Blood Mates Page 10

  “Or fate has made sure you are where you were supposed to be.”

  “I’m still working on that explanation.”

  Sloane nodded. “Well even mated to Rhage I’m glad you are here. I like having you here.”

  “Me too. Now that we know that I am a blood mate. Which still boggles my mind by the way, how is it possible? I’m completely human.”

  “Lucien and I have been discussing that. Right now we don’t know. Darius is trying to trace your history.”

  “Good luck with that one.”

  “If anyone can find something it is Darius. Have you and Rhage talked about you turning yet?”

  “No... And we won’t be for quite some time. I’m not ready for my own set of fangs any time soon.” She huffed. Sloane chuckled.

  “You have plenty of time to think about it.”

  Ava left Sloane and headed upstairs where she found Lucien still up as well. He and Darius were in the Lucien’s study. Lucien smiled when she entered the room and held out his hand to her. When she took his hand he pulled her into a hug.

  “Morning….” She giggled.

  “Sleep good?” Lucien asked.

  “I did… Rhage is down for the count for today.” She grinned and both men laughed. “Why aren’t you two sleeping yet?”

  “We were discussing things.”

  “Like what?”

  “Well….” Lucien didn’t believe in lying to her. They settled in chairs and Ava fixed her a cup of coffee from the tray on the coffee table. “We didn’t find any remains of the scarred immortal you saw. We did find remains of two of the others.”

  “So you will be able to identify them?”

  “It’s possible.” He nodded. “We also found your friend and the others from the building. They didn’t die in the explosion, ava…”

  She sighed. “I kind of expected that….”

  “I’m sorry, Ava…” Darius told her. She nodded.

  “I’ve already taken care of everything for them this morning.”

  “Thank you, Lucien. Jill was like me. She didn’t have any family left.”

  “Everything will be nice for her I promise.”

  Ava nodded again just before the phone on Lucien’s desk rang. He moved to answer it.

  “Hello...” he spoke. “Abram…, it must be important for you to call me while I am in bed.”

  Ava’s head snapped around to look at him. Lucien didn’t lie. She knew that. She watched him place his finger at his lips to let her know to be quiet. She nodded. Lucien sat down on the corner of his desk. “And why would the council call an impromptu meeting? What is the emergency?”

  “Lucien…” Abram spoke. “There are rumors circulating that you are hiding a blood mate.”

  “And the council convenes on rumors now?”

  “No…, but photographs have been shown to several of the council members of you and this female together.”

  “And who produced them?”

  I don’t know.” Abram told him. Lucien listened carefully to Abram. Lucien concentrate of Abram’s tone and tried to sense if Abram was hiding something from him. Lucien had known Abram for a long time and Abram was one of the council that supported Lucien.

  “Have you seen them, Abram?”

  “Yes... Copies were sent to me just an hour ago. The note said they were taken last night. It look like you were standing next to a house in ruins.”

  “Then they could be of Ava and myself.”

  “SO! IT IS TRUE?” Abram gasped. “You have been hiding a blood mate. Lucien! That goes against the council.”

  “It does not.”

  “Lucien…” Abram sighed. “You are our king, but you gave the council certain power and privileges when it comes to the benefit of immortals.”

  “I am aware of that, Abram…” Lucien’s tone changed. His fingers clutched the edge of the desk tightly as he tried to control his temper. “I don’t need a reminder, but it seems I do need to remind the council that I AM still and always will be their ONLY king.”

  “Of course! Of course!” Abram repeated. Lucien decided to put Abram on speaker phone so he could have both hands free. He stood and clenched his fists at his sides.

  “The council has their power because I decreed it so many centuries ago. They didn’t get this power before I became king. I was king long before they were born. I granted it. Even though sometimes they think it came about differently.”

  “Lucien….” Abram’s heavy sigh lasted several seconds. “Is it true?”

  “Ava is my guest and has been for a few days. She had been held by half breeds when we found her. As far as her being a blood mate? It hasn’t been completely confirmed. She is human.”

