The Ties that Bind (The Forever series, Book Five) (12 page)

“Show?”

“The introductions. I want this over.”

“Okay, follow me. Oh, and a thousand and seventeen years.”

“Impressive. I knew you were strong the first time I saw you
in Milan.”

“Now I am curious, were you there because of me?”

“So it would seem,” he says cryptically.

I find the boys at the Roulette table where Devon is
cleaning up as usual. I don’t know how he does it. Scott is delighted as his
own winnings are piling up and even Sebastian has joined in on the action.

“Looks like you are having a good time,” I say to Devon who
flashes his perfect grin at me. Happy again.

“I don’t know why I don’t do this more often,” he says.

“You know why,” I mutter to him with a pointed look at the
pit boss who is glowering at him.

“Oh yeah. Mind you, now that you are all chummy with the
actual boss, I might avoid a trip to the back room this time.”

I burst out laughing. “Indeed.”

Cade clears his throat behind me and I remember him. Devon
looks up from me, only just noticing his presence and Scott is looking somewhat
uncomfortable. Sebastian, bless him, comes to stand next to me, flanking me
with a ”make a move and I will rip your head off” look at him.

“Everyone. This is Cade Sinclair. He works for me now. Be
nice.” I turn to Cade and say, “Cade this is Sebastian, you remember my
assistant, Scott, and this is Devon.”

“Yes, I remember you from JFK,” Cade says, narrowing his
eyes at Devon. “I thought but wasn’t sure. Your boss here seems to dominate my
senses.”

Huh, that would probably be why he doesn’t know about Cole
yet.

“She isn’t my boss,” Devon says and turns his annoyed gaze
at me. “Liz. What the fuck are you doing?”

“Liz?” Cade mutters to himself, confused.

“Forging alliances,” I say.

“Bad move, Queenie,” Sebastian says. “You know that he is
going to go ballistic on your ass.”

“Speaking of…” Devon mutters as I rub the back of my neck.

I turn around and quiet him before he has a chance to yell
at me in public. “Cash out, Dev. Time to go,” I mutter and take CK by the arm,
leading him to the elevators.

His fury is emanating off him as Cade steps in behind me,
followed closely by Devon and Sebastian. Scott, probably wisely, choosing to
stay to sort out the cash.

“I don’t believe you two have formally been introduced.
Constantine, this is Cade.”

“No. Last time we spoke you offered your girlfriend to me
for the night to…what was it again? Oh yes, make me forget myself,” Cade says with
a twist to his lips.

I literally have to hold CK back as he takes a step forward,
hands already outstretched to throttle him. “Don’t defend him from me, Aefre,”
he says quietly. “He tried to hurt you.”

“I apologized for that,” Cade says. “And I was mostly sure
it wouldn’t work.”

“I am not reassured by your remark.” He flicks his steely
gaze to me, “Explain what you are doing here with him.”

Cade raises his brows at the tone. “I thought yours was the
only one that counted,” he mutters.

“One what?” CK snaps at me.

“Vote. My vote is the only one that counts.”

“Your vote on what?”

“Cade coming to work for me,” I say and wait for the yelling
to start.

Silence.

An unnerving silence.

A terrifying silence.

The doors ding for our floor and he steps off and stalks
into the room. I quickly follow, the rest taking their time, not really wanting
to be anywhere near this.

“Have you lost your fucking senses?” he rounds on me.

“No,” I say calmly.

“Do you have a death wish? Or is it the rest of us you care
to knock off?”

I narrow my eyes at him and if I hadn’t already hit him once
today I would have punched him.

“He won’t hurt any of you. He can’t even if he wanted to,
which he doesn’t. Do you really think I am that stupid to bring him into this
without taking precautions?”

He is looking at me like, yes, he does think I am that
stupid. Well, charming. Thanks a bunch.

“Elaborate.”

I tell him about the blood oath and he isn’t pleased. “You
are losing control, Aefre,” he says.

“No, I am taking control. Finally. My mother was right, I am
a Dragon and I need to start acting like one.”

My words hurt him and I feel guilty about that but he has to
understand that this isn’t a democracy. I rule and I rule alone, as Ahmed once
told me.

“You are a Vampire,” he says quietly.

