The Ties that Bind (The Forever series, Book Five) by Eve Newton

all he says.
    I nod and my phone goes off. It’s Cole. Finally.
    He nods back and heads back towards the elevators. I say to
Cole, “Hey, baby.”
    “Hey, what’s going on? Are you okay?” he asks in a rush.
    “I’m fine….”
    “Thank god. I got this blunt message from Constantine and it
freaked me out. I have only just picked it up to ring you,” he interrupts me.
    “What did he say?” I ask, curious in spite of the pressing
news.
    “He said, and I quote, ‘There is news, ring your sire.’ And
he hung up.”
    I grimace at his lack of tact. CK’s, not Cole’s. Ring your
sire indeed. He is so far in denial he might as well be in Egypt.
    “Cole, we have had a bit of a situation. Just let me get
this out without interruption, okay?”
    “Okay,” he says, now warily.
    “Jess tried to kill herself so Devon was forced to sire her
to save her. He couldn’t let her die.”
    “Oh. Shit. She tried to kill herself? Man, that’s just…why
would she do that?”
    “Because she wanted Devon to sire her and he refused. She
forced his hand.”
    “Whoa. I knew she wanted to but that’s just intense. How’s
he doing?”
    “Not good. He doesn’t want this. But there’s more.”
    “More? That doesn’t sound good.”
    “I told him that I would take responsibility for her. He
will stick around but I will teach her.”
    “Oh? Why would you do that? It’s not your responsibility.
It’s his,” Cole says.
    “It isn’t if he doesn’t want it. I will take the burden from
him.”
    “Liv. You have too much going on already,” he complains.
“This is too much.”
    “I know, baby,” I say softly. “But I am not going to let
Devon deal with this on his own. Not when it is partly my fault.”
    “Your fault? Why is it your fault?” he asks, worried.
    “The building is behind wards. Xane has them set up to stop
spells from being used in the casino. That means all magick is set to fail.
Even siring. I, however, am once again immune due to my Queen status and as he
drank from me, a lot. Corinne said that it elevated his own status and the
wards ignored him.”
    “He drank from you, a lot?” he asks. “What is that supposed
to mean?”
    “It means a lot, okay? More than normal. Point is, if it
weren’t for me, it would have failed.”
    “But then she’d be dead!”
    “Exactly.”
    “Liv!” he says, scandalized. “What are you saying? You’d
rather she be dead than turned?”
    “I can’t say the thought hasn’t crossed my mind,” I snap at
him. Everyone is always so judgy. “Remember when I told you about the correct
way of doing things? Like we did? And how perfect you were when you woke up?”
    I can sense his glow down the phone at my words. “Yes.”
    “Well this is the exact opposite of that. It was attempted
suicide, Cole. It couldn’t be worse if we had planned it. She will wake up a
monster and Devon is not prepared to deal with it.”
    “A monster? Is that not a little harsh?” he chides me.
    “No, Cole. You don’t understand. Bad intent makes a difference,
coupled with the fact that she will be a Lesser Immortal. She will be nothing
like you.”
    “I see,” he says. “It’s going to be that bad? I suppose this
means then that you won’t be coming with me to Miami,” he adds sadly.
    “Oh baby, no, we’re still going, all of us. To Europe as
well. I am not sacrificing being with you to play keeper to some silly little
girl who thinks this is all a game. I can assure you of that,” I say firmly.
    “Good,” he says, relieved. “I was worried there for a
minute.”
    “Don’t be. I love you. I miss you. I can’t wait for all of
this to be over and we can be together again. All the time. You are not working
again after this. I forbid it,” I order him with a smile.
    He chuckles, “Yes ma’am. I had already thought that I would
retire after this. I am no longer interested in being in the Industry. And I
think that it is probably best to shy away from the public eye. I have