The Ties that Bind (The Forever series, Book Five) (22 page)

“Fine,” he says gruffly. “But I expect nothing less than
your undivided attention and everything that I ask you to do.”

I raise my eyebrow at him and he back tracks. “I mean
everything I ask to do to you,” he says quickly.

“Done,” I say and he leans down to kiss me to seal the deal.
“Now I must go. Just sit with her. If you feel the desire to do more, go with
it.” The thought is most unsavory but needs to be said.

He grimaces and I add for his benefit, although I can’t
think of a damn good reason why, “You know it will be better than before.”

He frowns as he thinks it over and then his features relax
as he knows I am right. I mentally sigh at myself. I really do need to keep my
trap shut sometimes. I watch him as he walks back to her and takes her hand.
She beams at him and they walk back to the house, leaving me with Scott who
very quickly excuses himself and Lincoln and Xane.

“Well, Liv. I have to say, you don’t half get yourself into
some fucking awkward situations. Does trouble just follow you around or do you
seek it out?” Lincoln asks me with a small chuckle.

I roll my eyes at him, “Both, probably. Never a dull moment
and all that.” He comes to hug me and says, “Go and sort out your husband, but
I do still need to talk to you, soon.” I nod grateful that he is just being
perfect, understanding, no-drama Lincoln.

I, however, am probably not getting away anything so easily
with Xane who has thus far been remarkably silent since we left Vegas. Probably
trying to see what everyone’s roles are here and taking it all in.

“I too need to talk to you soon,” he says, his piercing blue
eyes on mine. “We have much to discuss and even more so in light of
this…evening,” he says, heeding my warning of not bringing the subject up. “I
have watched the group. I see the dynamics of your relationships and it is
interesting. However…” he trails off, leaving his next words to my imagination.

“I will come and find you, I promise. Just go with Lincoln
now, please.”

He nods slowly, “Fine. But don’t leave it too long.”

My turn to nod and they both go and I Astral to my bedroom
where I find Cole waiting on the balcony with his arms crossed and his face
grim.

“Before you say anything, I have told him off for blurting
that out and have given him an ultimatum to go and think about,” I say quickly.

“What kind of ultimatum?”

“Nothing of relevance to you but it is to him. He will back
off, I assure you.”

Cole turns to me with an incredulous look, “Really? You are
still keeping secrets? Fuck, Liv. I really don’t know how much longer I can do
this.”

“Not a secret. Just something for him to go and think
about,” I reassert. “Cole, I’m not going over this again. I have already told
you a million times that I love you and I want to be with you. Now will you
just fucking kiss me and do what you said you would do?”

“Well gee, how can a guy resist an offer like that?”

“You aren’t supposed to. So come here,” I order him and he
acquiesces to my delight. He pushes me towards the bed and kisses me hungrily,
ravaging me as he drops his fangs and rakes his claws over me. My bikini falls
away as it is torn to shreds and he picks me up and throws me onto the bed,
getting rid of his own swimsuit in the process. He growls and goes completely
Vampire on me as I revel in his harsh touch. Ripping and nipping at me, I am on
fire for him as I turn around and offer him a choice. As expected he chooses
the more forbidden passage as he pulls me back to him and inserts himself into
me with a rough thrust which makes me cry out. He rakes his claws down my sides
as my back is a no-go zone due to my Dragon who lies there. Even for him that
She cherishes, She burnt him for running his claws down my back and now She is
respected and remains unharmed even in the face of such passion. “Oh Liv,” he
groans as he comes inside me. I am not left to feel unfulfilled very long as he
quickly flips me over and plunges his mouth to my aching, wet pussy and
proceeds to thrust his tongue inside me as he circles my clit with his fingers.
“Oh fuck, yes,” I cry out as he causes all sorts of pleasure to shoot through
me. I come against his mouth and while I am still throbbing he lifts up and
crawls over me to push himself inside me. Oh geez. I am about ready to explode
as he ignites the dying fire inside me. “Tell me how much you love me,” he
murmurs before he kisses me.