“Not just. Not anymore. I don’t know why you are desperately
clinging onto that?” I say just as quietly. He looks at me with his beautiful,
soulful, dark eyes, and I just melt.

“If you call yourself a Dragon, you are no longer mine. No
longer the woman I turned so that I could always love her. Don’t you understand
that?”

“Constantine, we have had this conversation. I am yours.
Always yours. Remember what we talked about before? That wouldn’t be possible
if I was just a Vampire. And I certainly would never consider it with anyone
but you.” I am standing close to him now, talking so quietly, but I’m sure
Devon and Sebastian can still hear me. He looks at me adoringly as he remembers
what we talked about.

“But know this, my love. Cade stays. He came to me with a
proposal, which I accepted. He is my… Nico,” I say to him in normal tones,
stepping back a bit.

“Nico?” he says.

“Exactly.”

“You want him to be your Nico?” CK asks and I can see he is
starting to understand now that I have put it into a context he can relate to.

“I do.”

“I see. You have come to this arrangement? He knows what is
required of him? And what is not,” he says, glowering at Cade.

“Mostly,” he says. There’s that word again.

“We only just agreed that he work for me. The blanks need
filling in,” I admit.

“Who is Nico?” Cade asks as I stop speaking.

“A blank that needs filling in,” I say, turning to him. “He
is Constantine’s you.”

“Hey, can I have one?” Devon pipes up. “Seems to be a trend.
I want in.”

“If you wish, my love,” I say to him with a smile. “But you
go find your own. Cade is mine.”

“I am not a thing, you know,” Cade says, a bit miffed. “And
I am not yours,” he says, looking at me pointedly.

“You got that right,” CK mutters behind me but somehow that
statement has cheered him up a bit.

As if he knew we were talking about him, Nico then shows up
at the door.

He stops dead as we all turn to look at him and his eyes go
from surprised to angry as he spots Cade standing next to me. “It’s all right,
Nico,” CK says blandly. “For some reason Aefre has taken it upon herself to add
him to her payroll as her…you.”

He looks confused at that but accepts it as his boss accepts
it. I am, as ever, surprised at the change in attitude that my sire does so
quickly. One minute he is dead set against something, the next he accepts it.
Again, I have to wonder if he does it just because I want him to.

“Very well. I assume that his head is no longer required on
a platter?” Nico asks.

Cade looks somewhat worried by that remark as CK looks at
him, pleased to have gotten such a reaction. “No. His head may remain attached.
But if you ever,” he informs Cade unpleasantly, “hurt a single hair on her
head, I will rip yours off myself.”

“Yes, I am sure you will. Your reputation precedes you,”
Cade says mildly. “Rest assured I have no intentions of hurting her or any of
you. My job is strictly threats only.”

“Good. Keep it that way. Now you all may leave. I want some
time with…my girlfriend,” he says to me with a chuckle.

“Well I’m not going anywhere, roomies. I’ve already checked
out of my suite,” Sebastian says.

“Go and get it back,” CK says.

“No, I’ll stay here. It’s much nicer than the one I was in.”

“Don’t worry, my love. We still have the bedroom and
bathroom to ourselves,” I say quietly. “I am quite partial to getting you in
that tub again,” I add.

“Well, I am not going to say no to that offer,” he smiles at
me and all is forgotten.

I turn to Devon, “Are you going back down or back to your
suite.”

“Suppose I had better go sit with her,” he grumbles and
gives me a lingering kiss that lasts just long enough for CK to start growling
and Cade to react in shock.

“Him, too?” he asks in disbelief. “Lady, you have serious
issues.”

“Don’t judge. It isn’t part of your job description,” I
pout.

“Neither is watching you be with every man in here.”

“Not every man,” I say mildly and Devon bursts out laughing
and says, “I’ll see you soon, Lizzie. Come back down and sit with me when you
are done here.”

“She will never be done here,’” CK grouses. “I am not a
quick fuck before she moves onto the next one.”

Cade is looking appalled at our debauchery being discussed
so casually. “Get used to it,” Devon says to Cade. “It happens a lot.”

“Bye, baby,” I say to him and he waves.

“Well, you guys are far more depraved than anyone has a
right to be. This sharing isn’t normal,” Cade remarks.

“We aren’t normal,” I say, getting a bit annoyed with the
judgment.

