“Have you witnessed a Binding before?” he asked Jelisette.
She shook her head. “No, have you?”
“No, but I have a book around here somewhere that talks about it.” His gaze swiveled around his home before he found the title he sought. “There. The third one from the bottom.”
Usually, Isvana’s Chosen priests and priestesses performed Bindings, but it wasn’t a requirement.
Jelisette slid off the bed, her movements lithe as she crossed the cave and found the book. “Isvana’s Blessings: A Recounting of Bindings and Tetherings throughout The Three Eras.Well, this reading material is… delightful.”
Itwasdelightful. Emery had a variety of books, bothfiction and non-fiction, to suit all his literary needs. However, he recognized that perhaps not everyone enjoyed reading as much as him.
Jelisette brought the book over, and Emery flipped through it with his good hand until he found the passage he was looking for. He read it quickly, then nodded. At his direction, Jelisette found a cup before taking a seat beside him.
“This shouldn’t hurt,” he said.
She smiled. “I don’t care if it hurts. I’m ready.”
So was he.
Keeping the book open, Emery turned to Jelisette. “You’re sure?”
It wasn’t like they could go back after this.
“A thousand percent. Let’s do this.” Without waiting for him to respond, she brought her wrist to her mouth and bit. She pulled her mouth away, and crimson trickled into the cup she held underneath her arm. The skin healed quickly, and then Jelisette turned to Emery.
He already had his good wrist in his mouth. His fangs broke the skin with ease, and he quickly held his wrist over the cup, adding his scarlet contribution to the drink.
As his blood trickled into the cup, Jelisette held the book open on her lap. Her voice was melodic and smooth as she read the Binding spell. It had been translated into the Common Tongue, the words heavy and archaic as she read them. Magic thickened the air, and shadows slipped from her palms.
Then, she turned to Emery. “It’s time,” she murmured.
He took the cup wordlessly, his gaze locked on hers as he lifted it to his lips. The blood was warm as it slid down his throat, and he groaned at the delicious flavors flooding his mouth. Her blood was everything he’d tasted in her mouth but amplified a hundred times over. It was ambrosia, the most delicious thing he’d ever tasted, and he wanted more. He needed it.
Already, he was beginning to feel better. The pain in his arm was less pronounced, and it felt like he could breathe.
Jelisette took the goblet, swiftly drinking the rest of the blood. The moment the cup was empty, warmth spread through Emery. It started in his chest and quickly spread through all of him. The song of his shadows grew louder and louder until their thrumming beat was theonly thing he could hear. Magic rushed through the air, and Emery’s skin tingled as the Binding took effect.
He took over the reading, speaking the final words of the spell. “Two are becoming one. Bound together through eternity. Never to be undone.”
The tang of magic thickened as he spoke the final words, and a flash of crimson light burst from both their palms. The magic twisted around their wrists, tightening as it sank into them.
Then, just as quickly as the crimson light had appeared, the magic vanished. In its place, an intricate black swirling tattoo formed a permanent bracelet on Emery’s wrist. A glance up confirmed that Jelisette had a matching one on hers. Both were as thick as three fingers put together, a mark to all the world that they were Bound.
Jelisette closed the book with a resoundingthudand turned towards Emery. Her black eyes gleamed, and she whispered, “Bite me, Emery. Take what you need.”
This time, Emery didn’t ask if she was sure. He wouldn’t do her that disservice. Instead, he wound his hand behind her head and slowly pulled her towards him. His Bound Partner arched her neck, giving him clear access. He licked his fangs and, with a groan, surged forward.
CHAPTER 7
Forever
Emery’s fangs sank into Jelisette’s neck with ease. There wasn’t even a pinprick of pain. His sharpened teeth slid into her like they’d always belonged there.
She moaned, her fingers curling on the comforter as she inched closer to him. There was no pain or discomfort. Just pure, endless bliss.
Maybe—just maybe—Jelisette could understand why Justus was always talking about his partners. If this was what it would feel like every time Emery drank from her…
Gods. Just the thought sent a thrill of pleasure through her. He drank, pulling deep draws of her blood, and she sank into the bliss he provided her. His arms wrapped around her, and she let him hold her as her body became boneless.