After the incident at The Pink Needle and the presence of Seraphina's Spawns, Zane needed answers. Zane pulled out his phone and dialed Jax as he watched his driver drive off with Nyx.
Jax answers cheerfully. "Zaney! What can I do for you, Bro?"
"Jax, something weird just happened. It's Nyx." Zane says anxiously, running his hand through his hair. "The Eldritch Archives?" Jax asked, hearing the stress in his friend's voice. "Yeah, please. Two days." Zane says Hanging up. The two men, like brothers, didn't need to say much. Jax was anticipating this happening based on their conversations and his intuitions about Nyx. Days later, the men sat in a library, masterfully named The Eldritch Archives. The building was so old it didn't have Electric lights. The patrons read and walked by candlelight, as if electricity had never been invented. A multitude of texts adorn the bookshelves lined from top to bottom and wall to wall. There were rows upon rows of ancient readings in the archives. The Eldritch archives held books for every creature, even hybrids. From The Codex of the Celestial Blood to The Tome of the Fae Lords and everything in between, the archives had it all.
The Eldritch Archives was quiet, except for occasional rustling of old book pages of the Creatures who sat in the archives. Many different creatures sat at tables piles of books, the same as Zane and Jax. The two vampires sifted through the ancient books before them after hours of Jaz complaining about being in a old ass library, and how it smelt like moth balls and old people. . Zane held The Book of Aeterna, and Jax handled The Seraphic Bind. The book Zane held was a powerful artifact, rumored to hold knowledge of bloodlines, immortality, and the deep secrets of reincarnation. Zane had seen many texts in his five hundred years, but none that held as heavy with significance as this one. Jax's book, on the other hand, was a sacred text, rumored to have been written under the guidance of celestial forces and in the blood of the first vampire and his fae soulbound. The text is pivotal in providing a history and understanding of the Arcane bond, also known as the power and bond of Fated mates or Soulbound.
Zane's finger traced the edge of a page, the dim light from the candles flickering across the ink. He could feel the weight of the centuries pressing down on him with every line, every word. There was something about Nyx—about her gift—that had started to gnaw at him, and these books were their only hope of finding answers. Jax, perched across from him, flipped through the pages with a speed that made Zane's head spin. His young assistant had always been quick, eager to learn—but this wasn't just any old book. This was a relic, an artifact with blood-soaked history, and Zane wasn't sure what they'd uncover. But if Nyx's gift was tied to something this ancient, then they needed to find it.
Jax muttered something under his breath, pausing at a particular section, his finger landing on a set of symbols that appeared to pulse with an energy of their own. "Hold on. This is it. 'The Divine Power of the Arcane Bond.'"
Zane leaned forward, his interest piqued. "What does it say?"
Jax squinted at the text, his voice steady but filled with awe as he read aloud, "'The Soulbound reincarnation is the union of two souls destined to meet across lifetimes, marked by an unbreakable bond. It is said that the incarnations are always accompanied by a special gift, one unique to the individual—something that transcends the ordinary realm of mortals." He paused, eyes wide.
"That sounds a lot like what we're dealing with, doesn't it?" Zane's mind raced. The description fits Nyx perfectly. Her presence, the way she'd appeared like a beacon in his life, was too familiar, too intense to be random. Her gift—something extraordinary, something that had hinted at power beyond the mortal world—was the key. But Zane wasn't so sure this was the entire picture. There had to be more.
"Keep reading," Zane urged, leaning closer. "There's more here, I can feel it."
Jax nodded and flipped the page, scanning the text. His voice lowered as he read on, "'The gift granted to the soulbound reincarnate often manifests as a connection to the past—a deep, intuitive knowledge of events or powers long forgotten. Some believe it is a fragment of the previous life that has returned to guide the current one, or a latent power awakened when the two souls reunite.' The book also references a something called the eternal cycle and a Tome titled The Aeternus Prophecies as well ass Something called blood weaving and the accompanying text The Blood Weavers Tapestry"
Zane's heart skipped a beat. This was it. The power Nyx carried—it wasn't just random. It was purposeful, part of something far greater. It wasn't just her gift; it was part of her destiny.
"So... you're saying Nyx might be the reincarnation of someone... Someone important? Do you think Niema was more important than we'd realized? Is prophecy important?" Jax asked, glancing up at Zane, his voice tinged with disbelief.
Zane took a breath, his gaze distant. "That's what I'm starting to believe."
Jax stared at him for a moment, processing the words. " If Nyx is her reincarnation, then she had the gift too. Which means you were destined to live life the way you have, from the moment you met her til now. And the gift she carries—it's not just a coincidence."
"That's exactly what I'm saying." Zane leaned back in his chair, rubbing his jaw thoughtfully. The Book of Aetern, also known as The Aeternus Prophecies, was filled with cryptic notes and esoteric references to vampires and their fated counterparts, which had led him to the concept of The Sacred Link. He had found references to the bond between a reincarnated soul and the vampire destined to protect or guide them. What stood out to him was a section that spoke of an "unbroken connection," one that transcended time. The bond wasn't immediately obvious to either party—it grew over time, influenced by shared experiences, proximity, and certain emotional or physical triggers that would make it undeniable once it reached its apex.
"But there's more to it, Jax. The Book of Aeterna mentions a hidden power within the reincarnation. The book says that it is something that can't be fully unlocked unless the souls of the Arcane bond are both present. The reunion of those two souls triggers something... a force that connects them beyond time. But that doesn't always come easy; every reincarnation is a smooth one. It also mentions a sacred link." Zane said, pointing to the passage.
