“Yes.”
“So, is that what will happen when you change me?” I asked.
“No. I’m changing you to be my mate. It’s different,” he said.
I shook my head. “All these rules and loopholes and bonds are confusing.”
Trent chuckled. “Well, you’ll have plenty of time to learn all about them.”
Hearing him say that had a fresh wave of relief rolling through me. After everything that happened, all the stuff that Jax said, a small part of me worried Trent might realize being with me was too complicated.
“All that stuff Jax said earlier… was he right? Do you worry that I’m thinking about him?” I asked, standing.
“I try not to,” he said. “But it’s hard, because he is right. You do love him.”
Trent’s words and the finality in his tone was a punch to the gut. “I love you more, though,” I said, approaching him.
“I know,” he said, his face weary with emotional exhaustion. “I hate that you have to even make that distinction.”
I frowned. Once I got rid of the bond I shared with Jax, this wouldn’t be an issue. Sure, I’d still care for him—I always would—but I wouldn’t love him like I did right now.
“Then let’s do something about it,” I said.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX:
Blood Oath
I SLIPPED MY ARMS AROUND HIS waist and rested my head on his chest. “I don’t want to wait until tomorrow to see Ivy.” I glanced up at him. “I want to go tonight. Now.”
“Seriously?” He wrapped his arms around me and drew me closer.
I nodded. “Yes. Seeing Jax with another girl… listening to him taunt you about my feelings for him…” I swallowed hard. “I don’t want to feel this way anymore. Not toward him.” I rose up on my tiptoes and brushed my lips over his. “Please?”
Groaning, he cupped the side of my neck and kissed me like he had earlier today, right before we’d had sex. My insides ignited with need, and I pressed closer. Now, more than ever, I needed to break the bond I had with Jax, because everything I was feeling right now for Trent, I wanted it to be more intense, to be enhanced by a bond I’d share with him. I craved the raw, uninhibited, overwhelming emotions and urges.
“Can we please go to Ivy’s tonight?” I mumbled against his lips.
A sexy, throaty growl rumbled from his chest. “Let’s go.” He took my hand and practically dragged me out of his room.
“Where are you two going in such a hurry?” Whitney asked. She was curled up on the couch next to Macaih. They were rather cozy. Whatever was going on, I hoped she didn’t hurt Luke in the process.
“Ivy’s,” I said.
Her eyebrows shot up, and then she grinned. “Good for you,” she called as we walked out the door.
“Good luck,” Macaih said.
The drive to Ivy’s wouldn’t take long, but now that we were headed there, it seemed like she lived clear across the country. I twisted my hands in my lap, nerves gnawing at my insides. What if this didn’t go the way we wanted it to? What if Ivy changed her mind and refused to do the spell? No, she wouldn’t do that. She was too desperate to break the curse, and I was her only means to do that.
“It’s going to be okay,” Trent said, taking my hand and kissing my knuckles.
I nodded, wishing I had his calm confidence. Ivy wouldn’t have offered something like this if she couldn’t actually do it. Even Isach confirmed she could do this kind of spell. And Macaih had located the spell. I needed to relax. Everything was going to be fine.
Finally, Trent pulled into Ivy’s driveway, and my heart jumped when he shut off the truck. I took several deep breaths.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked, studying me with inquisitive and hopeful eyes.
“Yes,” I said, my voice firmer than I expected. “Let’s do what we need to do so we can have an eternity together.”
I climbed out of his truck, and as usual, he was already by my door before my feet ever hit the ground. Hand in hand, we walked onto the porch, and just like last time, the door swung open, inviting us in. I gave his hand a squeeze and stepped over the threshold.
“What a lovely surprise,” Ivy said.
She stood in the foyer dressed in a long flowing skirt and a white sweater. Her usual bracelets were missing, and her face was free of makeup. Her hair hung around her shoulders in loose waves.
“I assume you’ve made a decision?” she asked.
“Yes,” I said. “We’re accepting your offer.”
