The Forbidden Bond

  GREY WOLVES SERIES, BOOK 20

  QUINN LOFTIS

  Contents

  Grey Wolves Series and Gypsy Healer Series Reading Order

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Quinn’s Bookshelf

  Grey Wolves Series and Gypsy Healer Series Reading Order

  For anyone new to the Grey Wolves Series and the spin-off, Gypsy Healer Series, I've created a list showing the best order to read the books in.

  GWS - Grey Wolves Series; GHS - Gypsy Healer Series

  GWS: Book 1, Prince of Wolves

  GWS: Book 2, Blood Rites

  GWS: Book 3, Just One Drop

  GWS: Book 4, Out of the Dark

  GWS: Book 5, Beyond the Veil

  GWS: Book 6, Fate and Fury

  GWS: Book 7, Sacrifice of Love

  GWS: Novella 4, Sacred Silence

  GWS: Novella 2, Resounding Silence

  GWS: Book 8, Luna Mine

  GHS: Book 1, Into the Fae

  GHS: Book 2, Wolf of Stone

  GWS: Novella 1, Piercing Silence

  GHS: Book 3, Jewel of Darkness

  GWS: Book 9, Den of Sorrows

  GWS: Book 10, The Burning Claw

  GHS: Book 4, Wolves of Wrath

  GWS: Novella 3, Forgotten Silence

  GWS: Book 11, Tears of the Moon

  GHS: Book 5, Wolf of Sight

  GWS: Book 12, Alpha Rising

  GWS: Book 13, The Warlock Queen

  GWS: Book 14, A Grey Wolves Howliday

  GWS: Book 15, The Wolves Descend

  GWS: Book 16, The Hunt Begins

  GWS: Book 17, Reign of Blood

  GWS: Book 18, The Hybrid Rule

  GWS: Book 19, Wolf Divided

  GWS: Book 20, The Forbidden Bond

  Prologue

  “Nothing will ever be the same again.” ~Alice

  Alice drifted in and out of consciousness, catching snippets of conversation around her. She heard Cain's voice, tight with worry, as he argued with someone.

  "I don't care what you think. Fix her!"

  Alice wanted to tell him she was okay, that she just needed rest, but she couldn't make her lips move. A cool hand brushed her cheek.

  "Just hang on, Alice. I've got you."

  The touch wasn’t familiar, and yet she wanted to cling to it like a life preserver. The thought chilled her because she shouldn’t want to hold fast to Cain. But it didn’t stop her. Something inside her reached out to him, using his touch as an anchor to pull her up out of the darkness.

  With great effort, Alice peeled her eyes open. The room swam before finally settling into focus. She was in a massive bedroom, one she immediately recognized as belonging to the vampire king. Cain sat beside her, his elbows braced on his knees, head bowed. He looked up when she stirred, relief washing over his face.

  "There's my girl," he said softly. "How do you feel?"

  His girl? Alice blinked, trying to get her bearings. She didn’t have the strength to question the strange, possessive words. "Weak. Tired." Her voice came out a hoarse whisper. She lifted a shaky hand to her neck, feeling the bandage there, then everything came flooding back. She remembered Claude sinking his teeth into her flesh. The burst of pain. Cain forcing her to drink his blood.

  Blood. The tang of it lingered on her tongue, mixed now with the metallic taste of fear.

  Her brow furrowed as reality rushed over her. "Am I…"

  She couldn't make herself say the word. She couldn't give voice to the possibility. How could she deal with the reality of being a… Cain took her hand in both of his, enveloping it in the strength that came from one of his kind. She wondered briefly if he had to temper that strength in order to keep from harming her.

  "You're still you, but just becoming more," he said firmly. "Just rest and heal. We'll deal with everything else later."

  Alice searched his face, looking for any deceit, but she found only sincerity. He meant what he said. She was still herself, but was she still human? Cain said “more.” In her mind, “more” in this context meant monster. So even though she still felt human, she wasn’t. But what could be done about it now? She leaned back against the pillows, and though exhaustion crept over her, there were still questions burning through the fog in her mind.

  "Claude?"

  Cain's jaw tightened. "Gone."

  There was barely leashed violence in that word. Alice didn't doubt he would tear Claude apart if given the chance.

  "And Finn? Lizzy? You have to let them go. They don’t deserve this."

  "Shh." Cain squeezed her hand. "We'll deal with all of it soon. Just get your strength back first."

  He was right. She could barely keep her eyes open as it was. The questions could wait. But there was one more thing she needed to say before sleep claimed her.

  "Thank you," she whispered, "for saving me." Alice felt this strange urge to throw herself in his arms, as if that’s where she belonged, had always belonged. For so long, she’d felt like she was on the outside looking in. Allowing herself to be held by him would at least give her a sense of being tethered, attached to someone or something. But to be attached to a being like Cain felt wrong. How could someone be both right and wrong at the same time?

  Cain's expression softened. He reached out to graze her cheek with his knuckles. "I'll always save you, Alice. Always."

