The Ties that Bind (The Forever series, Book Five) (9 page)

“Oh. Shit. She tried to kill herself? Man, that’s just…why
would she do that?”

“Because she wanted Devon to sire her and he refused. She
forced his hand.”

“Whoa. I knew she wanted to but that’s just intense. How’s
he doing?”

“Not good. He doesn’t want this. But there’s more.”

“More? That doesn’t sound good.”

“I told him that I would take responsibility for her. He
will stick around but I will teach her.”

“Oh? Why would you do that? It’s not your responsibility.
It’s his,” Cole says.

“It isn’t if he doesn’t want it. I will take the burden from
him.”

“Liv. You have too much going on already,” he complains.
“This is too much.”

“I know, baby,” I say softly. “But I am not going to let
Devon deal with this on his own. Not when it is partly my fault.”

“Your fault? Why is it your fault?” he asks, worried.

“The building is behind wards. Xane has them set up to stop
spells from being used in the casino. That means all magick is set to fail.
Even siring. I, however, am once again immune due to my Queen status and as he
drank from me, a lot. Corinne said that it elevated his own status and the
wards ignored him.”

“He drank from you, a lot?” he asks. “What is that supposed
to mean?”

“It means a lot, okay? More than normal. Point is, if it
weren’t for me, it would have failed.”

“But then she’d be dead!”

“Exactly.”

“Liv!” he says, scandalized. “What are you saying? You’d
rather she be dead than turned?”

“I can’t say the thought hasn’t crossed my mind,” I snap at
him. Everyone is always so judgy. “Remember when I told you about the correct
way of doing things? Like we did? And how perfect you were when you woke up?”

I can sense his glow down the phone at my words. “Yes.”

“Well this is the exact opposite of that. It was attempted
suicide, Cole. It couldn’t be worse if we had planned it. She will wake up a
monster and Devon is not prepared to deal with it.”

“A monster? Is that not a little harsh?” he chides me.

“No, Cole. You don’t understand. Bad intent makes a difference,
coupled with the fact that she will be a Lesser Immortal. She will be nothing
like you.”

“I see,” he says. “It’s going to be that bad? I suppose this
means then that you won’t be coming with me to Miami,” he adds sadly.

“Oh baby, no, we’re still going, all of us. To Europe as
well. I am not sacrificing being with you to play keeper to some silly little
girl who thinks this is all a game. I can assure you of that,” I say firmly.

“Good,” he says, relieved. “I was worried there for a
minute.”

“Don’t be. I love you. I miss you. I can’t wait for all of
this to be over and we can be together again. All the time. You are not working
again after this. I forbid it,” I order him with a smile.

He chuckles, “Yes ma’am. I had already thought that I would
retire after this. I am no longer interested in being in the Industry. And I
think that it is probably best to shy away from the public eye. I have already
ditched most of my friends, so I don’t think it will come as any great shock
when I drop off the grid. You will have to keep me, though, in the life to
which I have become accustomed.”

“Always, my love. You don’t have to drop off the grid
completely, Cole. You just have to keep our secret. That’s all.”

“I know, but it is easier this way. I find that I no longer
have anything in common with them anymore.”

“Yes, I can understand that. When all of this is over I want
to take you away. Far away. Just the two of us.”

“Hm, how far?”

“Very far. Where no one can find us.”

“Too bad we can’t stay there for very long though,” he says
sadly.

“Don’t worry about that. Leave it to me. There may be
concessions on my part but I will deal with the fall out.”

“Fall out? No, Liv. Don’t risk it if it is going to cause a
rift again.”

“It won’t. Don’t worry about it and I will sort it. You just
keep thinking of where you want to go.”

“Is New Zealand far enough away to stop everyone from
interrupting?” he asks sarcastically.

“No,” I giggle.

“I didn’t think so. I have to go now. I will try and ring
you later. Are you expecting her up anytime soon?”

“Tomorrow probably, or the day after. We are staying here
until she does. It unfortunately means all of us will be coming up to Toronto
on Saturday. But they will all be under strict instructions to leave us alone
unless there is an emergency.”

“There’s always an emergency,” he grumbles.

“Goodbye, my love. I will speak to you soon.”

