“I’m human,” he reminded her. “I’ll be dead soon enough, but before then, there are ways to check that.”
“Right,” she gritted her teeth and he nearly crushed her hands as another wave of pain took him. Come to think of it, she had never seen anyone in so much pain, human or vampire.
“Is it true?” Cooper asked her, and she cocked her head, confused.
“What?”
“Are you married to my brother?”
“I—oh,” she looked away, even though they couldn’t see each other’s eyes. “Yes. You didn’t know?”
He laughed a bit, although it was pain filled.
“You two are the poster children for make sex, not love. You’re always go on about how it’s not love. But now this?”
“Cooper---I needed a visa to stay in the country, that’s all. Your brother was kind enough to help. That’s part of the reason I came here. This sham has gone on long enough, we were signing divorce papers , now that I’ve gotten permanent residence status.”
“Oh,” he said, half heartedly. “That’s sad.”
“Yeah,” she said, after a moment. “It kind of is.”
He stifled a sob and tried not to cry out and she bit her lip, settling against the wall. Her thin arms wrapped around her brother in law, they sat in silence for a long moment, Carmen’s mind whirling.
“I thought it would work,” she said, after a while, into the silence. “I thought that they might take me back. But they’ve just proved to me that the vampires are the only real family I’ve had.”
“Carmen, when I die can you at least make sure that my brothers have my body?”
“You’re not going to die, love,” she said, but she could already feel how weak he was. She knew that being across the tomb would make no difference to him, not with the other Shields just outside the wall. Plus, she didn’t think she could stand to watch him whiter in pain anymore.
For the first time in her life, she wished that James was beside her. Carmen had always been an independent woman, making her own moves, creating her own path, and she was stubborn. Carmen was often described as a woman who knew what she wanted. When her best friend had helped propel her to fame, she had promised him her binding, promised him that he would have the power that a Shield had over other supernatural creatures. And because he was bound to her and unaffected by any powers of Shields, witches or other vampires, he would be the one to give her immortality. It had always been that way. After all, vampires who recklessly gave humans immortality were subject to the law coming after them. It was just as dangerous as exposing yourself to a human, they could be found out. Changing a human was a big choice, and not just any vampire would do it for her. But Donovan would, had promised from day one.
Over the centuries, Shields had been forced into slavery, whipped and punished until they became bound to their masters. James had abolished that rule when he married her, changing the course of history.
James she closed her eyes, gutted by this. Divorcing him, whether they said it or not, meant that everything would change. She likely wouldn’t be around as much, and maybe this time, they would actually lose contact.
It wasn’t like this was a one night stand that had led to a Vegas wedding. This had been 10 years of helping each other out when they needed to, 10 years of sharing a bed, and 10 years of coming home to each other, periodically.
She knew James’s story, that his heart had been broken by the death of his first love, a sickly human girl who probably loved him with her last breath. Carmen wasn’t anything like that, her strength coming from inside, her head over her heart, her body lean and strong from dance. And she didn’t depend on James for her every breath and need either. She was probably the farthest thing from a wife he had ever pictures.
She had never believed in love either; to her, love was just a fairytale, a thing people wrote stories about. She didn’t see herself in the same clothes twice, yet alone with the same person forever. Since she was 12 and first dancing in a professional show, she had been on the move, living out of suitcases and in hotel rooms. She liked it that way, a different boy every night, a new adventure whenever a stranger smiled across the bar at her. There were no terms to her marriage, no rules, it was a sham.
Then why did she want his strength beside her now?
“Carmen, please,” Cooper was sobbing in her arms.
“What do you want me to do?” she asked, broken hearted. She was out of strength now, out of ideas. Learning that the Shields really were rejecting her, that there was nothing left for her, was the final straw in her heart. Without them, there was no hope of another family somewhere, and when she signed those divorce papers, there was no hope of anyone to come home to either.
“I would you to kill me before this takes me. Please.”
“Cooper, I can’t do that,” she said, quietly. “Your brother will kill me with his bare hands if he found out I snapped your neck.”
“He wouldn’t!” Cooper protested. “He wouldn’t and you know it.”
“I actually don’t,” she replied. “I mean, he’ll slit my throat when I break his rules as a vampire, what difference does doing it a little earlier make?”
“Carmen!” Cooper’s voice had laughter in it, even through the pain. “Are you so blind? Can you not see? James loves you.”
She shook her head in the darkness.
“James and I have a business agreement, and some good benefits that come with it.”
“Then you do not know him at all,” Cooper replied. “Because I know my brother, have known him for a thousand years, and I’ve never seen him more in love than he is with you.”
“No…”
“Oh ppht. You two can deny it until your blue in the face, but it’s true. He loves you, and you love him. No harm will ever come to you, whatever you do to me.”
“Right,” Carmen took a shuddering breath, closing her eyes and feeling her blood pound in her temples. She knew what she had to do, and she might hate it, but she knew it was the right thing. Cooper was withering in pain, and the pain she would cause James was unbearable.
