takes you. No one says you have to be celibate while looking for your bondmate, and if Amanda is one you want, you see if she’s agreeable.”
“And if she is my bondmate?” Because that might actually be worse. As much as he longed for a bond like the one Robin had with Michaela, or Leo with Ruby, he also feared it. Titannia would kill her without a second thought just to punish Raven. “How do I keep her safe?”
Aileen’s expression softened. “You do the best you can to see to it that no harm comes to her. You do what Robin has done, and Oberon, and all those with a bondmate. You love them, you protect them, you cherish them and you live with them.”
Live with them? “I don’t understand.”
“A truebond is your deepest strength and your greatest weakness. If anything happened to Sean…” Her face fell for a moment, but then her chin firmed. Raven saw the quiet strength Leo had, the stubborn determination of Moira and Shane’s need to protect all wrapped up in the tiny Sidhe female. “Nothing will happen to Sean, not while I’m alive to stop it.”
The ring of Sidhe magic was in her words, a vow to protect her bondmate no matter the cost.
“Aileen.” Raven glanced toward the entryway to the dining room and saw Sean Dunne standing there, his eyes glued to Aileen. The smile on the man’s lips was tight. “Time for bed, love.”
Aileen stood serenely and placed her cup in the sink. “Of course, Sean.”
Meek and mild, Aileen allowed her husband to take her hand and lead her from the room. “Good night, Raven. Think about what we talked about, all right?”
“I will. Good night, Aileen. Good night, Sean.” Raven sat back, wondering how Sean would take his bondmate’s vow. If Amanda had done something like that, placed herself in the position to hurt herself just to save him, he’d…
He’d…
Well, shit. He’d freak the fuck out. Just the thought that Amanda could be hurt because of him made the breath leave his lungs. Spots formed in front of his eyes, his claws coming out to defend the female he wanted for his own.
Air swirled around him, black down filling the space as Raven fought his instincts to go to Amanda, claim her and let the gods sort it all out. No. If Amanda, as he truly suspected, was his bondmate—no, his truebond—then steps needed to be taken to ensure that she remained safe and sound.
The first would be eliminating those who would use her against him, starting with Sayyid. His half brother would have no problem using a truebond to harm Raven. In fact, Sayyid would more than likely enjoy torturing someone Raven cared about, if only to pay him back for betraying Titannia. It wouldn’t matter that Amanda was innocent, or a human. Sayyid would treat her the same way he would any enemy of his queen.
Raven would just have to kill him before he even found out about Amanda. