Bloodbound

CHAPTER FIVE

Margery's POV

I was at home, chopping beetroots on the kitchen counter and

singing along to my old boom box when the glass windows

shattered, the air filled with turmoil as men dressed in black, like

some kind of ninjas, burst into the kitchen

A scream clawed its way out of my throat, but before the sound

could finish, something intrinsic ignited inside me, heat surged

through my veins, and then…

I exploded

Flames erupted from my body, crackling like they had been trapped

inside me for years, just waiting for the right moment to escape.

~~~~

My eyes snapped open. No panic. No yelling. Just sharp awareness

and confusion, fear wasn't something I knew well, it never lingered

long enough to startle me

Intimidation? Sure. But fear? No, fear feared me

I blinked, scanning the dimly lit room, the unfamiliar surroundings

slowly sank in, reminding me of where I was, and what had

happened

Laurie had sent me here—to this circus of a place. Katarina, Laurie's

best friend, had welcomed me, shown me to a massive room, and

promptly declared my denim jumpsuit tacky

She'd handed me some "comfortable" clothes, a loose, wide-legged

pants that skimmed my ankles and a long-sleeved shirt made of

soft, thick material—cotton, maybe

I swung my legs off the bed, the dark sheets brushing against my

skin as I reached for the jug of water on the nightstand, the cool

liquid slid down my throat, but it did little to calm the restless buzz

that always lingered after waking

Another downside to never feeling things properly? Peaceful sleep

was a luxury I couldn't afford, and when I woke up, it was always

the same pulsing need on my bud, it felt like a hollow ache that

nothing seemed to fill, I'd tried to satisfy it on my own, but it was

never enough, and it's not like I can get anyone to do it for me

With a sigh, I pushed off the bed and padded out of the room,

Katarina had called this area "the chambers of..." What was it? A

name, like it belonged to someone, but I couldn't quite remember,

the hallway stretched ahead, shadowed and quiet, until movement

caught my eye

A silhouette disappeared into a room further down the hall, and

because I'm both irrational and, apparently, very stupid, I followed

I eased the door open, half-expecting an empty room, but what I

found was much more unsettling, it was a bedroom, larger than

mine, but the stark contrast in decor awed me

Where mine had warm tones, this one was steeped in darkness, with

black walls and white outlines, grey accents, and a balcony where

the figure stood

He was a man, his dark hair stirring in the wind as he gazed into the

night, his hands were shoved into his pockets, his posture radiating

an untouchable confidence

I froze, awkwardly standing just inside the doorway, I should leave,

but before I could take a step back, his voice sliced through the air

"Stop"

The single word held a weight that glued me in place, my muscles

refusing to obey my mind

"Turn around"

I turned slowly, the movement calculated like I was caught in some

kind of trance

When I finally faced him, he wasn't on the balcony anymore, he was

inside, only a few feet away from me, his head tilted as he studied

me, and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe

I'd seen attractive men before, but this... this was something else

entirely, his features were impossibly perfect, sharp cheekbones, a

chiseled jaw, and lips that looked like they belonged in some

Renaissance painting, a strand of dark hair fell across his forehead,

and his piercing gaze roamed over me, deliberate and cold

"What are you?" he asked, his low voice laced with something that

sent shivers down my spine

"I—I'm Margery" I stammered, my throat dry

"A Margery?" he repeated, his tone dripping with amusement as he

stepped closer, his scent hit me first— oak, cedar, and something

darker, more sinful, it wrapped around me, pulling me into his

course

"Tell me, a Margery" he drawled, his words dragging as if he was

savoring the sound of them

"Why do you smell like that?"

"Like what?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper

His lips twitched, almost forming a smirk, but the furrow in his

brow deepened "Like you don't belong here"

He moved closer again, his hand reaching up to brush a strand of

my hair back, his fingers barely grazed my skin, but the touch sent a

jolt of electricity coursing through me, I shivered, unable to stop the

reaction

"I... I don't... Katarina..." I stuttered, struggling to form a coherent

sentence, the mention of her name seemed to ground him, his hand

fell by side as his expression shifted

"Ah, yes. Katarina" His voice softened, almost contemplative "She's

always had a fondness for witches"

"I'm not a witch" I said, frowning

"No?" He tilted his head, his eyes narrowing "But you are

something"

His gaze locked onto mine, and I followed the small movement of

his head, noticing a small scar on the left side of his jaw, it was faint,

almost invisible if you weren’t looking, but I was looking, I wanted

his features plastered onto my brain

My hand moved instinctively, reaching out to touch it, but before

my fingers could brush his skin, he caught my hand, his grip firm

but not harsh, he leaned in, his hand sliding to my waist as he

spoke, his voice a low murmur that sent a bolt of electricity down

my spine

"Careful now, a Margery"

His breath fanned against my ear, and my body betrayed me, heat

pooling in places I didn't want to acknowledge, my breathing turned

shallow, every nerve ending alive and screaming internally for air

or… for him

He tilted his head toward my neck, inhaling deeply, his nose trailing

a line from my jaw to my collarbone, the sensation was dizzying,

and intoxicating, and just as quickly as it began, it ended

He pulled back sharply, his expression unreadable, before I could

even process what had happened, he was gone, the door clicked shut

behind him, leaving me alone in the dark, my heart pounding in my

chest