Charlotte felt like she was standing on a thin line, and no matter which direction she stepped, she knew she would eventually fall.
She didn't know if her life would be any better with Damon, but she was sure of one thing: if Julian ever found her, she would drown in misery all over again.
"I accept your condition," Charlotte said, taking a deep breath. "As long as you don't hit me, I can live with you."
Her voice was calm, but her heart wasn't. Her life was already broken beyond repair, so expecting anyone to fix it felt foolish.
"I will not hit you, Charlotte," Damon stated firmly.
Charlotte looked away. "Of course, you can't."
Because he would be bound by the blood oath. But what if he didn't take it?
She didn't want to know because sometimes, the truth was worse than imagination.
"Let's take the blood oath," Damon said, pulling a folding knife from his pocket.
Charlotte blinked in surprise. "Now? Right here?"
Before she could even prepare herself, Damon sliced his palm, letting the blood drip down his hand. "What are you waiting for? Didn't you say your ex-husband is looking for you right now?"
Charlotte clenched her fists, trying to steady her racing heart. She couldn't afford to hesitate anymore because her whole future was hanging on this moment.
"Alright, let's do it." She raised her palm, allowing Damon to cut her hand with the knife.
She bit her lip as the sharp sting spread through her skin. Even though Julian had hurt her countless times before, she still wasn't used to it.
Pain had always reminded her of her own helplessness, that she wasn't strong enough to escape it.
"The pain won't last long." Damon pressed their palms together, letting their blood mingle.
Charlotte's hand trembled as the pain grew worse. It felt as if her hand was burning the moment Damon's blood touched hers.
"I, Damon Sullivan, swear on my blood and soul to never harm you, Charlotte," he said.
"No matter how angry I get, no matter what happens, my hand will never rise against you. I vow to protect you from every danger, even from myself, and I vow to stay loyal to you. By blood, this oath is eternal."
Charlotte's eyes widened at his final words. She had only expected him to promise not to hurt her, but he had sworn to protect and stay loyal to her.
Why would he go that far?
But she didn't have time to ask because she had to take the oath as well.
"I, Charlotte Dawson, swear on my blood and soul to be loyal to you, Damon Sullivan." Her heart pounded so loudly she could barely hear her own words. "By blood, this oath is eternal."
When the last words left her lips, Damon squeezed her hand. The warmth of their mingled blood sealed the vow between them.
"It's done," he whispered. "No one can break this."
Then Damon brought her palm to his mouth and suddenly licked the wound. Charlotte nearly jumped in shock because what the hell was that?!
His tongue slid across her skin, tasting her blood as if savoring the flavor of his prey before devouring it.
His gray eyes locked on hers, and for a moment, Charlotte couldn't even breathe.
"Shall we go somewhere else?" he asked, releasing her hand. The wound had already healed. "But I don't mind if you'd rather stay in the car. It's soundproof…"
Charlotte quickly turned her head away, cheeks burning. She knew exactly what he meant. He wanted to mark her, mending their broken bond.
However, once an Alpha marked his mate, both of them would be consumed by desire, and it was the kind of bond that could keep them tangled in bed for an entire day.
Charlotte would rather die than let that happen inside a car.
"No! Not in the car, but not in your house either," she blurted out quickly.
Until Damon erased Julian's mark completely, she didn't want to step foot anywhere her ex-husband might recognize.
"A hotel, then," Damon decided.
• • •
Charlotte had never been the kind of woman who took the lead in bed, but with Damon, all she wanted to do was shove his gorgeous body onto the bed and kiss him senseless.
The moment they stepped into the hotel room, Damon didn't waste a second. He grabbed her by the waist and kissed her hard. Charlotte froze for a second, startled, and her first instinct was to pull away from him.
Come on, she'd been a faithful wife for five long years!
The thought of making out with her soon-to-be ex-husband's uncle had never once crossed her mind.
But the moment Damon's pheromone filled the air, her knees went weak. She wrapped her arms around his neck for balance.
Her back pressed against the wall as Damon deepened the kiss, his lips devouring hers like she was something sweet he couldn't stop tasting.
Sex with Julian had always been awful. He was rough, selfish, and impatient. He was always chasing his own release and never caring if she enjoyed it or not.
But Damon…
Oh God, Damon.
The way his hand slipped under her shirt, brushing past her bra and cupping her breast, sent heat straight through her body. His fingers teased her nipple until it turned hard under his touch, and Charlotte couldn't hold back the moan that escaped her lips.
The kiss broke for a brief second, but she immediately leaned forward again, craving his mouth.
"I don't have much time…" Charlotte breathed out, her words trembling but clear enough for Damon to understand. "Mark me now… my husband… he can—"
Damon silenced her with another kiss, his lips crashing against hers as he lifted her effortlessly and carried her to the bed without breaking the kiss.
When Charlotte's body hit the mattress, she instinctively pulled him down with her.
Their lips moved hungrily against each other, and the kiss grew hotter, deeper, more desperate, until Charlotte parted her lips, letting Damon's tongue slide into her mouth.
His hands roamed over her body as he stripped away her clothes, leaving nothing but her red panties, a striking contrast against her pale skin.
When they finally broke the kiss, a thin string of saliva connected their lips. The sight alone made Charlotte's breath hitch, and she could already feel the heat pooling between her legs.
"Mark me…" she whispered breathlessly, "…now."
She knew she sounded like a woman lost in heat, but it wasn't her fault. Damon's scent, his voice, and his body, everything about him drove her insane.
Damon gently turned her around so he could reach her neck. His fingers traced along her skin, feeling her pulse race beneath his touch. He leaned closer, brushing her long hair aside.
Charlotte shivered when his lips grazed her neck, his breath warm against her ear.
"Are you sure, Charlotte?" he asked in a low, husky voice. "Once I mark you, there's no going back."
Charlotte didn't hesitate. She tilted her head slightly, baring her neck to him. "I want you to mark me, Damon."
Damon didn't answer. Instead, his tongue slid along her neck, right over the faded scar where Julian had once marked her. The teasing touch sent a tremor through her body. Then, before she could take another breath, his teeth sank into her skin.
Charlotte clenched her jaw to suppress a cry. The pain burned on her skin, but soon it was replaced by something else, a primal, hungry desire that made her ache for him even more.
Damon licked away the blood that escaped from the fresh bite, and within seconds, the pain melted away. The wound healed almost instantly, leaving behind a dark mark that completely covered her ex-husband's.
"Damon…" Charlotte whimpered, writhing on the bed. Her legs rubbed together. "Fuck me."