She stops walking and stands perfectly still. Through the bond, I can feel her steeling her nerves.
Chloe is definitely not ready for the wardrobe my boys have picked out for her. She doesn’t look like a gothic barbie doll, though. She looks like a well-off woman.
Her tight black dress and heels accentuate her flawless hourglass body. The black stilettos tone her legs so perfectly they look as if they were crafted by one of the greatest sculptors of our time. Her ass is yet again in a class of its own, the sheer magic of high heels nearly bringing me to my knees.
When she reaches down to push at the hem of her dress, I growl, “Do not push the dress down any further, you’ll stretch it out of proportions.”
Turning to face me, she whispers in something akin to shame. “I’ve never shown anything above my knee.”
Seeing that the hem is only two, maybe three, inches above her knee, I grin at her. “Oh yes, this must be so scandalous. Whatever would the prudes of the Order think?”
Her eyes narrow in annoyance. “Fuck them.”
Turning around, she nearly trips into the wall from overbalancing.
“Crap,” she squeaks, reaching out to steady herself on my arm. “Even as a vampire I’m still clumsy.”
“It will come, my dear,” I say quietly.
She must let her human reflexes die first. It’s hard for our minds to understand that when we’re first turned. Even though our bodies are greatly enhanced, it can take time for us to find our stride.
Moving forward, I guide her by placing my hand on her lower back. Being this close to her though is a torture. I want to drag her back into the bedroom and rip the very clothes I practically forced upon her off.
Moving slowly down the stairs, I see a very subtle shift in Chloe’s posture.
“Is he still down there?” she asks, a touch of fear in her voice.
“Who? Isaac?”
“Yes,” she says, and yet again stops moving forward.
“No.” I sigh. “He’s been moved to a room on the second floor. Caden and Maddox will be watching over him until he wakes, then they’ll assist him during his frenzy.”
“Why not you?” Chloe asks.
“Because those who have been in this house the longest want to rip his head off his shoulders,” I say, and push her gently forward again. “We do not forget what he was before you asked for him to be spared.”
We remain silent as we finally make our way down into the basement. Everything from upstairs in the dining room has been moved down here. Maps and computers line the walls. It’s now become a war room of sorts.
I can see where Kian and the rest have begun marking sections of the map off with large x’s.
“Mother,” Ambrose says brightly. He turns in a perfect spin of his body, his frock coat looking clean and quite fresh.
Chloe stands stock-still as she watches Ambrose bow as if he is presenting himself to a queen.
Every one of my children stop and turn from whatever they’ve been doing. As one, they drop into formal bows, some definitely more graceful than others.
Matthias nearly falls to the floor as he tries to mimic Ambrose.
“Wh-what…” Chloe stammers and looks back at me in fright.
“Oh for fuck’s sake,” I snap at the men. “Quit fucking around.”
Laughter fills the room as they all stand up and start grinning at the two of us.
All but Ambrose who continues to bow his head in supplication to Chloe.
“Mother, I must humbly apologize for the pain I’ve caused you,” Ambrose says, and at once all the laughter and commotion vanishes.
No one moves or says a word at first. I can see all the others staring hard at Ambrose.
Then all of my children converge on Ambrose.
Raphael and Andrei are the first to reach him, cruelly twisting his arms behind his spine.
Matthias quickly grabs his head, roughly yanking it back.
Dragging him towards the stairs, Maddox and Caden are there to grab his legs.
Chloe gasps at the sudden brutal display before crying out, “What’s going on?
“Pay no attention to this fool,” Matthias says. “We’ll deal with him quickly.”
“Stop!” Chloe bellows as they drag an unresisting Ambrose up the stairs.
When they don’t stop, she pushes me out of the way and screams, “Bring him back!”
Simply observing what’s unfolding, I watch my sons freeze where they are. It’s like some scene in a dark mafia movie. They all stand perfectly still in their black suits, immaculately pressed shirts, and ties. Holding a man in their arms they’re about to drag off to his death.
A deeply satisfying warmth fills my stomach while I watch my soulmate use the power to impose her will on all those around her.
She probably doesn’t even realize what she’s just done, but for her to be able to use her command of the bond like she has is extraordinary.