  “Yes… that was in the note. It was stated that blood mates have evolved and somehow she was born to be a unique version.”

  “Well…. As king I am calling every council member to convene their little meeting right here. You inform them, it isn’t a request.” He hissed. “And I suggest no one be late.”

  “When?” Abram’s voice was lower. Ava wondered if it was his way of bowing to Lucien over the phone.

  “Tomorrow night. And not one of them should speak of this matter among

  Themselves until the meeting. I want the photographs and note to accompany them. I want to see each one.”

  “Of course. I will make the calls….”

  “And Abram?”

  “Yes, my king?”

  “Make sure they understand I’m highly pissed off. Being late will only make my mood worse and they should remember the last time I lost my temper…. I want them here five minutes after sun down.”

  “Yes… I will make sure it is known.”

  Lucien then ended the call. He turned and found Rhage now in the room standing next to Ava who looked worried.

  “Everything will be fine.” He told her.

  “I know… you are king…”

  He smiled and arched an eyebrow. “Yes I am…and I am the last immortal they want to piss off…” he sighed. “ I don’t want anything to question or doubt your mating. So tonight we will have the ceremony and the bond.” He met Ava’s gaze sadly. “I’m sorry… I wanted to go all out for it. You know all those girlie things you women like.”

  “It’s alright. I don’t have any family outside of here to invite.” She said leaning against Rhage’s side. His arm was around her waist keeping her close. “I don’t want to give the council any leverage in this.” Lucien told Rhage who nodded in understanding.

  “Whoa! Wait! What are you two not telling me?” Ava demanded.

  “You are a blood mate that shouldn’t exist… until we can figure out how or why ourselves the council could sanction you into their custody.”

  “What?” she gasped.

  “They do have some power, Ava.”

  “Which I bet you are regretting that now huh?”

  “A lot. And tomorrow night you will see why.”

  “Why do I have to be there? Ain’t that a king thing for YOU to do?” Darius and Rhage both chuckled and got a scowl from Lucien. “Yes, it is… and from now on that will include you too.”

  “Why?”

  Lucien crossed his arms over his chest and a smirk lifted his lips. “You are my family now and the royal family always has to deal with the council.”

  “I don’t like you any more, Lucien.” she sighed and he chuckled.

  Once Alfred found out that the ceremony would be that evening he banned Rhage from ava’s side. Alfred told him it was bad luck for him to see Ava before the ceremony. Rhage argued that he had already seen her. Alfred huffed at him and ordered him to the lower living quarters. He even threatened Rhage. Ava thought it was funny until Rhage gave her a dirty look. She blew him a kiss before Alfred ordered her upstairs. Alfred told her to go soak in the tub and use some of the bath oils in there too. He told her not to come out for at least an hour. He also told her that he would take
care of everything for tonight and she would be happy. Then he closed the bathroom door in her face while smiling from ear to ear.

  Rhage went downstairs and found Talon coming out of his room. Everyone already knew what was going on. Lucien had Darius wake them up and tell them there wouldn’t be any hunting tonight instead they would be having the ceremony. Rhage had already been congratulated by every brother he had run into. Talon looked at him.

  “What are you going to wear tonight?” Talon demanded.

  Rhage shrugged confused. “My leathers. It’s what I always wear.”

  Talon rolled his eyes and groaned. “For your mating ceremony and

  Bonding? You are gonna wear what you hunt in?”

  “What’s wrong with it?”

  Sloane walked up and joined them. Talon told Sloane that Rhage planned to wear his leathers to his ceremony and bonding. Sloane looked at him as if he had lost his mind.

  “You can’t do that.”

  “Why not? Ava isn’t gonna care what I am wearing….” He watched both of them roll their eyes at the same time. “If you two keep that up I will have your eyes balls in my pocket for change…”

  “I bet Alfred has a suit for him already…” Sloane told Talon as if Rhage hadn’t even spoken.

