to compel me, but the angry tendrils of fire that attacked me were severely more compelling.

His cerulean eyes and light brown hair met my vision over Trent's shoulder, and the wrath always dormant in my core jerked to life instantly. He was here, within eyesight. Rene smirked haughtily at me through the sea of faces of young Novices.

How did he manage to get on campus? Where were the Protectors?

The Academy was in danger.

My fingers deftly threw Trent aside and I twisted around him when he went to grab me, Trent's voice calling my name in confusion and panic. The vicious heat lapping mercilessly behind my irises was a painful physical conduit for the torrid madness overflowing inside me, but I pushed forth toward Rene's smug face.

Rene's arms were crossed over his chest, and the flash of a dark curly mane and jade gaze a disgusting replica of my own appeared beside him, so without caution or hesitation, I propelled myself forward with grisly Power and speed. Rene and Cetilayn backed away, the arrogant look on Rene's face never slipping as they led me into the treeline.

An opaque frenzy shrouded in on my vision, painting the snow around me a vivid crimson. The rage in my core pushed my legs harder and faster and meaner than they'd ever gone as I continued after Rene and Cetilayn's retreating forms, trampling relentlessly and callously over the snow under the soles of my boots.

Derik was pushing on the edges of my mind, trying to find a way in to calm me down, but I jerked away from his presence. I would not let them get away.

My heels attached to the trunk of a tree and as I started to run up to chase Rene's clambering body, my ankle was caught by someone. My forearms scraped painfully against the bark as I attempted to stop myself from falling when I was yanked toward the earth. I swung around to kick with my free foot, thinking it was my sister trying to hinder my hunt.

"Sonya, stop! There's nothing there. You're seeing things." Trent told me after deflecting my kick to his temple, crushing me to his chest. I pulled, levelling my weight in the opposite direction he was holding me. "It's Darkness, don't give in. It's not real. There's nothing there!"

"You're wrong. He's here and you're going to let him get away!" My fangs were sinking out of my gums and I growled slightly as I struggled to fight him off.

"No," Trent's voice was much calmer, and more footsteps met my ears. The anger was burning me up inside, daring to eat me alive until there was truly nothing left but hate. "Take this." A sweet wetness was pressed to my lips, and it sluggishly provided slight clarity.

"Trent! Don't!" Lorelai's words sounded far away, but I drank the liquid deeply as it began to quench and then extinguish the wild fire inside me.

Finally but abruptly, I was pulled away from Trent's grasp, but whatever I'd just drank was grounding me, and I leant back into the trunk of the tree I had attempted to climb moments ago, my rational mind slowly resurfacing.

"What the fuck, Trent!" It was Ankiel this time, and as the slurring picture of my friends started to straighten, I saw Ankiel cock his fist back and then let it land against Trent's jaw.

"That's blasphemy! You took advantage of her!" Even Ever sounded pissed, and Lorelai knelt by my side as I wiped at a bit of leftover wetness on my chin.

"What?" I questioned as my eyes turned down to the tips of my fingers. "Blood?" The electric thrum had heightened, and my mind worked overtime to understand what had just happened.

More anger spilled into my chest, but this time it wasn't my own. It was assaulting me through the bond. Derik was pissed, and as my gaze raised to see Nikiah and Ever trying to stop Ankiel from attacking Trent again, my brain caught up.

"You gave me your blood!" I shrieked, hopping to my feet with newfound strength and clarity before marching towards Trent. "What the fuck! There's an Anima Vinculum Thread between us and you just made it stronger! You disrespected not only my bond with Derik, but you used that illusion as your chance to make this connection stronger without my consent! I'm going to have you arrested!"

"Get out of here, Trent." Lorelai said, the red-orange of her irises showing she was containing her own anger too. "No one wants to see your face right now."

Trent looked between us, and I expected him to look remorseful, or at least hurt that Lorelai and Ankiel were so mad at him, but instead, a newborn devilish smile birthed itself onto his lips. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he turned indifferently on his heel and sauntered away without a backwards glance.

Anguish poured through me, and I felt extremely guilty. Derik was on his way to me; I could feel him drawing closer, and the fury hadn't diminished. He could feel me being tethered to someone else, and he was looking for blood.

It wasn't my fault, but I knew that he was going to be pissed at me regardless. I just hoped I would be able to calm him down when we came face-to-face.