I want the Bond because I ache for Ashley. It’s as though I’ve had a hole inside of for my entire life – one that only she fills.
I love the fire she has inside her. I love that through everything that’s happened to her – all the torments and uncertainties she’s faced – the main and only concern Ashley ever had had was not for her own life, but that of her best friend.
Her bravery is amazing, but her selflessness humbles me.
I know she’s wrestling with demons about her destiny with us – about the implications of being our fated mate.
I can accept that. I have to.
She is, at least, safe and sound – protected while she comes to her inevitable decision.
I let myself smile, and telepath to Conan.
“Is she still safe and sound?”
“I’ve been watching the door. No one has come in our out.”
“Good.”
“Could you bring me some clothes,” Conan telepaths, “or at least take a shift? I’m in a fucking bathrobe!”
I laugh out loud.
“We’ll have the concierge bring over clothes, if he’s not too scared to set foot in here.”
I feel the warmth of Conan’s mirth through our Bond.
As our link silences, I stand, wearily.
My muscles ache from the exertion of battle. As much as I despise admitting weakness… I need to rest.
Augustus follows me out the office that we’d just spent the last hour cooped up in, strategizing our battle plan. I’m buoyed at least by knowing that – with the power of the Bond – our plan just might work.
I just hope Ashley doesn’t think we’re merely using her for the power she can give us.
I hope she won’t feel that way. I hope she’ll know that all of this is no longer just for us – not a path to fortune or power.
It’s the right thing to do.
It’s our duty to this planet – and giving us the power of the Bond will be hers.
Back at that auction, it took just one glance to know that Ashley was for us. As she stood on the stage, neither Conan or Augustus had eyes for any of the other beauties being sold.
We waited for her – and we fought for her.
And, if needs be, I can handle that it may take Ashley a little longer to come around…
As long as she does come around.
As long as, in the end, she chooses what she knows to be right.
She chooses us.
Augustus snorts as we see Conan standing in front of the doorway. He’s wearing a bathrobe that’s so short it barely covers his cock.
“What are you laughing at?” Conan shakes his head. “You’re fucking soaked, Augustus. At least I’m warm and dry.”
Augustus shakes his head. “You’re meant to intimidate intruders, not make them laugh – or scare them with that.”
He points at the barely-visible tip of Conan’s foot-long cock, dangling from beneath the hem of the bathrobe.
Conan laughs, and gestures towards the door.
“I think she’s sleeping.”
“We won’t wake her.”
Ashley, our pet, deserves her sleep. It’s been one hell of a day for her – for all of us.
But before I rest myself, I need to see our woman sleeping soundly. I trust in Conan, but I need to know she’s truly okay in there.
I motion for Conan to step aside, and he does so without question.
Silently, I open the door – turning the handle as softly as I can.
I’m already anticipating seeing our love splayed out on the bed. The moment I see her, I’ll finally allow myself to rest for a day. We’ll all take turns guarding the perimeter of this manor as we prepare to cleanse the entire city of the criminals and slavers that infest it.
But then I pause. The door half-open, I rest my hand on the handle and turn to Augustus.
“It’s not all false.”
“What?”
I shake my head slowly. “The Aurelian Empire. Our ideals. Honor. Protecting the weak. We gave up everything. We thought it was all a load of Toad’s spittle – but it’s not.”
I look my battle-brother squarely in the eye.
“When we took over this manor, it felt righteous. I know it will feel the same when we clean up this whole fucking city.”
Augustus nods. I know he feels the same.
But that’s a battle for another day.
I think I’ll simply sit and watch Ashley sleep for a while – dreaming my own waking dreams, while she’s lost in her slumbering ones.
I open the door, and the breeze hits me.
The cool air.
The open window.
My mind suddenly goes cold.
“Spread out,” I growl. “Someone’s taken her! From through the window!” I shake my head. “Fuck! How could we have been so stupid?”
It’s so obvious. If the other crime families on this planet have spies – which, of course, they obviously do – then they’d have already identified how important Ashley is to us.
Mind you – whoever took her has risked a great deal to take her to use as leverage. When we catch up to them…
Conan and Augustus take off towards the window at a dead sprint. I remain for a second, scanning the room for any sign of a struggle…
Nothing – and thankfully, there’s no blood to be found.
This means whoever took Ashley did it professionally.
“You heard nothing? How could this have happened!”
Augustus is berating Conan, but not nearly as badly as Conan is beating himself up. His aura is flooded with guilt. He knows how badly he fucked up. He had our most important charge – our purpose not just on this planet, but in the universe – and he lost her to an unknown enemy.
“There wasn’t a fucking peep, I swear,” Conan telepaths. “I had my ears open and I was focused.”
That, I believe. We all known how important Ashley is – not just to Conan, but to all of us. She’s our future. An Aurelian triad only gets one fated mate – and, like the others, I’m now convinced that Ashley is ours. It’s in her very scent.
I run my hands over her bed. I can still smell her scent lingering there.
