He never let the bond fade. He always ensured that if I stopped craving him so intensely, he was there to give me more. He kept a blade on his table and wore a knife on his belt. Betrayal washed over me. When I swallowed, it felt like sandpaper. I hadn't suspected. If I had, I'd thoroughly ignored my intuitions because I liked how Elijah made me feel. I'd wanted to please him. Some twisted part of me reveled in the idea that he thought I was worth manipulating and cared enough to put thought into it. He wanted me so desperately that he'd do anything to ensure I was his. Or his blood has warped my mind. It wears off, Neko said, trying to reassure me as he watched me process my anger and hurt. If you aren't around them for a while, you're dead.