She leaned over slightly, putting her hands on his temples, and trying to find his eyes in the darkness. Cooper’s pain was getting worse and she figured their time was short.
“Cooper,” she said, her voice hoarse, her heart in her throat. She had never been one to sacrifice for anyone, especially not the ridiculous notion of love. But for such a time as this.
I’m a fool she thought, as the knowledge that it was right passed through her mind. Forgive me.
Carmen leaned right into his face, meeting his eyes, which had tears streaming from them.
“Cooper,” she repeated, her breath hot on his face. And then she whispered the words that had been kept secret by Shields over the centuries, her finger tips connected to his pulse points, and her power flowing through them. “Alligo me ad vos.” I bind myself to you.
Chapter 4
As soon as she spoke the words, the pain began to ebb. It was so powerful and so overwhelming that it took a few minutes, but it was disappearing. His muscles, sore from being clenched, repaired themselves, and his cheeks dried from the tears. Very carefully, almost as if he didn’t trust it, he sat up.
“Wow,” he said, feeling his head gingerly. “You did it. It’s gone”
She sniffled.
“Yes. While I’m beside you, they can’t hurt you. Give it a few minutes, but your fangs should be able to grow again. As long as I’m close to you, nothing supernatural can affect you, including other Shields.”
“So as soon as you go away…”
“You should probably have the clots taken out,” she said, ruefully. “It’s not dangerous now that you aren’t mortal.”
“Carmen,” he turned to her. “You saved my life. And you put the fate of your immortality in my hands.”
“You were dying,” she said, plainly. “I had to do something.”
“You didn’t have to,” he said, reaching to
take her hand.
“Of course I did,” she replied. “You are brother to my husband. Nothing could change that.”
“Thank you,” he said, squeezing her hand. “Thank you.”
They were interrupted by the yell of Shields outside the door. Clearly, they were trying to increase their power, to affect Cooper faster. But Carmen was the most powerful Shield of them all, and nothing can take down the barrier she had put around the vampire prince. And when it came down to it, Shields were mortal, nothing more than weak humans, and even a hundred of them posed no threat to an immortal vampire, a Prince.
“No problem,” she said, although it clearly was a big issue. She pushed herself up against the wall, brushing her hair off her face. Everything was different now.
“Are you ready?” Cooper asked, and she nodded. With newly gained vampire strength, he pushed aside the tomb door as if it were plywood. Outside, the gathered Shields gasped. Carmen stepped forward into the moonlight, glancing at him. Because she was a Shield, she had never seen a vampire in full form before. Whenever she got within seeing distance, her powers had always affected them.
Seeing Cooper now, she saw why people were so afraid if they chose to show themselves as they really were. With fangs and blackened eyes, his skin pale as ice, he looked like a monster, standing tall in the night.
“That wasn’t a very nice thing you did,” he said, shaking his head. “What have I ever done to you?”
“Traitor!”
Carmen heard the gun shot before she could even react or brace herself. But with vampire speed, Cooper caught the bullet before it hit her, dropping it to the ground.
“And that was even meaner. Carmen is one of your kind. Family is everything.”
“Carmen is a rebel scum!” came a cry.
“Is she now?” Cooper bared his teeth. “because I see it differently. I just saw a girl give up everything she had hoped for, for the love of my brother and his family. That doesn’t seem like rebellious to me. And if she is a beast to you, than she won’t mind if I rip you to shreds?”
She could only see anger, only fury, at the scene that had taken place. These people were no family of hers, and she was embarrassed to say that she was their kind.
“Do it,” she said, her chin raised high. “For I am their Queen, Cooper, and they should learn to live by my law now.”
It was what all those years of being with James had taught her, to be a good leader, and that it was better to be feared than loved. She was sick of hiding her whole life, sick of wondering about her powers and only getting the cold shoulder. Sick of the choices she made in love and in life holding her back. No more.
Cooper wiped the last of the blood away from his mouth before they climbed in the car. To his credit, he didn’t kill many. Even a vampire Prince knew the balance that Shields brought to nature, and so he slaughtered only those who had harmed him, and Carmen. She had looked away, not wanting to see what she would become. Perhaps she wasn’t ready to become a creature of the night just yet, drinking blood from whoever crossed her path, killing at will. For she had just seen in front of her how precious human life was, and how quickly it could be extinguished.
“Sun’s coming up,” Cooper said, as he settled in the passenger seat beside her. “Do you think we should call the others, let them know we’re safe?”
“I think I left my phone back there,” she replied, as she started the engine. “And I’m really not willing to go back for it.”
“We can always get you another phone. Maybe under the family plan,” Cooper teased her, as they drove.
“Shut up,” she said, although she didn’t really mind. “Look, when we get home..?”
“Don’t tell anyone because you’re still going to go through with everything?” Cooper asked, raising an eyebrow. He looked human again, no need to have his vampire face out.
“No,” she made a sharp right. “Just look more like a vampire. I really don’t feel like explaining it, and maybe if you look like a vampire, it’ll be more obvious.”
“I think it’ll just be confusing,” Cooper said, and she shrugged.
