Free A Shade of Vampire 28: A Touch of Truth by Bella Forrest Page A

they would be gone. I didn’t know when I might be able to visit him again. He said to be safe, I ought not return for at least a week and a half. A week and a half wasn’t long by normal standards, but I was already imagining how slowly the hours would tick by without him.
    I also knew that the time we had left together would go by in a flash, and it seemed he realized it as well. He informed Cecil he would need some more free time until he departed. Cecil agreed to take over some of his duties and slow down on his training, so that we could have more time together.
    On the evening Bastien and I had agreed I would depart, he completed his duties in the early evening. I was expecting us to go up to his apartment, where we usually went to get away from everyone. This time, to my surprise, he suggested that we head out for a walk— close to his lair, but far enough for us to stretch our legs a bit. We could feel more alone with each other, in peace and quiet, without the bustle of the pack beneath us.
    I hadn’t been out of the mountain even once since I arrived, and The Woodlands was an absolutely beautiful place. Twining my fingers with his, I was looking forward to seeing where Bastien was planning to take me. But we didn’t make it far. We had barely walked halfway across the grassland in front of the Blackhalls’ mountain when I spotted my father. He was marching toward me, his jaw firmly set, a look of determination in his eyes. Behind him was a dragon, Neros. I guessed the League had finished their latest mission and returned to Kyle, who’d informed them of my whereabouts.
    My heart sank to my stomach. Bastien and I stopped in our tracks, staring at him. My father reached us in seconds, and, glancing at Bastien briefly, set his focus on me. Somehow, I already knew what he was going to say before he even parted his lips.
    “Victoria,” he said heavily, “I’m very disappointed that you came back here. You need to come home.”
    I swallowed hard, my own disappointment clawing at my chest.
    My shoulders sagged. “Well, I was planning to come home, anyway, after a few days…” I murmured.
    “You need to come home with me, now ,” he said.
    I heaved a sigh. There were times when there was no arguing with my father, and I could already tell that this was one of them.
    Bastien also looked crestfallen, but he turned to me, clutching both of my hands. “You must go with your father,” he said, his soulful gray eyes gazing down into mine.
    I faced my father. “Okay, but… I have to visit Bastien again.” Soon.
    I hated the doubt in my father’s expression. “Things between the dimensions are very, very turbulent right now, Vicky. We’ll talk about that in a week or so.”
    I couldn’t help but feel that even if my parents did sanction my returning for another visit, it wouldn’t be nearly as long as this one. I was sure I wouldn’t be able to spend a full day, let alone a night… maybe just a few hours.
    Bastien seemed to detect my dismay, I guessed because he was experiencing the same fear. He dipped his head and planted a chaste kiss on my lips before giving my hands another squeeze.
    “We’ll be all right, Victoria,” he said quietly.
    I nodded, even as I found myself wishing that somebody else had stepped up to take over the Blackhall tribe. But I knew how selfish it was of me to even think such a thing. This was Bastien’s place among his people. This was what he was meant to be doing. This was his duty.
    “Okay,” I said, trying to turn my thoughts around and look on the bright side. The main reason it had been so unbearable the last time I had been separated from Bastien was because of the way we had parted. Him doubting me, and thinking that I might have betrayed him to the hunters. Not knowing whether he’d even survived the IBSI’s attack on Rock Hall. Now, the circumstances were totally different. I knew that Bastien was okay here. He had regained his home. And he had people around