BOUND BY BLOOD

CHAPTER 4: BLOOD OATH

The door opened.

It wasn’t Damien.

A man stood there, Tall in Black suit. Hair slicked back and he was smiling not the polite kind. The kind that didn’t reach his eyes.

“Ms. Hart,” he said softly. “We’ve been looking for you.”

Nora scrambled back until her back hit the wall. “Stay away from me.” The man stepped inside. Closed the door behind him. No guards. No Damien.

“Where is he?” Nora demanded. Her voice shook.

“Lord Virelli is... occupied,” the man said. He tilted his head. “I’m Elias. I work for the Council.”

The fortress shook. Another explosion. Dust fell from the ceiling, screams echoed down the corridor then metal on metal.

“They’re inside,” Elias said, almost bored. “Blood Hunters.” Nora didn’t know what that meant. But the way he said it made her stomach turn.

Elias took another step. “The Council gave me one job. Bring you in alive. Preferably unbitten.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” Nora said.

“You don’t have a choice.” The lights flickered and then the panic room door behind Elias slammed open.

Damien.

Blood was on his shirt, not his, someone else’s. His eyes were glowing red. Fangs down.

Elias didn’t even flinch. “Lord Virelli. You look tired.” Damien moved faster than Nora could see.

One second Elias was standing. The next he was on the floor, choking.

“Don’t. Touch. Her,” Damien snarled.

Elias laughed, even as he gasped. “Too late. She’s already marked.” Damien’s head snapped to Nora. “What did he do to you?”

“Nothing,” Nora said quickly. “He didn’t touch me.”

Damien let Elias drop. “Lucien seal every entrance.” Lucien appeared in the doorway, two silver blades in his hands. His knuckles were bleeding.

“The Council brought Blood Hunters,” Lucien said grimly. “The outer gates have already fallen.” Damien cursed. One word low and vicious. That single word told Nora everything. Even vampires were afraid of this.

Damien turned to her. “You stay behind me.”

“I can take care of myself,” Nora shot back. Her hands were shaking.

“No,” Damien said quietly. “You can’t.” Before she could argue, the main chamber doors exploded inward.

Five figures in black cloaks stormed in. Their eyes glowed scarlet not like Damien’s controlled glow. This was wild and hungry and in the center of them was a woman. Silver hair down to her waist. Dress like it was from a ballroom 200 years ago. She looked 30. But her eyes were ancient.

“Lady Selene,” Lucien muttered.

Selene’s gaze swept the room and landed on Nora. She smiled... Slow.

“So,” she said. “This is the human.”

Nora felt naked under that look. Like she was being weighed and measured.

“I expected someone... less ordinary,” Selene said. She inhaled. “Interesting. She smells exactly like”

“Enough!” Damien’s voice cracked like thunder. The room went silent.

Selene folded her arms. “You know our laws, Damien. A human has learned our secret. She dies.” Nora swallowed....Hard.

Damien stepped in front of her. Shielding her with his body.

“No.”

That one word sent murmurs through the Blood Hunters.

Selene laughed. “You would challenge the Council for a human?”

“I gave my answer,” Damien said.

For a long moment, no one moved, the air felt too tight. Then Selene sighed. “You’ve changed. I remember when humans were nothing more than food to you.”

Nora stared at Damien’s back.

Was that true? How many had he killed?

Damien didn’t answer. He just said, “Leave. I won’t ask again.”

Selene’s smile vanished. “If she lives... then she belongs to the Council.”

Chaos.

The Hunters moved.

Damien moved faster.

Steel rang... Bodies flew....

Damien fought like a storm, Precise, Brutal, Effortless. In seconds, three Hunters were on the ground. But Selene didn’t move. She just watched. Then she raised her hand, A spear of red light shot across the room straight at Nora.

Everything went slow.

Damien threw himself in front of her,the spear hit his shoulder. Black blood sprayed across the stone floor.

“Damien!” Nora screamed.

He staggered but stayed standing. Jaw clenched. Lucien was at his side instantly. “My lord!”

“I’m fine,” Damien said. But he wasn’t. His breathing was wrong. The wound wasn’t closing.

Selene walked closer, heels clicking. “You know there’s only one way to save both of you.”

Damien didn’t look at her. “No.”

“What is she talking about?” Nora asked. No one answered. Selene’s eyes sparkled. “The Blood Oath. Ancient vow. Once completed, your lives become intertwined. If one dies, the other suffers. And you, little human... you will forever belong to him.”

Nora’s pulse roared. “Belong? I’m not anyone’s property.”

“You don’t have to decide now,” Selene said sweetly. “You have sixty days. After that, we come back with more Hunters.” She turned toward the broken doors. “Choose wisely, Damien. Save the human... or bury her.”

And just like that, they were gone. Vanished into smoke and darkness.

Silence.

The only sound was Damien’s ragged breathing. Nora stepped around him. “You knew. About the Blood Oath.” Damien closed his eyes. “Yes.”

“You knew there was a way to protect me.”

“I also knew what it would cost,” he said.

Before Nora could answer, her phone buzzed in her pocket. Her hands were shaking so bad she almost dropped it.

Unknown number.

She answered.

“Mrs. Hart?” A doctor’s voice. Urgent. “It’s Children’s Heart Institute. Ethan has taken a turn for the worse. His fever spiked. We need you here immediately.” The phone slipped from her fingers. For one second, the vampires, the blood, the war... all of it disappeared.

Only her son mattered.

She looked up at Damien tears burning. “Please. I need to get to Ethan.” Damien was pale. Too pale. Blood still seeping from his shoulder. But he nodded once. “You will.”

His voice was soft. The first time she’d ever heard it like that.

“I give you my word.” He held out his hand to her.

Nora stared at it. If she took it, she’d be walking into his world, his rules, his protection. If she didn’t, the Council would come for her and for Ethan.

Outside, another explosion.

“Time to choose, Ms. Hart,” Lucien said quietly.

Nora reached out.

Her fingers brushed his. Damien’s grip closed around hers. Cold. Strong. “Rule 3,” he said. “You do what I say.”

“Where are we going?” Nora whispered.

“To make you mine,” Damien said. “Before they do.”

He pulled her toward the back of the chamber toward another door. This one had old symbols carved into it and a bowl in the center filled with something dark.

Nora’s stomach dropped. “What is that?”

Damien stopped in front of it. He looked at her. Really looked at her.

“This is the Blood Oath,” he said. “One cut. One vow. And the Council can’t touch you.”

Nora shook her head. “I don’t”

“Or,” Damien cut her off, “we run. And in 60 days they kill you both.”

The door behind them rattled.

Footsteps coming back.

Damien raised his hand. A knife appeared in it.

He held it out to her, handle first.

“Your choice, Nora.”

The rattling got louder.Nora stared at the knife,At the bowl, At him.

And then the door burst open.

END OF CHAPTER 4