The Ties that Bind (The Forever series, Book Five) (11 page)

“Sure,” Devon says. “Constantine? You in?”

CK and I practically pick our jaws up off the floor at that
offer. “Erm shouldn’t someone stay here with the girl? Just in case,” he says.

Devon shrugs, “It’s only been twelve hours. Doesn’t seem
likely under the circumstances.”

“True, but stranger things have happened. Especially in
light of what Aefre said about it not being possible to begin with, save for
you feeding on her.”

“Stay, come. It’s up to you. I’m going,” he says and CK
glances at me, concerned that he isn’t more worried.

“I’ll come and find you in a bit,” he says to me with a
kiss.

I nod, “Okay, my love.” And I get up to leave with Devon and
Scott.

“He seems awfully protective,” Devon muses on our way down.

“No, it’s not that so much as he still feels he is…” I
pause, trying to find the right word.

“King of the world?” Devon remarks and he is back, my
smartarse boy.

“Yeah, nice
Titanic
quote, by the way.”

“Epic film. It seems almost unreal that had we been a couple
of years later, we probably would have been on it.”

“I know. Pretty insane, really.”

“Erm, Liv,” Scott says.

“Yes, Scott?”

“I have a question for you, about me.”

“Go on.”

“What am I? I mean really? Am I still human or what?” he
asks, completely embarrassed.

I blink at him, “No, sweetie. You aren’t human. You never
were. It was assumed so at first but you are of your own kind. Empaths,
Shifters, Vampires, Demons, Dragons. We are all the same. Well, sort of.”

“Oh. Do you mind if I use some of Saxon’s resources to try
and find some more of my own kind?”

“Oh, of course not, no. You should have mentioned it sooner.
Or rather, told me to do it. You know what I’m like,” I say by way of
explanation and he snorts.

“I do. I think the words ‘vain,’ ‘selfish,’ and ‘willful’
came up at some point.” He half smiles at me and I stare at him open-mouthed.

“Eavesdropper!” I say, good-naturedly.

“Mind Reader,” he corrects me.

“Oooo, remind me to dock you for being cheeky,” I say,
glaring at him, but it’s all in fun.

“No. Can’t say that I will,” he says breezily as he saunters
off the elevator.

I shake my head at him. He has come out of his shell around
us so much the last few days. Despite all the drama, it is doing him good to be
in the mix.

“He is one of us now,” Devon says, reading my thoughts.

“Yes, he is.”

“Will Jess be one of us?” he asks.

“She left us no choice,” is all I say and he doesn’t look
happy, but I am sick of trying to be all happy-face about this when I could
stake her myself for doing this.

My phone buzzes in my hand and I cast a quick glance.
Blocked number. Oh geez.

“I need to take this,” I say to Devon. “I’ll meet you at
Roulette.”

“That’s where I’ll be,” he says and he too saunters off.

“Cade. I thought I had a few more hours,” I say, answering
the phone once alone.

“You do. I just wanted to check in, make sure you were
thinking about me.”

“About you?”

“About my proposal,” he amends.

“Indeed. I don’t need until tomorrow. I agree. Although, I
have conditions.”

“Of course you do,” he replies.

“All of my own stay unharmed, you don’t even look at them
funny and you tell me everything. Everything,” I reiterate.

“Done,” he says. “Just make sure I know exactly who ‘yours’
are. You know… just in case.”

“Cade,” I warn him.

“What? I don’t know, do I? Seems I am quite in the dark when
it comes to you. You are bewitching.”

Bewitching?

“Everyone who is here with me is one of mine, and my husband
of course.”

“He doesn’t need protecting from me. Is that all? I wouldn’t
want to accidentally happen upon someone.”

He still doesn’t know about Cole? This is just bizarre.

“Well, we are a tight-knit group. It’s us and that is all.”

“So the rest are fair game?”

“No! I didn’t say that.”

“I know, I am just messing with you. You are so easily
riled, it amuses me.”

“Humph.”

“I will do what I said I would do. I will protect you from
those that wish you harm.”

