Blood Bound (Permanently ON-HOLD)

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT; It Is Awful, It Is Awful.

"Bruce is really doing a great job up there," Perry compliments our uncle. "He was born to be an Old Blood."

He stands in the sacred garment of the Old Blood who conducts the wedding, saying what needs to be said from this grand book he uses two hands to hold. His voice is deep and booming throughout the church, and Perry is right. He was born to be an Old Blood.

Sebastian has tried to get my attention a few times, but I've ignored every attempt. The last time I saw him was the night of Ben Hayes' wedding, when we all got home and he told me that I had let the whole family down for kissing Heath. Then he packed up and went to college. I haven't heard anything from him and Perry hasn't mentioned anything to me, which is why I assume he's only been talking to Cas.

Law's soul mate died and I went missing for four days in the woods with a Hayes... And he's been silent.

I don't know why it took me so long to realise what a selfish man Sebastian is.

Perry leaps up and cheers as the congregation goes wild. The couple have now been married and are now following Bruce and a few other Old Bloods into the back of the church, where they will conduct the oh so secret Binding Ceremony. I stand up and scream and clap for the couple, happy they're happy. Ecstatic they're ecstatic. Bitter and resenting the fact they can be so public about it. I'm not admitting to any romantic feelings towards Heath but, wow, it would be easy if we didn't have to sneak around to talk.

Nana Warren then walks up the aisle, and I realise how much of an icon she is. She is the oldest Blood alive. She strides down with nothing but confidence. Her body is fragile with age, but she is sharp. She has not let her not finding her soul mate define her. She has had children, grandchildren, she's unstoppable.

If you're a Blood you can always rely on one thing.

And that's Nana Warren.

"I want to thank you all for coming to this beautiful church for these beautiful people!" Her accent isn't jumbled up like Adrian and Addy's, it's just... Nothing. It's completely neutral. I have no idea where she's from.

"Now, for the messy part," I like Nana Warren because she doesn't bullshit. Yes, she told me I couldn't be with her son because I wan't made for him, but at least she's honest. She's an admirable, scary person and I kind of feel a little starstruck thinking back to when she talked to me. She's nuts, but I'm a little bit in love.

I throw a glance behind me at a – of course – grinning Adrian who has his arms encircled around Addy, squishing her to his chest and he doesn't seem to be releasing her anytime soon. He winks at me and I wink right back while Addy pretends to get sick.

"A Clann's main family is their centre-piece. They're both a combination of the king and the queen in chess. Powerful but need to be protected." She casts a look behind Heath's family, to the pew that's always kept empty for the memory of the main Cross family. "Not just by their Clann, by their own family, but by the other Clanns," She looks around to us all, stressing every word. "It was easier in the Beginning, family meant so much more but we can still keep that meaning alive. Maybe humans have lost it, but we haven't. And we are all each other's family, and we will protect everyone." People are cheering in the church, letting their agreement be known. Law and Cas cheer with them, calling up to Nana Warren how right they think she is.

"Main families protect their Clann and their Clann protect main families. But the heart of the main family is their leader, and that's what we're here for." I think she's looking to me until I realise Addy and Adrian are behind me. "A Clann needs a leader that is strong, that can lead. Someone who will follow our laws," And then she smiles, like she herself invented every Blood rule there is. Maybe she did. "And will know when they need to be broken."