♤ ı [3] An Everlasting Love

ı 06 ı Our Blackened Hearts

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"They say love is pain, well darling let's hurt tonight"

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BLAIR POV

I'm overcome with many emotions, too many. I feel sorrow and heartache, guilt and sadness for the loss of my older brother. But, at the same time I feel overjoyed and happy, shocked and revived now that James is back. It's exhausting really, having to sort through all these emotions. They all swirl around in my mind until I feel numb. 

The drive back is long and I find myself struggling to stay awake. Theo stays asleep in the backseat, clutching one of his toys as he breathes slowly. I smile back at him just as my phone buzzes for the millionth time. Joel's name lights up across the screen. 

I ignore it just like I have every other time he's texted me on the drive back. I know they're wondering where I am and I know I should probably just tell them but I'm too tired to explain myself. 

"Blair?" 

I freeze at the sound of a man's voice in my head. Although, it's not just any man's voice, but his. A voice that I haven't heard in my head for so long. A voice I called out to months after the line had been severed. I thought it had been permanently destroyed. 

"James? The link still works?" 

"It appears so. Where are you? Do you have Theo?" 

"Yes, I have Theo. We're half an hour out now from the house. Be there shortly." 

"Joel wanted me to ask why you never answered his texts," James says, and I can almost hear the amusement in his voice. 

"Wait, did you tell Joel about our telepathic link?" I ask. 

"Yeah, we made a bet about who you would respond to first. Joel obviously thought it was him since I don't have a phone yet, but luckily for me Emily Bennett gifted us."

"Lucky you," I saw, laughing to myself in the car. 

"Drive safe, Blair." 

"Always do." 

We both stop talking, as if the line's hung up. I keep a big smile glued to my face, soaking in the feeling of speaking to him in my mind. Sure it makes my head hurt a bit but to be able to speak to the one you love through your mind is a godsend. I wouldn't trade it for the world. 

As I pull into the driveway a half hour later, the porch lights are on as they're no doubt inside waiting for me. I take Theo from the back seat and carry him inside, holding a finger to my lips as I walk in the door, singling for Joel and James to be quiet. 

They both jump up at the sound of the door opening, rushing over only to stop once they see a sleepy Theo. I carefully carry him upstairs and tuck him into bed, giving him a kiss on the forehead before closing his bedroom door. I rub my hands together before quietly making my way down the stairs, prepared to see the two Branson brothers. 

"I have a lot of questions," Joel says suddenly. 

He stands beside James, his hands clasped over one another in front of him as he glances between James and I. 

"Why didn't you tell me before that you have a telepathic link?" he asks. 

I shrug casually. "Didn't feel the need to." 

"It's not something that comes casually into a conversation," James adds. 

"Uh okay, but neither does telling someone 'I'm a vampire' yet we've all done it," Joel comments, rolling his eyes. "Secondly, were you going to kidnap Theo?"