Marked by Blood: Book 2 of The Marked Series by Ford, Rinna (top novels of all time txt) 📕

“I don’t think mating with Ronan is a good idea,” I told them. Xander looked relieved but worried, and the rest of them just looked alarmed. “I know what you’re saying and it makes sense, but I’m just not sure it would work out. He works for the Council!”

“You can fuck him under the guise of being with him, then after you’re bonded you can leave him to burn. What?” Camille looked around at the men in the room as they glared at her. “I don’t see anyone else coming up with ideas.”

“Camille, that’s not an option. It, it’s just not possible. Being anywhere near Ronan is a bad idea. Okay?” I gulped back the tears that swelled in my throat and stood. “I’m heading to bed. Alone. I’ll see you guys in the morning.”

The sun was beginning to set in the western sky, but I was completely done with the day. I was exhausted, mentally, physically, and emotionally. I needed a break. Every night since bonding with Matias, I alternated nights between the two of my guys, but as I left Amos’ office, I just wanted to be alone. I wasn’t trying to punish any of them, I just needed to wallow. I didn’t want to do that in front of my mates.

On one hand, my life was perfect with my two mates who somehow got along. On the other hand, my magic was fucked up, as Camille had said, and the only solution was one I longed for but I knew I could never have.

And then there was the fact I missed my uncles. I was almost to the point of giving up hope I’d find them alive, not that I’d done much searching for them in the previous two months. I was beginning to beat myself up about how complacent I’d become about the whole thing.

As much as the good was really fucking good, the bad seemed to outweigh it. I needed help, but how did I get it? Especially when I wasn’t sure if anyone could help me.

I got up to my room and stripped off my jeans and bra, leaving me only in a shirt and panties and sat down on the big bed. I smoothed my hand over the comforter before pulling the sheets down and crawling underneath them.

Before my head had the chance to hit the pillow, there was a light knock on the bedroom door. Matias, my sweet, savage vampire peeked his head inside then opened it wider to reveal my strong, protective dragon was standing right behind him. Neither one looked angry or hurt by my dismissal, but hopeful and understanding.

I sighed and pulled the sheets back on both sides of me and laid all the way down. They both walked in, taking their clothes off, down to their boxers and climbed in. Matias was on my right and Xan on my left. It was the first time I had both of my mates in the same bed with me, but sex was far from my mind. I just needed the men I loved to hold me.

I turned toward Xander, who was staring at me with his bright sable-colored eyes and I curled into him. Reaching behind me, I grabbed Matias’ arm and pulled him closer. He wrapped himself around my waist and settled in.

This. This was heaven. Having them both hold me was almost enough to make me forget everything that troubled me.

Almost.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

“Dad?”

I was in the dreamscape I shared with my father, but like the last time I visited with him, he was nowhere to be seen when I first arrived. After I was changed to a vampire, I worried I wouldn’t be able to communicate with my father anymore. So, when I arrived in the field of wildflowers that was my father’s heaven, I felt relief for the first time in weeks.

“Over here, Emelia,” he said, and I turned around toward the sound of his voice.

He was sitting on a fallen tree which wasn’t there before, at least not that I could remember.

When he smiled, I couldn’t help but think how much he looked like Amos. They could have passed for brothers. They were nearly the same height and body size. They both had kind blue eyes and thick facial hair, but where my dad was dark, his father was light. I smiled at the comparison and moved to sit next to my dad. He left me plenty of room on the large log, so I didn’t hesitate to rest myself next to him.

“So you met your grandfather?” he asked.

“You knew I would,” I replied and bumped his arm with mine. “And you were right. He isn’t as bad as he seems at first. He misses you though.”

My dad sighed. “I know. Sweetheart, he needs you as much as you need him. Be good to each other and I promise, you won’t be sorry. He’s an amazing dragon and an even better man.”

I nodded my head and looked down at my toes swirling in the grass beneath me. I had come to that conclusion about Amos on my own over the last several weeks, but it was reassuring to hear it from my dad.

“I know you have a lot of things troubling you,” Dad then said to me. I looked up from the grass to see him staring out over the field. “I told you your troubles were just getting started the last time we spoke, and now you’re in the middle of them. But to find the answers you need, you have to go to where you lost your heart. It’ll be dangerous, but danger is the only way forward for you, I’m sorry to say. Keep your mates close to you for they give you strength, all of them.”

“But I don’t have all of them.”

“Don’t lose hope, Emelia. Hope is all we have.” He leaned over and kissed my temple and hugged me to his