“I am still curious as to why you would do this? It goes
against everything you were taught,” I say. Not one to poke the bear or
anything…. 

“I know when to choose a side. Your rise to Power has
shifted everything. And yet I still get to do what I was born to do,” he
corrects.

“Kill Vampires?”

“Yes.”

“Let’s just be clear on something, Mr. Sinclair. You will
not harm any Vampire, any being, unless they pose a threat. Do you understand
that?”

“Yes, Mrs. O’Dell. I am quite clear on that. But you should
be aware that there are those out there who oppose you.”

“I know. I just want you to know that if we do this, you do
it on my terms.”

“Of course. So do we have a deal?”

“Yes.”

“Unopposed?”

“Mine is the only vote that counts.”

“I see. A sole ruler. Good to know that I won’t have
enemies.”

“I never said that,” I say slyly.

“Hm, I see that you will ensure that I don’t. My job is
risky enough as it is.”

“Of course. You will be one of mine.”

“One of yours? That doesn’t sound very appealing to me,” he
says.

“You will be one of mine so I can protect you. Otherwise it’s
up to you.”

There is a pause as he thinks it over. “Do you think I will
need protecting?”

“Cade. You are talking about being my security, protecting
me against any threats that come to me. That puts you in a dangerous position.
I will place you in my protection so I know you will be safe from undue threats
from those who know differently.”

“You want me safe?” he asks with a smile in his voice.

“You can’t protect me if you aren’t.”

“I think I will like working for you. You are a straight
shooter. And very different from what I thought.”

“I get that a lot. Can you tell me one thing, though?”

“You want to know the Vampire I killed,” he states.

“Yes.”

“His name was James. British, like you. Hated you. I took
great delight in killing him.”

“James?” I stammer. “It was James?”

“Yes. You didn’t hold any affection for him, I assume, with
the amount of hatred he had for you.”

“I…I killed his sire. He had every right to hate me,” I say
sadly. There was no love lost between me and James at the end but we did once
feel something for each other.

Dublin, Ireland, 1825 – Leah

“Don’t look now but there is a gentleman staring at you
from across the tavern,” Devon said to me.

“What does he look like?” I asked, patting my perfectly
coiffed black hair vainly.

“Not really your type,” he answered.

I turned then, intrigued, and my green eyes landed on a
bright blue pair belonging to a very handsome man with light blonde hair. No,
not my usual type, but I was in the mood for some fun and I sensed as he got
closer that he was also a Vampire.

“May I?” he asked, pointing to the empty seat next to me.
I looked at Devon who shrugged. “I’ll leave you alone,” he whispered to me. I
smiled gratefully at him.

“Please,” I said, “I am Leah.”

“I know who you are,” he said. “I’m James.”

“You know me?”

“Constantine’s girl. Aefre, is it?” he replies.

“Perhaps. Who do you belong to?” I asked rudely, as by a
tacit arrangement among our kind, this was not a question that we should ask. I
trailed a finger lightly over his arm.

“My Mistress is Eloise,” he said with a wicked glint.

Oh, that bitch. “Mistress?”

He ignored my question in favor of his own, “Do you like
to play, Leah?”

“That depends on the game,” I said seductively and his
eyes went darker as he gazed lustfully at me.

“I have something in mind,” he said quietly. “Come.” He
took my hand and helped me rise.

“Where are we going?” I asked him as he pulled me out of
the tavern.

“Wait and see.” He walked us down the banks of the River
Liffey to an inn not too far away.

“I think you are being a bit presumptuous,” I huffed at
him.

He led me into a bedroom and laughed softly at me, “You
are free to leave if you don’t want to play.”

“Well lucky for you I am bored, so I will stay,” I said
and smiled serenely at him.

He stepped closer. “You are very beautiful in this
guise,” he murmured as he kissed me gently. “I prefer it to your natural look.”

I pulled away, “I beg your pardon?”

“You don’t have to pretend with me, I know of your
ability.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, “You seem to know an awful lot
about me.”

“I came here looking for you.”

“Why, pray tell?”