  Chapter

  One

  “Could somebody please pinch me? Or better yet, just hit me in the face with a two-by-four and make sure this isn’t just a bad dream.” ~Alice

  The next few days were a blur of sleep and wakefulness. Cain barely left her side. He cared for her gently, changing her bandages and ensuring she ate. It was as if the Cain she’d met that very first day she’d arrived—the vampire king—had been replaced with someone else entirely. At night he held her close, keeping vigil and guarding her as she slept. And she let him. Alice craved his presence. In his arms, the horrors of Claude’s attack faded away. And that was disturbing because the sharp teeth that Claude had used to pierce her skin were strikingly similar to the one’s in Cain’s mouth. But when Cain touched her, it was with care, not malice. When he came near to her face it was to check that the wound was healing, not to tear her throat.

  “Why are you doing this?” she asked one evening when she finally felt like speaking. Her voice was hoarse from lack of use.

  “Doing what?” Cain set a half-full cup of water on the bedside table.

  “Feeding me, tending to my wound, pulling up my covers.” She pointed to his hands which now held the end of the blanket. “Why are you taking care of me?” Alice didn’t understand this Cain. This Cain wasn’t a vampire; he was a man offering help to a woman he seemed to care for.

  Cain sat down on the edge of the bed and brushed stray strands of hair away from her face. “I’m doing this because I want to. It’s as simple as that.” His voice was rough with emotion. “I want to protect you from the ugliness of my world.” He shook his head and dropped his eyes as his jaw clenched. “I failed to do that when Claude attacked you. I will never fail again.” He raised his gaze back to hers. “I’m truly sorry for what you endured, Alice.”

  The sincerity in his tone was so thick it was almost tangible. Alice felt emotion welling up inside of her. How long had it been since someone had taken time to care for her?

  “I have no hidden agenda,” he told her. “In my long, long life, nothing has ever felt as right as you do. Here. With me.”

  Alice had no idea how to respond. She was confused and traumatized from the attack. She didn’t know if she should even trust her mind or her instincts.

  “Just let me take care of you,” he said earnestly. “Let me keep you safe.”

  Alice simply nodded because it had been a long time since anyone had cared enough about her to even wonder if she was safe.

  When she was finally strong enough to take in a small amount of nourishment, her body’s needs came back full force. To her utter embarrassment, Cain even had to help her to the bathroom. So long, dignity.

  Alice gripped the edges of the sink, unable to tear her gaze from the stranger staring back at her from the mirror. In the harsh bathroom light, she saw the sunken eyes ringed with shadows, the pallid skin, and the hideous wound marring her neck. It was as if all her previous vibrancy, her very life force, had been sucked out of her in an instant. She supposed, in a way, that’s exactly what had happened. When Claude sank his fangs into her flesh, he hadn’t just taken her blood. He’d taken something much deeper and more vital. Her spirit. Her humanity. Yet Alice didn’t crave blood, at least not yet. Cain assured her she was still human, but that she was also becoming “more.”

  “Jeez.” She blew out a breath. Her mind was on repeat, a broken record stuck on the same word: more. Alice had just found out she was some kind of spe
cial supernatural healer. Now, she’d been given vampire blood. Did that mean she was going to eventually be a … hybrid-healer-vampire? So that would make her… What? A hampire, a vamhealer? A blood-craving monster that lived only to feed on others while at the same time healing their wounds as she created them? Alice shuddered, squeezing her eyes shut against the swirling darkness of her thoughts. “Quit being dramatic, Alice,” she muttered to herself as she turned on the water and splashed the cold liquid on her face.

  She grabbed a towel and patted her skin dry with a groan. Alice smoothed her hair down over the mark, attempting to hide it from view. What Cain said might be true—she was still herself. But there was something different, something other, inside her. She just couldn’t put her finger on what.

  A light knock sounded on the door. “Alice? Are you all right?” Cain’s voice carried through the barrier, and she could hear worry in his tone.

  “I’m fine. Just give me a few more minutes.” Or a decade might be better. She had a feeling these were not the types of emotions that were worked through quickly. How did one go back to a normal life after everything she’d learned and experienced? Was it even possible? Did she really want to? Alice shook her head and took a deep breath before blowing it out slowly. Turning away from the mirror, from the ghostly waif reflected there, Alice made herself focus on the simple act of bathing. She scrubbed at her skin as if she could shed this wrongness along with the grime. It was no use. When she finally emerged wrapped in a towel, the desolation clinging to her spirit remained.

  Cain’s eyes were heavy with understanding. Wordlessly, he folded her into his embrace, enveloping her in his strength. She sagged against him, soaking up that solid warmth, grateful he didn’t force her to speak when words had deserted her. Alice was tired of being strong on her own. She’d been alone for far too long. Her father was an ass who only thought of himself. Her mother hadn’t been able to stomach being married to an ass, and she hadn’t bothered to take her daughter with her into her new life.

