“I see,” I say calmly. “And did she feed from you?”
Watching me closely, he replies, “Yes.” His eyes flick to Constantine and back to mine as he adds, “I know how much that pisses you off.”
Oh, a shit storm is brewing now as I feel the flare of anger go up in CK.
“You told him? That is our business, Aefre,” he snaps at me.
Casting a ‘look what you’ve done now’ glare at Devon, I turn to CK. “He asked me in Monte Carlo. He wanted to know why I left you, so I told him.”
Oh, crap, that was the wrong thing to s
ay. His eyes go to two hard flints that pierce mine.
“You told him before you discussed it with me?”
I have to smile inwardly at the 'discussed' part of that question but have the good sense to keep it off my face. I hope.
“He asked. I wasn’t going to lie.” I look back at Cole, who is looking mighty pleased with himself for causing discord between us. So, no support there then.
“And I suppose you told him about the other time as well?” he snarls at me.
“I didn’t know what happened the other time – as you call it. Remember? All I knew was you left. But you made a colossal fuck up!” My temper getting the best of me, I start yelling now.
“So did you!” he yells back much to my surprise. He, in fact, has done more yelling these last couple of weeks than he has - ever.
“If I may interject,” Devon stands up to join in this heated conversation, “I wouldn’t be standing here right now if he didn’t leave you, Liv.”
Ouch.
Constantine turns to him with a sneer. “Like she said, I made a colossal fuck up,” he throws the insult at Devon, who takes the hit. Badly.
Devon growls at him and moves forward to stand in front of him. “You left her, and she found me. Fell in love with me and turned me so we could be together forever. I have been by her side for five hundred and six years, with the exception of what, fifty? We work together, we live together, up until a few weeks ago, we spent every minute together, every night in her bed. I took care of her. Took care of all of her needs. Sustained her for months at a time when she refused human blood. Can you say the same? No. You left her on the other side of the world, visiting only when you saw fit. You don’t get to come here and dismiss what we have.”
I am staring at Devon in utter amazement at this impassioned speech, while Constantine looks like he is about to rip his head off.
“I had my reasons for staying away. She knows what they are,” CK says quietly.
“I don’t particularly care what your reasons were. You have no idea what she feels when you aren’t there.”
“And you do? You think you know what she feels for me? You have no idea. You cannot even comprehend the strength of our bond.” Constantine steps forward and now they are glaring at each other from inches away.
“I do know!” Devon yells at him. “I do know because what she feels for you, is exactly what I feel for her. But you wouldn’t know what that is.”
“Oh, the charge-to-sire bond thing again,” he scoffs, and it gets my back up as he once again dismisses our feelings.
“You don’t get to dismiss it,” Devon says again. “You can sit there on your all-powerful, I am a creator of a race, high horse all you like, but you will not ever dismiss me again,” he says forcefully.
I am so proud; I’m beaming at him.
“Talk about a God complex,” Devon mutters as Constantine just stares at him as if he has lost his mind. Which he probably has, to be even thinking of talking to my sire that way. People have lost their heads for less.
I gulp.
“You are right to be afraid for him, Aefre,” he says to me, but not taking his eyes off Devon’s furious blue ones. “Insolence will not be tolerated.”
“Constantine,” I bark at him. “Just stop this at once. Both of you. It’s this kind of dissension that is not acceptable. We will not turn on each other! Do you understand?” I shout at them. They ignore me. “Do you understand me?” I shout louder this time and bang my fist on the table to emphasize my authority. “Don’t make me call forth my trusty friend to split you two up,” I threaten menacingly, and finally they step back from each other, relaxing a tiny bit but still glowering at each other. Christ, it’s like Versailles all over again.
Turning my attention back to Cole, who has been silently watching this scene play out, looks somewhat smug.