The Ties that Bind (The Forever series, Book Five) (8 page)

“Hm, I am sure I don’t have to ask what you were doing when
you Shifted,” She says with a steely glare at me.

I look away, embarrassed to discuss that with my mother.

“You are strong, my child. Your various forms are all
required to be ruler, the magick is more powerful and easier to use when in
that form. But remember who you are. Remember the Dragon way is different to
what you know. You should make adjustments, not be so swayed by the willfulness
of the Vampire.”

So, true to one then. Somehow I don’t think that even if I
wanted to--which I don’t--it wouldn’t be as easy as all that.

“That reminds me. I had a plan to come and see you next
week. In the Dragon Realms,” I say, remembering.

“Oh?” she asks, suddenly pleased that I was coming to see
her.

“Yes, we have questions.”

“We? I assume that you mean you and Constantine,” She says
and sighs. “Such a handsome young man,” She adds quietly. She is so smitten
with him it is almost amusing. But this is the effect he has. “He has found the
book?”

“Yes.”

“Has he translated it yet?” She asks eagerly. “He is so
clever, so worldly. I knew he would find it.” Yep, smitten I tell you.

“Sort of. He wants me to come and see you to ask about it.”

“What does he want to know?” She asks.

Erm, everything?

“You caught me off guard. We hadn’t got around to discussing
his questions, what with one thing and another,” I admit.

“I see. Well in that case, I look forward to seeing you. You
remember how to get there?”

“Of course.”

“Good. Bring him with you.”

“How? I thought only Dragons in Dragon form could get
there,” I say.

“I will allow it. Just this once. You will have to bring him
in your Dragon form.”

Hm, so not so much an impossibility, but a rule, it seems.

“Fine. I am sure he will be happy to see you again.” I leave
out the “infuriating creature” and “thorn in my side” remarks.

“As will I. He will make you an excellent partner for a
while, when the time is right,” She says with conviction.

For a while? Oh dear. Best not mention that to CK, he will
likely blow every gasket he has.

“Mother, can I ask you something?”

She looks at me warily--seems even in the Dragon Realms that
question usually precedes an unpleasant topic. “Of course.”

“Xane mentioned it may be possible for me to reproduce. Do
you think that is something that is possible?”

“Do you want to have children?” She asks instead.

“I don’t think so. But I want to be prepared in case it
happens, with…” I trail off as She is glaring at me again now as I apparently
haven’t heard a word of what She has been saying to me about my willful Vampire
self.

“
ValamAtrux
, anything is possible. You are no longer
an ordinary Vampire. But know that you will never breed with your Vampire
lovers. They are incapable. If you choose that path you will have to rethink
your commitments,” she warns. Okay, breed? What am I? Some kind of mare?

“Do you want me to? Have children?” I ask hesitantly. She
beams at me.

“With one of your own kind, yes. However, I don’t see that
happening anytime soon. You have too many other distractions.” She frowns.
“Heed my warning, my daughter, the path you are on is uncertain. You need to be
clearer about what you want. There will be others vying for your attentions and
even you cannot have them all.”

Even me. I don’t feel so well after that comment. What
others, and how many? I am going to have to ensure no more funky rituals take
place as I just cannot give my attention to anyone else.

“I must go now. I will see you soon, my dear.” She leans
forward to kiss both my cheeks and whispers, “A female Dragon and a male Demon
are the most powerful couple the Realms can produce. More so than two Dragons.
If you choose him, be prepared to lose the ones you love.” And with that piece
of actual motherly advice instead of all this cryptic nonsense, She steps back
and transforms to the black crystal Dragon she arrived as and takes off,
whipping the air around me.

Xane is next to me in the bat of an eye and asks, “Well?
What did she say? She looked pissed.”

“She wasn’t best pleased. Told me I had to suppress my
Vampire self and be more Dragon.”

“She’s not wrong,” he says mildly.

“Hey! My Vampire self is the whole reason we were together
earlier. If I become more Dragon I can assure you there are others closer to
the top of the list than you.”

He looks affronted at that, but it’s true. Especially after
Tiamat’s remark.

