“Ryder,” Typhon almost growled my name.“Lord Typhon,” I said and bowed my head.“What have you done halfling?” he asked me.“She needs to remember,” I said.Typhon stepped closer to her and lowered his head and released a breath. She gasped and sat up straight. Abeloth separated from me, his face had a look of disbelief on it.“I can’t believe it,” he said and disappeared into the dark recesses of the cave.“Your bond is accepted,” Typhon said as Megan turned her head towards me.“Our bond?” I asked him in disbelief.Typhon's claw slashed across both our hands and I saw our blood rise and mingle in the air. I stood there in disbelief as I watched our blood swirl together and then become one. The wound on my hand healed and Typhon let out another breath.“You’ve merged your blood, you are now bonded for life,” Typhon said.“Ryder?” she asked as I went down to my knees and grabbed her as she cried.“I’ve missed you so much,” I said as I clung to her, my own tears running down my face.
Megan hadn’t said a word to me for the past three hours after Felix’s revelation about Ava. If he wasn’t driving the car I would’ve beaten him to within an inch of his life. None of us had said a word for the last two hours. Megan was ignoring me and Felix couldn’t even look at me.“You’re an asshole,” I said to Felix.“I know mate, I’m sorry. She has a right to know though,” he said.“Tell me everything,” Megan said softly.“I didn’t plan it. It happened and I did the next best thing, I married her because it was better than being forced to bond with her,” I said.“Do you love her?” she asked me.“No.”“I’m not mad at you Ryder, I want to be, but I’m not,” Megan said.“You’re letting him off the hook just like that?” Felix asked her.“Yes.”“You do realize that he doesn’t really deserve you,” Felix said. “Me, on the other hand, would worship the ground you walked on.”“Felix …”“I don’t have the piercing, mind you, but I’m quite skilled without one,” Felix continued as Megan laughed.
“Ryder.” I heard Lucas’s voice and turned around.“Dad,” I said feeling nervous all of a sudden. The look on his face was one of worry mixed with sternness as he looked at my unharmed face.“What’s going on? You said it was urgent. What the fuck did you do this time?” he asked me all at once as he glanced at Felix.“Just because both of them are here doesn’t mean they’re in trouble,” Rylee said.“Mrs Grey, a wonderful delight to meet you,” Felix said as he took her hand and kissed it.“Knock that off,” Lucas said as he looked at him.“I see where Ryder gets it,” Felix said as Rylee smiled at him.“Why can’t you be nice like that?” Rylee asked Lucas.“You want me to kiss other women’s hands?” he asked her.“Don’t be an asshole,” Rylee said.“And yet again I see where Ryder gets it,” Felix said as I chuckled.“Cut the bullshit, why are you both here? What the hell did you two do now?” Lucas asked.“Not me,” Felix said looking at me.The adjoining room’s door opened and Elder Vic walked
“Link!” Megan yelled as she opened the back door.“Megan? Megan!” Link yelled as he ran towards her and caught her in the air as they both cried and hugged.Link had been waiting for us on the porch. I didn’t stop to greet him as I raced behind Felix to the infirmary where I found Emily pacing up and down in the hall in front of the examination room.“Any news?” Felix asked Emily.“Not yet, they’ve been in there for a while now,” Emily said as she hugged me and looked at Felix frowning as she did.“He’s her bonded half Ems,” I said and her eyes widened slightly.“Wow, you two really do share everything,” she remarked.The door opened and Peter stepped outside looking grim and I could hear Ava crying inside. I smelled blood, a lot of it and it disappeared faintly as he closed the door behind him.“I’m so sorry Sire, I tried everything I could but she was already in premature labour by the time I got here,” Peter said.“Is she okay?” Felix asked.“Physically yes,” Peter said.“She doesn
“Motherfucker!” I yelled and slammed the laptop closed.I was alone in my office and I had just received an email from the Elders with regards to Sire Anthony Jacobs’ retribution claim. He was escalating the matter to the High Council. He was enraged to say the least.“Does your father know you call him that?” Felix asked me.“Not now Felix,” I said.“What’s wrong?”“I have to appear in front of the High Council,” I said.“On what charges?” he asked me.“Failure to uphold the Sire’s vow.”“For divorcing Ava?” he asked.“Oh he doesn’t even know that part yet, this is for marking Megan,” I said.“He’s pissed off about the alliance,” Felix said.“So what am I looking at Felix? Financial penalty, loss of my lair?”“It depends on what he’s asking for but yes financial penalty is an option, absorption of your lair or he can demand that the bond be broken and reestablished between you and Ava,” he said.“That’s what he wants,” I said.“I agree,” Felix said.“What I’m about to do is going to
Another week passed by and Link had bought out my personal shares in the lair businesses. He still wasn’t happy with my decision but he understood it better now. I had handed over everything to him and now this really was his lair and territory.I was standing outside the meeting hall where the High Council was currently questioning Anthony. I’d be called in soon enough but I wasn’t particularly worried. The Council always conducted their hearings behind closed doors, meaning that it wasn’t open to the public. The Council members, the Elders of the region and the affected parties were allowed inside.Lucas was standing next to Megan even though I’d told him not to come. When I told him that I’d given the lair to Link I was stunned into silence when he didn’t yell at me but actually agreed that it was the best thing I could’ve done.“It’ll be fine,” Lucas said.“I know Dad,” I said.“If things turn south we can always just kill everybody,” Felix said.“That’ll definitely score you some
“We’ll fight this,” Lucas said as he stood in my bedroom where I was busy packing my clothes.“No we won’t. Their decision is final,” I said.“Then we’ll all go into exile with you,” he said.“No. Chase just became a father, that’s why I gave up the lair in the first place, so everyone wouldn’t be punished with me. The best thing you all can do is go home, rule your lairs and be the best,” I said.“And you go into exile,” Lucas spat out.“Dad, it’s not as bad as you think. There are other ways to make a life,” I said.“It’s still bullshit,” he said.“I’m still not sorry. This is going to be an adventure,” I said.“Trust you to see the adventure in it,” he said.“Dad, I’m free from the bonds of dragonkin, I can follow my own rules, I can start over, the way I want to,” I said.“Fine. Let me know when you settle somewhere, we’ll come visit,” he said.“I love you Dad, stop worrying,” I said.Lucas left after another hour of goodbyes and tears and hugs. He even hugged Felix and told him t
We stopped for gas in Bushnell and found a diner that was already open. We took our time eating breakfast and drinking copious amounts of coffee before heading out again and walking through the town.By ten am Ava had found everything she needed and we headed back to the car. Megan had already called the realtor and we drove to the bed and breakfast where we had a reservation. I had barely put our suitcases down before jumping in the shower.“Don’t use all the hot water,” Megan said loudly from the doorway.“Then you’ll have to join me,” I said as I opened the door and looked at her.“You just want to get me naked,” she said as she took her shirt off.“When have I not wanted to?” I asked her.I opened the door wider to let her get in when my phone started to ring. Megan laughed at me as she handed me a towel and I got out. “Don’t hurry,” I said to her as I grabbed my phone from the bed.“Grey,” I answered.“You didn’t call to tell me Anthony took a shot at you! I had to hear it from t