Tethered (The Binding Chronicles, #1)

by Elayna R. Gallea

She wasn’t pretty. That was too simple of a word. She was a ray of sunshine in the middle of a dark night. A cool breeze amid a storm. The first flower that bloomed after a long winter. She was an infusion of light into the abyss that was my soul.

One thing I remembered about my time as a human was that telling females to relax usually did not go well.

This human was braver than most of the vampires in that expansive throne room. I couldn’t remember the last time someone dared to speak to me in such a manner. I would have been lying if I said I wasn’t… fascinated. The fact that this human was courageous enough to interrupt me was intriguing.

“I was here the whole time,” he said gruffly. “Just because I didn’t ask for this doesn’t mean you’re not my wife. I take care of what’s mine.”

It was at that moment that I realized I was well and truly ruined. This human was going to be the death of me. I could already feel her hands on my heart, pulling it away from me.

Perhaps it wasn’t the right word. Luna was turning my entire world on its head. Not only were we Bound and Tethered, but I couldn’t stop thinking about her. With every passing hour, my appetite seemed to grow exponentially. Instead of forcing her to let me feed, I was watching her read. She was doing something to me, but I wasn’t ready to talk about it.

After I lost Athena, nothing mattered anymore. Seeing her body torn limb from limb had destroyed me. I’d given in to the shadows that resided within me, and for years, I had lived in a fog. But Luna, this short mortal who barely reached halfway up my chest, yelled at me. She pushed back when no one else did. It was incredibly endearing.

Sebastian was capable of killing me with little more than a glance, and here I was, practically panting as he touched me. The worst part of it was, I was enjoying it. There was no other possible explanation as to why I arched my neck, giving him more access to my body.

“I need you,” he whispered, his voice so rough it was barely more than a breath. “All of you. You’re driving me mad. The way you taste. Your smell. Sitting across from you in the library for the past twenty-one days, sleeping in the same room as you, and refraining from touching you has been the most agonizing experience of my entire existence.”

The part of me that knew I should have been scared of this vampire was long gone.

He groaned, pressing his forehead against mine as we shared the same air. “I need you so desperately, Luna, I’m losing my mind. It’s slipping from me, a little bit more every day. I’m starving, and yet, the hunger is nothing compared to what I feel inside for you. Every part of me wants to know you more. You think I’m not suffering?” Sebastian growled. “I never asked for this, but I need you more than I needed anything in my entire life. I can’t even leave.” His chest heaved beneath my touch as shadows swirled around him. “Do you have any idea what that’s like? To want something so badly, to be forced to remain near it day in and day out, and to not act on it?” Sebastian lowered his head once more, the tip of his fangs grazing my neck. “I’m living in hell.”

This specific turn of events was one I would never have anticipated, but now, every single thought and action of mine revolved around Luna. Waking and sleeping, she was all I could think about. I needed to keep her safe. Not just because of Keven’s vision, but because she was my… everything.

This moody prince was making his way into my heart. With every passing day, it was becoming more and more difficult to see him as just an ally. He was my friend… and maybe something more?

Raising a hand, I cupped Luna’s cheek. “You’re hurt.” She blinked. “Me? You’re worried about me?” “I’ll always be worried about you.” The words were barely more than a whisper, but they rang with truth.

Our lips met in a crashing symphony of want. There was nothing nice or gentle about this meeting of our mouths. This kiss was claiming, bruising, and world-changing.

“Let her go, Mother,” he said. “Please.” “Beg,” the queen demanded, her voice as cold as the ice that gathered on the windowsills. He didn’t wait a single second. Dropping to the ground, Sebastian folded his wings behind him as he held up his hands in supplication. A single tear slipped down his cheek. “Please, Mother, don’t kill her.”

Despite the circumstances which had brought us together, Luna had forced her way into my heart. I loved her.

Before I could ask what Rhain did to get banned from the castle, shadows gathered around Sebastian’s palms. Shadowing over to me, he pressed a kiss to my lips and pulled his wings back into himself before he jumped off the branch. Sailing to the ground in one smooth movement, as though the distance was nothing, Sebastian landed on the snow in an agile crouch. Gods, that was impressive.

A rustling filled my ears, followed by the soft sound of garments hitting the floor. Shutting my eyes, I pressed my forehead against the door and groaned. “Luna Montquartier, you are going to be the death of me.” A low and sensual giggle came from behind me, quickly followed by a series of splashes. My entire body tightened at the sound.

“I… you… you’re naked,” I said, as though that wasn’t perfectly obvious. A faint chuckle escaped her lips. “Such an astute observation, Sebastian. I am assuming that in your long life, you have had the chance to see naked people before?” “A few.” My wings twitched and my fangs ached. My voice was hoarse as I said, “But none were as beautiful as you.”

“Luna, I might not have wanted this marriage, but now I can’t imagine anything else.” Taking her wet hand in mine, I pressed a feather-light kiss to her damp skin. “You changed my life, darling.”

“Nothing’s wrong, darling.” Even my shadows quieted in my veins as I focused on my wife. This was it. “Luna, you snuck up on me like a bolt of sunshine after an endless storm. When you came to me, you gave me a reason to keep on living.” She sucked in a breath, tightening her grip on my fingers. “Sebastian, what are you saying?” “Luna Montquartier, beautiful wife of mine. I was never expecting you, but now that you’re here, I don’t want anything else. I swear to you that no matter what comes our way, I will protect you.” My heart pounded in my chest, and I ran my tongue over the tip of my fangs. My voice rasped as I said the three words that had been pressing on me for days. “I love you.”

They targeted my wife, and for that, there was only one available recourse. They would have to die.

Blowing out a long breath, I said, “Okay. I’ll remain here.” Pausing, I reached out and grabbed his tunic. He looked back at me, raising a brow. I added, “Under one condition.” Sebastian tilted his head. “I wasn’t aware this was a negotiation.” “You were wrong.” I quirked a brow. “It’s always a negotiation.” He chuckled. “What’s your condition?” “You come back to me.” I trailed my fingers down his face. The stubble on his cheeks was rough beneath my fingers, and the way his eyes watched my every movement made me feel like I was his entire world. “We have a lot to talk about, Prince.”

“Make no mistake, darling, you are mine. My wife. My princess. Your enemies are my enemies. Your problems are now my problems. I will destroy anyone who threatens you. I will tear them limb from limb, painting the snow with the blood that runs through their veins before presenting you with the stakes used to pierce their blackened hearts.”

me. I let out a low breath at the sight of the elderly librarian. “Keven, you shouldn’t creep up on people.” Especially not on a vampire who was already on edge because he had professed his love for his wife, and she proceeded to ignore him for an entire week. Wisely, I kept that part to myself as I pulled my shadows back into my palms.

I loved the fact that she felt comfortable enough with me to ask these questions. Most people saw me and ran the other way. Not Luna. She saw me and wanted to understand.