Read. Relax. Recharge

5/14/2026

Forge laughed. He moved his fingertips so he gently stroked Blair’s shoulder and biceps. “What that man—the one in the bar, who turned you—what he did was beyond wrong. Being turned and left is something I know about, but not that sort of abuse. I’d like nothing more than to track him down and kill him.”

“How’d you…? You saw things from me?” Blair sat up.

Forge nodded. “He took advantage of his power. It’s called thrall. It’s a way to make a human do what you want for a short time.”

“That man with the dark hair who threw you in the water? He tried to drown you.”

Forge laughed. “No, I just hadn’t had a bath in, well, a long time. I imagine I smelled pretty bad. It’s been pointed out that my odor was the reason no wild animal ate me. I’ll tell you the story, but not right now,” Forge said. “C’mon, get some sleep.”

“Don’t put me off by trying to change the subject.”

Forge pushed up on his elbows. “Blair, I’m not. But I’m also not ready to have this conversation.”

“Who is he?” Blair knew he was being irrational. It wasn’t like they had been together years. A second thought came to him right on the heels of the first, if they were some kind of soulmates, Blair had every right to know anything he wanted to about Forge. “What was that I saw? Memories?” Forge nodded, looking miserable. “You saw mine and I saw yours. I saw the same man, over and over—different clothes, various hair styles—but it was the same guy.”

Forge swung around and sat on the edge of the bed, not facing Blair. “It doesn’t matter. You and I bond, nothing else, no one else, is important. Neither of us will want another partner until one of us dies.”

“It matters to me! Who the hell was he? No, not was, is. Who is he?” Blair waited, but Forge said nothing. It was impossible to miss how his back and shoulders tensed. Forge pushed off the bed and grabbed his jeans, pulling them on. “You practically screwed me blind. I have a right to know.”

“His name is Declan, and I’ve known him for nearly two centuries. It was just the two of us for most of those years.” Forge turned and looked at Blair.

All the pieces clicked in Blair’s mind. Everyone telling Blair how strange Forge was acting, how one minute he was charming and kind, and the next snarky and flustered. “You’re in love with him!” When Forge said nothing, Blair shouted at him, “You tell me I’m forced into some goddamn arranged marriage neither of us has a choice with, and you’re in love with some other guy! You say what that asshole in the bar did to me was wrong? You fuck me and love him? Then tell me we don’t have a choice and have to do this bonding thing?”

“I’m not exactly happy about this either!” Forge shouted back. “I don’t have a choice or get what I want.”

Blair was off the bed, stomping to the bathroom and his clothes. “Go to hell!”

“Blair, wait.” Forge’s voice changed to a hoarse whisper. He darted forward, grabbing Blair’s arm. “It’s complicated and—”

Blair didn’t mean to. It was a knee-jerk reaction, and he couldn’t help himself. Snarling loudly, Blair’s fangs dropped. He felt his eyes change to completely gray-green. Forge didn’t back up, but he didn’t try to follow Blair when he stalked to the bathroom and yanked on his shorts.
He couldn’t stop his mouth and knew he should’ve tried harder, hating himself when he heard what he was shouting, “You’re worse than that guy! At least he never lied to me!”

Blair stormed out the suite door, slamming it behind him so hard, he thought it would splinter and shatter. Even furious and feeling betrayed, he still hoped Forge would try to stop him from leaving.