Bonded With Love by Tiffany Heiser (the giving tree read aloud .txt) 📕

really was.
“First off, Rena,” Cryder's words halted my wandering thoughts. “You must learn to block those thoughts,” he said with a smirk on his face.
Did he hear my thoughts again? I yanked my arm away and turned. I knew my face had become the brightest shade of red known to man. “Yes, I think that's a great idea,” I mumbled.
“We also need to get you comfortable with your senses. To hear and smell at a distance is something vampires are great at, and it often comes in handy,” Cryder said to everyone.
My hearing and sense of smell already had grown. I had figured that out when I was running through the woods. Even now the smell of rain in the distance clung to my nostrils through closed windows, and I could hear the cries of a lone wolf in the woods. My mind categorized every sound and scent like a book shelf.
Cryder watched me as I listened to all the different sounds of the night. “You don't have a problem with that do you Rena?”
I shook my head.
“What? Really?” Drake sounded shocked.
“Let's try to test this out, okay?” Cryder asked me.
I gave a half shrug, not completely in the mood to be a test subject.
“Alright then Drake, let's start the test.”
Drake nodded, stood up, and meandered out of the room. I heard his footsteps treading lightly on the wooden floor, and enter through a creaking door. By listening to the sound reverberating through the house, I could tell that he had made his way to the kitchen. Opening the refrigerator with a click, and then he pulled a plastic container out. I couldn't quite figure out what was in it, until he popped the lid. A rich smell of pure perfection slammed into me.
“Rena, can you tell me where Drake is?” Cryder had taken a seat on the couch. He and Cecile watched me.
“He w-went to the kitchen,” I answered trying to control my urge to fly into the kitchen and drain the blood from the plastic bottle in Drake's hand.
“Okay. What did he do in the kitchen?”
I breathed deeply. “He pulled out a bottle filled with blood.” I looked at Cryder. “Your blood.”
Cryder nodded with a grin forming on his lips.
“Holy crap Rena! That's impressive. I couldn't do that right now, there are way too many sounds around this house. I can't concentrate on just one.” Cecile smiled at me.
Cryder only stared at me as Drake came around the corner with the bottle still in his hands. He tossed it to me with the lid still opened. When I caught the bottle liquid spilled onto my hand and the floor, and my stomach rumbled almost instantly. Did I crave the blood?
“Let's try to send emotions to our mates...” Cryder stopped as he saw my wince at the word-mates. “Okay then, partner, we want to share emotions with our partner.” He corrected himself. “You and your partner should be able to share. This will be a helpful thing if you are ever to be separated from each other. You will be able to sense when the other is in danger, scared, in pain, or even happy.”
“You can do that without touching?” asked Cecile.
“Yes. It takes a lot of practice and a true bond between partners.” Cryder kept his eyes on me the whole time, and I could feel my face flush.
Drake and Cecile sat on the couch together. “Can we try with touch first?” She smiled.
“Absolutely. Anything that involves touching you sounds great.” Drake winked.
Cecile wiped her hands on her pants and then placed them into Drake's open palms. She had a constipated look as she scrunched her nose trying to concentrate.
Cryder and I watched the two of them as they focused on sending emotions.
“That was great Cecile. I felt something creep into my mind. ” Drake smiled.
Cecile huffed from exhaustion. “I tried.”
“How about you give it a try now, Rena,” Cryder said as he found an open spot on the floor.
I sat in front of him and scooted forward so I could place my hands in his. His sparkling blue eyes stared into mine, and I tried to slow my breaths that naturally sped up by his touch.
“Okay well here goes,” I announced and closed my eyes.
My mind immediately began swimming with thoughts. I sloshed through them and tried to find one that would fill me with emotions. I felt my eyes squishing together and forming the constipated look, until I found a memory that instantaneously brought strong feelings to the front of the line.
The image of my parents became the only thing I could see. Their smiling faces and the way they leaned into each other brought hot tears streaming down my cheeks. The salty flavor rushed onto my lips and my voice shook. “Did you want to try it without touching?”
“Your parents are beautiful,” Cryder responded as he squeezed my hands.
My eyes shot open. “You saw them?”
He nodded.
“Hey, you could see into her mind?” asked Cecile.
“Yes. I saw inside. Your mind is filled with so much...grief.” Cryder's eyes were rimmed with red.
Was he sad for me?
“A few things I still have to get over,” I commented nonchalantly, and let go of his hands.
The wall between us appeared to be slowly breaking down, and it continued to scare me. I could feel myself falling for him, but I wasn't one hundred percent on the vampire band wagon.
“Are you alright?” Cryder still eyed me as I sat in front of him, hugging my knees to my chest.
“Um, yeah. I guess,” I answered. “Why could you see that?”
He shrugged. “Honestly, I can only give you the same answer I've been giving you.”
“That I'm screwed up? An anomaly?” I questioned back as I hugged my knees even tighter against my chest.
Cryder came over to where I sat, and placed his hands on each side of my face. “No,” he replied sternly. Then his whole demeanor softened as he said, “you are becoming the true queen.”


