Page 46 of Blood Match
I hesitate, unsure how to articulate the impossible. “Something’s changed. The hunger, it’s—” I stop. What if this is wishful thinking? I can’t simply assume that this latest development will be permanent.
“Darick?” he presses. “You gonna speak to me?”
I take a deep breath. “The hunger is gone. Completely.”
Marcus’s eyes widen in disbelief. “That’s impossible. The Bloodbane—”
“I know,” I cut him off. “But it’s true. I woke up feeling…different. Stronger, even. And the constant thirst? It’s just…vanished.”
He shakes his head, clearly struggling to process this information. “How? When did this start?”
I pause again, unsure how much to reveal. “It started recently, but the signs were there before – I mean, there were hints before these last few days.” I have to admit that there have been signs – reading someone’s mind is certainly something new.
Marcus narrows his eyes. “Recently? How recently?”
I grimace. There’s no avoiding it. “After I met a witch,” I tell him. “There’s some kind of link between us. I don’t get it, but I can’t ignore that things have been different since then.”
Marcus’s expression darkens. “A witch? Darick, what the hell were you thinking?”
“I wasn’t,” I snap, frustrated. “It just happened. But that’s not important right now. What matters is that something’s changed. The Bloodbane symptoms are gone.”
He runs a hand through his hair, agitated. “This doesn’t make any sense. The Bloodbane isn’t something you just get over. It’s a curse, Darick. A death sentence for our kind.”
I straighten, my resolve firming. “I know that. But I’m telling you, it’s not the same as before. I need to understand why.” I take a breath. “How likely is it to beat this thing without help?”
Marcus is silent for a long moment, his expression troubled. Finally, he speaks. “You know the answer to that, Darick. The only way is to find a blood match. A witch who is magically compatible with your blood. Maybe she’s it.”
I scowl, not liking this explanation. “I haven’t drunk from her. She’s not a match. It can’t be that simple.”
Marcus nods, his skepticism clear. “It’s not that then. A blood match without drinking blood… It’s never happened before. It can’t be possible. Even finding a match in the first place is like looking for a needle in a haystack.”
I pace, the unease gnawing at me. “Then why – why has the thirst vanished? It’s absurd.”
Marcus studies me intently, his eyes narrowing. “You said there was a connection between you and this witch. What exactly happened when you met her?”
I turn away, unable to meet his gaze. He doesn’t need to know about the kiss. “We talked, that’s all. We tried to figure out what this is but couldn’t. That’s it.”
“Cut the crap,” Marcus growls. “I’ve known you for centuries, Darick. You’re hiding something.”
The accusation stings, but I can’t deny its truth. “There was…a dream. It felt real. Too real.”
“A dream? What kind of dream?” He’s curious.
I hesitate, uncomfortable with the direction this conversation is taking. There’s no way I’m telling the man about my sexual fantasies. “It doesn’t matter. It was just a dream.”
“Clearly, it does matter,” Marcus insists. “If there’s even a chance that this witch is your match, we need to know. The implications could be enormous. This could be the answer.”
He’s right, of course. If she really is my…match…it changes everything. The thought both thrills and terrifies me.
But you haven’t drunk from her, dammit!
Besides, do I really want to be tied to a witch forever?
If you want to survive, you will.
“I don’t know what to believe,” I admit, frustration coloring my voice. “This connection, the dream, the Bloodbane symptoms disappearing… How the fuck am I supposed to make sense of it?”
Marcus places a hand on my shoulder, his expression softening slightly. “I don’t know, my friend. But we need to figure it out. Fast. If word of this gets out, if Lucien finds out…”