“Have you found a way to break my bond with Ian?” I asked nonchalantly. It was pointless though, Aiden could probably feel my anxiety.

“I’m close. I’m going to meet with an old friend in two days.”

“You can’t break it yourself?”

Aiden was quiet for a few moments before he sat up and looked over at me. I sat up too, pulling the sheet around my body. I could see guilt in his eyes and that worried me. I didn’t want Ian to be right.

“Why do you ask?”

“Ian told me you could break it if you wanted to,” I reluctantly told him.

His guilt was quickly replaced with anger. He hopped out of bed and stalked across the room to where his clothes sat in a messy pile.

“Is it true?”

“Seems like your mind is already made up that it is,” Aiden said heatedly.

I got out of bed and wrapped the white sheet around my body. I placed my hands around his waist and met his eyes. “I just want to know, if you could break it, then why haven’t you?” A small part of me worried that in order to break the bond with Ian; I’d have to bond with Aiden. The scenario didn’t sound bad, but I was concerned that Aiden was bothered by the idea. Perhaps he didn’t want to be bonded to me. I couldn’t begrudge his feelings if that was the case, even if it hurt my heart the tiniest bit.

“Yes, I could break the bond right now, but there would be repercussions and Ian knows that.” Aiden’s arms went around my waist and his body relaxed slightly.

“What kind of repercussions?”

“Once a vampire bonds with someone, they’re considered their property. If I were to replace Ian’s bond with my own, then it would be like me stealing one of his possessions and the vampire council would order a warrant for my death. I’m sure when Ian told you he hoped you would guilt me into fixing the bond so the council would kill me. Vampires are very territorial, as you know, and for all intents and purposes, Ian owns you.”

My heart pounded in my chest like a tribal drum while anger snaked its way through my veins. I hated vampire politics. I hated that they could claim an unwilling person as their own, and most of all, I hated that my supposed owner was Ian Despereaux.

“What if I appeal to the vampire council? Tell them he tricked me into the bond?” I asked hopeful.

“Vampires think of themselves as the superior race, they’re not going to care that Ian claimed you without your consent. I’ll find a way around this, Gwen. I promise.”

I knew I should believe Aiden’s promise, but my pessimism refused to let me be hopeful.

5

I walked up the stone steps in a daze of confusion and anger. My life had twisted so far from the norm that I didn’t know what to think of it anymore. The celebration from the Midnight Magical rang throughout the castle and mocked my bad mood. I didn’t want to hear laughter and happiness when my own existence was doomed to be miserable. My fellow witches and warlocks didn’t have to deal with an ounce of the grief I was dealing with, and it only made my mood that much worse.

The thought of running away with Aiden popped into my mind, but even that was squashed by the fact that no matter how far I ran, Ian could always find me. I didn’t understand his fascination with me—other than my blood being a high potency because of my spirit walker status. Did he want to own me for the endless supply of powerful blood? Was being bonded to me some sort of game for him? Or did he have another trick up his sleeve? I didn’t know any of the answers and I was getting tired of being in the dark about my own problems.

I trudged into my bedroom and flopped onto my bed. Aura meowed so I ran my fingers through her long black fur, and she quickly went back to sleep. I envied her, to be able to sleep all day and not have a care in the world. “You’re one lucky girl, you know?” I said to my lazy Persian. I wondered if she thought like a human or if she was as happy being a cat as I would be.

Two soft knocks brought my attention away from my cat. “Come in,” I called. My door opened, and I sat up when Kye entered my room. His eyes roamed my bedroom as if he were searching for something, or someone.

“What do you need, Kye?” I didn’t bother to mask my annoyance. He crossed his arms over his chest and said, “Holly has someone she would like you to meet.”

I laughed bitterly. “Don’t you get tired of being her lapdog?”

“No,” he said simply. I shook my head at his lack of backbone and hopped off my bed. I wished I would’ve showered and changed my clothes after being with Aiden but that would have to wait. I grabbed a rubber band off of my dresser and put my hair into a ponytail.

“Lead the way,” I told Kye.

We climbed four flights of stairs before we stopped and walked down an expansive hallway. The sixth floor looked exactly like my floor: stone walls and floors, arched beveled windows, and antique benches and rugs placed sparingly.

Kye knocked on a thick wooden door, and when Holly’s voice ordered for us to enter, Kye opened the door. Holly was sitting behind a large desk, and a roaring fire danced within a large fireplace off to the side. An antique chandelier hung from the center of the room, the lights meant to look like candles, emanated a soft glow.

