For the rest of the Sunday we celebrated with our family and lazed around in the living room watching movies and napping in between. That night at dinner I felt more like myself and Martha had outdone herself making our favourites to celebrate us getting our dragons.
“My boys are all grown up now,” our mother said as she looked at us.
“In more ways than one,” Lucas said and Chase started laughing out loud.
“What do you mean in more ways than one?” Rylee asked him.
“Oh my gosh! Are you two banging girls?” Emily asked loudly and Rev almost choked and Hannah looked at her in horror.
“Banging girls? Emily!” Hannah said as Rev just shook his head.
“I think I hear my phone ringing in my office,” Lucas said as my mother glared at him.
“Not so fast wise guy, is that true, are you two sexually active?” Rylee asked us and I didn’t know where to hide my face.
“Mom seriously, do you want to discuss this at the dinner table?” Chase asked her.
“That means yes Aunt Rylee,” Emily said as I pretended to be interested in my plate.
“I hope you’re using protection,” she said.
“I am,” I said and Chase laughed as everyone looked at me with shock on their faces.
“You guys shouldn’t sleep around before you’ve met your bonded half,” Hannah said.
“So it’s okay to sleep around after I’ve met her?” Chase asked and Hannah threw a bread roll at his head.
“Smart ass,” she said and Lucas tried not to laugh.
“That’s not funny,” Rylee said looking disappointed.
“How old were you again the first time we had sex?” Lucas asked her.
“So what’s new at school?” Rylee asked us and we all laughed because we knew the answer to that question.
We headed to bed early as exhaustion took over again and I slept like the dead. I didn’t even send Tia her regular goodnight text and I woke up the next morning feeling back on form again. Abeloth stretched when I did and I smiled as I finished getting ready for school.
“Today’s the day,” I said to him and placed Tia’s gift in my school bag.
“If you say so halfling,” he said sounding bored.
“You’ll change your tune once we establish our bond with her,” I said to him. I was feeling very positive about Tia being my bonded half because that meant I could officially bring her home to meet my parents.
“Have a good day,” Lucas yelled as we walked past his office and headed downstairs.
We drove to school and parked side by side like we normally did. Chase climbed out of the car and he looked around. Something seemed different with him and I followed his gaze as he stared at the group of girls.
Kenna, Melissa, Tori, Leana and Megan stood to one side speaking to each other and clearly waiting for Tia to arrive. I looked back at Chase who seemed rooted to the spot.
“What’s going on with you?” I asked him.
“I can smell her,” he said the shock evident in his eyes.
“Your bonded half?” I asked him and he nodded.
He started walking towards them and now I was the one rooted in my spot as I watched him with shock on my face. Kenna smiled as she looked up and saw Chase but he zeroed in on the girl standing next to her and I could see the shock on her face. She wasn’t seventeen yet so she wouldn’t experience it the way Chase would but she would have an idea when he touched her.
Suddenly Chase kissed her, his hands on either side of her face, as Kenna stood there with her mouth open and everybody watched them. Chase broke the kiss off and stared into her eyes as Melissa took a step backwards and slapped him hard across his face.
“Ooh,” I said out loud as I watched his stunned face and then Melissa turned and ran for her life. Kenna was the next one to slap him as she stomped off and he turned towards me as I started to laugh. He lifted his arms questioningly and shrugged as he walked into the school building.
The scent of dark chocolate and bergamot filled my nose and I turned around as I instantly recognized that this was the scent of my bonded half. Tia walked towards me and I smiled in happiness. She had that dazed look in her eye that Chase had just had and soon we were kissing too.
“I’m so freaking happy right now,” I said the moment we stopped kissing to breathe.
“Me too,” she said as we intertwined our hands and I took her bag from her.
“I almost forgot to tell you Chase found his bonded half too,” I said to her.
“Oh wow who is it? Is it Kenna, because if it’s Kenna I’m going to die,” she said looking serious.
“What’s wrong with Kenna?” I asked her.
“She’s a slut,” Tia said and I started laughing.
“So is Leana, and you’re friends with her,” I pointed out.
“True but Leana is also my cousin, so there’s nothing I can do about that,” she said.
“His bonded half is Melissa,” I said and she stopped walking.
“Quiet, reserved Melissa? As in my friend Melissa?” she yelled.
“Yeah, talk about total opposites, she’s watched him bang half the school and she slapped him across his face right after he kissed her,” I told her.
“I’ll talk to her, oh wow we’re going to be sisters-in-law!” she yelled the last part with excitement.
“I’m sure Chase will charm her to his side,” I said and Tia laughed.
At lunch Chase sat across from Melissa and kept staring at her and I couldn’t stop laughing because she was so uncomfortable. He didn’t even look at anyone else and even though a few girls tried to get his attention he dismissed them all as he stared lovingly at her.
“Stop staring at me,” she hissed.
“I can’t, you’re just so beautiful and I think I love you,” he said and she blushed a deep red.
