The Ties that Bind (The Forever series, Book Five) (27 page)

“I know. Me too,” I say softly. “Unfortunately, we don’t
have much choice.”

“You could just leave Devon to sort this out on his own, you
know. You don’t have to be his savior.”

“Yes, I do. How would you feel if, say, Dawn, decided she
wanted you to turn her and you didn’t want to and then she slits her wrists so
you had to save her?”

He looks startled. “Dawn? Where did that come from?” he asks
with a laugh.

Men are so, so dumb.

“Just the first name that came into my head. Answer the
question.”

He thinks it over as he realizes how Devon is feeling.
“Yeah, I see your point. I would be a mess,” he says.

“Exactly. Would you want me to leave you to sort it out on
your own?”

“No,” he says reluctantly. “I just hate that it is another
distraction for you.”

“I know. I hate it too. But I have to help him. Especially
as he doesn’t have a bond with her.”

“What?” Cole asks surprised. “How is that possible?”

“CK reckons it is because she forced the turning. He says
it’s rare but it happens in cases like this.”

“Shit. That is intense. I can’t imagine how I would feel if
you had no bond to me. Poor Jess.”

Poor Jess? Is he nuts?

“What about Devon?” I snap at him. “Think how this is
affecting him.”

“Alright, mama bear,” he laughs at me. “I am only drawing on
what I know. Never having sired with or without a bond, I can’t really
comment.”

Appeased by his humor and candor, I apologize, “Sorry.
You’re right. You can’t know. I don’t even know what he is going through,
really. I can’t imagine how it must feel to have no bond.”

“Did you… erm, did you have a bond with all those you, you
know… during the evil years?”

I am taken aback by his question. “Yes,” I say honestly. “I
may have turned them for my own amusement but yes I did have bonds to all of
them.” I sit up and away from him suddenly.

“Sorry, my love. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“No, it’s fine. You have a right to know. Anything you ever
want to know, just ask.”

“How many have you sired?” he asks hesitantly.

“Fifty-seven,” I say to his shock.

“And you only have two left?” he asks in disbelief. “How is
that possible?”

“I killed most of them,” I admit, only somewhat ashamed.
“During my evil years.”

“Oh.”

“As it turns out CK also had some hand in getting rid of a
few. A few that I sired out of lust, because they wanted me to.”

“As it turns out? You didn’t know?” he asks. He is
interested now.

“No, I obviously knew they were gone but it was only when
the records were downloaded to my brain that I knew the truth.” Having had the
chance to go back into my record and peruse it at my leisure after Gustav, I
was somewhat shocked to see “CKA” next to a few of my later murdered charges.
Although it shouldn’t have surprised me really, as I already knew of one he had
staked out of jealousy.

“Why would he do that?” he asks but then says, “No, you
don’t need to answer that. It’s obvious. I guess it’s more surprising that
Devon has lasted as long as he has.”

“He would never hurt Devon, or you. He knows that I would
never speak to him again.”

“Humph, I disagree, judging by the two attacks to my person
over the last day,” he says rudely.

“Your person? I think one of them was to my person,” I joke
but he isn’t amused. “He and Devon have gotten into a few scraps as well, you know.
In fact, I seem to recall a pistols-at-dawn moment once.” I chuckle at the
memory. “But by hurt, I meant…”

“Kill,” he states.

“Yes.”

He pulls me back down to him. “I’m not taking this
turnaround at face value,” he says. “He doesn’t seem the type to just roll
over.”

“He isn’t.”

“What, the type or not rolling over?”

“Both.”

“Liv? What aren’t you telling me?”

“I have had to promise him something.”

“What?”

“Just something he wants. Further down the road. Nothing for
you to worry about.”

“Well now I am worried,” he sighs.

“Don’t be. Forget about it. I am with you and I don’t want
to talk about him.”

“Agreed,” he says genially. But I know he is not happy that
I am still keeping secrets and that I have had to promise my sire even more
than I already have.

Cole and I spend the rest of the day together talking and
just enjoying being in each other’s company, undisturbed. Dusk is getting close
and I tell him I must go and see CK about our travel plans and then have my
chat with Jess.