Two leather wingback chairs sat in front of Holly’s desk. I caught a glimpse of a man’s hand resting on the arm of the chair, but its tall back obscured his identity. The office door closed behind me, and I turned to see that Kye had left.

“Gwen, there’s someone I’d like you to meet,” Holly announced. I looked back at her, and she motioned for me to sit in the unoccupied chair. With an annoyed grumble, I walked the short distance and sat in the offered seat. It was one in the morning, and I didn’t have the energy to deal with Holly’s antics or meet another anti-vampire patron. I crossed my legs and leaned back in the chair, but my curiosity got the better of me and I looked to my left. A man with short blonde hair and sunglasses watched me with interest and a smirk on his lips. He seemed familiar, yet I had never met him.

“Training starts tomorrow, as you may know,” Holly began. Her voice seemed distant as I was locked in the mystery man’s gaze. I didn’t read auras, but I felt a coldness emanating from him, like his whole being was lonely and full of death. “Mr. Hade has offered his services in training you. Kye has been most helpful, but I’m afraid you need training on a more personal level. Mr. Hade can offer spectacular guidance as you come to terms with what you are. I need you in tip-top shape.”

“Hade?” I hadn’t meant to say it aloud.

“Dorian Hade,” the blonde man said and held out his hand. I eyed him cautiously, my inner voice telling me that something wasn’t right with him.

“I believe we met earlier,” Dorian said.

I gasped as I watched his appearance change to the man at the wreck. His short blonde hair darkened and lengthened. His face reshaped so his jaw line was squarer, and his eyes swirled with different shades of gray as he took off his sunglasses.

“What are you?” I rudely blurted out.

“I apologize, Mr. Hade, Gwen’s knowledge of her own kind is limited,” Holly said on my behalf. I eyed her and then brought my attention back to Dorian. “You’re a spirit walker?” A smile crept onto his lips. He lifted one of his legs so it rested on his knee. He was dressed in jeans, a white t-shirt, a black leather jacket, and black boots.

“No. I’m the Angel of Death. Spirit walkers descend from my kind.” His gray eyes watched me with humor as my mouth twisted in confusion. I looked between Holly and Dorian as if they were joking. But that wouldn’t happen; Holly didn’t have a sense of humor that I was aware of.

“So, does that mean I’m…part angel?” my voice came out in a shriek, so I cleared my throat.

“No, but your darker gifts are given by us, not your goddess.” Dorian said.

“But why?” It was better if I kept my speaking to the minimal. I was too shocked to form complete sentences.

“We need soldiers just like everyone else,” Dorian said simply with a shrug of his broad shoulders. My eyebrows scrunched up, and I frowned at his explanation. I could barely walk without tripping over something, definitely not a soldier.

“What does that mean?”

“We collect spirits and guide them to the hereafter. Spirits have a choice if they want to go or not, but if they stay, boredom is bound to drive them insane. If this happens, we usually call a spirit walker to track them down and take care of the problem. We can’t do everything.”

I leaned back in the leather chair and absorbed the new information. “So, I’m like Death’s bounty hunter?” I laughed sarcastically.

Like I need another problem.

“I suppose you could say that,” Dorian agreed with a nod of his head. I glanced over at him and quickly away, his eyes frightened me.

“What’s with the changing appearance?”

“My normal form is not accepted as well as a human one. I can make myself look like anything or anyone, but then so can you, Ms. Sparks.”

My hands shook as I wondered what his normal form looked like. The only reapers I’d ever seen had been in books or on Halloween decorations. Maybe Dorian Hade strolled around in a black cape and carried a scythe. I appreciated his current look much more than what I assumed an Angel of Death might look like.

“You’re anti-vampire?” I asked. I caught Holly shaking her head out of the corner of my eye, but I ignored her.

“I am neutral. I do not pick sides in frivolous matters. I am only here as a favor to your High Priestess,” Dorian said, his tone sounding almost bored. I was curious as to why the Angel of Death would owe Holly a favor, but I decided not to ask.

“Gwen was dating a vampire, one that I’m sure she still has urges to meet with. I do not want you encouraging her. Our war may be frivolous to you, Mr. Hades, but it’s very serious to us,” Holly hissed and looked at me. “I assume you are done with that parasite?” Like every other question Holly asked, it was more of an order than a request for my opinions or thoughts.