She'd agreed? A momentary blast of shock tripped him up, but he said, "Just repeat after me." He raced through the realm, faster and faster, heading for the exit, putting as much distance between Gillian and William as possible. "Yes?"
A murmur of agreement.
Good enough. "I give you my heart, soul and body." He waited until she'd echoed his words. Every time she paused to catch her breath, his nerve endings buzzed. "I tie my life to yours, and when you die, I die with you. This I say, this I do."
The significance of the moment wasn't lost on him. They were tying their souls together. Until he used the shears, they would be two halves of a whole.
Had his life unfolded according to his original plan, he would never have considered bonding. He would have remained single, never sleeping with the same woman twice, never knowing true satisfaction in bed.
After Gillian--after Indifference--his life would be his own once again. I'll share with no one, ever.
He would trust no one, not even the next wife he would take. The loving queen.
"Repeat the rest," he commanded.
Tears welled in Gillian's eyes, making all that whiskey-colored gold appear liquid. Did she regret her decision already? Too bad. She'd run out of time, and had no other options. Her life was fading right before Puck's eyes.
If he had to force her to finish, he would.
Then, a miracle happened. She echoed his statement, willingly accepting his claim. "This I say, this I do."
So close to victory!
Indifference snarled, and Puck ground his teeth.
"I don't think...it worked." Gillian's brows drew together. "Are you sure...bonding is what...saves me? I feel...same. Weak as ever."
"Don't worry, lass. We aren't done yet."
Finally they reached the exit. Puck zoomed through the mystical doorway, entering a new realm. One he'd never before encountered. There was no beach, or people, only an endless expanse of jungle.
Possible threats: poison foliage, wildlife, man-made traps and the males who'd constructed them.
In a rare act of protection, he pressed Gillian's face into the hollow of his neck before shouldering through a sea of branches and leaves. He would claim the first shelter he found, by fair means or foul, and finish the ceremony.
There. A tree house came into view, large and luxurious.
Puck draped Gillian over his shoulder as gently as possible and climbed up, up. At the top, he found a beautiful bedroom furnished in white. Who lived here?
Hardly mattered. He placed Gillian in the center of the bed and withdrew a dagger. After slicing his wrist, he placed the wound directly over her lips. Blood dripped into her mouth, and she gagged.
"Swallow." He barked the command, showing no mercy.
Feverish and frantic, she shook her head, and precious drops dribbled down her cheek.
"You will do this." She must. Her life--and their bond--depended on it.
He fit the heel of his uninjured hand against her forehead to hold her in place and pinched her nose closed. Cruel on his part, but also necessary. She will die otherwise.
She would forgive him. Or not. He placed his wound over her mouth a second time. Because she had to open up in order to breathe, his blood trickled down her throat.
She gagged again but ultimately swallowed, and he heaved with relief. There. It was done.
He lifted her arm and picked up the dagger. He knew what he had to do--slice her beautiful skin--but still he hesitated. Take blood she couldn't afford to give? How could he dare?
No other way. Her pain would be fleeting. Once it was done, she could siphon his strength and finally, blessedly complete her transition into immortality. All would be well. She might even thank him.
Puck inhaled sharply--and slashed Gillian's wrist. She cringed as he placed the wound at his mouth and drank.
"Blood of my blood, breath of my breath," he rasped, his heart thudding against his ribs. "Until the end of time." Or until the shears were used. "Repeat the words, lass."
Her eyes widened, and straight white teeth chewed on a bottom lip still coated with Puck's blood. "No," she said, and shuddered. "Need to think. No longer sure..."
Refusal? Now? Running out of time. "If you don't do this, you will die, and I will war with William for nothing." Without a bargaining chip, William would have no reason to become Puck's ally and every reason to become his enemy.
A thousand different emotions swam in her eyes, despair at the forefront.
Puck thought he understood. A bond saved her life, but also destroyed any chance of being with William. In her mind, at least. She had no idea Puck planned to use the shears, and he wasn't going to tell her. Yet. For all he knew, William had tagged her with some kind of ward after finding out Puck had come sniffing around, allowing the other man to listen through her ears. The warrior would learn the truth when Puck decided to share, and no sooner.
"You understand William would have let you die?" he said, the words lashing from him. "I'm here. I'm willing to risk everything--for you."
A whimper opened the floodgates, heralding a sob. Had she even heard him?