  “I’m not wearing a suit. Not ever!”

  “Alfred never misses a detail…” Sloane nodded. “I bet it is a tailored fit tuxedo. Alfred has all of us one just in case we need one.” Sloane kept eyeing Rhage up and down as he spoke. Rhage stiffened and grunted in disapproval. “And you better wear it… years from now you don’t want Ava saying the one thing that ruined her mating ceremony was that you wore blood spattered leathers…”

  “They are clean…. I never leave blood on ‘em.” Rhage argued.

  A clearing of a throat had them all turning around. Alfred stood there with a smirk. “Just for the record….. I do have each of you a tailored tuxedo if the need does arrive, but this isn’t one of them. Lucien told me what traditional attire is for a mating ceremony.” He nodded before looking at Rhage.

  “I assure you, Rhage, you will be comfortable, but it won’t be your leathers. I have it already pressed and lying on your bed.” He turned to Sloane and Talon. “Yours as well. Everything is already pressed and waiting for you to dress. Lucien has said he wants all the brothers upstairs an hour before the ceremony.” He then lifted his finger and gave them a stern look. “Not one second late.” Then he turned and walked off.

  Talon looked at Sloane. “Have you ever attended a mating ceremony?”

  Sloane sighed heavily and shook his head. “No… I haven’t.”

  “I’m sorry, Sloane…” Rhage told him. Sloane looked at him and realized Rhage knew. Sloane just nodded. “I understand if you don’t want to be there. Ava would too…”

  Sloane shook his head. “No… I wouldn’t miss it… you’re my brother and Ava will be my sister. You are lucky as hell, Rhage, I hope you realize that. There are some things you just can’t get back. Ava is yours and that is special. She is special.”

  “I know…”

  Rhage went into his room and found Alfred had left a pair of black trousers and a white cotton tunic type shirt on the bed. Each one had indeed been pressed. The shirt had a wide strip of red silk around the collar with black stitching.

  Rhage also noticed as he headed for his bathroom that his closet door was ajar. He opened it and saw that it wasn’t just his clothes hanging there anymore. Sometime during the last few hours Alfred had Ava’s clothes moved down here and now they hung in his closet next to his. Her shoes were lined up on the floor next to his---- well his lined the floor and hers were neatly on a four foot slender two shelved thing. He actually liked the way it looked. All his black clothes looked better next to her different colors. He turned around and scanned the room for anything else he had missed. He noticed there were now three pillows on his bed. There was now another nightstand on the other side of the bed with another lamp and an alarm clock with a bottle of water with a glass. He couldn’t help himself he went to his dresser and opened the top drawer which held his socks… now it was divided. His on one side and hers on the other. He opened the next one… he never wore underwear and inside he saw two silk bags. He had to know so he untied one of them and groaned when the first thing he pulled out was a thin black lacey pair of panties…. He began to imagine pulling or ripping them off her. He slammed the drawer shut. He couldn’t handle seeing anything else or he would never make it through the ceremony. He headed for the shower and it was going to be a cold one.

  Ava stood in front of the full length mirror in her bedroom looking at her reflection. She was stunned at the dress Alfred had brought upstairs for her to wear. She had no idea where Alfred had gotten it, but it was the most beautiful dress she had ever seen. It was a long shimmery silver silk dress with spaghetti straps. It had a little thin lining in it and she was glad because she couldn’t wear a bra because the back was so low cut. She turned and the slit fluttered showing her leg up to her thigh exposing her dainty matching heels. They would make Cinderella jealous. She felt like Cinderella. HELL! She felt like she would make Cinderella look like her step sisters.

  Ava wanted to cry... she had never had such a beautiful or expensive dress in her life. She never could splurge on anything like it or even close to it. She shook her head. She couldn’t cry. She would ruin her make up. She fanned her eyes until the water in them rescinded.

  She reached down to run her fingers across the three thin sheer sashes at her waist. Each one meant something. Alfred had left a note explaining what each one meant and how they were to be tied. Alfred had also told her earlier about the ceremony and she was ready. She wasn’t nervous at all. She was excited.

