“Blood Bound”
2012 © All Rights Reserved
Chapter 21
Leo paced back and forth furiously in his study. Each added step only increased his frustrations. Prophecy? What in the hell kind of prophecy would involve my bride? He thought peevishly to himself.
It just didn’t make any sense to him. Nothing was adding up; from the recent shifter attacks and now this prophecy? For a girl who led a pretty unassuming life; suddenly it was like everyone had her number and he was not the least bit happy about it either.
She had been so young and so innocent when he found her all those years ago lying there, bleeding and broken by the road. If it had not been for him, she would have certainly died that day. If it had been any other person, he would have walked away but there was something about her that called to him; something so strong that even he, himself, couldn’t deny it.
He had never thought to question the incident in the past, how it happened or why. It all seemed so cut and dry. She was there, he bound himself to her and from that day forward she belonged to him. He watched out for her until the time came that he could bring her home and now; she was here, right where she belonged.
Now that he had reflected back; he realized that he wanted to know what really happened that day. Who would have run a child over so young and then left her there to die? Why was it that he had felt so compelled to her? He wasn’t regretting any of the decisions that he made but now that she mentioned a prophecy, Leo was starting to wonder if there was a whole lot more to what happened on that particular hot summer evening that had managed to change both his life and his sweet Shelby’s life forever.
Had someone intentionally tried to kill her in order to prevent the prophecy? Did someone already know what her role would be in the future? Was that the reason for the Coyote attack? If so, that meant that someone who knew about the prophecy also knew that Shelby was still alive and now she was in even more danger than he had imagined.
Not bothering to hide his annoyance with his Servants slowness, Leo stopped in front of the desk where he was tapping on the laptop, loudly slapped his palms down on the front of it and all but snarled out, “Have you found anything yet?”
Ric stopped punching the keys on the lap top. He lifted his head and stared up at his Master. “Not yet sir, but I’m working on it.” Turning back to the screen in front of him; he went back to his tapping.
Leo growled low in his throat and unfurled his body so that he stood up to his full height, towering over both the desk and Ric. An ache began to pound in his temples and no matter how much he massaged at it; it only seemed to worsen. He was supposed to be spending this time with his new Bride, exploring her body, teaching her the many pleasures that they could share in her new Vampire lifestyle and instead, he was forever down stairs and she was upstairs- separated and alone.
In his mind though, her safety had to come first and foremost. With all of the new developments unraveling as they pertained to her, his beast was riding the edge. He wanted to maim the one who dared to harm his bride. He wanted to snap their neck, drain them of every last drop of their blood and burn their bodies so that there would be nothing left of them but paltry ashes.
Shelby was his everything; she was the light that lit up his blackened soul and he would be damned that after so many years of staying away from her and now finally having her; that he would let anyone take her away from him now. She belonged to him and he would do whatever it took to protect her.
Ric looked up from the lap top again. Leo was once again pacing the room like a caged animal. “Master,” he called out hesitantly and waited for his attention.
At first he didn’t think that Leo had heard him, but then he suddenly stopped and his inky black eyes turned in his direction. Ric knew at that moment that the beast was in more control now than the man. Gulping, he lowered his eyes and spoke softly, knowing that with his sensitive ears, he would still be able to hear him. “This may take me a few minutes to research. Why don’t you go be with your Bride and try to calm your beast; I’ll summon you when I have the information that you are seeking.”
At first, Leo’s eyes thinned out into tiny slits and it looked as if he was going to refuse but after a long minute, he let out a long suffering sigh and rubbed his hands over his face. “Maybe,” he started and dropped his hands back to his side, “Maybe you’re right,” he agreed, remembering the forlorn look on Shelby’s face when he abruptly left her on the bed and walked out of the room. They had just shared one hell of a night of intense passion together and just like that, he walked out on her leaving her speechless on his bed.
He dropped his head back on his shoulders and groaned up at the ceiling, “I’m such an ass,” he muttered to no one in particular.
“Master?” Ric paused, waiting for him to retort or say something to refute his rather uncharacteristic comment. He heard exactly what he said but what he didn’t get was why he said it. The Leo he knew and served was ruthlessly relentless and as hard as they come. But this one, this Leo standing in front of him was confusing the hell out of him. He was nothing like his Master of late and for what… a measly human that he turned and had some delusional fettish over?
“Nothing,” Leo waved his hand and headed for the door. “Just call me when you have something.” He needed to go to see his Shelby and apologize for running out on her the way that he did. He had only been thinking about what all this meant to her in the grand scheme of things and if what Anissa had told Shelby was correct; then it looked like they were headed for one helluva bumpy ride.