Chapter 8

Cecile and I decided to forget the training for the night. We also decided, for safety reasons only, to spend the night in the guy's house. And I laid in one of the beds of a spare room in the mansion without being able to sleep as Cryder's words played over and over in my mind. How could I be gaining vampire queen powers, when I wasn't even a full-fledged vampire? What would be expected of me? I glanced over at the clock on the night stand next to my bed and realized it was well past midnight. I didn't feel like sleeping, but I knew I needed to get some rest. My eyes may not have been ready for sleep, but my body was worn out. Would night become my day soon? Once my eyes started to close, a knock on the bedroom door forced them to open. I climbed out of bed, wrapped the black robe that hung on the outside of the closet door around my body, and went to open the door. On the other side stood a fully awake Cryder.
“Hey.”
“Um, hi.”
“I've been downstairs trying to read, but the way tonight ended bothered me. I wanted to apologize.”
“For what?” I asked as I opened the door wider and gestured for him to come in.
He immediately went to sit on my bed. “All the info I've been throwing at you. And rushing you into becoming queen. I'm sure it's all frightening.” His eyes held true concern.
I headed to sit on the opposite side of the bed. “Yes, it's a lot to take in. I feel like I'm living on the set of a scary movie, because there is now way this can be real. But everything you have told me so far has panned out, and I find myself safer around you than I ever have on my own. And then my mind remembers everything I have been through in the past weeks, and the thought of what you really are and what you want from me, I get scared all over again.”
“I understand Rena, I really do. Deciding to become a vampire would be terrifying for anyone. It's glamorous in the movies when you think it won't ever really happen, but now that you are faced with it I know it's tough to accept. But I'm here. I want to make the transition less frightening for you. I don't want you to hate me when it's all over with.”
I took a deep breath. “Deep down, I know you do. I can almost sense it. It's like I can tell that you're telling the truth. But I'm having a hard time listening to my gut and not my mind warning me to run away from you.”
“One day maybe you'll see it, and know that you're gut is what you should be listening to. I am willing to wait for that day.” He scooted about an inch closer to me.
My breath caught in my throat. “Well, um, there's one thing I've been meaning to ask. How did I get the vampire blood mixed in with my human blood?”
“Your grandparents came from a long line of vampire royalty. Another set of vampires governed by your family. There are groups all over the country. Only one king and queen, but you and I were in a sense betrothed by our parents. Your mom wanted what was best for you, but she had wanted to wait until you were eighteen, to understand the reasons why she did what she did. We waited too long. ” His tone softened. “I really am sorry about the accident, Rena.”
I took a few breaths. “Thank you. So I'm sure your people were thrilled to find me.”
“We were. You gave me a future and the rest of the vampires. As I said before, you are the glue.”
I groaned. “Don't say that.”
“Why? It is the truth.”
“Yeah, but that's just added pressure that I don't need right now. Okay?”
He shrugged. “Okay. I promise not to say it again. Do you accept my original apology?”
“Of course. I'm done with being so dang angry.” He closed the distance between us, and I playfully smacked his leg. The second my hand touched him, that same strong jolt climbed up my arm and ran all over my body.
My breathing stopped as Cryder took the hand on his leg and brought it to his lips. His soft mouth pressed against my skin and golf-ball sized goosebumps popped up all over. He then lifted my arm and wrapped it around his neck, and my hand instantly found his hair.
His breathing had increased and it tickled my nose as he bent his face closer to mine. His tender lips brushed against my cheek. My stomach somersaulted by his touch, and it sent sensations all over my body. His lips moved toward mine when my brain