ke he wanted to

vow your ancestors made centuries ago," she said softly. "When the first vampires came

hat's impossible. My family was nobili

cien said grimly. "A

to drain you. To claim the vow and bend it to his will. With your blood, h

eemed to g

ot what the contract said. My uncl

as low, tight. "

e braced herself against a crumbling colum

ared when you defied the bond. Magic that old doesn't like b

on her wrist. The pulse of it had grown

"Go deeper into hiding? Wait unt

bloodkeeper. If there's anyone who can strip a v

ou'd trust the priest?

ok. "Better mad than dead

could hide you. Cloak your scent

ve spent my whole life being passed between men who wanted to

g like respect passed

urt nod. "Then

able. "You'll need more than fire and

's lies," Evelina rep

form vanishing into a swirling column of sha

settled

Evelina. "You s

"But I don't think t

lightly. "Then we prepare. And pray the

ucien had already slipped through the back alleys and into the underground.

almost silent. Evelina followed close, the mar

othecary, and with a grunt, Lucien wrenched it open. Cold

fore the courts, before the towers. Som

ning blackness. "And now it'

grim. "If he hasn

ended int

ith ancient secrets. Evelina kept her hand near the wall, steadying herself. Shadows cl

asked after a while. "Th

uld carry the seal. That their line would be a check a

anyone agre

red. "They were gods and guardians. The vow was a pact to keep ba

ahead. Lucien paused, sniffe

ow all this?"

d by someone who still believed in the

Faint candlelight flickered from stone sconces. In the center of the ro

pale as milk, skin the

acred ground," the priest said

forward. "We

slid to Evelina.

kn

war by com

ucien. "If you can help

ilted. "And if I ca

ow to kill the o

g sil

er slowly, muttering to himself in

vow," he murmured. "But there i

ed. "What d

riest said. "Something deeper coils insi

h twisted. "What

ed at Lucien. "

went

embled. "What are

magic mingled. The moment she took your hand in the alley, the bond

face was

" Evelina said. "I

broken, the tether will rise. He will be the only one

sharply. "I d

ou are tied, vampire and vow-bearer. Threa

a step back,

d one bond

est said. "But the

t ch

m," he said sof

r the first time, Evelina saw

r

bsidian. "If you still want to break the bloo

lenched h

gone," sh

lenched, but h

ina felt the mark on her wrist begin t

m p

ad b