“May 1067. After we got back to Italy from William’s Coronation in England,” I say shortly.
Constantine turns slowly back around to face me. His expression unreadable. “1067? When he came to Castellum Aquapontanus?” he asks, using the old Latin name for Castello Ponte Sull’acqua in Tuscany. “When I left you there to go to Rome and came back to find him visiting? He was hurting you while I wasn’t there?” His disbelief is evident as he retells the events.
I nod reluctantly.
“Why did you not tell me?” He looks pained and it clenches around my heart.
“Because I knew that this would happen.” I point to his face. “I can’t bear the thought of causing you pain.”
He chokes back a sad laugh. “Oh, my sweet Aefre. It is I who cannot bear to see you in pain.” He pulls me into a too-tight hug, but I don’t care. He whispers softly, “I will see him dead for this. There is a way and I will find it. I promise you.” I cling to him, the tears now falling freely. I hear Devon say to Cole to leave us be for a while and they go. Cole is silent, in shock at everything that has just transpired, and Devon is worried about whether I will let him see the sunrise. Well, actually I don’t know if that is what he is thinking, but he fucking well should be. The turncoat, I think viciously.
Constantine leads me to the couch and sits me down next to him. “How many times?” he asks as if not really wanting to know.
“About half a dozen.”
He closes his eyes and says, “You should have told me the minute I got back.”
I shake my head. “I couldn’t. I knew it would hurt you that you hadn’t protected me in the first place, and I was worried about the repercussions of accusing an Initial Vampire. I was still so new; our bond wasn’t strong enough for you to sense my fear. He knew that and he probably also knew I wouldn’t tell you. It stopped before you even got back as he got bored when I didn’t give him what he wanted.”
He tenses. “And what was that?”
“My willingness at first and when that didn’t happen, my fear.” I shrug. “I was used to enduring such acts from my husband. From Radulf,” I amend, not wanting Fraser and Cole categorized the same as that monster.
“I killed him for you. And I will do it again,” he growls.
“It’s not necessary, my love. It was over nine hundred years ago. I’m over it. I was over it the second he left the castle and you took me to your bed. I didn’t see him again for centuries, and I’ve been hurt worse since then.”
His eyes snap to mine and harden. “You were too merciful then as well, my sweet. The thing I love the most about you, is also the thing that frustrates me the most.” He sulks and I giggle at my bloodthirsty savior. “Don’t ever keep anything from me, Aefre. Do you understand? I am your sire. I am not yours to protect, but you are mine to protect and I will do that. Always and Forever.”
I smile at his words. “I understand,” I say.
“Don’t be too hard on your boy. He was only doing for you what you were doing for me. As misguided as you charges seem to be, his heart was in the right place,” he mutters.
I chuckle at his patronizing ‘you charges’ comment. “I love you,” I whisper.
“I love you. I will go now and let you deal with your fall out. I won’t say anything to Gregor.” He spits the word out. “I want him defenseless. If you let your boy live, tell him to keep his mouth shut this time.” He smiles so I know he’s joking about the letting him live part.
“Done,” I say, and with a last smile at him, he Teleports out.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
I slowly walk to the bar to get a Scotch, doing it the old-fashioned way to buy myself some time. I sense him before I see him, hovering in the doorway.
“Et tu, Brute?” I say sardonically, not turning around.
He stifles a snicker at my Caesar quote. “Should I get you a stake to sharpen or do I get a reprieve?” he asks, half joking.
I turn slowly and say, “I haven’t decided yet.”
He looks mildly alarmed as he says, “In my defense, you never said it was a secret.”
“Do you really think that Constantine would allow him within a thousand miles of me if he knew?” I ask.
He ponders that and sighs. “No, I guess not. I’m sorry, but once it was half out, he wouldn’t have let it go.”
I sag my shoulders. “Next time just keep it to yourself. And keep it to yourself now. CK doesn’t want Gregor to know he knows, yet.”
He nods. “He’s really going to try and find a way to kill him?”