“Can’t I come with you?” he asks, forlorn.

“I need to see Jess on my own. She won’t open up if you are
there. I need to guide her on a certain path,” I insist.

“What path?”

“A path away from Devon,” I mutter more to myself and he
grabs my wrist.

“Liv. You can’t do that.”

“Yes, I can. If I can get her to see the true Vampire way,
she can be free to be with whomever she chooses. He will still be her sire but
he will be free.”

“Is that not risking her development?”

“No. Not if Devon is a factor in her life. She will thrive.
I just want her attentions diverted elsewhere.”

“Is that for you to decide?”

“Yes. I told him I would take care of it and I will.”

“Does he know that is what you meant?”

“I am certain that is what he asked of me. I will do my duty
by him,” I say sternly. “Why are you fighting me on this?”

He just looks at me and gives up. “I’m just surprised. I
thought he cared for her more than that.”

“Well, caring for and siring are two very different things,”
I say haughtily.

“What if I did choose to sire?” he asks me in earnest. “Would
you meddle with that as well?”

“Meddle? I am not meddling. He asked me to deal with it, and
I will.” Now I am pissed and he knows it.

“Fine, go off and be his hero. I know how much you covet the
role,” he sulks.

“I will be your hero as well, one day, my love. As soon as
you need me to swoop in, I will be there without fail.” I kiss him and he
smiles reluctantly. “A sire needs to feel wanted, needed,” I add unnecessarily.
He gives me an unpleasant look as I Astral off to CK’s house to swim in
solitude and then deal with Jess.

I land in the pool room and admire the décor. I wish I had
one of these in my house. I must definitely get someone around to sort it out
and soon. Maybe off the gym where it is not easily accessible. There are that
many people living in my house now I am finding it even more difficult for a
few minutes just on my own.

I switch clothing from my dress to a swimsuit and dive in.
It is fairly shallow but deep enough for a skilled dive and I surface and turn
onto my back. I lounge there, floating in the peace for a good few minutes
until I feel Sebastian’s presence.

“Go away,” I tell him.

He snickers, “No.”

“I want some peace.”

“Then just pretend I am not here.”

I do try for a few seconds but it just isn’t the same with
someone watching you. I huff out a breath of exasperation and stand, “You have
ruined it.”

His eyes roam over me dripping wet, my tiny bikini clinging
to me. “I want to feed,” he says.

“We agreed on three times a week. We only did it yesterday,
do you want to use up all of your days at once?”

“That’s for me to worry about. We agreed but didn’t say when
so I think I reserve the right to determine.”

“I am here to speak to CK,” I say in hopes of deterring him.

“He isn’t here. Do you think that if he were you would still
be alone in that pool?”

Fair point. He sees me take that in and slides himself into
the pool alongside me. “We agreed and I am collecting.”

I move to the edge of the pool away from him and climb out.
I lie down on the edge and turn my head to the side. He rests his head on his
hands on the side and looks at me. Those eyes the exact color of mine unnerves
me

“Liv?” he queries as I just continue to stare at him. He
trails his hand down my stomach, circling little patterns with this thumb as he
waits for me to respond.

“Will you know the second he comes back?” I ask with a
frown.

“Yes,” he says.

“Fine. It is, after all, your benefit for keeping your trap
shut. Who am I to argue?”

“Now that is more like it,” he says as he cups my face now
and helps me sit upright. I scoot to the edge of the pool and he stands, his
unbuttoned wet shirt clinging to him in a very sexy manner has my eyes roaming
over him. He kisses me and I place my hands on his chest in a reflexive motion
to push him away but he murmurs, “You agreed on kissing.”

I pull away again and he takes my head in his hands.
“Livvie. I need this, please,” he begs me as he drops his mouth to mine again.
He trails his hands down my sides and into the bows keeping my bikini bottoms
together. He pulls on them and it falls away.

“Sebastian,” I start.

“I won’t touch you. I want to see you touch yourself. That’s
all,” he whispers and continues to kiss me. He pushes my hand where he wants it
and pulls away. He stares intently into my eyes and a flash of warning goes up
but I forget why as he murmurs something to me, which I don’t quite follow.

