Artemis's blood is what links the Black brothers, flows through my half-sister, and is now sitting beside me with a huge smirk on his face.
Bael raises his perfectly plucked eyebrow at me, “So tell me, Goddess of Light and Shadow, do you now comprehend the history of your eternal bond?”
“Blood, blood is what binds us, fuels us, and brings you all here. "Before there is peace, blood will spill blood, and the lake will run red." -Erin Hunter. We all have or will make sacrifices. Blood will flow and return to its creator. But the ties that bind because of the spilled blood cannot be broken.”
I reach for Vincent and give him a soft kiss. I do the same to Vlad. I look at them as I stroke their cheeks, “Everything is fine. This proves what we suspected about the alchemy of the blood,” I look over at Bael and then at the group, “Bael is one of Artemis's sires and creators. My father is the other.”
Elena asks, “Is that why I became such a strong vampire so quickly?”
Bael nods, “Yes, and why Vlad's pyrokinesis intensified too. I didn't gift him anything for the pathetic soul he bartered with.”
Sam sighs, “That still doesn't fully explain why you were sent here over other demons Mormo could have sent.”
Bael smirks, “You like jokes, right?”
Sam shrugs, “Most of us do.”
Bael smirks at my mates as he twirls a strand of my hair around his finger. He looks at my mates, “Even people who are good for nothing have the capacity to bring a smile to your face, like when you push them down the stairs.”
Venus giggles but Amira hushes her. Bael chuckles, “You all pushed many, especially Vincent and Vlad. I would have been here long ago had Artemis not sired you both.”
Katie furrows her brow, “I don't understand why that makes a difference.”
Gabe comes over and takes my hand, “I am sorry but we had to arrange it this way. Each of your parents were at odds over whether or not you should have one eternal mate. Your brother and sister will only have one, possibly two. You, Eva, were supposed to only have three at most. One of the light, one neutral, and one of the dark,” he said as he glanced at Sam, Eric, and Bael.
I shrug, “So what? I ended up with an extra because of Artemis saving Vin and Turning Vlad.”
Bael smirks and winks, “Not exactly.”
Gabriel circles his thumb on the inside of my wrist, “I suggested a neutral mate for you who became Eric, your mother chose a Fall which is Sam, and your father selected a demon. All had to be of
royal blood,” he said as he looked directly at Bael.
Exasperated Vincent says, “Fuck.”
Katie points to Bael, “Tall, dark hottie is one of her True Mates.”
Vincent sighs in defeat, “The Incubus powers in him are why we can alter visions and Haze.”
Eric shakes his head, “It doesn't explain mine though.”
Bael glances at him as he says flatly with a smirk, “But it does. Who do you think created the witch and vampire who started your family.”
“I can't handle the four of them most of the time. I don't need another cock crowing around here.”
Bael lightly tugs my hair as he looks into my eyes, “I am not leaving again.”
“Then I will.”
***Vlad’s POV***
Eva just disappeared. Bael chuckled as he rubbed his hands together, “This is going to be fun.” Then he followed after her.
Vincent exclaims angrily, “What the fuck!”
Gabriel puts his hands on our shoulders, “We did what we thought was best in case something happened to my sister. We had no clue at the time that Artemis would embrace humanity. He was meant to only document, not intervene.”
I sigh, “Are these feelings for her even real?” I knew that I should not have said that. I know that they are and that is part of what has me worried right now.
Sam snarls, “You best hope that she didn't hear you.”
I put my head in my hands, “I already regret saying it.”
Vincent looks at us, “Shit! Do you guys remember when she said that she felt as if she always knew us and we said that we would always be near?”
Morgan rubs us, “Her soul knew. It just didn't know the how or why until now.”
Katie asks, “She's coming back though, right?”
Levi motions around and then points to the spot that Bael ported from, “I told you all that she's the perfect weapon and we are her ammunition. She just found the one to show her how to pull the trigger.”
I know that I am being a selfish prick right now, but I can't help it. I had just come to grips with sharing her with them all and becoming a father. None of this I ever wanted and now that I have it, I am crippled with fear that I just lost it.