Bonded With Love - Tiffany Heiser (best detective novels of all time txt) 📗

this to me.”
“You must understand, that what's happening to you and your body is not a situation that may be stopped or controlled. The only help that can be given is guidance and reassurance, and that is what I am here for.”
“Why does everyone know what's going on? Why was I left out when this obviously had something to do with me?” I said with my hands on my hips.
“Your friend, Cecile, is in the exact same predicament you are in. That's why you both bonded so strongly at such a young age. You needed each other to get through this time. There is no controlling what's destined, only allowing it to happen, and take it at its best.” He glanced around again, then brought his eyes back to me. He took a step closer.
My heart played the drums against my chest and I stared into his eyes. I yearned to be with him, and didn't know where those feelings came from. I'd never felt such intense emotions for a guy I'd only just met. A tingling in my stomach had me wanting to feel his arms around me, and I had to keep reminding myself that I couldn't trust him.
I looked up at him, with all the questions flowing through my mind. I opened my mouth to ask the first question and stopped when he put his hand to my cheek. My breath caught in my throat savoring his warm hand against my skin. His palm fit perfectly against the curve of my face, and I tried to stay focused and remember what he had done to me.
“Why...” I took a deep breath, trying to feel the touch of his hand for as long as he would let me.
I had things to ask, and words to say, but having him so close suffocated me- in a good way. His woodsy scent covered me like a fog. He pulled away, dragging his hand free from my face, and turned from me.
“Rena.” The deep sound of his voice sent chills along my arms. “You are changing. It is partly my fault, but the blood was in you as a child. You were destined to become like us. And we always have been destined to be together. I should have warned you before starting the bond and I am truly sorry for that.”With his back facing me, his shoulders drooped and trembled, as if holding in a sob.
Goosebumps rose all over my skin, but I brought myself back to reality. His touch had pulled me away from the truth. It had made me want to be with him, and truthfully I wanted to get distance between it all. With his touch he had forced me to forget, turning me into a robot love slave like Cecile. I would be there to fulfill his needs.
“Look, I don't care what you are. I'm not becoming anything, and you need to leave now, you weirdo. Leave now before I call the cops.”
He then whirled around to face me with red stained cheeks. Tears of blood dripped down his chin. “I'm sorry. I never thought this was how it would all go. A vampire, Rena. That is what I am, not some weirdo. A king. And you will be a vampire also, my queen, whether you admit to it or not.”
His tears, and everything about him terrified me. My emotions ran hot and cold.
So again, I ran.
But before I got too far away, he spoke, his soft voice chiming in my ear. “We are destined you and I. It is inevitable. You will see.”
Chapter 5

I stomped into the house and slammed the door behind me. Making my way to the living room, I collapsed onto the couch.
My life had changed drastically in only a few short hours, and mentally I had no idea what to think or how to feel. Physically, a power surged through me, one I've never felt before. And either my PMS was on the fritz, or the wicked witch mood swings came with being the v-word - there's no way in hell I could call myself anything other than human.
Fear was the only thing I felt around Cryder, and of course my hormones took control of the wheel too. He made me act like a typical teenager. My heart thumped louder and my breath slowed, and it all scared the living crap out of me. I haven't let anyone affect me for a long time. Simply glancing at Cryder gave me goosebumps. What did all of this mean?
“Oh, Mom and Dad, I miss y'all so much. Please help me figure this out,” I whispered to their picture hanging above the fireplace. They would've had answers for me.
I needed to clear my head and get some fresh air. I slid off the couch, headed to the front foyer, and fished the keys to my fugly crap-brown Rio out of a glass bowl. The teeth of fear bit at my insides with the thought of jumping behind the wheel. After the accident I became a passenger never the driver, but the need to get out of the house outweighed it all right now.
I remembered a spot at the edge of town where my family used to sit and watch the stars. Sitting here now in silence, I felt all those good times slowly fade from my mind with thoughts about the drama that unfolded throughout the day. I had no idea what my next step would be. The ground that I stood on now shook with uneasiness dealing with vampires.
In the car on the way to my relaxing spot, my mind raced with thoughts. The books I read about sparkling vampires, and the movies I watched with how romantic people make them seem, I didn't feel that way right now. My life had crossed over into the supernatural, with me apparently being the newest member of the group, and it couldn't get any stranger. I hoped.
I made it to the cliff's edge. A spot that you could past the town of Granbury and into the beautiful hills. Lights shimmered, and stars sparkled from where I sat. I soaked it all in. Once the moon stole the sun's spot in the sky, I decided to head home.
I pulled out onto the road and came to a stop sign. I felt immediately pressed to make a decision. To go straight, meant I went home. To turn left meant to follow a path to the unknown- to the vampires.
The mansion stood tall behind the woods, and a tingle pricked the edges of my fingers wanting to flip my turn signal. Cryder could answer my questions and help me understand. But to go home meant to leave all the creepiness behind. Do I turn and face him? Or do I go straight home, and try to forget? I turned.
* * * * * * * * * *
I pulled onto the street in front of the gloomy rundown mansion and all of the scary ghost stories about this place popped into my head. I shivered.
Sitting in front of their house at night, I felt like a stalker, but I needed answers and possibly wanted to catch a glimpse of the blue-eyed vampire that lived here. 'Stop thinking that way. He's dangerous.' The safe voice inside my head reminded me.
I sat in the car, not able to get out but not wanting to leave. Why am I here? He scares me. Why do I want to be in his house by myself? I decided to u-turn and escape quietly from the house, but in my rear-view mirror I caught sight of a dark shadow illuminated by street lights, creeping toward the car.
A very large steroid using pro-wrestler shape hobbled over toward me. His legs stiff as they drug across the concrete of the street. The movements were stiff like a zombie. I wanted to scream, call for help, or dial 9-1-1, but instead in a panic I slammed on the gas. My foot slipped off the pedal, and the car sputtered forward. I stepped on the pedal again ready to speed away, until a tapping on the driver side window had me slamming on the brakes, and a scream broke free from my mouth.
A muffled voice swirled to my ears. “Are you lost, sunshine?” Drake's smirk rose on his face.
His arrogance weighed on my patience immediately, but I definitely felt a small amount of gratitude that he had shown up. I would place my money on the vampire over the zombie-like dude any day.
I glanced in my rear-view mirror again, and the dark shape had disappeared. “Did you see...there was a...” What could I say? 'There was a thing walking behind my car that looked like a zombie. I mean it was completely possible for those to be real too. Yeah, that sounded sane. My newest wardrobe purchase should consist of a straight jacket.
Had Drake been behind my car? There's no way, this thing was stockier, where Drake is thin. Who had it been then?
“What are you trying to say?”
“Nothing. Sorry. Gotta go.” I gave a small but pitiful smile, which probably looked more like a grimace, and started to back up again. Awkwardness filled the space between Drake and I now-well more so now.
As I slowly backed up, my foot slammed on the brakes and my heart went into over-drive. Goosebumps rose on my arms as Cryder stepped onto the porch.
He stood there in black slacks and a black snug shirt. With the sun setting behind him, he looked like an angel. His powerful gaze fixed on me. I sucked in air like it was going out of style, and tried reminding myself that breathing was a necessity. A dazzling smile brightened his face, and my heart melted into a big pile of goo. How could I even think about liking a vampire? I needed to get a