“Bye, I love you.” He hangs up.

I quickly make my way to the ladies locker room and disrobe
before I jump in the shower. My mental note to always go via the shower is
working, it seems. I hastily dry off and get dressed again. I put the pant suit
in a locker and magickally pull out a backless halter top and black leggings.
Slipping my Louboutins back on, I head back upstairs.

Pushing the door open, I enter the suite, suddenly weary. I
look at the clock: it’s only 1 PM. Christ, it feels like midnight.

I stop dead when I see Sebastian. He is standing uncertainly
in the sitting room. “Hi,” he says.

“Hi.” I stay where I am by the door.

“I’m not going to bite,” he jokes badly but I move further
into the room anyway.

“I am here to apologize. I was an ass and I am sorry as to
how I treated you and how I disrespected not just you but your husband as
well,” he adds formally.

I come closer and see an array of gifts on the sofa. He sees
me notice them and says, “I brought gifts. One for every letter of the
alphabet.”

“I can see. They are all lined up nicely in a neat little
row.”

He cringes, “Sorry about that remark. Please know that is
not what I think of you. I was only saying it to hurt you.”

I cast my eye over the variety of gifts and I am impressed
he went to so much trouble. I was only half joking when I mentioned bringing
presents.

I chuckle with delight as I see lined up in the fourth place
a cuddly black Dragon. I pick it up and smile. “Thank you. This is very sweet,”
I say to him and he smiles. I look down the row and under “V” I find a pair of
plastic Vampire teeth, the kind that kids use on Halloween. I snicker as I pick
them up. “Couldn’t think of anything else? I hardly have a use for them.”

“They are decorative.”

“Thank you, Sebastian. I accept your apology and while you
didn’t need to go to this extent, I appreciate the effort.” I step forward to
hug him and he accepts.

“Friends?” he asks cautiously, picking up the “F” present
which is the
Friends
DVD box set.

I laugh with delight, “Yes. Just don’t try any more shit on
me. I will kick your arse.”

“Don’t I know it. Christ woman, you are strong. You did
flatten me earlier,” he complains.

I laugh a proper laugh now and we are at ease again.

“Everyone happy again now?” CK says, coming out of the
bedroom.

I nod and cross over to him, still holding my cuddly Dragon.
I kiss him and turn back to Sebastian. “Do you mind excusing us? I need to talk
to our sire.”

“Sure,” he says and makes to leave but stops as CK puts his
hand on my bare shoulder and says, “What the hell is this?”

I peer over my shoulder at him, “What is what? I can’t see
from here.”

“This.” He pokes me repeatedly on my collarbone.

“Hey, stop with the prodding. I don’t know, is it another
marking?”

He looks at it closely and Sebastian comes around to have a
look as well. “DX? What does that mean? Roman numerals?”

DX? “What? Let me look,” I say. I march into the bathroom
and face them, looking back over my shoulder and clear as day in a previously
empty spot on my collarbone is a “D” about three inches in diameter with an “X”
in the middle. Oh shit on a stick. I know exactly what that means. I chew my
lip and meet CK’s eyes in the mirror. “What is it, Aefre?” he asks, knowing
that I know.

“That would be my Demon marking,” I say and brush past them
on the way back out of the bathroom.

“Excuse me? Demon marking? You have a Demon marking?” He is
livid.

“It appears so, yes.”

“Aefre!” he barks. “Start talking.”

“I met my Demon self today. She is quite kick ass,” I say,
waiting for the shitstorm.

“Your Demon self?” Sebastian asks as CK is just looking at
me with unbridled fury.

“Yes. I am Xerxei, of the House of Dracul and apparently
Mistress of the Domain,” I say, thoroughly embarrassed. “That would be what the
“X” and the “D” stand for.”

“Oh, you are, are you?” Constantine sneers at me. “You have
been branded with those initials for eternity now? What a fucking coincidence
you share his name. ‘Fucking’ being the operative word here I’m sure.”

I growl at him and he glares at me. “Nothing to say, Aefre?
Or should I call you Xerxei? I’m sure he does.”

“Constantine, don’t be an arse. It isn’t like that,” I lie
through my teeth but no way am I admitting to what we did. “Yes, it would seem
that they are a permanent addition. But it’s no surprise that I have a Demon
part. I have every other part.”

