Blood Legacy Chapter 83: 81. Family dinner

I stared at myself into the large mirror, turning from side to side as I checked and over-checked how I looked, my stomach already twisting into knots as I thought about our upcoming *family dinner*.

We were supposed to be down soon, and that made me feel so freaking nervous.

I didn't like the way I looked. I had no clue beforehand that we would be attending such fancy events and I didn't bring anything too formal with me. Hell, I didn't even possess any fancy dresses or elegant clothes in my wardrobe back home. Everything I owned was either comfortable or school-appropriate.

This summer dress I currently had on me was the only thing I owned remotely fancy.

It was retro-styled, with delicate flower patterns on a soft pink color and made out of a satiny silk, tightly hugging my torso and flaring up at my hips, the box-pleated skirt falling just above my knees.

"You look amazing, don't worry," Nathan's head suddenly popped from behind my shoulder, almost startling me.

I stared at his grinning face with a frown, turning around to face him before my gaze lastly fell on his body, openly gaping at the sight of him.

He was wearing a fancy suit that fit him so snugly, making him look like a damn model from a magazine as it outlined his muscled torso, tapered waist and toned legs so perfectly.

That crisp white shirt from underneath his suit jacket was slightly unbuttoned though, showing just a little bit of his naturally tanned skin, the sight of it making my mouth water.

He looked so fucking hot. Like a damn wet dream.

"Yeah, I know. I hate it too," he playfully said with a roll of his eyes, making me stare at him incredulously.

"I hate it when mom makes us wear these fancy stupid clothes,"

I shook my head and pushed at his chest, making him laugh as I went and put my ballet flats on, ignoring his stupid face.

"I don't own any expensive or stylish clothes," I complained with another shake of my head.

"Why didn't you tell me that we were going to attend these fancy dinner parties or whatever? At least I would've bought myself some new clothes and then I wouldn't've had to wear this damned bland thing!" I'd already made an awful impression of myself earlier today. I didn't need to make a fool out of myself for a second time!

He simply smiled at my outburst, managing to annoy me some more with that stupid grinning face of his. But before I could even say another thing he crossed the room to where I was standing and wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me flush against him before he leaned over and gave me a toe-curling kiss.

I pressed my hands against the lapels of his suit jacket, feeling that smooth material underneath my fingertips and that amazing masculine scent of his. The afterglow of what happened between us in that study earlier today came back to me full-force, making my body heat up with delight and anticipation. So I broke the kiss and pushed myself back a little, already breathless.

"We should...stop,"

"Agreed," he peered down at me, his gaze clouded with desire.

"Do you believe me now?"

"What?" My brows furrowed, staring up at him.

"Do you believe me now when I say that you look amazing?"

I narrowed my eyes at him, throwing him an unimpressed look before I strolled to the bathroom and grabbed my hairbrush, noticing him standing in the doorway from my peripheral vision.

I ignored him and started to brush my hair, feeling his unwavering gaze on me.

"What?" I gave up after only a few moments, turning my head to look at him.

He smiled and shook his head, lowering his gaze to the floor before raising it back to look at me.

"Whaaat,"

He still hesitated to speak, making me raise one brow and tilt my head to the side, intrigued by his silence.

"Whaaaaaat," I whined and rushed towards him, throwing away that brush before clutching onto the lapels of his jacket.

"You listen, mister, if you don't tell me what's going on through that head of yours I'll-"

"You'll what?" I gasped as I suddenly found myself pressed against the nearest wall, my wrists shackled in his hands as he pressed himself up against me.

"I'll tell you what, why don't you take a peek inside my head and see for yourself?" He grinned down at me.

My brows furrowed,

"I...We can do that?"

"Of course we can. In fact, Lysander said that I should start training you so we could communicate better through mind-link,"

"M-mind-link?"

"Yeah, our connection as individuals part of the same pack. It's called a mind-link. And since we are to be the rulers of this pack our connection is bound to be way stronger than any others',"

Okay, that actually sounds cool.

"Okay. So what do I need to do?" I shrugged and stared up at him.

"Well, it's actually very easy. Just relax and close your eyes,"

I blew out a calming breath and did as told, giving those beautiful green eyes one last look before my eyelids fluttered closed.

"Focus on me. My voice, my body close to yours,"

I breathed in his spicy masculine scent, feeling the warmth of his body pressing up against my own.

"Now imagine yourself taking a peek inside, like actually looking inside my mind,"

I slowly exhaled, picturing a tether between us made out of pure energy, sparkling with magical light and before I even knew it I found myself sifting through random memories as if they were my own, watching myself as if I was looking through a mirror. Except that I couldn't control my actions since they were his, actually, noticing that fluttering feeling inside my stomach and the way my heart started to pump harder every time our gazes met.

These were his feelings too, not mine.

I would've smiled if I could, awed by those sweet and endearing sensations I was getting from him.

But I suddenly startled as out of nowhere, the muddled image of an older-looking version of his dead brother -at least older than what he looked like in that painting- appeared before my very eyes, watching myself struggling to escape from his arms as he tightly held me to himself.

I abruptly plunged back into reality with an air-deprived gasp, no warning beforehand.

I choked out a cough and slumped against Nathan, meeting his concerned gaze as I weakly stared up at him.

"What happened? What did you see?"

"Him," I rapidly blinked, tightly clutching onto his jacket.

"It was him. I saw him,"