Page 75 of Blood Bonds
“The council may wake her,” Leela warned. “But I’ll inform you if that happens.”
“You will pledge fealty too?” Caro asked, her shock evident.
“Not yet, as you’ll need me on the inside and the council can’t know I’m aware of this situation. That’s why your brilliant son misted me here. I actually have no idea where we are on Earth right now, and since he forced me to drink from him first, our elders won’t be able to track me either.” She nudged Gabriel with her elbow, and he gave her a semi-irritated expression. “What? You know you’re brilliant.”
“Yes, but it does not require touching me.”
Her eyes rolled upward. “Seriously, Gabe. You need to loosen up.”
“Do not suggest it.”
“Oh, I don’t need to.” Her expression turned positively impish as she looked him over. “You enjoyed yourself in New York City, didn’t you?”
He cleared his throat. “Can we add the rune and be done here? I have some other loose ends to tie up, including taking this lust princess home.”
“Lust princess?” Leela repeated with a laugh. “That’s a new nickname.”
He ignored her and gave Caro an imploring look. “This is the best way to protect her. Accept my proposal.”
“You don’t require my acceptance,” Caro replied, her voice soft. “I trust you implicitly.” She focused on Sethios. “It’s his approval we require. Without it, I cannot grant your request.”
An undeniable show of solidarity. There would be no decisions unless they were made together.
Sethios approved of her demonstration.
“Can you give us a few minutes to discuss?” He directed the request at their audience while observing Caro.
“Of course.” Gabriel stepped forward with his hands in an open gesture. “May I?”
“You wish to hold her?” Sethios asked, uncertain of how he felt. He rather enjoyed having her tucked against him.
“I won’t leave the house,” he replied. “I just want to have a discussion with my sister regarding her future dating life.”
Sethios tensed. “Dating?”
Gabriel’s gaze darkened. “Yeah.”
“There will be no dating.” She was a baby. His baby. “That’s just never happening.” Even when she became an adult. He’d lock her away and kill all her suitors. Problem solved.
“Oh, on that we agree.” Gabriel eyed Astasiya with a protective gleam in his gaze.
Leela shook her head. “She’s not even two hours old, and you’re both slapping her with a chastity belt.”
“I have a few years to work on them,” Caro murmured, her index finger brushing Astasiya’s little button nose. “Don’t worry.” Her blue eyes grinned at Sethios. “Give her to Gabriel and let him pass on his brotherly wisdom. We’ll discuss the rune and a few other things.”
Sethios considered which point he wanted to argue first but caved to her request to hand Astasiya over to Gabriel. Mostly because he sensed his daughter’s contentedness at going to her brother.
“How do I sense her?” he asked quietly as the two Seraphim left the room with his daughter cocooned safely in Gabriel’s arms. A more pertinent thought hit him square in the chest. “Wait, can Osiris sense her? Can she be tracked? Did—”
Caro pressed a finger to his lips, her gaze alight with humor. “Our daughter is safe, Sethios. You are tied to her by blood, which is why you can feel her.”
“But Osiris is my father. Can he feel her too?” Because his father’s blood ran through Sethios and Astasiya.
Her lips pursed. “If they met, he may pick up on her familiarity without knowing why. As for finding her, he can’t locate you, right? The same applies to her.”
His shoulders loosened slightly, but tension still lined his limbs. “You’re sure?”
“Yes. Blood bonds are most prevalent in those who commit to them, and between a parent and child. You’re far more tied to Osiris then Astasiya ever will be.”
