The Ties that Bind (The Forever series, Book Five) (33 page)

“Clearly she also needs you to not flaunt your relationship
with him in her face,” he says dryly.

“We weren’t flaunting it. She walked in on us in his room,
and even then we were just talking.”

“Naked in his bed?”

“Maybe,” I say, obstinate to a fault.

“Aefre. Don’t you remember what it was like? What would you
have done if at three days old you had found me naked in bed with someone
else?”

Since when is he the voice of reason in these situations?

“Killed her,” I say forcefully. “In fact, even at a thousand
and one years old, if I found you naked in bed with someone else I would kill
her,” I say with a sassy smile, which has him snickering.

“Now you know that isn’t going to happen,” he says but a
small shadow passes over his face, which I don’t understand. “You, on the other
hand, have multiple lovers all practically living under the same roof. You need
to start being a bit more responsible. And while we are at it, isn’t fucking
Devon while Cole is in the house against the rules?” he asks with a raised
brow.

“Fuck off,” I snarl. “Don’t talk to me about being
responsible, attacking Xane like that not to mention the attacks on Cole--these
have not been your finest hours, my love.”

“Hm, well I can’t argue with that. I can’t help it that they
provoke me,” he says sullenly.

“Provoke you? This time last year you didn’t even know the
meaning of the word. Unless you were dishing it out. What the hell has changed
with you?” I ask him suddenly, needing to know.

“You have changed me. Being together and talking about a
future together, it has changed me. I am a better man,” he says.

“Excuse me,” Jess snaps out of the blue. “Your little
private conversation is kind of stepping on my rage here.”

I let out a loud laugh and let her go. “Back under control?”
I ask her.

“Yes,” she says rubbing her wrists. “Blood.”

“When was the last time?”

“Two hours ago,” she admits.

“No can do then.”

Her eyes flash and in the spirit of not wanting to tackle
her again, I offer her my wrist. “Take mine.”

Her eyes light up but then narrow as she slides them
hungrily across to my sire, “I’d rather have his.”

CK looks somewhere between pleased to be wanted but pissed
off at her audacity. I slap her across the face a bit more forcefully than I
should have and speak for him, “Look at him like that again and I will show you
what rage really looks like.” She pales as she remembers what my rage
potentially looks like--as in thirty feet tall and breathes fire--and takes my
wrist. She feeds from me and pulls back. “Thanks,” she mumbles. “Can you let me
up now?”

“Are you going to behave?”

“Yes.”

I get off her and help her up, saying, “I know you are upset
about this morning, but I will tell you this once and once only. With the
exception of Devon, my lovers are off-limits to you. Don’t try it again with
any of them. If you want someone else, I can assure you there will be plenty of
suitors for you once word gets out.”

I have caught her attention with that as she looks at me
curiously, “What do you mean?”

“I mean that you are a pretty girl. And smart, if your
credentials are anything to go by. You come from the strongest Vampire
bloodline and are a part of my family. Believe me, you won’t find it hard to
attract attention.” She takes that in and I wonder if maybe she will give
herself up to her true nature sooner rather than later.

She looks at me shyly and then at CK, she whispers to me not
wanting him to hear, but he can anyway, “Is Sebastian one of yours?”

I shake my head at her as I cast a quick glance at CK who
looks askance. “No.”

“Ahem.” CK clears his throat and Jess has the grace to look
abashed when she realizes he overheard. “As fascinating as I find this
reaction, Sebastian is also off-limits. He has other priorities at the moment.”

He does? I look at him questioningly but he just stares back
at me with that impassive look of his.

“Oh,” she looks despondent.

“Erm, CK. Can I have a word?” I pull him off to the
side.“What the fuck? Do you know how rare this is? She is three days old and is
already thinking of someone other than her sire. If she wants to be with
Sebastian, why not let them have a crack?” I whisper to him.

“I am not pimping out my charge so you can get her
attentions away from yours. And like I said, he has other things to attend to.”

“Like what? Vivienne?” I sneer in disgust. His eyes snap to
mine at her name, full of caution, but when I look back at him the shutters
fall back into place. “No. He is doing a job for me.”

