(Ashton's POV)
(An hour before Cora calls.)
"Seb. Go around the back. Find a way to get into the upstairs window without being seen." I breath into my ear piece.
It was way easier doing this on my own. Observing an assassin on his first mission is not my forte. I wanted to get this over with as soon as possible so I could get back home to Cora. And because of that I was impatient and moody.
We just arrived an hour ago. The target was home so we were trying to figure out where he was in the house and what he was doing. Or rather Seb was sense this is his mission.
I don't like assassinating a man with a family but this family would do better without him. He was having affairs on his wife. He even had two other families in this same city. It was a big city but you would think they'd have run into each other at some point.
Aside from that he was still sleeping with other women as well. The guy also had a gambling and drug problem. Vampires can't get drunk or high but if you drink the blood of an alcoholic or addict it will get you high and drunk for a few hours.
This vampire has gotten himself in a bad situation with some bad people. Bargained his life for an elders daughters. He was going to kidnap her and turn her over to them so all will be forgotten where he's concerned. Or so he thinks. They'll kill him the second he hands her over but I won't allow that to happen. The plan is to take him out before their plan can be set into motion.
We know he's home. His family is away which leaves us the perfect opportunity to take him out now. Seb is going to sneak in and assess the situation.
Just as he goes in I feel my phone vibrate. I remember a few minutes later how it could of been Cora.
Taking it out of my pocket I see that it was her and quickly message her back. It wasn't an emergency but anything involving her is important to me.
Not long after that she calls me and I answer on the first ring. I'm shocked as hell to find out she's the vampire Queen.
"He's sleeping. I'm going to follow through with the plan." Seb says so quietly through the ear piece I almost missed it.
"Affirmative."
The plan is to kill him in his sleep and then make it look like a robbery gone wrong. I impatiently wait for Seb to get it done. We don't go out in pairs for an assassination. Things get messy that way which is why I'm just here observing him. Making sure he gets the job done effectively and efficiently.
After about 20 minutes he finally comes back out of the window. Watching him climb back down the tree he makes his way over to me. He pauses in front of me and I give him a look.
"What?"
"Aren't you forgetting something?"
He thinks about it for a minute before comprehension lights his face. "Right."
Walking quietly back over to the house he approaches the back door. He breaks the glass in the window next to the door and carefully reaches his hand in to unlock it.. He props the door opened a little before he makes his way over to me again.
I open the bond between me and Cora as we head back to the car and am hit with her shock and confusion. Her rage is what sends me into an anxiety attack especially when her demon blocks me out.
Something was happening. I tried to call her but she wasn't picking up. She was still blocking me out as well. Trying to control my panic I call the only elder I can fully trust.
"Apollo. Have you heard yet?"
"That your bride is the Queen of vamps? Yeah we were all just informed by Zeke."
"Is Cora in danger right now?"
"Not that I'm aware of. Her being the Queen isn't going to sit right with most of the elders so that will probably change."
"Fuck. I want Corey and Connor put on her as her personal guards. I trust them the most. I think something is happening right now. She's not answering her phone either."
Seb and I board our private jet. It will still take a few hours to get home but that couldn't be helped. As soon as we take our seats and buckle in the flight assistant tells us we'll be lifting off in two minutes so I needed to get off the phone.
"I'll go see her personally Ash. I'll take Connor and Corey with me."
"Thank you." I hang up the phone and rest my head against the seat. I close my eyes and try to relax.
"Cora okay?"
"I don't know."
She was still blocking me out. I tried to reassure myself she had to be okay if she could still do that. I knew I shouldn't of left her. I didn't like leaving her, especially with us being newly mated. The elders knew that too.
Zeke and Zack were the two to argue the hardest that it was in everyone's best interest for me to tag along with Seb. I know Zeke wants my mate for himself.
Zack's motives are unknown though. I was having a hard time believing he'd help he's brother out. My instincts were telling me it was something different. They're the elders though and I had to do as they say.
I turn my phone back on once we are in the air to see Cora called three times and I just missed her last one. I quickly call her back.
As soon as I hear her voice my panic and anxiety finally dissolves into relief. That's short lived with what she tells me though. I was glad Apollo, Connor, and Corey were on there way to her. I was even more happy she was okay and felt sympathy for Saharrah and Sasha.
We talk for bit before we hung up. I nudge her in the bond and she finally opens it up. I feel her sadness and anger. I send her comforting vibes through our bond. I really wish I was home with her so I could comfort her in person.
I felt her demon still hovering at the surface. It throws me when I feel her mentally caress my own demon inside of me. The sensation causes me to shudder while goosebumps break out across my whole body. I was instantly aroused.
Mate.
My demon started to surface. Trying to get closer to her. Mate. It wasn't common or even heard of for vampire mates to communicate with each other through their bond. I didn't even know it could be done.
I knew we could sense each other and comfort each other through the bond. This was a whole new experience. Not that I've ever experienced a mating bond before.