“Wonderful.” She clapped and beamed a huge smile. “You’ve made the right choice, Chloe. I’m sure you’ll be very happy with the life you’ve chosen.”
“But you have to do the spell tonight. Right now,” Trent said.
“Well, lucky for you, I have everything all set to go.” She spun on her heel and waved at us to follow her. “I figured it wouldn’t hurt to be prepared for when you finally showed up.”
She led us into a room that was paneled with dark wood. Dozens of candles hung from the walls, giving the room a peaceful yet somewhat eerie feel. This must be where the magic happened. Literally.
A long wooden table sat in the center of the room. A large, ornately carved clay bowl, a plethora of different herbs and flowers and glass jars that contained who knew what littered the top of the table. A sharp knife rested beside the bowl, and the sight of it sent an unpleasant flutter through my stomach.
Ivy rounded the table to stand behind it. Two women I didn’t recognize appeared from the shadows. I assumed they were members of her coven, but I hadn’t met them before. They hadn’t been involved in Ivy’s kidnapping scheme.
I stood facing her, Trent right beside me. His muscles were as tense as mine, but he remained still, exuding all the strength, confidence, and danger of a deadly predator.
“All right,” Ivy said, and her voice echoed around the room. “To be clear on the terms… I will transfer the eternal bond that Chloe shares with Jax so that she shares it with you, Trent. In doing so, I will link your immortal life to her mortal one.”
Trent nodded once.
“And in exchange for this, you, Chloe, will swear a blood oath to allow Trent to change you and break the curse the Zoya placed upon his family,” Ivy said, her gaze resting on me.
“Yes,” I said and cleared my throat. I really should’ve asked Isach what a blood oath was and if it was safe to swear one to Ivy. But it was too late for that now.
The other two women stepped forward and flanked Ivy. Were they here to help with the spell? Or were they here because Ivy didn’t trust us and thought we might try something? The thought almost made me laugh.
“Chloe?” Ivy motioned for me to come closer.
Trent’s hold on my hand tightened, and my heart lodged in my throat. This was it. I took a deep breath and stepped forward.
Ivy picked up the knife, and the sound of my heart hammering in my ears deafened me to everything else. I glanced over my shoulder, and Trent stood exactly where he’d been a second ago. He gave me an encouraging smile. I want this, I reminded myself. But now that I was here, my stomach twisted with doubts.
Bile rose thick in the back of my throat, and I swallowed the urge to vomit all over the table. Sweat beaded along the back of my neck. Was the room spinning?
“I need your left hand,” Ivy said, cutting through my thoughts.
I held out my trembling hand.
“I’m going to prick your finger,” Ivy said. “Your blood will seal the oath, and then I’ll need a few drops for the potion.”
I nodded, unable to speak.
“Good.” She poised the knife over my middle finger. “In exchange for breaking the eternal bond with Jax and transferring the bond to Trent, do you agree to link his immortal life to your mortal life?”
I took a deep breath and started to say yes when something hit me. “Wait,” I said, yanking my hand back. “What about unlinking us when Trent changes me? You never mentioned that.”
&nbs
p; Trent stepped up next to me, and I let his presence wrap around me, settling my raging nerves.
“Yes, of course I’ll unlink you at the precise moment,” she said. “I promise that’s written into the blood oath as well. Sorry I forgot to mention that. I think we’re all a little excited.” Her eyes danced with glee.
“Okay.” I held my hand out to her once again.
Ivy smiled and repositioned the knife above my finger. “Do you agree that you will allow Trent to change you, with the understanding that his life will be unlinked from yours during the transformation process?”
“Yes.”
“Do you agree that you will complete the transformation and break the curse?”
“Yes.” I licked my dry lips.
“And do you agree to pledge these loyalties with your blood?”
“Yes,” I whispered, then cleared my throat and repeated my answer louder.
“Chole Madison, you are hereby bound by this blood oath.” Ivy pressed the tip of the knife into my finger, and I winced.