“So why can’t he do that and this?”

“Who is to say he even finds her attractive? She is hardly
his type.”

“You are so infuriating.”

“So are you, my sweet.”

I turn from him in a temper and sidle back over to Jess. “We
leave for Toronto in about three hours. Will you be okay for a while?”

“In here?” she asks.

“Yes.”

“Don’t suppose I have much choice,” she says, resigned.

“We will talk on the jet about the job. I need you
clearheaded.”

“I will be,” she heaves a big sigh. “I see how you are with
Devon and Cole and I see how your own sire is with you. I know I don’t have
that with Devon and I know I probably never will. I am open to any suggestions
you have on getting me back to normal. I hate this feeling of being so
dependent and out of control. It’s not natural for me.”

I glance at CK over the top of her bowed head and again he
is as surprised by her acceptance as I am.

“For now, we will start with the job and, getting back to
dancing will also help you, I think. It is regimented and disciplined.”

She nods, “I am tired. I will see you later.” She slinks off
to the bedroom and I turn to CK.

“This is…bizarre.”

“But what you wanted. You always get what you want.” He takes
my hand as I walk past him and lead him out of the room. I close the door. “Not
always,” I mutter.

“If you are talking about me, you have me. You always have,”
he says quietly.

I smile sadly at him not wanting to point out that we aren’t
actually together. “Can I swim?”

“Of course,” he says and leads me to the pool room. “Do you
want to be alone?”

I look at him curiously, “No, why do you ask?”

He shrugs, “It is going to be a busy time, these next few
weeks. You won’t get much time to yourself.” A shiver goes down my spine at his
words and I rub the back of my neck. Why do his words sounds so menacing?

“Since when did that ever stop you from spending time with
me?” I ask him.

“Never,” he says with an almost sad smile. “I will join you
in a minute. I have something that needs addressing first.”

“Whatever.” I shrug and change into a bikini. I lower myself
in and float on my back for a few minutes.

“Groundhog Day,” Sebastian says from above me.

“What?” I ask, lifting my head out of the water.

“Groundhog Day. You know, the movie where Bill Murray
repeats the same day over and over.”

“Yes I know, but why do you say that?”

“Isn’t this exactly how I found you yesterday?”

Oh. “I suppose so. But this will end differently. CK is
joining me any minute now.”

He comes to sit on the side of the pool and dangles his feet
in the water, I float off in the opposite direction and ask him, “Do you find
Jess attractive?”

He looks startled, “She’s okay, why?”

“Just okay?” I press.

“Well she’s pretty in an obvious kind of way. Hadn’t given
it that much thought.”

“You don’t like obvious beauty?”

“Obviously I do,” he leers at me. “But as you know,
green-eyed blondes are more my thing.”

“And yet you find Xerxei attractive,” I point out.

“Well she is gorgeous. You are gorgeous, as her. Where are
you going with this?”

“Nowhere very far apparently,” I mutter. “What is it about
her that you find so gorgeous?” I ask suddenly, standing with my hands on my
hips.

“Feeling a bit undervalued in your natural form are you?” he
asks.

“Maybe?” I say reluctantly.

“Well I can assure you Queenie, you are stunningly beautiful
as you are. I am partial to Xerxei as she is a version of you that is kickass.
Hardcore. I like that. And she has big tits,” he says.

“Oh,” I say, crossing my arms over my small, pert breasts.

“Don’t hide yourself. If I had a choice I would choose you
as you are,” he says softly. “As it is though I don’t have one, so I get to
have neither of you.” He shrugs. “Why does my opinion matter to you?”

Good question. “I don’t know, in all honesty. Somehow I was
asking about Jess and ended up talking about me.”

“That tends to happen a lot,” he says wryly. “Conversations
just seem to drift back to you.”

“Hey,” I snap. It’s one thing to admit to being vain but
another to have it pointed out to you.

“Not only by you,” he laughs, “but by everyone.”

I peer over his shoulder, “CK should have been back by now.”
I frown.

“I’m sure he will be along shortly. He isn’t one to pass up
the opportunity to see you half naked and wet.”

“Humph,” I grump as I pull myself out of the pool and sit
next to him.