The flight attendant clears her throat. I look up to see her standing too close to me. I instantly become annoyed. I never should of had sex with her. She can't seem to get passed it even knowing I'm now mated.
"Can I get anything for you Ash?" I didn't miss her double meaning or the fangs that flash with her question. For some reason I kept forgetting she's a vampire.
Which also means my mate isn't the only one. Saharrah will make the third female vampire in a millennium but my bride was the very first one turned sense they were all eliminated and killed.
I glance down and notice I'm hard as a rock. It was not because of her nor would I ask her to help me out with it. My bride only had that privilege now.
I glance back at her to see her staring at my erection too. Lust is filling her eyes as she bites her lip. Thankfully my arousal and own desire for my mate started to dampen by the presence of this female. "No. I'm good."
"Are you sure? I really don't mind."
"Look. Sorry I can't remember your name but I'm mated now. We fucked once. It wasn't even that memorable. Move on. If you can't start respecting the fact that I'm mated and respecting my bride by not trying to make advances when she isn't here to defend what's hers I'm going to have to replace you as a flight attendant."
Huffing and mumbling under her breath she stomps away. Seb starts laughing from his seat across from me. I narrow my eyes at him.
"What's so funny?"
"This is why I never fucked employees. Though I'd lost almost all my hope in finding her a long time ago I still had enough to never want something like this to happen."
"Yeah well I never thought I'd find my bride. I had no hope left which made it easy to fuck any female I wanted to."
"Do you regret it?"
"Of course I do. I don't even want to know what Cora would have done if she had been here."
"Ditto. So Vampire Queen, huh?"
"Yeah."
I glance out the window. We were maybe an hour away now. I wish this damn plane could just fly faster or better yet if I could teleport there that'd be even better.
"Does this mean she's going to take the elders place? Take them off their thrones and make them Dukes or Prince's or something?"
"Nah. They were never Kings as much as they want to think of themselves that way. I honestly don't know what Cora wants to do yet."
"I hope she plans to rule. She would be better for our people."
My chest puffs out with pride. My bride was the Queen of vamps. Seb was right. She would make an amazing leader if she chooses to rule. She's strong, brave, intelligent, courageous, and compassionate. I'll stay by her side supporting whatever decision she decides to make.
The flight attendant comes back to let us know we're about to land and we needed to put our seatbelts back on. The entire time she talked she looked at Seb. Not glancing at me once. I was fine with that.
My excitement to see my bride was climbing higher and higher. I was also anxious. I swear if the elders try to send me on another mission away from her again anytime soon they were going to see the side of me I only showed their enemies.
As soon as the jet touched the ground and slowed I took my seatbelt off. I didn't care if I was suppose to wait for it to come to a complete stop. Standing up I make my way for the door. Seb chuckles behind me as he follows my lead.
The flight attendant sees us making our way for the door and quickly gets her own seatbelt off to rush to the door as well. Her face flustered and annoyed. She didn't make it there before me though.
Opening the door myself I jump down not bothering to wait for the stairs to ascend. Seb of course does the same and we make our way over to the SUV that's awaiting us. The driver opens the back door for Seb as I jump into the front passenger seat. I was half expecting Mr. Keeney to pick us up but it wasn't him.
Brian who was the driver quickly gets in the driver's seat and starts the vehicle up. He's speeding off seconds later. I try to tune back into my bond with Cora but she's blocking me again. My anxiety shoots up higher. We needed to have a talk about her blocking me out like this.
"What's going on back at the Fortress Brian?"
"I am not quite sure, sir. There are whispers of another female vampire but no one knows for sure. Your bride is in the middle of it as well. Is it true she is our Queen?"
"Yes. She is your Queen." I say absentmindedly.
My thoughts focusing on our mate bond again. I push against the wall that is keeping me out. It's strong but I'm determined to get inside. Shoving my mental strength against it doesn't do anything. I imagine myself holding a sledgehammer and slam it against the wall instead. The hammer vibrates in my hands but does nothing to the wall. After a few minutes of mentally tiring myself out I give up on that.
Mate. Please stop. We need our full focus and concentration on the enemy right now.
What's happening?
I cannot answer that right now. We are fine do not worry.
Cora's demon goes silent again and I want to scream in frustration. With everything she just said how was I not suppose to worry?
I slowly smile to myself as another idea pops into my head. I imagine a door in the wall with a lockless handle. I turn the handle and swing the door wide open. Triumphant fills me as I make it past my brides defense.
As I set through mentally I feel her shock first and then it quickly morphs into pride. She's proud I made it through her wall. Through those emotions I can sense the ones she's trying to hide from me. Her anger and her fear. I also sense her sense of urgency. I send her reassurance and strength through our bond.
I needed to be there now. "Get us there now, Brian."
"Yes, sir." He steps on the gas, putting us at a dangerous speed. I didn't care. I only cared about getting to my bride who needed me.
Hold on, babygirl. Almost there.
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