A Bond of Blood (A Shade of Vampire #9)(8)

All I could think about now was the fact that the Novaks, and consequently Rose, believed me to have betrayed their trust and stolen Anna.

It was a thought that had been weighing heavily upon my mind. Although I knew it was irrational, since I would never see Rose again—and indeed I had to stay away from her—it pained me to know that she would believe that I’d been playing her just so I could gain entrance onto the island.

After I returned to my room, I threw open the balcony doors and stared down at the cruel icy slopes. As the wind whipped past my face, it brought me to my senses.

This is the best thing that could have happened. Rose will distrust me, and whatever affections she might have held for me will be forgotten. And now it’s time for me to forget too.

Chapter 10: Rose

Staying inside was beginning to feel claustrophobic as we waited for our parents’ return. They hadn’t given us the slightest indication of when it might be. Hours? Days? Weeks? Even Corrine had no idea. They had all rushed off in such a hurry I doubted they had even known themselves.

Since all the leading vampires had left the island along with my parents, including their seconds-in-command, Vivienne and Xavier, Corrine and Eli had been left in charge. It was a lot for the witch to bear on her shoulders, given that she was also in charge of making sure the spell remained over the island. But if it was a struggle for the witch, she didn’t show it. She took everything in her stride and kept the island running smoothly in our rulers’ absence. I supposed it also helped to take her mind off worrying about her husband, Ibrahim.

I had no such distraction. After spending most of the morning with Ben, I found myself craving solitude and left the Sanctuary to take a walk along the beach.

I walked barefoot through the sand, the gentle wind carrying my hair and blowing against my face. I stopped once I reached the water and stared out toward the horizon.

The vision of Caleb’s submarine disappearing beneath the waves was still fresh in my memory, and like salt in a wound, now it stung more than ever.

Could he have really been using me all that time?

I knew him to be capable of worse. And now that he was gone, it seemed that maybe it had been my own feelings leading me to believe that he held some sort of affection for me.

From our first dance right up to our parting kiss… all an act.

Maybe it was no coincidence at all that he showed up on the same beach the same night we were partying. Maybe he somehow discovered we’d gone to Hawaii and planned this all along.

Maybe everything he told me about himself and the witch was a lie. Maybe what they were doing upstairs each night was just because they both like it rough, while all the while I was pitying him. And he used this belief to evoke sympathy from me and draw me in further. After all, I never actually saw what was going on up there…

My mind began to spiral out of control as I began to replay everything that had happened, from when I’d first seen him on the beach right up until we’d parted at the port. By the end of my walk, I found myself losing all hope.

And yet I felt a stubborn knot in my gut each time I blamed him. But perhaps it was just a defense mechanism to avoid the pain.

Tears threatened to spill down my cheeks, but I fought them back. I wasn’t going to cry over this man. I’d already given him my affections, which he’d dashed to the ground. I wasn’t about to give him my tears too.

Although I bit my lip almost until the point of drawing blood, I managed to hold back the waterworks.

Still, even as I was convincing myself that Caleb wasn’t worthy of my affections, I shuddered at the thought of what my father might be doing to him now, or might have already done to him. I knew that my father wouldn’t hesitate to rip Caleb’s heart out the moment he laid eyes on him.

I swallowed back the lump in my throat and breathed deeply. I need to forget about that vampire.

I unzipped my dress, stripping to my underwear, and slid into the ocean. The waves lapping against my body always calmed my nerves. I lay back, submerging my hair in the water, and stared up at the starry night.

I lost track of how long I’d been lying there in the warm waters. I almost dozed off at one point because I started at someone shouting my name above the water. I heard a loud splashing next to my ear. I opened my eyes to see Griffin hovering over me.

“Rose.”

I jumped out of the water and scrambled onto the beach where I’d left my dress, quickly pulling it back over my underwear. Then I turned back to face him.

“What?” I asked, my cheeks flushing from embarrassment that my best friend had just seen me undressed for the first time.

He too looked embarrassed, his eyes fixed determinedly on the sand while I got dressed.

“I’m sorry,” he said, kicking the sand. “I… I know you haven’t been back long, barely more than a day, but I’ve barely seen you since you returned. I just wanted to know how you’re doing.”

I forced a smile and nodded. “I’m fine, Griff. It’s good to be back… and, uh, I’m dressed now. You can look up.”

He looked up and grinned sheepishly as he caught my eye. He cleared his throat and took a few steps closer to me.

“I, uh…” His voice trailed off. He averted his eyes away from me and looked out at the ocean, slipping his hands into his jeans pockets.

I joined him in gazing out at the ocean. And I wished that he hadn’t come to find me. I felt like I was a world apart from everyone right now. Even my own brother. I just needed space for myself. I sighed and sat back down in the water, my dress billowing up in the waves.