“Liv?” he asks me.

“Yes?” I turn to him as he doesn’t say anything else. He
takes my chin in his hand and focuses on my eyes intently. He kisses me,
pulling me to him. He murmurs against my lips and my mind goes blank. I pull
away from him, “Sebastian, stop. He isn’t supposed to know about us. I don’t
want him walking in and finding us kissing.”

“I can’t help myself,” he says.

“Well, try. If you want to get your rocks off, go seduce
Jess.”

“What? Why would you ask me to do that?”

“She fancies you. That is where I have been going with
this.”

“She is a newbie. All about sire adoration, it will be a
waste of time,” he scoffs.

“Not in this case.” I explain my findings to him.

“Well I have heard of this happening once or twice, when
there is no bond on the sire’s side. They pull away a lot quicker. Although
three days is unheard of.”

“Just show her some attention.”

“What’s in it for me?” he asks with a sidelong glance.

“I’ll make it worth your while,” I say.

“Oh? How so?”

I shrug, “Maybe Xerxei will make an appearance next time you
want to feed. Although when I am her, I have no fangs, so I can’t feed from
you, as her.”

“No, but you could Shift back to Liv at that point.”

“I could.”

“Deal. But I may want to touch you,” he murmurs as his gaze
drops to my breasts.

I stare into his green eyes and drop my own gaze to his
mouth and back up again. Oh god, I want him right now and not just in a feeding
sense.

“Am I interrupting something?” CK asks, joining us finally
and I pull my gaze away from him.

“No, glad you finally came back. I want you,” I say.

“Oh really? Is that any way to ask a gentleman for his
attentions?” he says as he plops himself down on my other side.

“No, but you are no gentleman,” I say smartly.

“I’ll allow that to stand as when I am around you I just
want to ravage you,” he murmurs as he kisses me.

“Well, I guess that is my cue to leave,” Sebastian says and
we both wave him off, not breaking our kiss.

He pulls me onto his lap and I lean back causing us both to
fall into the pool with a splash. We come up spluttering and laughing and he
grabs me by the waist, the water dripping off him. I run my hands through his
wet hair. “Say it,” he requests.

I stay silent, biting my lip, wanting him to ask me again. I
find this need for validation quite sexy on him. He really has changed so much
in these last seven months. “Say it,” he demands as he squeezes me tighter
around the waist. I put my hands on his and scrape my fingers over his ring,
which to my surprise is still on his left hand. “So fucking sexy,” I say and he
glows under my compliment.

“Why is this still here?” I ask him, bringing his hand up
and kissing his ring. He closes his fingers over mine.

“I like the feel of it there,” he replies softly. “And I
like the statement it makes.”

“Which would be what? Flaunting our relationship in Cole’s
face?” I say using his own words, not unpleasantly but not altogether nicely
either.

He frowns at me, “No, that isn’t my intention. I like that
it makes a statement that I am taken. No longer available. Off the market.”

I tilt my head at him in amusement, “Oh? There are people
out there who want you on the market?”

“A few,” he says cautiously.

“Do tell.”

“I’d rather not.”

“Why? Worried I will get jealous and go kick their arses?”

He snorts with mirth, “Something like that.”

“I would, you know,” I say conversationally, “kick their
arses.”

“Oh? That house of yours that you are living in is made
entirely out of glass, my sweet. I would be careful of those boulders you are
throwing about,” he says wryly as he twirls us around in the water.

I shrug, unconcerned, “I am allowed irrational jealousy.
Think of it as a Queenly benefit.”

“Hm, well you have nothing to be jealous of. I am completely
yours to do with as you please.” Again I am sure I see a small shadow pass
across his face and this time I question it. “You sure about that?”

“Of course,” he says briskly as he stops twirling us and
lets me go. “I haven’t fucked another woman in months.”

I stand then and stare at his forcefulness, “Geez. Keep your
pants on. You just seem to be hiding something.”

“I am not lying to you, Aefre,” he says now in a temper and
the earlier mood is long gone.

“I said calm down. It doesn’t matter if you have been with
someone. As you pointed out, my glass house is clearly on display.”