Blood Judgment (Judgment Series) (28 page)

The stench of aggression overpowered the apartment. Julian and Slade faced each other with bared fangs and curled hands.

“Enough!” Ashton moved forward, grabbed each by an arm, and yanked them apart. “I’ve had enough of this bullshit. She’s an adult and so is he. Besides, it’s too late anyway. Leave it alone.”

Slade backed up, but his lip lifted higher off his teeth.

“Don’t even think about it,” Ashton said. “You take me on, I’ll clean the floor with you. Blood family or not. I want this to stop. If you two have to go outside and fight over it, then do so and let that be the end of it.”

“Is that how you want it?” Julian wouldn’t mind going a few rounds with the asshole.

“Stop it! Both of you,” Saranna said. Her hand fluttered to her neck.

“Stay out of it,” Ashton said. “They need to settle this. If they have to kick each other’s ass, then let them.”

Slade turned on her. “And you … letting him fuck you like some classless slut. And now you’ve
bonded
with him. And you may note, sister dear, he has not bonded with you.”

“What the hell?” Julian sputtered.

“I’m not your property!” Her face had gone scarlet and her voice shrill.

“Yeah, you are. I’m the only remaining male in our direct line.”

Julian dropped into a crouch, ready to take Slade apart. “Shut the fuck up, asshole. She’s mine. Get over it.”

In a flash, Slade was in his face again.

Saranna clutched at Julian.

“Like hell.” Slade grabbed Saranna’s arm and jerked her away from Julian.

“Get off me!” Saranna pulled against Slade’s hold.

Julian hissed and went for Slade.

Ashton shoved between them, a wall of unmovable menace. “Outside, right now. You’ll not destroy her apartment or accidentally hurt Vali.”

Slade growled, eyes narrowed. He stalked to the door with Julian and the rest of them, even Vali, following.

“No!” Saranna’s voice held panic.

They ignored her.

They exited the apartment building and circled to the back where the darkened passage ensured a degree of privacy.

Slade faced Julian. “I should kill you, you piece of shit,” he hissed. “You’ve tied her to you and you haven’t bonded.”

“Bonded? What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Didn’t you see the mark at the base of her neck?” Murder flashed in Slade’s eyes. “She’s tied to you now. To. You. She can’t be with anyone else now and be happy. As long as you’re alive.” The last was spoken with a sinister edge. “Your lack of bonding proves you don’t give a damn about her. Other than fucking her.”

Julian’s stomach tightened. “I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.”

“Of course you don’t. This is all just new and grand for you. You’ve ruined my sister’s life, you stupid fuck. If you don’t take her as a mate, she’ll never know happiness again. Unless someone kills your sorry ass and frees her from the bond. And I hope that happens, Julian. You’ve taken… You don’t deserve her and you tied yourself to her.”

“I didn’t mean—”

“No, you didn’t mean to destroy her life. You wanted between her legs and you didn’t give a damn about anything else.”

“Stop it,” she shrieked.

Ashton stood close to Saranna. He looked ready to grab her should she try to interfere.

“Too late to stop it,” Slade said. “You’re in a hell of a mess now. All because you took him in when you knew better.”

Tears ran down Saranna’s face.

“Next, he’ll knock you up and dump you. It’s inevitable. Wait and see.”

That was it, Julian had had enough. He sank into a crouch, but he waited for Slade to attack first.

Slade didn’t need encouragement. Snarling, he launched into Julian, taking both of them to the cobblestones. Slade’s solid weight pinned Julian under him.

Julian knew how to fight, and they struggled, grappling on the dirty pavers, grunting and cursing.

Slade landed a solid punch to Julian’s right eye.

Blinding pain exploded through his head and stars danced in his field of vision. Tears streamed from his eye, partially blinding him.

“Someone stop them,” Saranna cried and lurched forward. Ashton grabbed her, hauling her away from the combatants.

Julian returned the favor with a fist to Slade’s nose.

Slade sniffed as blood trickled down over his lip. “Son of a bitch!” Slade rolled them over again, putting Julian at the disadvantage. He drove a fist into Julian’s cheek, splitting it open.

Julian grunted and thrashed.

They broke apart and Julian lurched to his feet. Slade followed. Fists pounded flesh and muffled curses pelted the air until both panted for breath and blood ran in rivulets, neither willing to concede.