“I love you. I love you so much,” I cry out before I come
again and he does too. I let him feed from me as I pant breathless. I too am
hungry but don’t ask for anything in return. I won’t make any demands on him
after what just happened. He collapses to the bed and I follow suit climbing
half on top of him and falling promptly asleep.

I am at Ponte, in my old room. I see CK and Sebastian and
they are talking…about me? I try to find out where I am standing, did I Astral
in? But I am almost hovering in some weird out-of-body experience.

“So, what's next?” Sebastian says as he leans casually
against my dresser. “She seems pretty adamant.”

“Fuck that,” CK says. “I refuse to sit by and watch her
make this mistake.”

“What will you do?”

“Continue to pursue her. She won’t hold out much longer
but I do need your help,” he says slyly and Sebastian raises his eyebrows.

“Oh? How so? I didn’t think you would need any help in
this area,” he adds with a sly tone of his own.

CK glares at him, “I admit she is being far too stubborn,
and short of killing him…”

“Hm, like sire, like charge,” he chuckles.

“Shut it,” CK snaps.

“So why not just kill him? Wouldn’t it be easier than
going through all of this?”

“She would never forgive me if I did that. I have far too
much to lose.”

“Oh? Who’s to say she’d have to know?” Sebastian says.

“Oh please. It would be kind of obvious. Besides which, I
would be the first person she would look to if anything happened to him. And I
don’t want her that way,” CK says forlornly, ignoring the first question.

“But having my help is any better?” Sebastian asks. “If
anything, I would say it is the same.”

“Not really. At least he would be alive and she would
still be able to care for him and receive affection from him.”

“Really? After everything, you still want her to be with
him?”

“I don’t have anything against him personally, and I
would never ask her to give up a charge. I just want her to give up her
husband. It’s different,” CK says in a huff now.

“So what can I do?”

“I need you to convince her it is in her best interests
to give him up,” CK says blandly.

“I have tried that already.”

“Not with your gift you haven’t,” he snaps.

“I thought you would kill me if I ever used it on her…
again,” Sebastian queries.

“Not when I am asking you to do it,” CK says patiently.
“Just persuade her she needs to leave him and be with me.”

“Simple as that,” Sebastian says.

“No, over several weeks or even months,” CK amends
seriously. “You cannot just cut her off. She is too smart for that and too
strong. You need a subtle approach. A gentle push here and there. I am sure you
can convince her.”

“Why don’t you just do it yourself?” he asks.

“No. She knows nothing of my Powers and I intend to keep
it that way. I made a promise to myself that I would never use it on her. Even
now. And I don’t want her unwilling,” CK says with a huge sigh.

Sebastian snorts, “Yeah, I understand that feeling all
too well. I don’t see how this would be any different though.”

“Your gift can bring her around slowly so she comes to
the decision for herself. If I do it, it is sudden and crushing.”

“Hm, fine I will help you. But what do I get in return?”
Sebastian says with a glint in his eye.

“Not her,” CK growls at him. “I said persuasion, not
fucking.”

“Now I know I can get her into a position to be persuaded
but that usually leads to fucking,” he says innocently.

“Oh?” CK barks at him.

Sebastian taps his neck, “She knows now. Has tasted it.
She will crave it, but I will crave her too.”

CK thinks it over and relents, “Once in a while. Not
every time. If I find out you are taking advantage I will end you this time. I
already told her that was your plan so she will probably be expecting it.”

“What? Why would you tell her that?” Sebastian asks in
disbelief.

“She wanted an explanation and I couldn’t tell her the
truth, not then. She didn’t know.”

“Why did you have to tell her anything?”

“She called it rape. I had to explain it away somehow
that I didn’t kill you for it.”

“Rape?” Sebastian asks in horror. “Shit. Shit. That’s
what she thinks?”

“She said you violated her. Which you did, by the way,”
CK growls at him. “I know you had your reasons but you should have gone after
someone else.”

“Fuck. She never said. I explained my reasons to her and
she just accepted it,” he says.