She turned my hand over and squeezed my finger. My blood dripped onto an old-fashioned scroll. As soon as my blood hit the discolored paper, it sizzled, then dried.
My fate was sealed.
She then moved my hand so it was positioned over the bowl, and she squeezed five more drops from my finger. Once she was finished, she handed me a dainty white towel. I wrapped it around my finger, not that I really needed it, but the gesture offered a certain sense of comfort.
“Trent?” Ivy said, her smile full of smug satisfaction. “You must also swear a blood oath.”
“What? That was never part of the deal.” I glared at Ivy.
She’d lied and tricked us, exactly like I feared she would. But what was I supposed to do now? I’d already sworn a blood oath. If Trent didn’t do this, then everything I’d sworn to Ivy didn’t mean a thing.
Trent held out his left hand, his movements and demeanor much too calm.
I stared at him, eyes wide. “What are you doing? We never agreed to you swearing a blood oath. This isn’t fair, Ivy.”
“It’s okay, Chloe.” He gave me a reassuring smile.
Unease slithered through my veins like a snake in grass. I clutched my midsection. What were we doing?
“In exchange for transferring the eternal bond to you, do you agree to let me link your immortal life to Chloe’s mortal life?”
“Yes.” His voice was loud and clear and much more certain than mine had been.
“Do you agree to let me unlink you so that you may complete the transformation process without harm to you?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“Do you agree that should you fail to honor these terms you will face certain death?”
I gasped.
“Yes.” His voice never once wavered.
“And do you pledge these loyalties with your blood?” Ivy asked.
“Yes,” Trent said.
I closed my eyes and turned away, unable to watch as he sealed his fate the same way I had. How could he promise his own death like that?
“It’s okay, Chloe. Trust me,” Trent whispered in my ear, his hands resting on my waist.
I wanted an eternity with Trent more than anything, but was it worth all of this? Had we made a colossal mistake? Fear, uncertainty, and regret warred inside of me. My head spun. I closed my eyes and focused on the feel of Trent’s hands on me, of how he steadied me. His strength grounded me.
“You two don’t need to be here for this next part,” Ivy said. “I will let you know when I’m ready to complete the spell.”
“C’mon,” Trent said, taking my hand and leading me out of the room.
I slumped onto the couch and buried my face in my hands. Whatever doubts I had were mine to bear now. It was too late to change my mind. The blood oath had been made.
“Hey.” Trent gently removed my hands from my face. “Are you okay?”
“I didn’t know she was going to make you swear a blood oath, too.” My tone was harder than I’d intended.
“Would it have changed your mind about doing this?” he asked, his gaze searching mine.
I sighed. “No, but I don’t like that she made you swear to your own death if you don’t change me.”
“It’s not like it matters, right?” He raised a brow. “I’m not planning to change my mind about changing you. I swore that to make her feel better, but I know she’s never going to get the chance to kill me.” He trailed his fingers down the side of my face and then tilted my chin. “Just promise me you won’t change your mind.”
“I won’t. I promise,” I said without hesitation.
“Then we have nothing to worry about, okay?” He lowered his mouth to mine, and for the first time since we arrived, my body relaxed.
I leaned into his kiss, savoring everything about him, but most of all, I let myself get swept away in how he always managed to calm my fears, how he poured all his love for me into every touch. He pulled away and rested his forehead to mine.
“You don’t regret doing this?” I whispered.
“No.” He smiled. “Do you?”
“No.”
“Good.”
A moment later, Ivy emerged from the back room. “I’m ready for you two,” she said.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN:
Eternal Love
THE SPELL ITSELF WAS SIMPLE—IVY placed one hand on my neck and one hand on Trent’s neck, and then she chanted a bunch of words I didn’t understand. For a moment, the bite mark burned, but then the heat had disappeared. When she released me, I swayed on my feet, dizzy.
Trent’s arms were around me before I could topple. “Whoa, easy. Are you okay?”