Frustration and rage battered his ice. Snarls echoed inside his head.
Inhale, exhale. "Gillian." He cupped her jaw, keeping his hold as soft as possible. "Give me a chance. Let me save you."
Again, he wasn't sure if she'd heard him or not, but she closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. One second passed, two, a seemingly endless agony. When finally her eyelids parted, he met a golden gaze more haunted than ever before--windows to the wounds festering deep inside her.
Tears streamed down her cheeks and tremors rocked her delicate body, but at long last, she repeated the words. "Blood of my blood, breath of my breath. Until the end of time."
11
Between one heartbeat and the next, Gillian's life forever changed.
As strength and warmth sped through her body, darkness and ice sped through her soul. The dual sensations battled for supremacy, leaving her reeling. So badly she wanted to cry out for William. He would make everything better.
But he wasn't here, and what could have been would never be.
A sob lodged against a lump in her throat, and a choking sound escaped. She'd aligned her life with someone else. A stranger.
And that was a good thing, right? She'd reset. Today marked Day One of her fresh start. She had a new path to walk--without William. What if he decided to cut her from his life altogether, because she was no longer Gillian, but Gillian plus one?
How could she say goodbye to the greatest man she'd ever met? Tears distorted her vision.
William would have let you die. I'm here. I'm willing to risk everything.
Old Gillian would have lamented. New Gillian would rejoice. For the first time, she had a plan for her life. The rescue of abused kids. Every time she succeeded, she would be kicking evil in the nuts.
Finally the dark fog that had plagued her since she'd fallen ill lifted, the past few days--weeks?--becoming a blur as the present cleared.
An open, airy bedroom greeted her, pure rustic glamor. Sunlight flowed through cracks in wooden walls. She filled her lungs to capacity, the scent of lavender and peat smoke teasing her, rich and decadent, even soothing--Puck's scent. Delicious.
Gillian lay on a large bed with a soft mattress. Her husband perched at her side, watching her with a strained expression. Because he'd shared so much of his strength with her?
When his gaze collided with hers, a sensual haze clouded her thoughts. Puck was...he was...
More beautiful than I ever realized.
The ivory horns gave him an otherworldly mystique. Silky black hair beckoned her fingers...kohl-rimmed eyes burned with possessiveness, melting the frost from his coal-colored irises. Today, his irises reminded her of a midnight sky scattered with stars. His lips were a darker shade of rose than before and begged to be kissed--demanded to own the mouth pressed against his.
No man had ever looked so hard an
d gentle at the same time, as if he could kill you or seduce you just as soon as he made up his mind.
An odd sensation prickled the crests of Gillian's breasts and between her legs. Unimportant. Ignore. What mattered? She was alive! Thanks to Puck, she had hope, and a future.
Laughing, she threw her arms around him. She owed him big-time. But all he wanted in return? To feel an emotion, any emotion.
Sounded easy enough. In theory, at least.
How was she supposed to make the keeper of Indifference laugh? Tell him jokes? How was she supposed to make him cry? Share stories about her childhood?
And where were they gonna go, huh? Back to Budapest with the Lords? She doubted Puck would be welcome, and knew he wouldn't blend in with modern society.
Actually, he didn't have to blend in. People would assume he wore a costume, and probably post reviews online.
Did you see the "monster" in the castle district? So fake!
His makeup artist should be fired.
He wouldn't fool my blind uncle. Grade: D-
Gillian released him, eager to discuss her thoughts, plans and hopes, but he wrapped his arms around her and held her firmly in place. Her heart kicked into a staccato rhythm, and her blood ran cold.
Panic surged, and she wrenched back, gaining her freedom. Relief bloomed...until she heard a quiet, sinister roar in the back of her mind.
*
Puck battled the fiercest erection of his life. Poppiberries--Gillian's scent--filled his nose. Except, her sweet fragrance now had added depth, because it blended with his scent, becoming their scent.
They were well and truly bonded.
Her fragile body had demanded its due, taking what it needed from his body. He'd only just recovered from Indifference's punishment; now, a good portion of his newfound strength had already deserted him. But...he was glad. Or almost glad.
Such a small price to pay for Gillian's stunning transformation.
Color had returned to her skin, the beautiful golden tones now flushed with rose. The weight she'd lost had reappeared in a blink, her eyes no longer sunken, her cheeks rounded once again. Dull, lifeless hair had new luster and gleamed as if dusted with diamond powder.