Jax blinked, clearly trying to keep up. "You sure she's the one? The other half of the equation, your Arcane bound?"
"I do. I'm sure of it. And if that's true, she has no idea what she's capable of. Her gift... It's more than just a connection to the past. It's a power—something that's waiting to be unlocked." Zane's voice was low, tinged with an emotion he hadn't allowed himself to acknowledge. The thought of Nyx being the other half, his 'Arcane Bound felt like a weight lifting off his chest and an anchor sinking into his heart all at once. He wasn't crazy, and fate wasn't playing a cruel trick on him. "I've felt it since the moment she stepped into my bar. She's connected to me."
Jax didn't speak for a long moment, clearly processing. "So, what now? Do you tell her? Or do you wait for her to figure it out on her own?"
Zane's eyes darkened with uncertainty. "I don't know. I want to be the one to show her, to explain it to her, but she's not the type to just accept things without questioning them. She's going to want answers. She's not going to take it lightly." Zane's mind raced. Nyx was different. She wasn't afraid of him, but she was still cautious, still trying to make sense of the world around her. Maybe she needed him, but more importantly, maybe she needed the truth. It was a risk, but one that was beginning to feel inevitable.
"You're not wrong," Jax agreed. "But then again, maybe that's exactly what she needs. Maybe she needs to know what she's dealing with, so she can understand her place in all of this."
Zane's fingers hovered over the pages of The Book of Aeterna, mainly the Chapter titled Rebirth, Power, and Fate, his eyes scanning, searching for more answers. "Now, we find out more about this connection. It mentions a ritual, the sacred link, then a trial that must take place for the power to be fully awakened. It's not easy, and it comes with a price."
"A price?" Jax repeated, his tone wary.
Zane nodded grimly. "Nothing this powerful comes without a cost. We need to know exactly what that price is before we move forward. Nyx can't be left in the dark about this—not with the kind of power she's carrying."
They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of the discovery settling over them. The books had given them a glimpse into something that could change everything. Zane's gaze drifted back to the page Jax had just read. Something about it was nagging at him—a line he couldn't quite piece together.
"Jax," he said, his voice low, "go back to the part about the hidden power. There's something we missed."
Jax flipped back to the page, his fingers brushing over the delicate parchment. His eyes scanned again, and then his voice faltered, sounding almost reverent. "'The true power of the beloved reincarnation is not unlocked by will alone. It requires the union of both soul and blood. The sacred link. The beloved must join their essence with that of the reincarnate to fully awaken the gift. Without this, the bond remains dormant, and the soul will be lost to time, unable to reach its true potential.' "
Zane's breath caught in his throat. The ritual. The blood.
"It's a bond, Jax," Zane said, voice barely a whisper, "but it's more than just a spiritual one. It's a blood bond."
Jax looked up sharply, eyes widening. "You're talking about—"
Zane nodded slowly. "Yes. For her to truly unlock her gift, for the reincarnation to fully manifest, we'll need to... unite. Soul and blood. As we are bound by more than just fated mates."
Zane's heart skipped a beat. The weight of what they were uncovering hit Zane all at once. The bond he'd felt with Nyx wasn't just a simple attraction, arcane bound—it was an ancient pull, a prophecy-bound connection tied to the very essence of who they were. He'd felt it—the strange sense of destiny tying him to Nyx. But it wasn't something he could admit to himself so easily. The idea of her being the reincarnation of someone from his past was scary, but someone he was meant to protect, made his skin prickle with a mix of anticipation and dread. The pieces were coming together, but with them, a darker truth. And if they were to unlock the full extent of her power, there was no turning back.
"We've got to find her," Zane murmured, his voice rough with a mix of urgency and resolve. "And we've got to make sure she's ready. This... this changes everything."
Jax nodded, standing from his chair and clapping Zane on the back. "I think you're making the right call. She might not know it yet, but you're going to help her unlock something... powerful. But you need to be careful. This kind of power isn't something that can be controlled easily. It'll change both of you."
"That's what I'm trying to figure out," Zane admitted, looking at Jax. "But I don't want to push her into something she's not ready for. She doesn't even know what she is. If she's truly a part of this ancient cycle... she's going to need answers, and I'm not sure I'm ready to give them."
Jax's eyes softened for a moment, a rare moment of understanding between them. "This link you're talking about... It's not just a burden. It's a gift. For both of you. But you're right. If she has no idea about her abilities, about her connection to you, then throwing all of it at her at once could destroy her."
Zane nodded slowly, understanding the weight of what Jax was saying. The Sacred Link wasn't just about the bond—it was about responsibility. It was about protecting Nyx from the dangers she didn't even realize she faced. And yet, there was the undeniable truth that she, too, had a role to play in this cycle.
"If she's truly the reincarnate, then this link binds her fate to mine, just as much as it binds mine to hers," Zane said softly. "But I need to be careful. I need to figure out her gift, what it means, and why this connection is suddenly manifesting now... after all these years. Only then will I be able to tell her the truth."
Jax placed a slapped a hand on Zane's shoulder, his voice steady. "Take your time. But don't wait too long. If she is part of the cycle, something may come for her. Things neither of you will be prepared for. Good luck, im going to get the heck out of the Old ass Library."
Zane closed the book with a soft thud, deep in thought. The realization hit him like a punch to the gut: The link was real. It was undeniable. And if Nyx was truly a reincarnate, then her path—and his—were entwined. He was to be her Arcane bound, her love, her protector. He would have to show her, eventually. But first, he needed to understand how to protect her... and how to navigate this sacred bond that was already starting to take root.