Blood Ties Read Online Free PDF

for the best, Cassie. You have to know how to feed safely. And if it’s done right, it really doesn’t do any harm.’
    Shutting her eyes, Cassie gave a frustrated moan; then she felt Ranjit’s hand squeeze hers once again. He sighed deeply and turned to Cassie with an attempt at a smile.
    ‘Look, I’m just glad you’re here, and you’re OK. We’ll get through it … together.’ He leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips, lingering for a moment before pulling away. ‘And about this …’ he murmured, pressing his forehead to Cassie’s.
    ‘Yeah?’ Her voice was hoarse.
    ‘I think it might be a good idea for us to try and take it slow. I mean, I don’t know what happened in the atrium but it felt almost … out of control?’ He looked cautiously at Cassie, and she nodded and smiled.
    ‘It did. Not that I’m complaining.’
    ‘Me neither. It’s just that, given our circumstances and … past experiences, I just don’t want anything to go wrong for us. We should be careful.’
    Ranjit ran a reassuring hand along Cassie’s arm and turned to drain the rest of his coffee. Cassie stared down at her own barely touched drink. She’d hardly thought about it before, but the way he’d said past experiences, and the expression on his face when she mentioned that she had been destined to be Isabella’s life-source, spoke volumes. How could she have forgotten?
    Jessica.
    Jake’s sister had been involved with Ranjit before she died. In fact, she was meant to be meeting him the night she was lured to her death. The girl who finished up drained of her very essence by Katerina and Keiko was the same girl everyone said looked like Cassie. The thought of it made her head spin. OK, this could be weird.
    ‘Cassie?’ Ranjit’s voice brought her out of her reverie. ‘We should get going. You look tired.’
    His beautiful face smiling down at her, and his hand gently laid on her shoulder, made her head spin once more – but for the right reasons.
    This is ridiculous, she thought. You’re not Jessica. It’s not the same. Don’t talk yourself out of this before it’s begun.
    Forcing a smile, she stood up. ‘Tired? Come on then, I’ll race you back to the Academy!’

CHAPTER FOUR
    T he corridor was dark. Cassie was running, urgently searching for something. Someone. She rounded the corner into yet more darkness. No, not darkness – two eyes, glowing red, were there ahead of her. Looming out of the black. Coming towards her. No. She was moving towards them …
    There he is, Cassandra! Grab him. Take him, He’s the one for us. Don’t let him convince you otherwise. We belong together. We need him.
    Cassie’s arms reached out blindly, snatching at the void.
    You don’t want to be alone, do you, Cassandra? Reach for him. Grab him. We don’t want to be alone. We want them both. You and I, he and his . . .
    ‘Ranjit?’
    Cassie’s voice was a growl, echoing through the empty space. She lunged forward once more, her hands grabbing on to something. Shoulders: hunched, muscular. His bare skin almost burning under her touch. Then his arms, encircling her, squeezing her until she could barely breathe. Her fingernails like claws, digging into the flesh of his back.
    Yes, Cassandra. Don’t let him go! We mustn’t let go!
    ‘I won’t.’
    You won’t. You won’t? But you’ve abandoned me! Why have you abandoned me, Cassie? There’s a part of me alone, you know. The part we left behind.
    ‘What? I’m here! Estelle?’
    You felt that void, didn’t you, dear? Only for a little time, but you felt it. Imagine being trapped there. It’s not nice. Why are you being so unkind? Poor, poor Estelle. Are you going to let me stay out here, Cassandra? Are you going to keep me apart? Keep us apart?
    HOW COULD YOU?!
    Cassie woke with a start, shaking. Throwing off the blankets, sweating and gasping for breath, she sat up straight and raked her fingers through her hair. It was still dark: the faint glow from outside was