Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 126570 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 633(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126570 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 633(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
Slowly dragging Ambrose back to where she stands, my children bare his neck to her.
Raphael speaks quietly, “We must apologize, we did not realize you would like to end this wretch’s life yourself.”
“No!” Chloe grits between her teeth. “I’m not going to murder him. I don’t even know what he’s talking about. He didn’t do anything wrong.”
Staring between me and Chloe, Raphael clearly tries to figure out when I’m going to step in and take control of the situation.
Not moving a single fraction, I continue to watch.
Chloe is my soulmarked, I am their sire. She has the right to do as she wishes.
Ambrose moves his head enough to look at Chloe. “I caused you pain when I stopped you from freeing the abomination. I did not mean for you to feel my internal fractures, but your ability to feel those around you… I know what you felt, and when you felt me through the wall before you came down here… I should have known you’d have felt my touch like a cold dagger.”
Andrei and Raphael look to me in confusion, and I finally allow myself to move.
“Release your brother. It’s your mother’s choice if she wishes to pursue punishment,” I say, coming to stand beside my bride.
“This is absurd!” Chloe snaps. “He did nothing wrong.”
Moving quickly, she yanks at the hands holding onto Ambrose. One by one, each limb drops, releasing Ambrose from his brothers.
“What the fuck is going on?” Kian asks loudly as he stomps down the stairs. “I can’t leave the house for more than a couple hours without missing all kinds of fun…”
Chloe grabs Ambrose by the hand, and I can see the moment she feels the pain again, but she doesn’t let it stop her from dragging him away from the rest of the group.
“Oh, you know, the fruit loop here touched Mom and hurt her psychically, so we tried to kill him. Mom said no, we can’t roughhouse with Ambrose because he’s the baby, and now we’re probably going to be put in time out,” Caden snarks before he gets an elbow from Maddox. “Oh, and Dad looks like he’s got a boner because Mom’s getting all grrrr, argh.”
“My children are morons, all of them,” I groan as I watch Chloe look from Caden to Kian.
Pushing Ambrose behind her, I can see her trying to figure out a way to escape the madhouse.
“Who are you?” Chloe asks Kian.
“I’m Kian,” he responds before moving carefully around her. “I don’t need to go to time out, I’ve been a good kid. I even brought dinner and more information.”
“Fucking ass-kisser,” Raphael grunts loudly.
“Enough is enough,” I say quietly. “They only wished to keep you safe, my love.”
A nodding of their heads has Chloe looking at each man standing before her. “I don’t understand any of this… lunacy.”
“I was deemed a threat,” Ambrose explains, and delicately extracts his hand from Chloe’s. “I would have done the same if any had harmed you.”
“But…” Chloe shakes her head in frustration. “I’m not some queen who needs a squadron of bodyguards.”
There’s a long silence as all of my sons look at Chloe like she’s grown a second head.
I can understand their confusion.
“Chloe, do you know how rare you truly are in our world?” I ask gently.
Taking her by the small of her back, I lead her deeper into the basement.
My children follow suit as they move back to where they originally were. But all eyes stay on Chloe as they watch her.
“I don’t understand,” Chloe says, looking around. “I know that there isn’t as many female vampires as males. I know that the Order does all it can to keep it that way, but… I… Is this about my powers or abilities or whatever?”
My body wants to heave a huge sigh of frustration at her words, but I know it’s not truly her fault. It’s the Order’s indoctrination that’s at work here.
“My beloved, while your powers are indeed rare, and well quite frankly unheard of, it’s the first part of what you said,” I say as I guide her to a comfortable chair.
Sitting down beside her, I motion for Andrei.
“What Father says is just the tip of the iceberg.” Andrei chuckles and looks around himself, waiting for the rest of us to join in.
“What?” Raphael asks in confusion.
“Oh hell. The tip of the iceberg represents the female population and the bottom represents the males? See what I did there?” Andrei asks.
When silence still reigns supreme, Andrei lowers his head, muttering, “I hate you all.”
“Icebergs? What does this have to do with those?” Chloe asks. “I saw the Titanic movie. I had to sneak to do it, but I did see it once.”
Ambrose slowly floats his way across our field of vision. Dancing lightly on his toes, he swings to and fro, as if he’s holding a beloved partner.