Free Unbound, a Paranormal Romance (Book 2 of the Spellbound Series) by Lola James

was with us.
    “What’s that supposed to mean?” Dawn asked.
    With the sharp knife he pulled from a scabbard at his side, Bion sliced Kevin’s wrist and held it over Joanna’s mouth. Blood trickled onto her pale lips. Her canines lengthened as the blood hit her system when she pulled up to meet Kevin’s wrist they both let out audible moans.
    “You gotta be shitting me, y’all really are vampires,” Dawn said, her mouth wide open as she stared at my fangs which had elongated as I watched Joanna feed. “Why are they moaning? Is that normal?” Her eyes were wide when she backed up into the wall to glance from me to Bion. “And who are you to just cut into Kevin like that?” She inched toward the stairs just as Joanna pulled away from Kevin’s wrist.
    “My apologies. I am Mattathias Bion Nikos, Antonia’s father.” He walked toward Dawn, hand extended as he engulfed her hand into his. Kevin started to fall but in a blur, Joanna caught him before he collapsed.
    Dawn’s eyes darted from Bion to Kevin’s now-limp body.
    “I was afraid I might drink too much,” Joanna admitted. She punctured her index finger with her fang and stuck it into Kevin’s mouth; his lips wrapped around her finger and he softly moaned. “Not too much. I wouldn’t want to turn you.” Joanna pulled her finger from Kevin’s mouth, and his eyes opened to Joanna’s smiling face.
    “My love,” he mumbled as he touched the side of Joanna’s face.
    She shook her head. “No, I am not the one you love. And you are just on a blood high.” She smiled and stroked the side of Kevin’ face as she helped him to his feet.
    “Can somebody explain what in the hell is going on here?” Dawn screamed in a high-pitched voice, her eyes darting around the room until they landed on Bion. “I’m sorry, Mr. Nikos. It’s really a pleasure to meet you, but I am more than a little disturbed at the happenings around me.” Dawn’s hand was still in Bion and she shook it vigorously before wrapping her arms around him to hug him.
    “The pleasure is all mine . Please, call me Bion,” he said with a smile. “I’ll answer your questions to the best of my ability. Joanna here is a vampire, and a very old one at that. She needed blood, and Kevin offered, so I obliged since Joanna was unwilling to take the initiative and bite him. She would have continued to weaken without it, and we will need all the help we can get to save Antonia.”
    She turned to Joanna. “But how is that you and Toni look alike?”
    “We are born of the same blood,” Joanna explained.
    “I am still not convinced that myth is the true,” Dawn fumed.
    “I am in awe myself at mention of this myth,” I offered.
    “And you're sure it has to be you and Toni that dies to let that bitch go free?” Dawn shook her head as Joanna nodded her confirmation. “Where is Toni? And Why?”
    “She was put to sleep by Hades,” I said.
    “The Muses only speak the truth and Melpomene the Muse of tragedy spoke this myth long ago when Zeus ordered Persephone to stay half the year in the underworld. My daughter’s face and the one of Joanna’s were etched in a stone that resides in this temple for Hades. I had heard the myth when I came here some years ago but never knew of Joanna. If I would have, I would have warned Antonia and contacted Zelma.” Bion dropped his head as we all stood mouths gaped open.   
    “Hades, that prick , stole her from Kevin, has a wife, and is probably in on this scheme,” Dawn fumed.
    “Actually, I think my daughter went willingly. She seems to love Hades and he her, I don’t think he knew of Persephone’s plan.” A sad smile planted on his face.
    “It’s true. I think they do love one another.” I couldn’t believe I let the words escape my lips. I should have said that I loved her too, but I didn’t want to further complicate an already-complicated situation, since Kevin was also still in love with Antonia.
    “If that’s true, then we need to