Ric watched his masters back as he opened the door and walked out, closing it behind him. He thoughtfully stroked his chin for a while and decided that he needed to call Tatiana. Getting rid of the human waste and Leo might not be so hard after all if certain elders found out that she was part of the very prophecy that would hold them back from the one thing they wanted most; free reign over humanity.
He had heard rumors in some circles that certain higher ups wanted to come out in the public and rule. They wanted to quarantine humans for the weaklings that they were and let the Vampires take their kingly positions as they should have at the beginning of time. If they just so happened to catch wind that the star of the one prophecy that could possibly put a stop to their plans was right here, under their very noses… well, his problem was solved.
No more Shelby…. and no more Leo because he was too bewitched by the meager human to let the higher ups have her. They would have no qualms in taking care of him too.
Picking up the phone, he quickly dialed the number. He brought the hand set up to his ear and as it started to ring, he drummed the fingers of his free hand against the dark wood of the desk, his eyes still focused on the closed door.
“Ric,” she came on the line and snapped, “I told you not to call me at this number; it’s too dangerous. You better have something important to say or I’m going to….”
He slyly cut her off, “Tatiana baby, I have some interesting news that I think may solve all of our problems,” He stopped for a theatrical pause and then added, “Every last one of them; including a certain pesky human that I know for a fact you would love to be rid of.”
She breathed out and he could almost see the wicked smile on her face. “Do tell, darling, do tell.”
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“I don’t have anything to say to you,” Shelby clipped, taking several steps backwards.
“Too bad, because I have plenty to say to you,” Isabella retorted, sticking her chin up in the air. She walked over towards the window and peered outside at the blackness of the night as it began to lighten into shades of lavender and blues as the sun started to make its morning rise.
She shook her head, refusing to look at the human. “I don’t even know what he sees in you.”
Shelby bristled at that statement and put her hands on her hips. “And I don’t think that’s any of your business.”
Isabella let out a soft chuckle, one so melodic that it sounded like winter bells ringing in the air. Slowly, she turned around and faced her. “He’s my son and he is my business.” She walked away from the window and advanced towards Shelby. “For some reason, he has it in his head that you are his Bride.” She stopped in front of her and reached out to pick up one of Shelby’s limp curls, wrinkling her nose in disgust, “Why on earth he thinks that, I haven’t a clue. You're drab, simple and just plain, completely lackluster compared to what he can have.”
She dropped her hair so that it fell back on her shoulder. “What I do know if that you are not, nor will you ever be good enough for my son and I think it would be best for you to realize that now because sooner or later and I’m hedging my bets on sooner, he will marry Tatiana and you will be nothing but yesterdays news.”
Shelby breathed in deep, forcing herself to maintain control. “As I said before Ms. Risso, my relationship with your son is none of your business. Now-,” she walked towards the door and held it open for her, “I do believe that we are finished here.”
The older Ms. Risso didn’t care for the way that the puny human tried to dismiss her. She was the regal one here, she had the status and she would leave when she damned well felt like it. “I don’t think you’re listening,” she said to her with narrowed eyes. She closed in on her she pushed the door closed with a haughty snap and bent down so that their noses touched. “I want you to leave these premises, now!”
Shelby snorted. “Lady, you have no idea who you are dealing with. I am not leaving. Leo is my man and we have some unfinished business.”
Isabella took in her state of dress, or rather lack of. All Shelby wore was one of Leo’s silk button-up shirts that came to her mid thigh. “I can just imagine,” she rolled her eyes. “What part of you not belonging here with Leo are you not understanding human?”
Frustrated, Shelby stepped back from Isabella- again, needing some breathing room. “I didn’t ask for this,” she exclaimed lowly. “He was the one that brought me here; he is the one that made me what I am now.”
“Well then, I’m failing to see the problem. Just leave,” she reiterated as if that was the best solution for everyone.
Shelby pinched her eyes closed. A few days ago, that's exactly what she tried to do but she couldn't fight it and now she didn't want to. “I… can’t,” she growled out through tight lips. She already felt too strong of a connection with him and just the mere thought of leaving Leo, left a terrible empty ache in her chest. Opening her eyes which were now glowing bright red; reflecting her rising temper she repeated in sure and steady words, “He is mine and I can’t leave him.”
Isabella huffed and threw her hands up in the air and for the first time she was finally showing some loss of restraint, “Why not?! It’s easy enough, just walk out the door.”
“Because I won’t let her,” Leo said in a voice that was so cold and so deadly, that the candles lining the room flickered out, leaving the three of them shrouded in darkness. One minute he was across the room by the doorway, the very next he was at Shelby's side, placing a possessive arm around her shoulder. "Any more questions, mother?"