Chapter Eighteen
Riven's POV
The forest swallowed me whole.
Branches clawed at my arms as I stumbled forward, each step heavier than the last. The curse coiled in my veins, choking me with heat and cold in equal measure. I pressed a hand to my chest, gasping, as his face carved itself across my mind again.
Lior.
Always Lior.
I sank to my knees in the dirt. My blade slipped from my grip. I clawed at the earth as if I could dig him out of me, as if tearing skin from bone could free me from this cursed bond.
"You're losing yourself."
The voice cut through the night. Familiar. Too familiar.
I froze. My head snapped up.
She stepped out of the shadows, deliberate, graceful, like she'd been waiting for this moment. A hood fell back from her head, and moonlight kissed sharp cheekbones, dark eyes gleaming like knives. A dagger dangled loosely in her hand, but I knew better. Nothing Eira did was loose.
"Eira," I rasped, throat dry.
Her mouth twitched into something between a smirk and a sneer. "Finally, you say my name."
I staggered to my feet, unsteady. "You've been following me?"
She tilted her head. "Don't sound so surprised. You think you can run around screaming a vampire's name in the dead of night and not be heard? You think I wouldn't notice when my cousin's aura drips with corruption?"
My chest tightened. Shame burned through me hotter than the curse.
"You don't know what you're talking about," I muttered.
Her eyes narrowed. "Don't lie to me, Riven. I've been watching you. Night after night. The way you stumble. The way you sweat. The way you..." she leaned forward, voice sharp as glass, "...call for him."
Blood roared in my ears. My fists clenched.
"Stop," I growled.
She didn't. "It's him, isn't it? The vampire. Lior Solavar. The cursed bond has sunk its claws into you."
I turned away, my body shaking.
"You're a Bloodbinder," she pressed. "Your power was never meant for this. The Council fears you, Riven—fears what your blood can do. And now you're proving them right."
I swallowed hard. My chest ached as though the bond itself twisted at her words.
Eira's voice dropped, softer, almost pleading. "Come back with me. Sever this before it's too late. Before he destroys you."
My jaw locked. Because the truth was simple.
I couldn't.
And that terrified me more than anything.
---
Lior's POV
The bar reeked of smoke and old wood. Shadows clung to the corners like secrets no one dared to tell.
I sat alone, glass of whisky in hand, the burn trailing down my throat in slow punishment. One drink after another, and still the ache didn't fade.
I stared at the amber liquid, wishing it were enough to wash him out of me.
Riven.
Every breath, every heartbeat pulled me back to him. My curse. My obsession. My undoing.
The chair across from me scraped.
"Lior."
I didn't need to look up. I knew that voice. My brother.
"You shouldn't be here," he said, sitting heavily across from me. His eyes were sharp, searching.
"I'm always here," I muttered, lifting the glass. "Where else would I be?"
"Not drinking yourself into the ground." His tone was tight, laced with irritation and something else. Worry. "Something's changed in you. The king sees it. He's watching."
That pulled me up short.
"The king?" I asked slowly.
"Yes." My brother leaned closer, lowering his voice. "He doesn't trust your silence. He doesn't trust your eyes. You think he doesn't notice when one of his heirs starts acting like he's haunted?"
Haunted. The word cut too close to the bone.
"I need to know what's happening," he pressed.
I laughed, bitter and humorless. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
"Try me."
The whisky wasn't strong enough to stop the words this time. They clawed their way out of my chest, raw and bleeding.
"There's someone," I said quietly. "And he's the reason I can't breathe. The reason I can't sleep. The reason I'm breaking apart."
My brother's jaw tightened. His silence said everything.
"A hunter," he finally said.
I didn't answer. I didn't need to. The truth was written across my face.
He cursed under his breath. "Lior, you're playing with fire. No you're drowning in it. If the king finds out, he won't just watch you. He'll end you."
I met his gaze across the table, my voice low, rough.
"Then let him try. Because I can't stop."