“Stop being weird!” she finally yelled.
“I’ll be whatever you want me to be,” he said not taking his eyes off of her.
“Why did I have to get you?” she asked and I laughed again as Tia slapped my leg.
“He’s not all bad Melissa and if there’s anyone out there that can change him it’s you,” I said to her.
“I know but why couldn’t I get a normal guy with morals and who likes to read,” she said.
“I can read,” he said and she glared at him again.
“We need to talk Chase,” Kenna said as she stood next to the table.
“No we don’t,” he said without even looking at her.
“We’ve been dating for two months!” she said angrily.
“And now I’ve found my bonded half, I’m sorry Kenna but you just don’t feature anymore, now it’s all about Melissa,” he said to her and Melissa groaned.
Melissa stood up from the table and started off towards the door. Chase sighed and got up as well but I stopped him, “let me brother,” I said to him and followed her outside into the hallway.
“Hey can we talk?” I asked her.
“Sure Ryder,” she said and I led her to an empty classroom.
“I know this is awkward for you and I’m probably biased because he’s my brother but everything in his life will change now that he’s found you, don’t deny this for yourself either because the bond will grow whether you want it to or not, he’ll change everything about himself if that’s what makes you happy and eventually you’d do the same for him. As soon as you turn seventeen that bond will intensify with like a million percent of what you’re feeling now and before you can blink you’re going to love him,” I said and she sighed.
“I know but did he really have to sleep with everyone I know?” she asked looking dejected.
“He didn’t sleep with your social circle at least,” I said and she laughed suddenly.
“Yeah lucky me I got the one guy that didn’t bang Leana,” she said and I laughed with her.
“If it makes you feel any better I’ll take him for an STD test,” I said and this time she genuinely laughed.
“Actually, that’s not a bad start,” she said as the bell rang.
After school I followed Chase home as he looked depressed and I couldn’t stop laughing at him. Finally he had enough of me as we walked up the stairs and he lunged at me suddenly as we tumbled down two flights of stairs hitting each other.
“Stop fucking laughing at me!” he yelled as we landed with a thud on the floor.
“Stop being such a dick,” I said through my laughter.
“It’s not funny,” he said as we lay on the floor.
“Actually it is, because it’s your dick that got you into this predicament,” I said and started laughing again.
“Shit,” he said and closed his eyes.
“Why are you laying on the floor?” Emily asked as she looked down on us.
“Chase is depressed because his bonded half hates him,” I said and Emily laughed.
“Serves you right,” she said and stepped over us and headed upstairs.
At dinner that night I broke the news that Tia and I were in fact bonded halves and everyone seemed pleased as Chase remained quiet which was very unlike him so I decided to share his good news for him.
“Chase also happened to meet his bonded half this morning,” I said and he glared at me.
“Oh really who is it?” Rylee asked excitedly.
“Melissa O’Hare,” I said and smiled.
“I know her mother, she’s a very nice girl,” Rylee said and I started laughing again.
“In fact she’s so nice she asked if Chase could go for some STD tests you know before she considers accepting their bond,” I said and Lucas and Rylee both looked at us in shock as Chase lowered his head to the table.
“Fuck Chase, how many girls have you slept with?” Lucas asked him.
“A lot,” Emily answered.
“Man-whore,” Rev said and I started laughing again.
“Was she serious?” Chase asked me.
“Deadly,” I said.
“This is just fucking great,” Lucas said as I laughed again.
Chase had to swallow his pride and he presented a clean bill of health to Melissa two weeks later on her birthday. She looked at the results of the blood test and then smiled as she kissed him. He had humiliated himself but in the end it paid off as Melissa finally accepted him.We had two months of school left and then we would also attend the Illinois Dragonkin Ball to present our bonded halves to the Elders for acceptance of that bond. Our parents would attend as well to witness the forming of the bond and after that night we’d be seen as an official couple within the lair.I had been looking at a promise ring for Tia, a promise that I wanted to make to her on our bonding night, that she’d always be the only one for me. Rylee was helping me with it and she was just as excited as I was. She didn’t know Tia personally but she was happy for me.Lucas didn’t say much since he had messed up his own bonding with our mother a few times but in the end he pulled his head out of his ass, as
There were ten more successful bondings that took place before it was our turn and I extended my arm again for Tia as we waited to be announced.“And now for our final couple, Tia Malone and Ryder Grey,” Elder Cliff said and applause broke out. Chase and Melissa were now seated close together at our table and I swear Chase was clapping the loudest.We made our way onto the stage and Tia beamed as everyone looked at us. I felt slightly nervous and Abeloth was restless to be let out but I couldn’t do it yet. He had to be patient until we eventually got home before he could separate from me.“Do you Tia Malone accept Ryder Grey as your bonded half? Do you vow to remain faithful to him and to your bond? Do you accept the placing of his mark on your neck tonight?” Elder Michael asked her.“I, Tia, accept you Ryder as my bonded half and I vow to remain honest and faithful and I accept your mark on my neck,” Tia said.
