“Agreed,” Lincoln says. “Sorry, Cole. I know you want her back, but you know if we pull her out and leave a hapless creature in her place, she will find a way to get back there anyway.”
Cole growls at him but doesn’t make a move. He knows he would be on the losing end of that fight. Not that Constantine would mind a fight to the death - he is a Roman, after all. It has been a while since he saw one of those and he couldn’t think of two better people to have at it. He sighs, but Aefre would kill him if he allowed that to happen. The things he does for that woman.
“So we are agreed then,” he states. He has his own reasons now for keeping her there a bit longer. If she is there, then she isn’t here, hating him for what he did. He hopes that the time away will make her see reason. Either that or it will be the opposite and she will come back, and tear strips off him. As predictable as her behavior usually is, he is finding it more and more difficult to keep up with her swaying temperament since she became Queen. He feels like he is losing sight of who she is, and it scares him. Not that he would ever admit that to her or anybody else. It hurts just to admit it to himself. She is and always has been the only one to elicit such emotions from him.
“Agreed,” Devon says reluctantly as his charge joins him. He holds her tenderly and kisses her. It pleases him that Devon finally has a focus away from Aefre. Their relationship has been far too close and stifling for his liking. He had hoped that convincing Devon to sire the girl would accomplish this goal. But, alas, Sebastian had to get involved in that as well. He closes his eyes as he remembers that Aefre know also knows about that. She is going to kill him. He knows that Sebastian still feels bad about suggesting to the girl that she try to take her own life in an effort for Devon to save her. Constantine would have done it himself as it is a messy business, but his power only works with those he has sired. It is distasteful for him having to rely on Sebastian for such courses of action, especially when the consequences are so drastic. It was hit-and-miss there for a moment; he didn’t think Devon would do it. But all’s well that ends well as the saying goes. Now if only he could get rid of Cole. This whole marriage affair is just a disaster. But he only has himself to blame, he waited too long and now he has to wait even longer as a result.
“Not agreed,” Cole says. “I want my wife back. It is bad enough that I haven’t seen her since Tuesday morning and now she is somewhere where I can’t get to her and she can’t get back.”
“Look, none of us like this,” Constantine says, somewhat impatiently. “This is what she wants. Did it ever occur to you that maybe she wants to meet her father and get to know him? Do you realize how rare an occurrence that is at her age? She is probably the only Vampire in history to be presented with this opportunity. Leave her to do this her way. End of discussion.” He turns away and pours himself a Scotch. A triple one. This has been the day from Hell, and he is getting frustrated being around all of these people who know his beloved the way he does. He is more convinced than ever that Xane has also been there, as he has been quiet during this debate. Too quiet, as if he is hiding his true feelings. That kiss the other day was too familiar, like they had already done it before. He swears to the almighty Jupiter that if the Demon’s dick has been anywhere near her, he will kill him and fuck the consequences. He opens the French doors to step out onto the veranda. He senses Cole’s anger, but he dismisses it. He does not care about his feelings. He doesn’t care about any of their feelings, except for his dear Vincentius.
The arguing continues, but he is no longer interested in hearing any of them. He moves further away and stares out at the grounds. Such a beautiful spot. He can see a lot of thought went into the purchase of this property. It is very her. She loves the big open spaces. She always has. She used to walk around the gardens at Ponte for hours every day and he used to watch her. She would be unaware that he followed her from window to window as she circled the grounds and he could see her just as she was when she was alone. Her. No pretense, no flirtatiousness, no sultry seductress, no sire adoration. None of the trappings their life had forced her into. She had been too young. He hadn’t wanted to turn her so young. He had a rule for a reason, and she is the living embodiment that proves it. He didn’t lie when she asked him if he saw her as just a child. He didn’t. She was all woman, but just too naïve and sweet to be turned so suddenly. He had wanted to get her used to the life, to know what she was getting into if she wanted it. To have a choice, the choice that he never had. He had wanted to wait, but sadly, t
hat was taken out of his hands when he found out about the baby and then when her husband all but killed her. There was no way he was walking this Earth without her after knowing her. That first time they made love in the barn was a revelation. An epiphany, even. The only thing that would have made it even sweeter was if she had been a virgin. Even though she was completely inexperienced and had only ever known violence and rape, she had still been with a man.
