The car's dark interior was a cocoon of silence, broken only by the hum of the engine and the faint city sounds muffled by the tinted windows. Eira sat as far as possible from Caius, her chest still heaving as the weight of everything that had happened pressed against her like an iron vice.
Her hand trembled against her lap, but she clenched it into a fist, willing herself to stay calm. Her pulse raced, and she hated knowing he could hear it—hated the way it must sound like a siren's call to him.
The car's interior was suffocatingly quiet, save for the faint hum of the engine. She couldn't look at Caius—couldn't bear to see the glow of his golden eyes or the subtle tension in his frame that reminded her he was still a predator.
"You're too quiet," Caius finally said, his voice breaking the silence. It was low, smooth, and carried an edge of irritation.
Eira's gaze flicked toward him, her anger barely masking the trembling in her hands. "What do you expect me to say?"
"That you understand the gravity of the situation," he replied, his golden eyes fixing on her like a predator watching its prey. "And that you're ready to do what needs to be done."
Her stomach churned at his words, her hands clenching into fists. "I already told you—no. I'm not doing this."
Caius's lips curved into a humorless smirk. "Your stubbornness is impressive, if misplaced." He shifted slightly, his long frame dominating the space. "But you'll learn, Eira. Defiance has a cost."
"Maybe I'm willing to pay it," she shot back, though her voice lacked the force she intended.
Caius leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his gaze piercing. "And what price do you think that will be?" His tone was calm, but there was something razor-sharp beneath it. "Your life? Your brother's?"
Her breath hitched, and she hated the way he wielded Finn's safety like a weapon. "You're just proving my point," she said, her voice trembling. "You don't care about me."
As soon as Eira had said the words, she wished she could take them back. It sounded so silly.. wanting the monster you entered into a contract marrige with to care about you.
So pathetic.
So human.
He let out a low, humorless laugh. "Care? No, Eira. This isn't about care. This is about survival. Mine and yours."
Before she could argue, Caius moved. It wasn't sudden, but it was fast enough to make her breath hitch. In one fluid motion, he pulled her across the seat, his strong hands guiding her until she was straddling his lap. Her knees pressed against the leather, and her pulse raced as she tried to shove him away, but his grip was unyielding.
"Let go of me!" she demanded, through gritted teeth.
"Stop fighting me, Eira," Caius said, his voice low, a dangerous growl beneath the surface. His hand tangled in her hair with a surprising gentleness that belied the iron in his grip. "It will only hurt more."
"Caius, don't," she protested, her voice rising with fear.
"I can feel your panic," Caius murmured, his voice a low rumble in the confined space. He shifted beneath her, the movement slow, deliberate. "You're wasting energy."
Her pulse thundered against his grip, and she tried again to push against his chest, but he didn't budge. "Let me go," she said again, her voice trembling with equal parts fear and fury.
His golden eyes locked onto hers, glowing faintly in the dim light. "No," he said simply. "You're mine, Eira. You swore yourself to me, and now you'll fulfill that vow."
"I didn't agree to this," she spat, struggling against his hold.
"You agreed to be my wife," Caius said, his voice soft but cutting. "And this is what that means. I won't let you jeopardize us both because of your pride."
Her breath hitched as his hand tightened in her hair with an unbreakable grip. "Caius, please…" she whispered, her voice cracking. "Find another way."
"There is no other way." The sharp edge in his voice made her flinch, though she refused to let him see the effect he had on her. "This is your duty." he said, his voice soft but firm.
Eira gaze met his with defiant fire. "Duty?" she spat. "You dragged me into your world—you. I don't owe you anything."
In a flash, Caius caught her chin, tilting her face upward. "Oh, but you do," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "You made a choice. Your brother's life in exchange for this bond." His thumb brushed the edge of her jaw, sending a shiver down her spine. "You might not like the terms, but you agreed to them. And now, you will fulfill them."
Her breath caught in her throat, her heart thundering as his golden eyes burned into hers. "You think I'll just—just let you use me like this?"
Caius leaned closer, his voice dropping into a dangerous murmur. "You think I enjoy this? Do you think I want to drink from you, knowing how much it frightens you?" His grip on her waist tightened. "But I will. Because I have no choice. Just like you."
Eira's chest heaved as she glared up at him, her defiance warring with the panic clawing at her insides. "Then take it," she hissed. "If you're so damn desperate, take what you need."
Caius's lips curled into a faint, predatory smile. "You are stronger than I gave you credit for, little lamb."
He tilted her head to the side, exposing the curve of her neck. For a moment, something flickered in his expression—something almost regretful. But it was gone as quickly as it came. "I'll make it quick," he said, his tone softening just enough to unnerve her. "But don't mistake my mercy for weakness."
His lips brushed against her neck, and she shuddered, the heat of his breath sending a chill down her spine. She clenched her fists, bracing for the pain.
When his fangs pierced her skin, it was like fire—searing, relentless, and unforgiving. Eira cried out, her body jerking against his hold, but his grip was unyielding. The pain spread like molten iron, twisting through her veins, leaving her trembling and breathless.
"Caius—stop!" she gasped, her voice raw and cracking.
He didn't answer. The pull of his mouth was relentless, each drag of blood a fresh wave of agony. Eira clawed at his chest, but he didn't flinch. Tears blurred her vision as her pulse pounded in her ears, each beat echoing her desperation.