“Do you really believe that? After what we shared?
Everything I know you feel for me because I feel it too?” he asks.

“Xane, I feel it. Believe me, I do, but I just can’t do
this. I am betraying everyone I love, who loves me.”

“I love you,” he says earnestly.

“No, you don’t. You don’t know me. You can’t possibly say
that.” I am desperate to make him understand.

“I love you,” he says again, cupping my face with his hand.
“We belong together. Do you know how unbelievable we can be together? I will
take you to heights you never even knew existed.”

“I know that. But I love my husband. I am not leaving him. I
have said this more times than I care to think about but he is what I want. We
are apart right now for a lot of the time and that is due to circumstance, but
soon we will be back together permanently and everything will be exactly how it
is supposed to be,” I affirm.

“You think that now. Our bond is stronger than that of your
Vampire bonds. You won’t be able to be without me as I won’t be able to be
without you.”

I run my hand through my hair in the universal sign for
agitation.

“You will see,” he says with confidence. “I will let you go
for now but you will see that we can’t be apart.”

“Take me back,” I say wearily.

“You take us. You should be able to now that Xerxei has made
her appearance. Oh and don’t think that my parents will overlook that. You will
be hounded day and night until you concede.” I have to smile. “You will tell
them?”

“Of course. My mother will be over the moon,” he says. “You
don’t know it yet, but you have set your course.”

“Humph. We’ll see. I would ask you to keep what is between
us, between us?”

“So you admit there is something between us. It’s a start,”
he says smugly.

I shake my head at him, “You are too confident. Give me your
hand.”

“You aren’t going to say goodbye to the family?” he asks,
pointing over my shoulder at the gathering mass of “family.” They will be most
disappointed,” he adds.

“Fine.” I stalk over to them and focus on Xanthe and Xerxes.
“Thank you again for your hospitality. I do hope that my mother’s visit didn’t
cause too much consternation. Rest assured her ire was directed at me and not
any of you.”

“Is she upset because you won’t marry Uncle Xane?” a boy of
about the same age as Xaria asks.

Oh for fuck’s sake! What is it with these kids?

I smile genially at him. “No, she isn’t upset. She had some
things to tell me that I needed to know. I don’t get to see her much,” I say,
kneeling down in front of the boy. “It is easier for her to come here than to
Earth.” I have no idea if that is true, although I wouldn’t rule it out.

“Oh,” he says. “Do you like living in the Earth Realm? I
think it is better here,” he says with confidence.

“I do. My family is there.”

“But you are a Vampire. They don’t have families,” he says
with a frown.

I hear Xane snicker behind me as I reply, “I do. I have
seven people there that I love and who need me.” Okay, so I want to choke on
the “love” part. Jess may be a part of my family now and I pretty much hate
her, but even so, she needs me now and Sebastian? Well, maybe we can sort out
our issues. Clearly he means a lot to CK so by proxy he means a lot to me.

“What is your name?” I ask him.

“Xanthus,” he replies shyly. Of course it is. I cast a quick
glance up at Xane with a knowing smile, who just shrugs.

“Well, Xanthus. I am Xerxei. I am pleased to meet you,” I
say to his absolute delight. I have to say there is nothing quite like an
excited child. I find myself actually in awe of him.

“You
are
one of us! I knew it!” he yells. “Did you
hear that, Grandpa? She is one of us!” He whacks Xerxes in his enthusiasm and
he takes it with good grace as he glows at me. “Yes, I heard,” he says quietly.

“You know your Demon self?” he asks me.

“Yes,” I say, standing to face him.

“Welcome, child,” he says as he embraces me and I flounder
slightly before I hug him back.

“You are here. I have waited so long, and you are here,” he
says in wonder and I have no idea what he is talking about.

I look at Xane at a loss and he twirls his finger, pulling
his face at me. Oh, I remember what he said about a daughter named after him.
Oh crap. What have I got myself into this time?

Xanthe pulls me to her and whispers to me, “I knew you would
come. I waited, all this time. I knew you would come but wouldn’t be mine. Not
mine by blood, but mine by family.”

Aww crap.

I couldn’t be further up the creek without a paddle if I
tried.