If he could have taken her innocence, pushed through the gateway to her womanhood for the first time, it would have been everything he wanted. She would have been completely his. As it was, he had to teach her, and he took such delight in it. He had never bothered with anyone else before. He had either bedded experienced women or took a girl's innocence just for the rush and didn’t bother after that. But her, he wanted to teach. He wanted her to know what he could do for her, to show her that all she had endured wasn’t how it was supposed to be. And, selfishly of course, he could instruct her in everything she had to do to please him.
She was his own little creation that could please him like no other, not only because she had no frame of reference against which to compare his tutelage, and took it all to heart, but also because being inside her, her mouth on his, her tongue hesitantly sweeping against his, her nipples brushing his chest, could jump-start the dying light inside him. He lived for her. He wanted to tell her so many times, but he just couldn’t. He didn’t know how.
“I’m sorry,” Sebastian whispers, interrupting his wayward thoughts. “You know that I would never betray you. If I thought there was any possible way she would get pregnant, I would never have made love to her.”
Constantine sighs. “You can’t lie to me, Vincentius, I know your thoughts. I know that something of that nature would never stop you from getting what she can give you.”
“It would because I know that you are hoping for that outcome for yourself,” he says quietly.
“Yes, I am. You knew that and you still went ahead with the arrangement,” he accuses.
“So did she.”
Sebastian always feels he must shift some of the blame. He would throw his own mother under the bus if it meant his sire not being angry with him anymore. Not that he isn’t loyal. He is, fiercely so, to him. He can’t say that he has ever seen Sebastian show that kind of loyalty to anyone else. He supposes he should find some comfort in that he doesn’t feel that way towards Aefre. That she is just a means to an end for him. Deep down he knows that isn’t true, though. Sebastian is falling in love with her and if he were anyone else, he would have put a stop to it before it even had a chance to bloom. They have shared so much over the centuries, so many women, but he will not share her affections with his charge. Her body is bad enough. The thought of him fucking her, bringing her to an orgasm, squeezes at Constantine’s heart, but he will allow it for Sebastian. But a baby? A Fae connection between the two of them that he has no control over and no part of? That he cannot allow. If she hasn’t terminated their agreement already, then he will.
“Has she said it is over?” Constantine asks.
“Not in as many words,” Sebastian says carefully.
“If she doesn’t end it, you will,” he tells him. “Now that she is very definitely part Fae, you will never be with her again.”
“You can’t take it away from me,” Sebastian says sadly. “I won’t end it.”
“You will unless you can convince me that you won’t father a child with her,” Constantine says.
“I will wear protection. It won’t be the same, but I will do it,” Sebastian says quickly.
“Not good enough, and you know that.”
“A curse then. I will find a curse. There has to be one,” Sebastian exclaims.
“Fate may not recognize a curse,” Constantine contradicts.
“Please, Dominus,” Sebastian begs him, using the old word for “master,” which he now reserves for placating him. “A curse, protection and withdrawal. I can’t offer any more than that, but don’t take her away if she wants to stay.”
“Withdrawal?” Constantine scoffs. “Do you really think you can do that as well as use protection? Two hours is a long time and if today was anything to go by you would need not only a lot of it, but you would have to interrupt yourselves in order to…get yourself in order.”
Sebastian blushes furiously as he looks away. Constantine has no shame in discussing this. He has done things to both women and men that most people wouldn’t have even thought to try, so the simple act of an orgasm doesn’t embarrass him.
“You were listening?” Sebastian asks quietly, eyes still averted, and he tilts his head in response.
“Not intentionally. It was quite hard to miss. Six times, Vincentius,” he says with a cruel smile. “I know she is good, but that is quite remarkable, even for you. I wonder if that would have been the case had you had to stop to protect yourself.” He knows he is being hurtful and mean, but Sebastian must be put in his place.