Fated Bonds

Chapter 19

"Get up," a voice rang out, startling Sarina awake.

"What the fuck, Caroline?" she cried, bringing her hands to rub her face.

"Your mates called me. I'm watching you until Elijah picks you up at five. It's eight now, so it's sister day," the vampire said, plopping onto the bed beside her.

"Caroline, you're giving me whiplash," Sarina exclaimed as her sister rolled her eyes.

"What do you mean?" Caroline joked.

"One moment, you're hating on them; the next, you're protecting me for them."

"You're my sister. I'd do it either way," Caroline smiled, grasping her hand. "How about we go for a walk around the mansion?" she beamed.

"No, how about we raid Nik's liquor cabinet," Sarina smirked, getting up and walking through the house with her sister following behind. Walking up to the shelf, she stood on the balls of her feet, reaching for a bottle of bourbon that was eight times the girls' age. Opening it, she went to the kitchen island, grabbed two glasses, and placed them on the counter. Caroline took a seat on one side, and Sarina on the other.

"You basically own the house," Caroline quipped, taking a drink.

"No, it's just comfortable. I like the busyness of it. Normally, it's not this empty," Sarina smiled sadly as she felt a headache begin.

"You always wanted the big family, multiple kids, and a caring husband," her sister smiled as Sarina looked at her.

"And you wanted to be a single woman running her own bar up in the city or a school teacher. Two very different lives," Sarina smirked, remembering her sister's minuscule dreams.

"And none of that's happening because we got involved with this life. Cheers," Caroline spoke, holding up her glass as the two clinked it.

"So, what is there to do in this big house?" she asked as Sarina looked around.

"Nothing. All we ever do is watch a movie or talk."

"We should go to your room," Caroline added, taking the glass and bottle.

"Don't have one, sis, so pick your favorite Original," Sarina smirked, knowing it would elicit a look from Caroline.

"Sarina Cassie Forbes, you strumpet!" her sister yelled with a smile on her face.

"Caroline Elizabeth Forbes, I am not!" Sarina cried, playfully hitting the back of her sister's head as they reached the top of the steps. The elder sister followed Sarina to Rebekah's room, and they laid on the bed.

"So, Original sex?" Caroline teased.

"No, they don't act like that."

"Really? How do they feel about it?"

"Uh, Finn and I never got past our first and last kiss," she smiled sadly as her headache grew stronger, gasping as she rubbed her temples. "Elijah and I have kissed, but he'll never rush me into that. Nik would want to do it in a soft setting."

"The deadly hybrid would want soft sex?" her sister asked, not believing the tone of her sister.

"Yeah, he's surprisingly romantic," she grinned, blushing. "Kol, if I called him right now, he'd be ready," she laughed as Caroline cackled. "And Bekah is the same."

"You know, I never imagined you with a girl," Caroline spoke, the older sister not judging but genuinely curious.

"I didn't either, but I guess that's what the bonds do. And I'm happy with her," Sarina yawned as she got under the covers.

"Why are you tired? You just woke up," Caroline worried.

"I have a headache too. Maybe I'm getting hungover. I don't know," Sarina said, looking at her sister. Kicking off the blankets, she began to sweat.

"People don't just get sick this quickly," Caroline yelled as Sarina took off her shirt.

"What the fuck, it's like the desert in here," sweat dripped down her as if she'd just gotten out of the shower.

"Okay, get into the shower. Cold water," Caroline commanded, hearing Sarina's heart begin to race. Sarina dragged herself to the shower, almost knocking into the door frame. Before she knew it, she was on the floor of the bathroom.

"Care, I need help," she panted, almost hearing her own heartbeat in her chest. Zooming to her sister, Caroline carried her to the bathtub and laid her in, filling it with the coldest water.

"Who are you on the phone with?" Sarina asked, running her hands under the faucet.

"Elijah. He's figuring out what's happening."

"Oh, so it's more than a cold?" she asked, lying down in the bath.

"It's Finn removing the mate bond," Caroline whispered, causing Sarina to let out a sob.

"It'll be over soon, but we have to keep you cool."

"Where are they?" Sarina called weakly from the tub, her state deteriorating as her eyes watered.

"Caroline, am I going to die?" she whispered as her sister shook her head, tears filling her eyes.

"I'm not going to let you," Caroline said firmly.

Sarina's vision blurred, and she felt the cold water envelop her like a cocoon. Her breath became shallow, and Caroline's frantic voice faded in and out. Suddenly, she was no longer in the bathroom. She was in a meadow, surrounded by her mates. Elijah, Finn, Nik, Kol, and Rebekah stood around her, their faces serene and comforting.

"Sarina, stay with us," Elijah's voice was calm and reassuring.

"Don't leave us," Nik's voice was a plea, filled with an emotion she rarely heard from him.

"You'll be okay," Rebekah's hand squeezed hers gently.

"Fight, Sarina," Kol's mischievous grin was a beacon of hope.

The vision faded, and she was back in the cold bathtub, Caroline's face hovering above her, tears streaming down her cheeks. Sarina gasped, the cold water shocking her system back to reality.

"You're back," Caroline cried, relief flooding her features.

Sarina shivered, the headache receding as she blinked up at her sister. "I'm okay," she whispered, her voice hoarse.

Caroline nodded, wrapping a towel around Sarina and helping her out of the tub. "Let's get you warm," she said softly, leading her back to the bedroom.

As they settled on the bed, Sarina looked at her sister, gratitude in her eyes. "Thank you, Care."

"Always," Caroline replied, brushing a damp strand of hair from Sarina's forehead. "Now, rest. I'll be right here."

Sarina closed her eyes, feeling the warmth of her sister beside her, and let herself drift into a peaceful sleep.