Slade went for the finish. He kicked Julian’s legs out from under him, taking him down. Slade dropped dead weight on Julian and jammed his forearm on Julian’s throat. He leaned on his arm and Julian choked. Black sparks fired before his eyes.

He couldn’t draw in a breath. Slade had him. A cruel expression lit on Slade’s face and he pushed harder. Did Slade intend to kill him?

In a burst of panic, he drew up his shaking legs and caught Slade in the stomach with everything he had left. Which was enough, barely. He knocked Slade off him.

Julian gained his feet a moment before Slade and they crashed together. Julian faltered, but stayed on his feet. He couldn’t lose. He slugged Slade in the guts and the other male staggered.

They came together again, but their bodies could take no more, they fell apart, too exhausted to continue. The scent of blood and aggression hung thick around them.

Julian leaned against the apartment building. Sides aching, throat burning, he tried to catch his breath. He hurt in a thousand places. Slade looked no better.

Tears ran down Saranna’s face. She pulled at Ashton’s grip, but he held firm.

“No, don’t get between them. They’re still dangerous,” he said then turned his attention to Slade and Julian. “Do you feel better now you’ve beaten the shit out of each other and solved nothing?”

They stared at Ashton, then at each other.

“This had better be the end of it,” Ashton said. “No matter what you two feel about each other, Saranna is the one you’re hurting. You should both be ashamed.”

Slade looked annoyed, but the aggression had taken a backseat for the moment.

Julian shoved his hair back from his face. His hand shook. Though the idea of taking a mate, even Saranna, made his insides shrivel, he would do right by her. He was a lot of things, but he wasn’t a barbaric bastard. He couldn’t pretend things were okay and ignore what he’d done to her, no matter what.

“You don’t understand our world yet,” Slade said.

He understood a hell of a lot more than Slade thought he did.

“We aren’t like humans,” Slade said. “Outside of how we look. Inside, we are a different species. You still think and act like a human.”

“I understand what I’ve done. I’ve claimed Saranna. She’s my mate already. I’ll stand by her.” His heart pounded hard.

“Not unless you go through the binding ceremony,” Ashton said. “Then you’ll be her guardian and responsible for her as well as her mate.”

“Binding ceremony?” What were they throwing on him now?

“You’re one of us. You’re obligated to vampire traditions and laws. Like the rest of us,” Ashton said

“Laws? What laws?”

“The laws governing us for as long as we’ve existed as a species.”

Shit
. Considering himself subject to vampire law didn’t come easy. Perhaps because he hadn’t been raised under it, but more likely because he didn’t yet feel he was part of the community. And wasn’t that stupid?

“Our society began crumbling after the disappearance of the ruling family about a hundred years ago, but some laws are so much a part of tradition that they’ve survived. And vampires uphold them,” Ashton said.

Slade’s eyes narrowed. “He isn’t good enough for her.
And
he’s a no good liar. Aren’t you, Julian?”

Julian’s stomach lurched. There was no doubt now, Slade had seen Michael Foster’s name in the article in Julian’s scrapbook.

“I bet you’re wondering how much I know. Bet you’ve got sweat running down your back right now. I know plenty, Julian. And when I’ve got the entire picture, I’ll clue the others in.

“You don’t know shit,” Julian said.

“What the hell’s going on here?” Ashton demanded.

Slade gave Julian a scathing look. “I’ll let you know when I’ve got it all pieced together. And you can bet I’m not stopping until I do.”

“Drop dead,” Julian said. “You don’t know shit about me.”

“Yeah, I do. I know you’re hiding something. You lied to us. And I know there’s no way in hell I’ll ever accept you as worthy of Saranna. Or the Resistance.”

Ashton rubbed his brow. “I don’t know what you’re hiding, Julian, if anything. But I know you well enough to believe if you did something, you had a good reason for it.”

Julian’s heart beat his ribs.

“But let me tell you,” Ashton continued. “If you’ve done something to warrant it, I’ll be the one to see justice is dispensed. Until then, I’ll not condemn you without proof of an unjustifiable offence.”

Julian wanted to avoid eye contact, but it would make him look guilty. Shit. He wasn’t leaving this hanging in the wind. “I did lie about knowing Michael Foster.”