“Just do it, ok?”
“Aye Aye,” Cooper replied.
They drove past the Polish Consulate, which would soon be open, and for one minute she considered pulling in to get the paper work they needed. But the idea left her head as soon as it had entered it. She didn’t have any desire to do it now. Now, she was exhausted, and she wanted to fall into James’s arms and go to bed. It would be a rough day, and she would have a lot of explaining to do to Donovan in the morning. Justifying love to those who lived the lifestyle of one night stands would probably be the hardest job she ever had.
They pulled up into the driveway and barely had time to open the door before the three brothers rushed them. Carmen hung back, letting them hug Cooper, laughing, and mussing up his hair, grateful to see him again. Even Phil seemed happy, and making Phil happy was an impossible feat.
But then, pulling back, they took in his fangs, his darken eyes, and looked confused.
“But how…”James said, his head swivelling to Carmen as she threw the car keys in the bowl in the hallway. She turned to meet his eyes.
“It doesn’t matter, James.”
“Carmen, darling…” he took a tentative step towards her, unbelieving. “You’re bound to him.”
“Yes,” she nodded. “It wasn’t really…difficult, James, it had to be done.”
“Oh, my darling!” he swept her up in his arms, holding her so tight she thought she would choke. “Thank you, thank you for saving my brother. Thank you! I will gift you a kingdom.”
“Just some sleep will be nice right now,” she muttered, into his neck, although she was so grateful for his touch, his hug.
“Anything, you want. Anything at all. Perhaps the paper work…”
She met eyes with Cooper over his shoulder, and shook her head.
“It’s ok, James. We can just…leave it.”
He put her down, looking her in the eye.
“I was hoping that you would say that.”
“Yeah…I guess I was kind of hoping you would refuse.” A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. “I like being married to you.”
“I’ve enjoyed it far more than I realized,” he replied. “And I don’t wish it to end.”
“Maybe…it doesn’t have to,” she took his hands. “Just um…when I break all your vampire rules, maybe give me a free pass before you rip my throat out, hmm?”
“Carmen,” he touched her cheek, delicately. “You saved my brother’s life. You gave up the one thing that gave you power, and you put your life in our hands, where it will always remain. When you finally cross the threshold to immortality, I will never lay a finger on you, ever. And any vampire who does will suffer pain of death, under my rule.”
“James…” This was the second time he was willing to change the rules, to compromise his kingdom for her. His eyes shone with love, she could see that now, and she gave him another hug. “I love you.”
His voice was in her ear.
“I love you too, Carmen.”
He hadn’t said those words for over a millennium, and as much as they tore at his heart, they also helped to heal it. The precious human he had loved long ago was gone, and this redheaded fiery princess stood in her place. He had swore to himself that he would never love again, but love knew no bounds. You didn’t choose who you loved, nor did you choose when and where it happened.
“And I would like to be with you, and only you, forever,” he continued. And Vampires certainly knew the meaning for forever.
“Me too,” she whispered.
And Carmen, this wild-eyed beauty, who staring up at him and declaring she would give it all up for him.
It wouldn’t be easy, they were supposed to be natural enemies, and they judgement upon them, within their kingdoms would be harsh, they both knew that. But James knew that whatever was to come, he’d be willing to face it for her.
&n
bsp; He followed her up the stairs, saying nothing, and leaving his brothers in awe as they reached the bedroom, closing the door at last, and sinking onto the bed. He pulled a ring off his finger that had been there for centuries, since his father put it there.
“I want you to have this, my love,” he said softly. “Each of us brothers have one, and they are famous. Any vampire who crosses your path will recognise that you are under my protection, and they will answer to me should any harm come to you.”
“Like a wedding ring?” she asked, and he smiled, brushing back her hair and kissing her on the forehead.
“It’s about time that you had one, don’t you think?”
She slipped it on her finger and squeezed. It was a bit too big, but it didn’t matter. The lavender coloured jewel sparkled in the sunlight, and she held her hand up, examining it.
“Thank you.”
“Thank you,” he said, wrapping his arms around her again. “For saving my family. For doing everything you could for Cooper. And for me.”
“Thank you for saving me, all those years ago.” She felt sleep taking her and she settled down into the arms of the man she loved, confidant that he would still be there in the morning when she awoke. The man she loved. She liked that idea.
Carmen pulled her hair into a bun at the top of her head, and then threaded her thin arms through a sweater before exiting the bed room. Despite the fact that no one said anything about it, when she stayed over at the Blacks, she covered up. This was a family from another time, a time when women were about modesty, and even if she had slept in James’s bed the night before, she still kept her image intact. Such times had changed from her dance days, but she found she didn’t mind.
James, her ever honourable love, was already awake and dressed, his suit jacket thrown over a chair as he tied his tie. Cooper, was attempting to show his older brother how his cell phone worked, although Carmen could see the lesson was going nowhere. Nathaniel was flipping through papers, a steaming cup of coffee in front of him. Carmen smiled, crossing the floor to steal one.
Binded (The SHIELD Series) Page 3
