Chapter 3

Cassian took my hand and led me toward the door.

Adrian's voice was cold. "Cassian, are you really going to break the blood truce for a half-breed who can't even shift?"

Cassian stopped and turned back. "The blood truce stays."

His gaze swept over Adrian, Lawrence, Lucian, and Vera. "But I'm adding a new condition."

Adrian asked, "What is it?"

Cassian tightened his grip on my hand. "She's mine."

*****

Cassian led me out of the castle.

The rain had stopped, and the Black Forest was blanketed in mist.

A black, horseless carriage waited at the foot of the stone steps, its door engraved with black roses and bats.

As soon as I sat down, blood spilled from my lips before I could stop it.

Cassian sat across from me, his brows furrowed. "The consequences of rejecting the bond hit harder than I thought."

I leaned against the carriage wall. "Why did you save me?"

He didn't answer. Instead, he took out a small silver vial from his sleeve and handed it to me. "Drink it."

I stared at the vial. "Is this blood?"

"It's my blood."

I shoved it away at once. "I'm not drinking it."

One shouldn't drink vampire blood recklessly, especially the blood from a noble vampire.

The Embrace meant the vampire would drain one dry, and then make the one drink their blood. Even though Cassian hadn't drained me, vampire blood always came with a contract.

Cassian raised an eyebrow. "You're dying."

"Still not drinking it," I shot back.

"Afraid you'll turn into a vampire?"

"Afraid I'll end up your slave."

He looked at me and suddenly smiled. It was a faint, cold curve of his lips, like moonlight flashing on a blade. "Not entirely foolish."

I clutched my chest. "What is it that you really want from me?"

Cassian leaned back in his seat, his crimson eyes locked on my face. "Your blood."

I let out a cold laugh. "Figures."

"It's not for drinking. Your blood can let vampires walk in the sunlight for a short time."

I froze.

One of the side effects of a blood bond was that, if a vampire formed a blood bond with a human, they might actually be able to walk in the sun without getting burned.

But I was a werewolf.

"I'm not human," I said.

"You're not like any normal werewolf," Cassian said. "When a regular werewolf gets rejected by their fated mate in front of everyone, their inner wolf either goes feral or they drop dead on the spot. But you survived."

I clenched my fists.

In my head, my inner wolf's voice was barely a whisper, like it was echoing from underwater. 'Don't trust him, but don't die...'

I asked, "You want to make a blood bond with me?"

"A temporary blood bond," Cassian said. "I'll give you my blood to suppress the backlash from the rejection. In return, you give me yours, so I can attend the blood truce meeting tomorrow at noon."

"Why does it have to be noon?"

"Because someone's been killing off the last surviving vampires and framing the werewolves," Cassian replied, his gaze turning icy.

"If I can't stand in the sunlight at noon tomorrow and hold a public autopsy, the Blackthorn elders will accuse Silverpine of breaking the Masquerade and the territory pact.

"And if that happens, it'll mean war between the werewolves and the vampires."

I stared at him. "Why do you think I'd help you?"

Cassian's voice was cool. "Because your fated mate just rejected you, and I can make him regret that."

His words struck right at my heart.

I hated how he always seemed to have me all figured out. But what I hated even more was how his words actually shook me.

I closed my eyes, letting the music from the ball float over from the Wolf Castle in the distance.

They were still waltzing inside.

After Lucian rejected me, he'd still take Vera's hand for the first mate's dance.

And if I went back, I'd be locked up in the dungeon and become the butt of every joke in Silverpine.

I opened my eyes. "So, how do we do this temporary blood bond?"

Cassian placed the silver vial in my palm, and then offered me his wrist. "You drink my blood, and I drink yours. Three drops each."

"This isn't the Embrace, right?"

"Only if I drain you dry."

"This won't make me have to obey you, right?"

"If you're willing to do as I say, I'll save myself a lot of hassle."

I shot him a glare.

He added, "Too bad you don't seem like the type who follows orders."

I bit my finger and squeezed out three drops of blood into the little vial.

Cassian sliced open his wrist. Dark red blood welled up, its scent crisp and intoxicating, rich as red wine in winter's chill.

As soon as I swallowed the first drop, it felt like fire raced through my veins.

In my mind, my inner wolf jolted awake.