"Please—stop!" she gasped, her voice raw and cracking. "You're hurting me… please!" Her words broke on a sob, but he didn't respond.
The pressure of his fangs was merciless, and she clawed weakly at his coat, desperate to find even a shred of his so-called mercy. "Please…" she whispered again, tears spilling down her cheeks. "I can't take this…"
But Caius's hold only tightened, his arm anchoring her against him as though she might shatter. The pain was all-consuming, eclipsing everything else. And just when she thought she couldn't endure another moment, something shifted.
The fire dulled—not extinguished, but tempered by an electric pull that rippled through her. Her breath hitched as the pain mingled with something unfamiliar, something that left her lightheaded and unsteady.
The bond flared to life, bright and unrelenting, pulling her deeper into its grasp, binding her to him in ways she couldn't comprehend. She tried to resist it, tried to will the connection away, but it burrowed deeper, coiling around her very essence.
It wasn't just her body that betrayed her, it was something deeper, something stolen, something that felt like a theft of her autonomy, her very soul. And worst of all, she could feel him too—his hunger, his strength, and the faintest flicker of regret that only made it harder to hate him fully. It wasn't just his presence but something more primal and raw, a connection that twisted around her like roots burrowing into her soul.
Her heartbeat slowed, the rhythm steadying as her resistance melted into a strange, magnetic connection. Her hands, once defiant, clung to his shoulders, seeking stability against the storm raging inside her.
She hated it—hated the way her body betrayed her, how the bond reached deep inside her and planted itself there, untouchable and permanent. No matter how she fought it, the pull wouldn't relent. It wasn't just his power—this was something far worse. Something she couldn't escape.
"Please.." she barely managed the plea.
Caius finally pulled back, his lips stained crimson. The bond burned like a brand, its presence foreign and unwelcome, yet pulsing with a rhythm that matched her own.
He met her gaze. His golden eyes burned brighter, their glow almost hypnotic, but there was something else in his expression now—a flicker of restraint, of conflict. For a moment, he looked at her not with dominance but with something unspoken, something almost… regretful.
He hesitated, his hand brushing her jaw in a touch so fleeting it felt accidental. His eyes dimmed, as if weighed down by a burden he hadn't meant to carry. "This isn't how I wanted this to go," he murmured, so softly she wasn't sure if the words were for her or himself.
But then it was gone as quickly as it came. He leaned in again, his tongue flicking over the wounds. The sharp sting made her gasp, her body tensing instinctively.
"Stop!" she cried, her hands flying to his shoulders in an attempt to push him away.
"This is necessary," he said, his voice calm but unyielding. "Unless you want to wear these scars forever, little lamb."
His tongue passed over the marks again, each motion sharp and deliberate, drawing another whimper from her lips. The pain flared anew, but beneath it was something intimate, something that sent a shiver down her spine. It was unbearable, yet she couldn't pull away.
When he finally finished, the pain receded slightly, but leaving her trembling and raw. His golden eyes lingered on her face, his thumb brushing against her jawline as though to steady her.
"You're healed," he said softly, though his tone carried an edge of finality.
"I hate you," she whispered, her voice shaking with both fury and fear.
"You'll survive. Hate me all you like," Caius said, his tone unyielding. "But you'll live. And that's all that matters." His words were cold, calculated—but the flicker in his eyes betrayed something deeper. Something he refused to name.
Eira shoved against his chest, breaking free of his hold. She scrambled back into her seat, clutching the edge for support as she tried to steady her breathing. Her neck throbbed, and her skin felt like it was on fire where his tongue had touched, but the weight pressing against her chest was far worse.
The bond pulsed faintly in her veins, like an invasive rhythm that didn't belong to her. She pressed a hand to her now healed skin, trying to block out the phantom sensation of his fangs, but it didn't help. The tether between them had tightened, unseen but suffocating, and she knew, deep down, that there would be no undoing it.
"You're welcome, by the way," she spat, her voice trembling with anger and lingering fear. "Since I saved your life."
Caius leaned back, his lips curling into a faint smirk. "Don't forget, I spared yours, little lamb. Shall we call it even?"
Eira's chest burned with the force of her fury. "I'd rather die than owe you anything," she snapped, the venom in her voice masking the lingering tremble in her limbs. But the bond pulsing through her veins betrayed her words—it tethered her to him, regardless of her wishes. Her defiance felt hollow, a brittle armor against the storm he had unleashed inside her. But it was all she had left. Her eyes burned with unshed tears as she glared at him. "You're a monster."
"And you're alive. Don't forget who ensured that." Caius replied, his tone calm but cutting. He leaned back, wiping the last trace of blood from his lips. "You'll remember soon enough," he added, his voice cutting through the quiet like a blade.
Her fists clenched at her sides, her defiance rekindling even as her body betrayed her trembling. "Don't expect me to thank you."
Caius smirked, though his gaze lingered on her longer than it should have. "I wouldn't dream of it, little lamb."
As the car slowed near the castle gates, Eira pressed herself against the door, desperate to put distance between them.
But distance meant nothing.
Even as she stepped out onto unsteady legs, the bond coiled tighter, as if mocking her defiance. She swallowed the lump in her throat, refusing to look back at Caius, though his presence lingered like a shadow. Whatever had awakened between them wasn't just a tether—it was a chain.
And it was tightening.