  In Cain’s arms, Alice could almost forget the gaping sense of loss inside—the feeling that some vital piece had been cleaved away, stolen by Claude’s vicious attack. Here there was only calm, only the reassurance of Cain’s presence. Not to mention, being with him took her mind off the strange sensations that were beginning to wage a battle inside her body.

  As his hold tightened, she knew she couldn’t stay cocooned here forever. There were still problems to be faced. But for a moment, she let the rest of the world fade away as she found solace in his embrace.

  “If I could take away your pain, I would in a heartbeat,” he said softly. “I would undo everything that happened.” He paused, and she could feel there was more he wanted to say so she waited. “I’m worried you will fear me simply because I’m a vampire, like Claude. The idea of you being afraid of me is abhorrent.”

  Alice pulled back so she could look at his face. She traced the contours with a finger, the high cheek bones and strong jaw. When she got to his lips he closed them, as if hiding his fangs from her. “Show me. Please.”

  Slowly, he parted his lips and let her see the sharp teeth. Feeling brave, or simply out of her mind, Alice pressed her thumb gently against one of the incisors. She pushed thoughts of Claude away and thought only of Cain and his treatment of her. Alice pulled her hand away and then looked him in the eyes. “I’m not afraid of you. And I don’t think I could say that to any other vampire.”

  The week passed and Alice continued to heal physically, but emotionally she felt as fragile as a baby bird. And the feeling pissed her off. Timidity was not a character trait with which she was familiar. And yet she constantly looked over her shoulder, wondering if Claude was going to jump out and yell “Boo” at her.

  “You can’t stay in this room forever, no matter how much I like seeing you in my bed,” Cain told her on Friday. Wait. Was it Friday? She shrugged because what did it really matter? “You won’t get stronger if you just lay in bed.”

  “I don’t just lay in bed,” she said lifting her chin. “I walk to that chair.” She pointed to the piece of furniture. “And sit. Then I stand and walk to the bathroom and then back to the bed. See? I’m getting plenty of exercise.”

  “Cute,” he said dryly. “But that’s not enough. Come join me in the lab. I miss having your sharp tongue to put Willis in his place.” His crooked grin teased her.

  “You don’t need my help putting Willis in his place. All you must do is look at him sideways, and he scurries like a mouse.”

  Cain walked over to the bed where she sat on the edge. He wrapped both hands around her biceps and pulled her to her feet as if she weighed nothing. Then he cupped her face and stroked her cheeks with his thumbs. “You’re stronger than this,” he said firmly. “Don’t let Claude, or any vampire, make you a captive of your own fear.”

  She took a deep breath as his words reverberated in her head. Alice had always prided herself on how strong she was. She valued her independence. Was she really going to let Claude take that from her? Finally, she nodded. “Okay.”

  His broad smile was beautiful, as if she’d just handed him the most amazing gift. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and then took one of her hands, pulling her toward the closet. “Put on some real clothes. Those pajamas might disintegrate because you’ve worn them for so long.”

  “They’re the softest ones.” Alice knew he was right. She’d not bothered to change for who knew how many days.

  “When you’re done, give them to me so I can burn… err… I mean, wash them.”

  “Ha. Ha,” she deadpanned. She closed the closet door in his face and then began the task of picking out something comfortable to wear.

  As she ventured out of Cain’s room, reacquainting herself with the facility, people watched her with a curiosity that made her want to hiss at them like an irritated cat. Thankfully, most of the other workers at the facility gave her space, except for Willis. The other scientist had a death wish, or at least that’s what Alice had decided based on his continued annoying behavior.

  “How are you feeling now?” he asked for the fifth time in thirty minutes. His constant questions were ceaseless. “Is your mouth dry? Does the idea of human food disgust you? Do your teeth feel sharper? Are you having any … urges?”

  “Does the urge to shove a sock down your throat count?” Alice asked in a saccharine sweet voice.

  Willis held up his hands. “No need to get all cranky on me. I’m just doing my job, Alice.”

  She glared at him. “Believe me, Willis, if I get the urge to bite someone, you will be the first to know. And it won’t be because I’ve told you about it.”

  “Back off, Willis,” Cain growled. “Can’t you see you’re overwhelming her?”

  The scientist bobbed his head. “Yes, yes, of course. My apologies.” But his gaze still followed Alice closely. She half expected him to pull out a notebook and start taking notes.

  As the days passed, she and Cain developed a routine. Alice found it oddly comforting. All the routines she’d ever had before in her life had been by herself.

  She stepped out of the steam filled bathroom in the set of pajamas he’d threatened to burn–butthead–and Cain motioned her over. He sat on the large, overstuffed couch in the quaint sitting area. “Let me check your wound.” His voice was softer than it was when they were out around other people.

  “It’s fine,” Alice told him, though she knew he would still demand to see it.

  Sure enough, his eyes narrowed. “Let me look at you.”

  A shiver ran down her spine at his words. Though she knew what Cain meant, the words held an intimacy that made her realize how much she’d come to trust him.

  She walked over to him and took a seat. Cain pushed her damp hair away from her neck, revealing the skin that she knew was probably still flushed from the heat of her shower.