“The only part you need is your Vampire part,” he snarls at
me.

“Not according to my mother,” I say and then wish I didn’t.

“You saw Tiamat?” he snaps. “When?”

“In The Underworld. She paid a visit after Xerxei made her
appearance,” I say, which is true.

“What did she want?” he asks suspiciously.

“To speak to me. About being a better Dragon. I am letting
the side down with my unruly Vampire behavior,” I say with just a tiny bit of
resentment.

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me.”

“She wants you to be a better Dragon?” Sebastian asks. “What
the hell does that mean?”

“It means, Sebastian, that I am no longer allowed to let my
Vampire side rule, to the point where I stop being one altogether.” So, that is
a bit of an overstatement, but I am getting my mad on now.

“What! You are a Vampire!” CK roars at me. “You don’t just
get to stop being one. Especially you. Does she know of your voracious
appetite?”

“Yes. She knows. She wants me to use my Dragon to feed.
Well, sustain. Feed is not the right word.”

“And how, pray tell, do you do that?”

“Sebastian, come here,” I say, quite glad of the
demonstration as I am starving again now. He obeys without comment. “Hold your
hands out palms down,” I order. He does as he is told and I show them my
rudimentary Dragon energy-sucking ability. I feel a crazy rush and I relax
again now, happy. Must be that Faerie blood, I think as I narrow my eyes at him
to his astonishment. “Wow. That’s impressive. Although I do prefer the Vampire
way. Far more intimate,” he leers at me but without malice.

Constantine is watching in disbelief. “No. This is not
right. You are a Vampire. You are my Vampire. I made you.” He is most put out
and I feel sorry for him.

“It’s okay, my love. I am still yours and will always still
be a Vampire. Tiamat just wants me to…” I try to say it delicately, “embrace my
true nature.” I lace my fingers through his and twirl the ring I gave him and
he brightens up a very small bit. “I need you to help me,” I say quietly,
knowing that he won’t be able to resist coming to my aid.

He nods. “Very well. I don’t suppose you managed to find out
anything about the book?” he asks, dismissing the topic at hand for one he finds
more appealing.

“Sort of. She knew you were looking for it and asked if you
had found it and translated it. I told her yes and a bit. I said that I would
see her next week as I have no clue what it is you are really after. I am to
take you with me.”

He looks surprised, “I thought I couldn’t go.”

“Well lucky for you she is smitten with you, you handsome,
clever young man,” I say with a slight smile and he snorts.

“Young? Well, maybe compared to her. I find it very
unnerving speaking with her, as she looks like you.”

“I know what you mean. I think she does it on purpose.”

“She looks like you?” Sebastian asks.

“That’s hard to say, certainly she can Shift to look like me
but I don’t know if that is her natural form or not. I thought it was at first
but the last two times she has cloned me, right down to my accessories, so I
don’t know,” I say.

“Well I am glad that I can go with you. I am in the right
mood to give that woman a piece of my mind.”

“No, CK, don’t go in all guns blazing.”

He looks affronted, “I wasn’t planning on. Despite what you
think, I do have tact, Aefre.”

“Well don’t piss her off. She is already mad at me.”

“What for?”

“Choosing the uncertain path,” I say mysteriously. “I have
no clue what that means, so don’t even ask. CK, I still need to talk to you,
please.”

“I will leave you two alone,” Sebastian says.

“Thank you,” I say as he leaves.

“What is it, Aefre?” He looks concerned by my serious face.
“Should I be worried?”

“No, but you are going to be mad,” I say.

“Oh?”

“We never got a chance to speak about it after the Jess
thing, but you will come with us to Miami and to Europe, yes?”

“You are still going? I thought you would have cancelled in
light of your decision to teach our newbie the Vampire way?”

“No, we are still going. The three of us. I just assumed you
would be as well.”

“Well, I am not leaving you to wander around the globe
alone,” he says with a slight smile as I had said that to Cole.

“Okay, good. After this is over. After the movie is finished
and after Jess is in control and Devon can take her back to L.A., I…” Shit,
just say it woman. “I need some time alone with Cole. A lot of time. Without
interruption.”