All eyes locked on him. He swallowed hard and carefully chose his words. “I knew him all right. I hated his guts.”

Saranna sucked in her breath.

“He was a better violinist. He beat me in every competition we were in together. It got to the point where I puked before I had to compete because I had to go against him. I messed up every time from the pressure. And I hated him for it.”

He shot a glare at Slade. “So yeah, that’s what I was hiding. He bested me at every turn and he made me lose my confidence until I was physically sick and couldn’t perform worth a shit. Does knowing that make you feel better?”

“You know what?” Slade said. “I don’t think that’s all there is to it. And if it isn’t, I’ll dig out the truth.”

“Have fun digging. There’s nothing to find at the bottom of that hole.”

Ashton cleared his throat. “Enough. None of this helps Saranna. She’s bonded to Julian regardless of him not bonding with her.”

Did males and females normally bond at the same time? Apparently, they did judging by the big deal everyone was making of it.

“I’m not surprised,” Slade said. “He isn’t like a purebred.” Another scathing look.

“That isn’t the issue,” Ashton said.

“There is no issue,” Julian said and swallowed hard. Trapped. Like a rat in a corner facing down a terrier. “I won’t allow her to suffer because of my failings. I’ll take her formally as my mate.” He hesitated. “If she’ll have me.”

“Saranna,” Ashton said. “Are you willing to accept him as your mate?”

Her lips bowed in a frown.

Pain stabbed him. She didn’t want him. At least, not as her mate. Why it should feel like a knife twisting in his guts was unclear. He didn’t want a legal mating either. But if they didn’t go through the ceremony, she would be in a bad situation.

“I—”

“I can’t stand this.” Slade cut her off.

“They’ve already done it,” Ashton said. “Whether you like it or not. She needs to be with him.”

Julian swallowed back trepidation. “Saranna, will you be my mate?” His voice shook slightly.

“Yes,” she whispered.

Damn it. Did she have to sound like mating with him was so terrible? He might not be a purebred, but he was able to hold his own with anyone. And he could sure as hell satisfy her in bed. What the hell? He wasn’t exactly delighted to be legally paired with anyone. He was doing it for her.

“We’ll take care of this tonight,” Ashton said. “I want the bullshit to stop once and for all. Tomorrow night, we get back to business. I want Julian to learn to handle a firearm.”

That was news to Julian.

“Once you can hit what you aim at, we’re going back to the trader’s holding area. We’re going to find their goddamn records.”

TWO HOURS later, Julian and Saranna stood facing one another in the living room of her apartment. She had changed into a blue satin dress. He wore his best dress clothes.

Slade took his place beside Ashton and scowled at Julian.

Ashton handed each of them a small card. “Julian goes first. Read the card to her, then she responds. Once you exchange your promises, she drinks the ceremonial tea, then you cut your wrist and feed her.” He handed Julian a small knife. “After she feeds, you are expected to mate immediately to complete the ceremony. After coupling, the process is finished and you are legally bound together. And no one can change it.”

Saranna looked like she was trying hard not to cry.

Julian’s hand clenched around the little knife so hard his fingers hurt. He should stop this fiasco before it went any further. She didn’t want him as a legal mate and he didn’t want it any more than she did. The entire thing was wrong.

“Julian?” She reached for his hand.

Oh Jesus
. He was about to make a big mistake. But instead of backing out, he looked at Ashton’s elegant writing on the card and read out loud, “I take thee, oh beloved, for my mate and partner. I forsake all for you. I promise my love, my heart, my life for you.” Julian swallowed. “I promise to protect you and any offspring you bear through our union. I promise to honor you and never betray you.” He was sunk. His heart beat his ribs in a too fast tempo.

She hesitated, then read her vows in a shaking voice, “I take thee, oh beloved, for my mate and protector. I promise … to … to obey … and … and submit to you.” A single tear ran down her cheek.

Julian’s guts clenched, then churned.

She continued. “I promise to care for and protect any offspring from our union. I promise to honor you and never betray you.”

She paused and looked up at Julian with glossy eyes.

Ashton passed a goblet of dark liquid to Saranna. “You must drink all of it.”

She raised the glass with a shaking hand and drank it down.

Ashton took the glass. “Now feed her.”

Julian slid the razor-sharp blade over his wrist. He offered her the bleeding wound.