I still wasn’t ready to go home but I knew that I had to so I drove behind Chase since he stayed at the Lake house while I showered and got dressed. Abeloth was snorting in my head that we didn’t need a babysitter or an escort home.“Shit is going to hit the fan,” Abeloth said.“I get that feeling too,” I said to him.“Guess we’ll know soon enough,” he mused as we entered lower Aurora and headed to the house.I wasn’t looking forward to this. Lucas had a quick temper and when he was pissed off like I knew he was then you were in for the ride of your life. I had embarrassed him and the lair. As a Sire’s son I was one of the lead examples and the only one to reject my bonded half.“Good luck brother,” Chase said as we climbed out of our cars.“Did he send you to the lake house to look for me?” I asked him.“No, I figured that one out all by m
I spent the next six months in Chicago and underwent rigorous training under Wentworth and his men. The groups were small and once you failed your mind was wiped by a witch and you went back to your old life. I felt at home even though I was the youngest by three years and I quickly became close friends with the other guys I was training with.Most of them had green or blue dragons and one or two had a violet one. There were no yellow dragons in our unit and these were the best of the best. Training started at five am and we stopped at ten pm every day. It was hard and brutal and we even underwent torture training where we were tortured.If I had been a boy when I walked into that building I was definitely a man after those first six months. We were taught how to fight with weapons, without weapons, with your dragon and without your dragon. There were vampires and wolves training with us and we would go head to head with each other.We were taught how to read people and situations, ho
I spent the rest of that Sunday shopping and settling in. I had gone for a jog since I was still in the training routine and I couldn’t just sit idly at home and do nothing. I had cleaned the house, jogged, washed the truck, gone shopping and packed everything away and I had already checked in.I felt better after talking to Chase and slightly worried that Lucas was looking for me so I drove to another store and bought a new cellphone. I drove to the forest behind the school and sat in the truck and called him.“This is Lucas,” he answered.“Hi Dad,” I said.“Ryder, are you okay?” he asked me.“I’m fine,” I answered him.“Where are you?” he asked me.“It doesn’t matter where I am or what I’m doing, stop looking for me,” I said.“I’ll never stop looking for you, you’re my son,” he said.“I’m working, taking responsibility, standing on my own two feet, you should be proud instead of trying to treat me like a little kid,” I said to him.“You have responsibilities at home,” he said to me.
It took another two weeks for Coach to organize the fight and he wanted me to be first up. I had started spending time with the other ten guys at school. They weren’t professional fighters but the fear of juvie kept them fighting even when most of them didn’t want to.The fights usually consisted of them being beaten up by adults which was hardly fair and I could see some of them were sick of it. They got paid just enough to keep them wanting more but not enough to stop or say anything.“It’s basically a blood sport where people bet on how fast our asses will be kicked in that ring,” Michael said as we sat at one of the outside tables.“Grown ass men, ex boxers, fighters or just plain crazy guys looking to vent kicking our asses all over the place, no fear of being arrested and they pay to hit us,” Denver remarked.“That’s bullshit actually,” I said as they looked at me.“There&rsquo
Felix and I spent the next nine months on the road searching for those rogue packs and eliminating them after getting the information that we needed to move on to the next one. We would call Wentworth to send in a cleaning crew after we were done and we had specific orders not to leave anyone alive.I hadn’t spoken to my father again after that one phone call and it had already been three months since the last time I phoned Chase. I couldn’t call him now as we were on the road heading to the location of a vampire coven.Felix was driving as I checked my two guns and strapped my other weapons to my legs and arms. I had started adding tattoos to my arms, one for every ten kills and I had almost completed my second sleeve. Felix had laughed as I sat in the tattoo parlor and then to my shock he sat for one too and our arms looked almost identical.We had become best friends over the last nine months and we had declared ourselves brothers of other species. We had vowed to always have each
“He should start to wake up any minute now,” Stella said.“Thanks Stella,” Lucas said as he sat next to the hospital bed.“Has Abeloth said anything?” Rev asked.“Not a word, he’s waiting for Ryder to wake up before he speaks,” Lucas said.“He’s extremely loyal,” Rylee muttered.“Too damn much for their own good,” Lucas said as he sighed.“At least Abeloth brought him home and he’s healing,” Chase said.“I want to know what the fuck happened to my son and where he’s been for this last year and a half,” Lucas said angrily and Chase looked away.“Lucas you might not like the answer,” Rev said and Lucas looked up.“What the fuck do you two know?” Lucas demanded as he looked at Rev and Chase.“I haven’t spoken to him in over three months,” Chase admitted, “but the last time we spoke he was heading to Idaho.”“And what was he doing there?” Lucas asked clenching his jaw.“I can’t tell you,” Chase said and Lucas slammed his fist down on the flimsy hospital trolley and it cracked in the middl