I nodded. Slowly, the dizziness vanished, and I blinked against the stars dancing in front of my eyes. Gingerly, I touched my neck. The bite mark was still there, I could feel it, but when my fingers connected with that spot, I bit down on my lip. Sizzling warmth spread through me, and my skin ignited with unquenched need.
For Trent.
I glanced up at him. “It worked,” I whispered.
His eyes widened. “You’re sure?”
“Yes.” I laughed with sheer joy. “It worked.” I flung my arms around him, and when he hugged me back, my insides melted from his touch.
“You’re welcome,” Ivy said with a knowing smile.
Very reluctantly, I released Trent and turned toward her. “Thank you, Ivy,” I said with all the sincerity I possessed.
She gave a small nod. “You know where to find me when you’re ready to be unlinked.” She raised a brow. “I do hope it won’t be too long.”
All I could do was answer with a tight smile, because I had no idea when I was going to change. There were so many things I needed to do first—and Trent and I had an entire human bucket list to get through.
Excitement erupted in my chest at the knowledge that we could now cross off every item on that list. And I was ready to start right now.
We left Ivy’s, and the second I was back in Trent’s truck, I flipped the visor down and looked in the tiny mirror. The bite mark was still there, as prominent as ever, but the most important aspect of it was different. I no longer felt tied to Jax. When I touched the mark, I thought of Trent.
“You sure you’re okay?” he asked as he headed down the street and back toward his house.
“Yeah.” I flipped the visor closed. “I feel great, actually. How do you feel?”
“Like you’re incredibly too far away from me and I’m going to spontaneously combust if you don’t get over here,” he said, his gaze dark and full of hunger.
Grinning, I slid across the seat and kissed his cheek. I swore an actual spark zapped my lips at the contact. “That’s the bond,” I said, resting my head on his shoulder. “It’s a constant, unrelenting need to be near me. I feel the same way.”
Trent grumbled something I didn’t understand, then he said, “And you’ve been fighting these feelings toward Jax?”
“Yeah,” I
whispered.
“I haven’t given you enough credit,” he said softly and placed a tender kiss on my forehead. “I hope you don’t fight it with me.”
I smiled. Right, like I’d ever do that. I’d been fighting against this bond for far too long, and I was tired. I didn’t want to keep fighting it, and now that I was bonded with Trent, I wouldn’t have to.
“You might regret saying that. I’m going to be so needy and clingy now you’re going to get tired of me,” I teased.
“Never gonna happen,” he said and pulled into his driveway.
I straightened, and worry crashed around in my stomach. Jax was probably still here. Did he feel anything when the bond was transferred? Was he okay? He’d known Trent and I were talking about this, so it couldn’t be that much of a shock to Jax that we’d gone through with it. Still, knowing I had to face him now…
Swallowing hard, I climbed out of Trent’s truck and walked inside with him. Macaih was gone, but now Luke was back. He and Whitney were playing the same video game they had been earlier.
Whitney raised a brow in question, and I nodded, giving her a thumbs up. She grinned so big I was afraid her face was going to split in two. Later, she was going to demand to know what happened, and I couldn’t wait to tell her.
The clock on the wall chimed midnight. Talk about a long day. Unable to help myself, I yawned. For the first time since Ivy snatched me, I didn’t have a care in the world. I felt like I’d be able to go to sleep and stay asleep, free from nightmares and concerns.
“We’re going to bed,” Trent said.
“Night,” Luke said, waving his hand over his head, not bothering to look away from the video game.
“Have fun,” Whitney called in a sing-song tone.
I headed into Trent’s room, which was starting to feel an awful lot like home. He kicked the door closed, and my heart jumped in my chest. Nerves fluttered in my belly, and I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat.
The hunger in his eyes was all I needed to see to know what he wanted, and I wanted the same thing. I wanted it—him—with a desperation I’d never felt before, not even when I’d given in to the bond I’d shared with Jax. No, this bond with Trent was a million time stronger and more potent than even the most poisonous species on the planet. There was no fighting this.
Eternal Love: (The Cursed Series, Book 4) Page 20
