Chapter One-Hundred-And-Thirty-One

Chapter One-Hundred-And-Thirty-One
Ryder

Catalym’s warmth filled me. There is nothing you can do. We both know that, so don’t do this to yourself. The Council ties our hands. How is this different than any other day?

I sighed at her words. It isn’t. I’m feeling useless right now, something I’m unfamiliar with.

You are trying to follow the rules, to do this right and nail their asses to the wall…or so my brother would say. It’s something I value in you more than I could ever tell you.

Milindya spat a broken tooth across the alley and glared hatefully at Sara. There would be a grudge there, and the little psycho would happily oblige.

For some reason, that made me think of Kelly, though I wasn’t clear why. Suddenly, she wouldn’t leave my thoughts, driven to the forefront of my mind. When examining this, I realized it was what Catalym was thinking.

The sisters stared at each other, deceptively calm, but we knew better. The intense energy swirled around them, a battle of wills to the end.

Judo grabbed Milindya’s arm to support her, and Marcus growled at the advantage she had gained. So, there was already a grudge.

And here I’d forgotten the catfight in the store. Milindya still hadn’t paid her debt for hurting Kelly.

Matthew shifted like a restless child at my side, his head turning so slowly in my peripheral vision. He stared at me in the thick silence of the aftermath of their arrival. I knew this wasn’t anywhere near over yet.

“You’re bonded!” Matthew cried with absurd merriment.

At the sound of those two unexpected words, Catalym came alive again, breaking out into a blissful smile that stilled my turbulent thoughts until only her face remained.

I turned to look back at him, feeling him follow the trail through his blood-bonds with his sister, right back to…me. I was appalled by the causal skill this little person wielded.

Their lineage was strong and kept strictly and impressively pure for this day and age. It gave him capabilities most could barely fathom, let alone have a chance at. He had advanced far beyond his years, and I knew then that he would excel at a swift rate.

He would make a good Hunter, Holly remarked.

Kevlar agreed.

Matthew stepped forward with calculation in his eyes, throwing his arms around Catalym. She relaxed instantaneously the moment he touched her—clever little bugger.

The moment Matthew made contact, Milindya recalled her power. She didn’t want to hurt the young man more than Catalym did. I was sure this Giles person didn’t, as well—clever little bugger.

“She’s what?” Judo looked up, surprised.

“If the two of you would get your heads out of your asses for like one minute, you could sense it.” Matthew casually strolled up to Kelly. They stared at each other for a moment in silence, each measuring up the other.

“You bonded with her willingly. Not for any reason other than you sympathize with her situation.” He contemplated her. “Even wish to make it better, even at the cost of something lost to you.”

Kelly silently nodded, clearly affected by one of such purebloods, even in his youth. Her eyes dilated, and Marcus shifted at her side. It was an automatic thing with us when close to something innately more powerful, but even so, it annoyed him.

Matthew lit up like a Christmas tree, and she was transfixed. Marcus possessively ran a single finger up the back of her arm, and she shook her head. She turned to smile at him, and he visibly calmed.

And Catalym’s brother didn’t miss either the action or intended threat. Kelly didn’t notice their fleeting eye contact, marking territory in a ritual as old as man.

If the situation hadn’t been so dire, I would’ve laughed.

When he whirled on me, Judo snarled, “No, it can’t be.”

“And…with you.” Matthew came to a stop in front of me.

“This is unacceptable!”

“Shut up, Judo.” The young man snapped, his friendly face flushing coldly.

But his evident joy over this matter bubbled, an unwilling smile returning. How strange this more petite man was. He didn’t seem normal even to me, but it was in a good, unexpected way.

It wasn’t the first time it had occurred to me that the customs of this area had finally gotten to me over the years, forever changing. This was my lifestyle now, and I doubted I could return to the vampires Holly and I once were, nor could he.

“You care for her,” Matthew said confidently, interrupting my wayward thoughts. “A lot, I might add. And it has nothing to do…”

Matthew’s eyes were unfocused, and I felt his light inquiry in my mind for entrance. His politeness impressed me, even in his inability to touch my mind without consent. I could do no other than not when he was concerned for the same reason I was.

It was strange, but I knew her brother only wanted to ensure my intentions were pure. I had to admire him for having the guts even to try. Most of us were private where we could be, refusing to open up to someone we could hide from.

“His power is to tell true emotion, not what you present to the world, or even what you think you feel. He knows what lies in your true heart,” Catalym replied softly.

She watched her brother with intent fascination, ignoring the rest. I could feel her in my head, gauging my reaction. It was another test of sorts, one I didn’t know I had been taking.

You love her.