Read Online Bound by Revenge (Guardian Series) by Jennifer Thibeault - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jennifer Thibeault
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me.” Bradley motioned for Alex to examine Vance’s tattoo. Instead of the dagger that pointed down towards Vance’s back, the formerly bad-ass tattoo that marked Vance as a demon was now flanked by the same wings that adorned Sam’s neck.
“This is the mark of the union of both sides. We work together from here on out. Loyal to neither angel nor demon. Only to ourselves. We are the ones who decide how to ensure human safety. Answering only to each other.” Bradley stood tall next to his daughter and looked down into her wide-open eyes.
“So, now, it’s your choice. I won’t make you join us if that’s not what you want to do.” His normally steady voice cracked as a rare stream of emotion broke through the surface.
“Either way, no one outside the family can know what we are or anything at all about the world we live in. And I don’t want your little brother to know about any of this until he graduates.” He turned away to walk over to Alex.
“How do you expect us to keep this from Tom? He’ll find out. That kid’ll sniff out anything strange, I assure you.” He asked his father.
“Well, he’s never noticed anything about me. And I know Abby can keep her mouth shut. So that leaves you. You’re going to have to find a way to keep him from finding out. Avoid him for a little while, if that’s what it’ll take.” He squinted his eyes and stared Alex down. Alex dug his elbows into the arms of his chair.
“Hey, you can trust me, you know that.” He forced an awkward looking smile across his face. “I was just thinking he might like it. He’d probably want in on it, too.”
“Since he just turned eighteen, he’s technically old enough to turn guardian if he wants. I don’t want him to have the option until he completes his education. It’s already hard enough to keep his attention focused on his school work. He’s always been so damn impulsive. It’ll be impossible to keep him on task if he knows what the future has in store for him.”
Bradley flinched back as if his own words stung.
“I’ll leave you for the evening to think about everything we’ve discussed. You must have no contact with anyone outside this house until I return for your answer. That’s not a suggestion, Alex.” He glared at his son once more. “Keep in mind, you have no idea who’s really on your side.”
Bradley quickly rearranged the paperwork on the table, stacking it in three piles with a picture on the top of each. “Read through these papers. Meet your enemies. I’ll see you in the AM.” Bradley turned to leave then abruptly spun back around. “And, Alex, you might want to grab your friend a new shirt. His display was effective, I have to admit, but Sam will have an easier time focusing if you get him dressed again.”
Sam’s breath caught in her throat and her jaw dropped open. Alex bounded up the stairs to grab a replacement shirt and when he returned everyone remained perfectly still as if someone had pressed pause. Alex tossed the shirt at Vance. Vance let it fall onto his lap before pulling it on and buttoning it with torturous precision as Sam watched.
As Bradley walked out the front door he actually laughed at the scene.
But as soon as he was gone, Vance and Sam refocused on the task in front of them and rushed to look at the papers that Bradley left on the table. Each one grabbed a stack for themselves.
“We should do this together. We’re supposed to be learning to behave as a team.” Abby’s voice soared above the chaos and grabbed everyone’s attention.
She reached out and took the stacks away from each of them then she took her father’s position at the head of the table. Abby owned the position and she controlled the room with the same ease and authority that Bradley had wielded just a little while before.
Over the course of the night, Abby led the group through discussions as they examined each of the papers her father left for them. These were biographies of the current
“This is the mark of the union of both sides. We work together from here on out. Loyal to neither angel nor demon. Only to ourselves. We are the ones who decide how to ensure human safety. Answering only to each other.” Bradley stood tall next to his daughter and looked down into her wide-open eyes.
“So, now, it’s your choice. I won’t make you join us if that’s not what you want to do.” His normally steady voice cracked as a rare stream of emotion broke through the surface.
“Either way, no one outside the family can know what we are or anything at all about the world we live in. And I don’t want your little brother to know about any of this until he graduates.” He turned away to walk over to Alex.
“How do you expect us to keep this from Tom? He’ll find out. That kid’ll sniff out anything strange, I assure you.” He asked his father.
“Well, he’s never noticed anything about me. And I know Abby can keep her mouth shut. So that leaves you. You’re going to have to find a way to keep him from finding out. Avoid him for a little while, if that’s what it’ll take.” He squinted his eyes and stared Alex down. Alex dug his elbows into the arms of his chair.
“Hey, you can trust me, you know that.” He forced an awkward looking smile across his face. “I was just thinking he might like it. He’d probably want in on it, too.”
“Since he just turned eighteen, he’s technically old enough to turn guardian if he wants. I don’t want him to have the option until he completes his education. It’s already hard enough to keep his attention focused on his school work. He’s always been so damn impulsive. It’ll be impossible to keep him on task if he knows what the future has in store for him.”
Bradley flinched back as if his own words stung.
“I’ll leave you for the evening to think about everything we’ve discussed. You must have no contact with anyone outside this house until I return for your answer. That’s not a suggestion, Alex.” He glared at his son once more. “Keep in mind, you have no idea who’s really on your side.”
Bradley quickly rearranged the paperwork on the table, stacking it in three piles with a picture on the top of each. “Read through these papers. Meet your enemies. I’ll see you in the AM.” Bradley turned to leave then abruptly spun back around. “And, Alex, you might want to grab your friend a new shirt. His display was effective, I have to admit, but Sam will have an easier time focusing if you get him dressed again.”
Sam’s breath caught in her throat and her jaw dropped open. Alex bounded up the stairs to grab a replacement shirt and when he returned everyone remained perfectly still as if someone had pressed pause. Alex tossed the shirt at Vance. Vance let it fall onto his lap before pulling it on and buttoning it with torturous precision as Sam watched.
As Bradley walked out the front door he actually laughed at the scene.
But as soon as he was gone, Vance and Sam refocused on the task in front of them and rushed to look at the papers that Bradley left on the table. Each one grabbed a stack for themselves.
“We should do this together. We’re supposed to be learning to behave as a team.” Abby’s voice soared above the chaos and grabbed everyone’s attention.
She reached out and took the stacks away from each of them then she took her father’s position at the head of the table. Abby owned the position and she controlled the room with the same ease and authority that Bradley had wielded just a little while before.
Over the course of the night, Abby led the group through discussions as they examined each of the papers her father left for them. These were biographies of the current
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