If I were going to have any hope of protecting Reaper from the Republic, I’d need my team behind me. If that meant playing nice with Thien, then so be it. It’s not really that hard. With his sparks growing inside me, preparing themselves for when the Virtue’s would come and retrieve them, I felt closer to Thien than I ever have. As we make our way through my new home at Blood Harbor, I slip into my bedroom chambers and have Reaper wait in the bathroom while I summon my team.
Willow was the first to show up and Thien was the last. They all stared at me wondering why I asked them to meet me here. Thien on the other hand seems more interested in the texts on his phone than his is in me or whatever I’m about to say. I was used to him ignoring me now. Just because I felt closer to him, didn’t necessarily mean he felt close to me.
“I know you’re all wondering why I brought you here so I figured I’d show you rather than tell you,” I announced. I walk over to the bathroom door and open it. When Reaper comes walking out they all take a step back. Everyone except Thien. He looks more pissed off than afraid.
“What the hell? Did you go see Noah? How did he get here?” Thien fires off a round of questions.
Not wanting to upset Reaper, I hold up my hand to ask Thien to give me a second. Then I hand Reaper my phone and some headphones so he can play music while we talk. When I was sure he couldn’t hear us, I turned my attention back to Thien.
“Yes I went to see Noah. He called me and told me he wanted me to take Reaper so I went to see him and I brought Reaper back here. I want to turn him over to the Republic, but I want to convince them to teach him…not try to kill him. And I’ll need you all by my side in order to do it.”
“You went to see Noah without talking to me first?”
“It was about my son. Since when do I need your permission for that?”
“Since you became my consort Aria. These one woman crusades you go on must stop.”
“It wasn’t a crusade. I went to talk to Noah about OUR son.”
“Everyone leave…NOW.” Thien ordered, “and take Reaper with you but keep him out of sight.”
I handed Reaper over to Willow and waited for everyone to leave before turning my attention to Thien, “What is your deal?”
“Let me be clear about something. As my consort you will do as I say and when I say it. I don’t want you talking to or going to see Noah unless I know about it and we both agree. I mean it Aria. You had no right to go out there without talking to me first,” He lit into me.
“Are you really pulling the consort card on me? You barely look at me, let along want to be in the same room with me. I’d hardly call what we even have a relationship beyond the two sparks growing inside me. You don’t get to-”
“I get to do whatever the hell I damn well please and its your job to listen.”
“We’re not even together!”
“It doesn’t matter! As long as you’re bound to me, and as long as you’re carrying my sparks, you will do as I say. Noah may be in love with you, but he’s not in love with my children. He could have killed them if he wanted to. From now on, in your condition you’re not to leave this building.”
Who is this crazy person and what did he do with Thien…?
“I’m first in command for the House of Muerte. I have to go where commanded.”
“Then my first plan of action will be to get you benched until our sparks are retrieved.”
“Thien-”
“I will help you with Reaper, but if you disobey me, I will make sure there’s nothing left of him but fading memories.”
“Don’t threaten my son.”
“I don’t make threats, I make promises. I may be your second in command in combat, but in life…you are mine to do with as I wish. Remember that.”
Thien has never outright threatened me before. He’s never taken this tone or this approach with me. The part that scares me is he’s right. I’m his to do whatever he wants with and there’s nothing I can do about it. Things with him can either be really difficult or really easy, depending on how well I play my cards.
“You’re jealous,” I quickly realize.
“No, I’m done acting like you having this unhealthy relationship with him is normal. It’s not. Neither is the two of you having a child together Aria. That road doesn’t end in a fairytale, it just ends.”
“At least he wants a relationship with me and he reciprocates my feelings,” I huff, “All I get from you is contempt.”
“We’ve already been over this Aria.”
“Have we? Last I checked, you thanked me for giving you heirs and then you decided not to love me anymore.” I swallow hard. “I accepted that and I didn’t pressure you, but I still care about you.”
“I’m not talking about this!” Thien loses it, “We’re done! Okay! Done!”
I grimace at his words and rub my stomach. How can he be so cold and cruel to me? He doesn’t care about my feelings or the messed up things he says to me.
“We’re about to be parents Thien. We should be trying to create a loving atmosphere for our children to come home to, not this.” I try reasoning with him.
“I don’t want to love you! The shit hurts!”
“I’m sorry! Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do it. I just want to be with you.”
“Yeah, well that makes one of us,” he scoffs, “And what I’d like for you to do is stay out of my life, okay. I mean…I know our situation makes it a little impossible for us to walk away completely, but as far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing left between us.”
I can feel his children inside me and there’s this overwhelming need to be near him, but he doesn’t want to be with me anymore. Where I’m madly in love with him, falling harder for him every day that I feel our sparks inside me…he’s intent on destroying what’s left of my heart.
“I don’t know how to stop loving you,” I confide, “as a matter of fact, the more our sparks grow…the more I want to be near you. I don’t want to lose you.”
“Yeah well, you already have. Once our children arrive I’ll be moving into my own room. You’ll have plenty of time to get over me then.”
Now that he has his heirs, he’s back to being a hurtful prick. I have no doubt he plans on avoiding me as much as he can and I dread the day they come to retrieve my sparks. I’m at his mercy and never once did I imagine being at his mercy feeling so painful.
Tears form in my eyes, but I quickly wipe them away. “I love you too,” I sigh, “and you should know…Gavin has figured out how to activate the first weapon. He and Noah are working together. They’re going after Asher.”
“What? And you’re just now telling me?”
Shaking his head, Thien leaves the room in a hurry. He went to his father who went to the Republic, and they sent Thien and the others down to earth to protect Asher from Noah and Gavin. I was forced to stay behind.
A man of his word, Thien convinced the Republic to hear me out about Reaper and quite naturally they were alarmed to find out he was right under their noses. I convinced them by showing how obedient Reaper is that he could be molded and his abilities could be used to help…not harm. In the end they agreed but they housed him in a special wing in Blood Harbor where I was only allowed an hour visit per day. That too was Thien’s recommendation.
He and the Republic were worried about Reaper becoming jealous of his siblings who would be received in the Legion far better than he ever would. If he became jealous, he might kill them and as Thien’s heirs, they’re safety took priority over my need to see Reaper.
Thien was made interim General and they took Asher to a safe house while the Royal army hunted Gavin and Noah. I gave them the last location he summoned me to, but by the time the army got there the place was empty.
It took the virtues an entire month to show up and retrieve my sparks. Thien was summoned and he came running to my side. Foolishly I thought maybe his excitement was for me, but once the virtues disappeared with our sparks, so did he.
ns 15.158.61.11da2