I pull away and Xane just grins at me. “Come.”

I say to him, “I need to get home.” He nods and with a
hesitant wave to the crowds I manage to Astral us back to Xane’s office.

“Nicely done,” he says. “You will make a great Demon yet.”

“Huh. Not if my mother has anything to say about it,” I
grouse. ”I have one more question.”

“Okay? Shoot.”

“How come you are Demon Overlord? Your father is clearly in
his prime still, so why you?”

He looks annoyed, embarrassed, and insulted at that question
all at the same time. “You don’t think I deserve it?” he asks.

“No, I never said that. I just wondered how it came to pass
that you are and he isn’t. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

“There comes a time when a leader needs to be challenged. I
was ready to take over, so I challenged him and won.”

“You took your own father in a duel?” I ask incredulously.

“Yes. It is our way.”

“And he doesn’t hold a grudge?”

“No,” he says as if I am stupid. “He expected it of me.
Maybe not quite so soon, but still,” he says proudly.

Well, a proud male of any species is still just an arrogant
son-of-a-bitch. I have learned that these last few months.

“Well, I will bid you adieu. I have to go and check on my…”

“Entourage?” he interrupts me wickedly.

“My boys,” I emphasize and he shrugs.

“Be sure to remember what your mother said,” he reminds me
and I want to hit him.

“Be sure to remember what I said. What happened between us,
stays between us.”

“Of course,” he says with ease. “I don’t like my private
life spread all over the place. Even though I am now taking myself off the
market.”

I close my eyes in frustration and say, “Xane. Don’t be so
ridiculous. You cannot wait for me.”

“I have no intention of waiting. You will come to me. You
won’t be able to stop yourself.”

“I will be halfway across the globe in less than a month, I
will forget you,” I say unconvincingly.

“Then I will be, too. Make no mistake that I will follow
you. I, too, can run my billion-dollar empire from an iPad in Europe.”

Beg pardon? Billion-dollar empire? What other pies do you
have your fingers in? And how do you know I will be in Europe?

“How do you know I will be in Europe?” I ask with suspicion.

“I assume that halfway across the globe is, in fact,
Europe,” he says.

Smartass

“I need to go,” I tell him dismissively.

“I will come and find you later.”

I glare at him and stalk out.

I find Scott hovering, clearly waiting for me, and he looks
relieved when he sees me. “What’s up?” I ask, walking to the elevators.

“I don’t know if it is of any relevance, but yesterday your
Demon friend had a curse on him. I believe he cast it on himself but today it
was gone. I seemed to pick up on that it had something to do with you.”

Of course it did. He is such an arse. He knew we would end
up in bed together and probably even about the whole Demon reveal. His choosing
me wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment thing. I just hope I cursed myself in time.

“Thank you. It’s quite helpful to know. I think I know what
it is in regard to but it is a good thing that I know that he lifted it.”

Scott nods at me, “Happy to help.”

“We are going to have to extend our stay. See what you can do
about rooms. Anything else?”

“Okay, done. Probably stuff you already know by now. His
intentions and what not.”

“Yes, I know,” I sigh.

“Liv,” he pauses.

“Yes, Scott?” I get off on the floor that says “Gym” and he
frowns but follows me.

“Be careful,” is all he says.

I nod and my phone goes off. It’s Cole. Finally.

He nods back and heads back towards the elevators. I say to
Cole, “Hey, baby.”

“Hey, what’s going on? Are you okay?” he asks in a rush.

“I’m fine….”

“Thank god. I got this blunt message from Constantine and it
freaked me out. I have only just picked it up to ring you,” he interrupts me.

“What did he say?” I ask, curious in spite of the pressing
news.

“He said, and I quote, ‘There is news, ring your sire.’ And
he hung up.”

I grimace at his lack of tact. CK’s, not Cole’s. Ring your
sire indeed. He is so far in denial he might as well be in Egypt.

“Cole, we have had a bit of a situation. Just let me get
this out without interruption, okay?”

“Okay,” he says, now warily.

“Jess tried to kill herself so Devon was forced to sire her
to save her. He couldn’t let her die.”