Breaking the Blood Bond Before Dawn — Episode 10

On my birthday, I arrived punctually at the upscale Blood Banquet Lounge reserved by Daniel Cook. By the seventh time a servant asked for my order, my phone buzzed: "Elders’ Council emergency. Order some Blood Plasma. Don't wait." A moment later, I saw an Instagram post from his first love, Camila Bennett, a Pureblood Elite. In the photo, Daniel was helping her with a napkin. The caption: "Asleep in the Old World too long. Someone worried I’d starve in New York, so he's treating me to a feast." My appetite vanished. I handed the archaic Latin menu to the servant: "I'll have one of everything from the Blood Reserve selection." By the time I finished at my Underground Manor in Manhattan, my phone was flooded with Daniel’s missed calls. His final voicemail: "Don’t overthink. Camila just woke from Torpor. I was only helping her. Next time, I’ll make it up to you." I didn’t respond. A relationship surviving on 'next time' promises... for an immortal, was it worth the wait?