“What? When?”

“We had a few moments alone before the whole bathroom
incident earlier. I wanted to tell her why I did what I did.”

“And she just accepted it?”

“Seemed to. But now she knows one of us is lying.”

He sighs, “Let me deal with that. Are you in or out?”

“Oh, in,” Sebastian says happily. “Although, I can’t
imagine she will go for it that easily. She didn’t last time.”

“That’s where you need to be creative. She is weakest
when she is Xerxei. Convince her to Shift.”

“Just like that?”

“She already knows you find that form sexy. Just go with
it,” CK grumps, not at all happy.

“I am sure I can persuade her to, but I really think I
need more of an incentive,” Sebastian says confidently.

“What more? You already have my permission to be with
her,” CK says quietly.

“While that is a prize, I’ll admit. Even though it’s her
husband’s permission that would hold more weight.”

CK growls at him again, “Even better that he doesn’t
know. Maybe the guilt will help her leave him. Or better yet, he finds out
later and leaves her.”

“Why is it better if he leaves her? And if that’s the
case shouldn’t I be going after him instead?” Sebastian says, confused. I growl
myself now but neither of them hears me.

“It is better because it is the original agreement. No
one can argue with it. But no, you can’t go after him. He is too new and she
will know you had something to do with it if he just leaves her now,” he sighs.

“Fine. But this is a risky business. If she finds out she
will never speak to me again and I don’t want that.”

“What do you want?” CK asks warily.

“I think you know,” Sebastian says. “It has been so long.
Just once, with her.”

CK closes his eyes in pain and thinks for a while. He
runs his hand through his hair. “Just this once, and I have your word you will
help me and not take advantage.”

“Of course. You know I would do anything for you,”
Sebastian says, genially now happy to have gotten his way. “Wait here.” He
Teleports out as CK sighs heavily and twirls the ring I gave him. He pulls it
off his finger and I try to protest but again he can’t hear me. He kisses it
and places it carefully on the dresser. “Forgive me, my sweet,” he whispers as
Sebastian Teleports back in with Vivienne.

I cringe as I realize the bargain that has been struck.

“Well, I didn’t expect you out to play anytime soon,”
Vivienne coos at him with a lingering kiss that he doesn’t resist. “Does the
Queen know what you are up to?” she asks slyly and he pushes her away.

“No,” he growls, “and nor will she. This is part of a
deal. Nothing more.”

She tilts her head, “I am not sure it is in my best
interests to go against her wishes.” She frowns.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll see no harm comes to you,” he
says stiffly and I am now furious on top of the nauseous feeling.

“Well I will take what I can get. Here?” She points to my
bed and again I yell, “No!” but it falls on deaf ears.

“No!” CK snaps at her. “Down the corridor.” And I am
somewhat relieved that my bedroom isn’t about to get defiled. Well, at least
not by him and some skank bitch. Sebastian takes her hand and leads her out of
the room. She grabs my sire’s hand and drags him along behind her with a
seductive smile that makes me want to hurl.

I wake up with a start, sitting upright in bed with my hand
on my racing heart. Cole is half draped over me and Lincoln is sitting next to
me, staring at me. “You okay?” he whispers.

I shake my head, “No.”

“Bad dream?”

“More like a fucking nightmare. Shit, that was…” I trail
off, relieved to be awake in my own bed and not watching some debauched
three-way bargaining dream orgy. Thank god it was just a dream. I don’t think I
could bear it if CK was plotting the breakup of my marriage with Sebastian’s
help and using that woman as a bargaining tool. Christ, I am really starting to
get paranoid.

“Why are you here?” I whisper then, concerned.

“You were calling out for me,” Lincoln says. “In my dreams
you were calling for me. I had to make sure you were okay.”

“Huh, so my dreams were calling to yours.” I smile at him
and he shrugs.

“Can we talk?”

“Sure.” I climb out of bed careful not to disturb Cole and
Lincoln’s eyes rove over my naked body in lust but I pull on a robe and tie it
tight as I walk from the room.