Forbidden Blood

Chapter 7: The Secret Revealed

The rain in Evergreen had become a relentless companion that seemed to mirror the storm raging inside me, a constant downpour that washed away any remnants of my old life in sunny California while introducing me to a world of shadows and secrets that I never imagined could exist, secrets that now pulled at me from two opposite directions with equal force, leaving me torn between the cold eternity promised by Lucian and the hot, wild passion offered by Kai.

School days dragged on in a haze of stolen glances and unspoken tensions, with Lucian sitting in the back of the classroom, his golden eyes flickering with a hunger that made my skin tingle even from across the room, while Kai sat beside me whenever he could, his warm hand brushing mine under the desk, sending sparks of heat through my body that made it impossible to concentrate on anything but the way his touch made me feel alive in ways I had never known before.

One afternoon, after a particularly intense biology class where the teacher discussed blood types and compatibility in a way that felt eerily personal, Kai caught me in the hallway, his strong hand on my arm pulling me into an empty classroom, his eyes serious as he closed the door behind us, the sound echoing in the quiet space like a finality that made my heart pound.

"Bella, we need to talk," he said, his voice low and rough, the kind of voice that sent shivers down my spine, and before I could respond, he kissed me, deep and desperate, his hands sliding under my shirt, tracing the curve of my back, igniting fire wherever he touched, making me forget the cold stare I had felt from Lucian earlier that day.

I kissed back hungrily, my fingers tangling in his hair, pulling him closer as our bodies pressed together, his heat seeping through my clothes, warming me from the inside out, and when his mouth moved to my neck, biting gently just enough to make me gasp, pleasure mixing with a hint of pain that only heightened everything, I arched into him, wanting more, needing more.

We stopped short, breathing heavy, foreheads pressed together in the dim light of the classroom, and he whispered, "You're mine, Bella; I can't share you," his words a claim that made my heart ache because I knew, deep down, that I wasn't ready to choose, not when Lucian's cold touch haunted my dreams and Kai's warmth consumed my days.

That night, the storm raged outside, thunder shaking the windows, lightning illuminating the room in flashes, and as I lay in bed unable to sleep, the door creaked open, and Lucian was there, rain dripping from his perfect hair, his shirt clinging to his body, outlining every muscle as he stepped close, his golden eyes glowing faintly in the dark.

"You let him touch you again," he said, voice velvet and ice, a statement rather than a question, and before I could deny it, he was on me, cold hands pinning my wrists above my head, his body covering mine, the contrast of his cold skin against my heat sending electric shocks through me that made me gasp.

I struggled at first, but then gave in, kissing him back with a ferocity that matched his, my legs wrapping around his waist as he ground against me, his fangs extending to graze my lower lip, drawing a drop of blood that he licked away with a groan that vibrated through my entire body, pleasure dark and overwhelming, different from Kai's warmth but just as addictive.

He stripped me slowly, mouth exploring every inch, cold tongue circling sensitive spots until I was begging, arching, lost in the sensation, and when he entered me, it was slow and deep, every thrust controlled, intense, his eyes locked on mine as if he was claiming my soul along with my body, the pleasure building to a peak that shattered me completely, leaving me shaking in his arms.

After, he held me close, cold body against my hot one, and whispered, "Your blood is changing; the transformation is starting because of me," his words a revelation that made my heart stop, because I felt it — the strength growing, the hunger awakening, the human girl fading.

The next day, Kai confronted Lucian in the parking lot.

Words turned to blows.

Fast.

Brutal.

I stopped them.

Power flaring for the first time.

They froze.

Looked at me.

Eyes wide.

The secret revealed.

I was becoming vampire.

Because of Lucian's bite.

The triangle broken.

Or stronger.

The war between vampire and werewolf.

Ignited by me.

The human girl no more.

The vampire queen rising.

Between two men who would die for her.

And she would kill for them.

The rain poured.

And my new life began.