“Liv? Would you Shift for me?” he asks, pulling his gaze
from mine as he plants little kisses on me.

“To what?” I ask.

“Xerxei,” he whispers wickedly.

“What?” I push him away. “No.”

“Please,” he begs. “Oh god, I want to feel her against me.”

I am quite insulted now, not to mention a bad feeling I have
about this. Something is off. Very off, but I can’t place my finger on it.

“No,” I say again and push him away.

“Please,” he whispers. “You are so sexy. Let me look into
those beautiful blue eyes as you please yourself.”

I know I must be positively scowling at him by now, “No.”

He moves my hand back to where he wants it. “It’s okay,” he
murmurs and we are back on track. I push it aside as I just can’t get my head
around why I am refusing so profusely.

I feel his hand against mine as I move, almost as if he was
imagining doing it himself.

“Seb, no,” I protest as his fingers brush lightly over me.

He murmurs to me again, that intent look back, boring into
my eyes. I don’t understand what he is saying to me. I shake my head to clear
it. “What are you saying?” I ask him.

“I want you,” he whispers and kisses me. He pushes his
finger inside me, joining mine in bringing me pleasure and I don’t protest further.
His touch is incredible and I want it. I wrap my legs around him, knowing this
is beyond a bad idea and he groans as he shoves another of his fingers inside
me with mine. “Oh god yes. I can feel you vibrating. I know you are close,” he
whispers as I move against him. “Bite me now. Quickly,” I say and he complies
without hesitation. As soon as his fangs sink into me I come and he bites
harder as he tastes it. “Fuck yes,” he says as he pulls back. “Your turn.”

I push his hand to himself and pull away. He has no
complaints as he strokes himself, his eyes on mine, growing ever greener and
darker as he gets more aroused at me watching him. He pushes my head to his
neck. “Feed,” he rasps harshly. I drop my fangs and drink deeply from him. “Oh
fuck,” he says as he comes and I feel the rush tenfold pouring into my mouth.
Christ, but he tastes so good. I reluctantly pull back and retract my fangs. He
cups my face with both hands and speaks slowly and quietly to me. I take in
every word as he says it and then I forget it. “Next time, Liv,” he says, “I
want you to come to me. I want to take you to my bed and make love to you. I
want to show you what I can do to you, what I can make you feel. I want you
willing and wanting. I want us to feed from each other as we come together. You
will want this and do this with no guilt. You will not tell your husband and
you will not tell our sire. Do you understand me?” I nod blankly at him. I
don’t know what he has said to me but it is something I must agree to.

“
Très bien
,” he says. He chucks me under my chin and
I blink at him. “He is a lucky man,” he says as he climbs out of the pool and
helps me stand, “I envy him.” He bends to retrieve my discarded bikini bottoms,
redoes the bows loosely and hands them to me. “He is home.”

In a flash I have them back on and turn with a smile as I
feel his presence myself.

His gaze goes from Sebastian, wet while still clothed, to me
in my tiny bikini. His eyes harden as Sebastian looks back at him innocently,
but he smiles at me, “Enjoying the pool, my love?”

I nod silently. Is that all he has to say? Can’t say this
looks altogether innocent even though we haven’t been caught doing anything but
standing here. He walks over to me and kisses me. He must taste Sebastian’s
blood in my mouth as he swishes his tongue over mine but he doesn’t mention it.

“You should go and have your conversation with Jess. We can
talk later,” he says, indicating that it is now nearly dark and she will want
out of the magick room.

Again I nod silently and switching my bikini for my dress
again I slip into my shoes and squeeze his hand as I walk past. I attempt
nonchalance as I walk further away. They are both silent and watching me go.
Once out of ordinary Vampire earshot I use my advanced hearing to eavesdrop.

“Well?” CK asks him brusquely.

“Phase one complete,” Sebastian replies and that is the
whole conversation. What the fuck are they talking about? Phase one of what? I
don’t have much chance to ponder it any more as I have reached the entrance to
the room and pull on the book lever to open it. I step inside and immediately
feel the sexual energy rolling around the place. I roll my eyes. Clearly Devon
has gotten his feelings clear and has come down on the side of what he felt for
her before.