A Shade of Vampire 83 A Bender of Spirit - Bella Forrest Page 0,3

space and time are bent.”

“We’re dimensions of our own,” Morning replied. “Entities that will exist for as long as there is time, or until Death decides to whack us.”

Soul nodded. “And Unending here is the same,” he said, calling Valaine by her true name like the other First Tenners. We, the living, were the only ones who stuck to her Aeternae name—maybe a force of habit.

“Okay, well, while Valaine works on that, we need to figure out what we’re going to do in the meantime,” Esme interjected, looking around nervously. “This hilltop has been nice until now, but we need to find a proper safe place. A base for our operations. We also need to organize an offensive against the Darklings.”

“Yes, Laramis was only the beginning,” Kelara said. “We promised them that.”

“I’ll stay with you, in case you need my help,” I whispered to Valaine, but she shook her head, her brows pulled into a deep frown.

“No. I think it’s time to put some distance between us,” she murmured. “I’m obviously dangerous, Tristan, and I don’t want you getting hurt because of me.”

I was baffled. “What? No. No, Valaine, I’ve been by your side until now. You can’t just push me away.”

“I can, actually. And I will. After everything we’ve learned, after everything that has happened, how can you possibly think I’m at all good for you?”

Morning chuckled softly. “My dear sister, you’re not a ticking time bomb. You’re simply more than you thought. And truth be told, Tristan has been an ally since day one. We already know he’s got a… let’s say calming effect on you. We could use that going forward, since we have no idea what can of worms we’re opening with the trance state I mentioned.”

Valaine was speechless for the briefest of moments. I had a feeling she’d expected the First Tenners to side with her on this one. I knew she was trying to push me away purely out of concern for my safety, but we’d already survived plenty of traumas together. I doubted we’d be as strong apart, and she had to know that. Maybe she just wasn’t ready to accept it.

I took her hands in mine, determined to keep her close. “Listen to me very carefully, Valaine. I don’t care who you really are or what sort of powers you have. I know you make me want to be a better person, and I sure as hell won’t let you go on this journey alone. Your father betrayed you. Your people betrayed you. If ever there was a time you needed true friends by your side, it’s right here, right now.”

“While I’m no fan of consorting with the living, even I must admit that we should stick together on this one,” Night muttered.

“I’m sorry, Tristan,” Valaine conceded. “I just… I don’t want you to get hurt. I could never forgive myself.”

“Oh, enough with the drama!” Soul snapped, shaking his head. “You’re not dying, sister. You’re coming back to us, and you need all the help you can get.”

Sofia got up, hands resting on her hips. “We’ll get through this,” she said. “We’ll all get through this.”

Widow chuckled softly. “Is this your way of reassuring yourself?”

“I have to!” Sofia replied. “We all have to! Look at us! Valaine is struggling with one hell of a situation. My husband is a prisoner of the Darklings. Nethissis no longer has a body to go back to. And Thayen—the poor child—his mother is a Whip. She killed his father.”

“I’m guessing you’re not going to send him back to Danika even if she gives you Derek, then?” I asked, suddenly reminded of the greater picture we’d become a central, though unwilling, part of.

Sofia shook her head. “No. She’s unfit to be his mother. Thayen deserves better.”

“Have you thought about asking the kid if he wants that?” Ridan chimed in, his gaze fixed on Thayen. The boy was quiet, staying close to Sofia. He was probably struggling to wrap his head around everything that had happened. He was looking at years of therapy, no doubt about it.

“I’m not sure I want to go back.” Thayen sighed. “I don’t know what to do.”

Nethissis sat in the grass next to him and offered him a warm smile. “Would you be okay with staying here? I know Sofia will stop at nothing to protect you.”

“I… Yeah, I guess,” Thayen replied. “But what if Mom comes for me? What do I do then?”

It didn’t surprise me that he didn’t already have the