“Clearly,” he says. “Well, I will most definitely catch up
with you later. I am starting to make a list of things I will not do or be a
part of.” And with that he exits, leaving CK, Sebastian, and me snickering at
his moral high ground.

Unfortunately he lets Vivienne in on his way out and I scowl
at her as I twine my arms around my sire.

“Sebastian, they told me I could find you in here now. We
are sharing?” she tinkles.

“No, we are not,” I say to her. “You may go about your
business as shall we.”

“Hm, possessive little thing aren’t you,” she muses. “We
could have so much more fun if everyone joined in.” She glows at CK. “Your boy
here is wicked but he is no match for you.”

Having had enough of just about everyone today and in no
mood for this bitch, I step closer to her, bunching my hand into a fist. I
bring my arm back and punch her square in the face, sending her flying. “If you
even look at him again, I will rip your head off,” I roar at her.

“Oh she is yours, isn’t she, my dear. Perhaps you need to
exert more control over her. She clearly doesn’t know who she is messing with,”
she says as she stands up unruffled. Quick as lightning, she is in front of me,
her hand on my chest as she pushes back but I don’t falter. I may be younger,
but I am stronger and I revel in it, giving her a sneer to top all sneers.
“Give me a reason to end you like I did your sister. You keep your slutty hands
away from my sire,” I say, removing her hand from my person in my strong grip,
squeezing until I hear the satisfying crunch of her bones underneath my
fingers. She yelps, but brings her other hand up to slap me in the face, claws
extended, drawing blood. Now that fucking hurt, and I am even madder than I
was. Extending my claws, I rake them across her own face as I tighten my grip
on her broken hand. I twist her around, bringing her arm back behind her and
pulling it up high, breaking it. I shove her roughly to the floor, face down and
stand over her, feet planted either side. She realizes she is outmatched and
for the first time takes me seriously. I had half expected CK to interfere,
telling me to calm myself but no, he is just standing there looking faintly
amused and somewhat proud of me. It pleases me, a lot, that he has let me throw
my weight around.

“I see I underestimated you. I apologize, Your Majesty,” she
smarms at me as she turns underneath me.

“And?” I bend down, getting in her face.

“And, I won’t go near your sire again.”

“On pain of your own death,” I hiss at her. “Oh and this…you
won’t be needing this anymore.” I yank the collar off her and fry it to ash in
my bare hand, letting the burnt remains fall lightly on top of her. Her eyes
widen in a modicum of fear.

That’s right, bitch.

I get off her and turn to CK, taking his hand and leading
him to our bedroom, slamming the door behind us.

“Queen Aefre,” he says with pride, “you are truly
spectacular.”

I smile shyly.

“Oh, and I quite like jealous you,” he says. “Makes me feel
loved.”

“You are, you idiot. Got any more playthings around here
that you want me to smack down?” I ask with a raised brow.

He shakes his head, “Not that I know of.”

“Wrong answer…” I start before he silences me with a kiss so
precious I just want it to last forever.

I feel the change come over me again as I am on top of my
sire. The sharpening of senses, the clearer focus. Aww crap! Xerxei is making
an impromptu appearance and I’m not too thrilled. Neither is he as he looks at
me as I change, and his eyes harden in response. In spite of his bad reaction,
I come forcefully around him and promptly pass out.

I come to several hours later and it is dark out now. I am
tucked up in bed with three candles glowing brightly next to me. Clearly CK is
worried. My vision is still sharp and I put my hand up to my hair, bringing it
to my eyes in horror. I am still Xerxei. I try to Shift but I can’t. I am stuck
and this is bad. I cast a quick glance down myself and am surprised. I didn’t
get much of a look before and I quite like what I see. I climb off the bed and
go to the bathroom mirror. I stare at myself. I am taller, maybe by about or
three inches. My long, straight black hair falls to my waist. My eyes are by
far and away the freakiest thing I’ve seen, being all red and glowy, like
Dracul’s painting. Cheekbones to cut yourself on, my breasts are large and
perfect. My limbs are long and highly toned, I have a flat stomach and a pert
backside, I note, turning around, and my Dragon tattoo is still in place with
my Demon marking glowing brightly. I am in wonder as She is in repose. I have
never seen her at rest. Always on the alert, it is strange to see her so
peaceful. It is quite obvious that she is comfortable now, with me in this
body.