Chapter 14: Chapter Fourteen

“Bloodbound?” Briar asked. She hated not knowing things. No one answered her though. Alaric looked even paler than normal.

She crossed her arms. “Okay, someone tell me what the fuck is going on.”

Kieran rolled his eyes. “You and Alaric are mates now.”

Her brows shot up. “Mates? Wait, what does that mean?Like I won't be able to breathe if he's not near kind of thing?”

“Pretty much.” Kieran's smirk was triumphant. She really hated him.

“That's not how it works.” Tobias said. “Being bloodbound is essentially like a mate. You feel what he feels whether it's emotional or physical. Pleasure…and pain. You'll also want to be around him all time too, yes. It's usually something you'd have from birth. Vampires rarely have mates. Even rarer among the turned.” He scratched at his head. “You seem to be springing up new abilities lately.”

“Lucky me.” She said dryly. "How did this even happen?"

A heavy silence filled the air. They all looked like they were pondering something.

“What is it?” She asked, feeling increasingly foolish by the second. There was something they were definitely hiding from her.

Tobias began to pace. “I think it has to do with the nature of your death.”

Her death. Sometimes Briar found it hard to believe she was technically dead.

“Okay? What about it?”

He looked to Alaric. Alaric looked away. Briar's patience was wearing thin. After a few moments of her glaring daggers in his direction, he finally spoke.

“Turning you was…difficult. Your heart wouldn't restart and we didn't know why. I was desperate. So I used the moonstone…a fragment of it along with my own blood…and fused it with your heart.” She saw his throat bob as he swallowed.

"What?"She asked menacingly.

Briar’s rage was palpable. Her hands shook slightly because of it. She didn't even think about it before she slapped him hard across the cheek. Pain bloomed across her own cheek immediately like she had been slapped.

“No way.” She said, touching her cheek gingerly, her anger forgotten temporarily and replaced by fascination.

“Briar, I'm sorry. It was the only way I could save you.” Alaric said, a pleading look in his eyes. She looked away. Briar didn't trust the words that would come out of her mouth if she looked at him for a moment longer. She turned her attention to Tobias.

“So does this mean that if anything severe happens to any one of us, the other takes the fall for it?”

“Technically, yes. Whatever affects him affects you and vice versa.”

Great. Just fucking Great.

“And there's no way to undo it?” She asked.

“I'm afraid not. Trying to break a mating bond will most likely kill you.”

Shit.

“Ugh. All this talk of mates and love is making me sick. Can you two leave? Tobias and I were in the middle of something.” Kieran said.

The closest thing in reach was a book on Tobias' table which she promptly threw at his head. If she couldn't take out her anger on Alaric, Kieran was going to be her outlet.

Briar stormed out, rushing to her room and locking the door in case Alaric decided to follow her. An overwhelming sadness filled her. She didn't even know whether it was hers or his. She didn't want this. Having her emotions completely reliant on his…she didn't know if she could bear it.

Mate.

That word rang in her head like a mantra, drowning out all other thoughts. First a vampire and now this. All her nightmares were really coming true.

A terrible hunger wracked through Briar's body as she lay curled up in her bed. She had been in that position for hours, her tears long dried. Her fangs which were now fully elongated, brushed her lips painfully, drawing blood. A small pained whimper slipped past her lips.

She heard her door open forcefully. She didn't even need to look before knowing who it was. Alaric was by her bed in an instant, cradling her head.

“Briar, you're hungry. Why haven't you fed yet?” He said. He bit his wrist to draw blood and brought it to her mouth. “Here, drink.”

Sweetness bloomed on her tongue as Alaric's blood filled her mouth. Even human blood didn't taste this good. It was heady, intoxicating as Briar's fangs latched onto his skin, deepening her access. His hand smoothed over her hair as he cooed words of encouragement.

“That's it…good girl, there you go…”

She felt heat pool in her gut. Feeding was pleasurable for both the person who was feeding and the one who was being fed on. Now, she was feeling the effects of the two combined. She pulled away slowly when she had had her fill, her fangs retracting. Alaric was paler than he normally would be but other than that, he looked fine. That amount she took would have killed a human.

He brushed hairs from her forehead, stroking her cheek with his thumb. She felt something in her chest ache with…care? Trust? She didn't know but she was sure it was what he was feeling. He cared for her? The way he was looking at her now was so tender, she didn't think a vampire could have such a look. In that moment, she couldn't even bring herself to hate him.

Briar sat up slowly, her strength returning.

“Thanks.” She said, He nodded.

“You shouldn't go so long without feeding.”

“Just because you're my mate doesn't mean you have the right to order me around.”

He raised a brow and she felt his anger like it was her own. “As a matter of fact I do. Whatever affects you affects me now. Your hunger,pain, pleasure…they're all mine now. I won't Jeopardize my own health just because you're too stubborn to listen.”

Briar growled, clenching her teeth. She hated that he was right. Screw him. She hated that she wanted to do that too.

A knock sounded from the other side of the door.

“My Lord,”Said a guard. “You're needed in the council chambers.”