Chapter 3

I was jolted awake by a searing heat.

Adrian's body temperature had skyrocketed. He was holding me tight, his face buried in the side of my neck, his breaths so ragged he sounded like he was suffocating. His body was trembling, and he kept grinding against me.

I became acutely aware of what was pressing hard against my thigh.

My face flushed, and I quickly pulled my leg away.

"Adrian?" I nudged him. "Are you not feeling well?"

He didn't answer, just held me tighter, a low whimper vibrating in his throat.

I immediately grabbed my phone and messaged the app's customer service.

"Hi, the vampire I purchased has been acting strange. Is this a quality issue?"

The rep replied instantly. "Is he being disobedient? Are you unsatisfied?"

I thought about Adrian's behavior lately. The not wearing clothes, always staring at my neck, constantly trying to sniff me…

"He's not exactly being obedient," I typed back.

"We recommend establishing a blood bond as per the user manual. The vampire will become completely subservient to your commands."

I closed the chat and immediately dug out the thick manual from my nightstand.

The next morning, Adrian was back to normal, calmly making breakfast as if nothing had happened.

I walked up to him with the manual. "Adrian, I want to establish a blood bond with you. Are you willing?"

His hand trembled, and the plate he was holding almost fell. He spun around, his eyes flashing red again as he stared at me in disbelief. "What did you say?"

"A blood bond," I said, opening the manual and pointing to the instructions. "This way, you can take better care of me, right?"

The manual described two types of bonds: a one-way bond and a two-way bond. The two-way bond promised higher loyalty, so I decisively chose that one.

What I overlooked was the fine print at the bottom: One-way bonds are for master-servant relationships, while two-way bonds are typically used between mates.

A two-way bond is unbreakable. The bonded pair share a life and a soul.

Adrian seemed to be getting agitated again, his breathing quickening, his fangs peeking out.

It seemed like bonding was absolutely necessary.

"Are you willing?" I asked again.

"Yes! I am," he answered instantly, as if afraid I'd change my mind.

Following the instructions, I used a silver knife to prick my finger and offered the blood to his mouth.

His tongue curled around my fingertip. It tickled, and I couldn't help but flinch. Adrian's tongue followed, wrapping tightly around my finger.

Then, he bit his own wrist and held it to my lips.

I frowned but drank. His blood was cold and had a strange, sweet taste. A jolt like an electric current shot through my entire body.

Suddenly, Adrian pinned me against the wall, his hands on either side of my head, the red in his eyes practically spilling out.

"I'm yours. Forever," he whispered in my ear.

I froze. Something felt off, but before I could think about it, my work alarm went off.

"I have to get to work," I said, pushing him away and rushing to get ready.

That night, I had just gotten out of the shower and into bed when Adrian appeared in my doorway.

His eyes were crimson, and he was wearing only a pair of sleep pants, his lean, muscular torso on full display.

He walked to the bed, climbed right on top of me, and trapped me under his body.

"Chloe," his voice was impossibly hoarse, and he seemed more desperate than ever. "It hurts."

He lowered his head, his tongue tracing a path over my collarbone. "I need to bite… just once."

My whole body tensed up.

I immediately grabbed my phone and opened the chat window.

"Customer service! What is going on? I did the bond like you said, but he seems even worse!" I typed furiously, explaining the situation.

The rep's reply came back, filled with undisguised shock. "Are you saying you formed a two-way blood bond with him?"