  There was a slight knock on the door… she took a deep breath and opened it… she smiled when she found Sloane standing there. He smiled.

  “You look beautiful, Ava…..” he told her with a nod. She reached up and smoothed down his collar. Alfred had told her each brother wore black with read sashes to signify their position in the legion. They were brothers by choice and given blood.

  “You look handsome, Sloane….”

  He winked and held out his hand. “Are you ready?”

  “Yes….” She nodded taking his hand. Sloane escorted her down the hall toward the staircase. She saw there were brothers scattered all the way down the stairs. She knew Lucien stood down below with Rhage. Lucien would perform the ceremony because he was king and the only one who had the power to do it.

  Sloane kissed her hand and then put her hand into the nearest brother’s out stretched one. He lowered his head to her hand before he helped her down the few steps to the next awaiting brother who did the same. Each one continued the gesture until she reached the bottom step where Alfred stood. She saw Lucien standing with Rhage at the other side of the foyer. Talon stood on Rhage’s left and Darius at Lucien’s right side.

  She took Alfred’s hand and he lifted her fingers to his lips smiling.

  “Do each of you vow from this day forward Ava is yours to protect? She is a mate to your brother. She is now a sister to each of you? One of your choosing as you chose to join the legion. One who you vow to protect as you would each other?” Lucien asked in a deep voice that carried throughout the room. “Through blood and the after? If this is your vow from this day on announce it.”

  “It is my vow….” They all echoed from around the foyer. “From this day forward of my choosing.”

  “As it is my vow….” Alfred said to her. Ava smiled at him. She squeezed Alfred’s hand. She couldn’t speak. If she did she would start crying and wouldn’t be able to stop. Darius stepped forward. Alfred passed her over once again. Darius led her to stand in front of Lucien.

  “Finally…” Rhage grunted when Darius placed her hand in his. Lucien rolled his eyes when everyone chuckled. Lucien reached out and took the ends of red sash.

  “This red sash symbolizes the
legion...” Lucien began as he wrapped the ends around Ava’s arm down to where she held Rhage’s hand and continued until it reached Rhage’s elbow. “It represents you becoming a part of our family. Each one of us stands together and now we will stand with you as well. You will always be a part of us. We accept you, Ava lane Devereau, from this day forward. Do you accept this? Do you accept becoming a part of this family?”

  “Yes…” she answered. “I vow this…” Alfred had already told her that those were the three words she should always use.

  Lucien nodded and then reached for the ends of the black sash. He did the same as the red ones…. “This black sash represents an immortal who binds to his mate… he vows to cherish her, protect her, and honor her beyond all others from this day forward. She becomes his other half. Together they form a whole and form a connection nothing can break, but death itself. Rhage do you vow this?”

  “I do…” Rhage said looking at Ava. He hadn’t taken his eyes from her. Ava hadn’t taken her eyes from his either. This man---- to her he wasn’t an immortal any more. He was a man. She never expected to find someone--- who she would ever feel so much for. Lucien had been right. This was a bond beyond anything she could ever imagine. “I vow this…” Rhage told her.

  Lucien took the white sash and once again wrapped the ends around their arms. “This sash represents the first blood mate and her birth from the moon. She came to him when he needed her and she always centers him with peace. Peace of mind, body and soul. She brings light to his darkness. She vows to protect, cherish and honor her mate beyond all others. Only death can break her bonds to him. Ava, do you vow this from this day forward?”

  “I do….” She spoke to Rhage. “I vow this. From this day forward it is my vow.”

  “From this day forward until death separates you, you are mated in ceremony… we all stand as witnesses to------” Rhage didn’t wait for Lucien to continue. He reached out with his left hand cupping the back of Ava’s neck pulling her to him for a kiss. As Rhage kissed her the other brothers laughed and Lucien grunted. “You could’ve let me finish! I wasn’t at that part yet!”