“I wanted to make your acquaintance, and being with you
is going to go a long way in angering my sire. Something I am quite inclined to
do right now.”

“I admire your honesty,” I said to him. I knew a thing or
two about needing to anger your sire and I wouldn’t mind being the cause of
such for that God-awful woman. “Never let it be said that I wasn’t happy to
help out,” I said, and grabbed him then pulling him to me, a renewed sense of
satisfaction as I pictured her face when she found out that I had defiled her
boy. I was stronger than him, but only just and he let me take him my way. But
only that once.

We fell into a pattern over the next few months of
spending every day together, every night. He was fun and clever and in spite my
initial reasons for being with him, I found that I liked him. He was a devil in
the bedroom, made me call him “Master” and he called me his slave. I liked to
play with him. I didn’t mind being submissive with him as I got to take out my
domineering side on Devon. The best of both. He told me he was falling in love
with me, and I thought I was starting to feel the same. Little did I know it
would all end in tears.

“Well I won’t apologize for ending him. And certainly not on
your behalf,” Cade declares.

“No, I’m not upset, really. More just shocked that you
managed it…I don’t mean that as an insult as I have no idea as to your
capabilities, but he was nearly as old as I am.”

“Hm, maybe so, but you really do have no idea as to my capabilities.
Well, with regards to every other Vampire. You, on the other hand, are a tricky
devil.”

“You have no idea,” I murmur.

“What will you tell your posse of us?”

Again? Why do I need to keep explaining myself?

“My posse, as you so bluntly call it, will be pissed. Don’t
expect a warm welcome.”

“Well, if I am to be by your side, you need to tell them
something.”

“I will explain it. But I am certain there will be no
enthusiasm.”

“I can handle that. I just don’t want fangs in my neck the
second I step through the door.”

I chuckle, “You wouldn’t say that if you knew what if felt
like.”

“Not a chance, Queen Liv. I am off-limits.”

“Okay, deal. But remember, if you change your mind, my fangs
are always available,” I tease.
”Never.”

“I will find it hard to resist you,” I taunt him.

“Oh? Why is that then?

“You are AB Neg. My blood of choice.”

“That’s just gross.”

I smile a slow predatory smile, “How do you think I came
upon you in the first place?”

“Eurgh,” he says with disgust. “Perhaps I should rethink
this offer.”

“I won’t bite you unless you ask me to. I can assure you.”

“I will hold you to that,” he mutters darkly.

“So when do you start?”

“How about now?” he says from behind me.

I turn and hang up the phone, “Sure. But I need one thing
from you first.”

“What is that?” He looks suspicious.

“Come with me.” I take his hand and lead him into the empty
conference room.

I face him and tell him, “I need an oath from you, of your
loyalty.”

“I already told you I wouldn’t harm those that are yours.”

“That isn’t how we do things. Your word is not your honor
around here." I unbutton his shirt and he tries to stop me.

“What are you doing?”

“I need contact with you. This will only sting a little,” I
say with a wicked smile as I Shift and place my hand over his heart. I dig my
claws in and he flinches as I put pressure on him to kneel in front of me. He
puts his hand up over mine and glares at me.

“Cade Sinclair, do you offer me your allegiance and loyalty?
Your protection to me and my family?”

“I do,” he hisses.

I pull back my hand and he breathes in deeply as I slit my
wrist, drawing blood. I wipe my finger over the cut and smear it onto his open
wounds, much to his disgust. “We are bound now,” I say breezily. “You are
incapable of hurting me or those I love and you are sworn to protect me, just
in case it was your plan to infiltrate and destroy from within,” I add.

He stands, buttoning up his shirt with a look that could
kill. “I am hurt that you would think my intentions were less than honorable.”

“I haven’t lived this long without learning a thing or two
about betrayal,” I tell him.

“Hm. I am curious. How long have you lived?”

“You don’t know?”

He shakes his head, “You are quite the mystery, it seems.
They can’t find a single record of you.”

“Who are they?” I ask him again.

“The people I work for. Used to work for,” he amends. “I
will tell you all about it sometime. Right now I would like to get this show on
the road.”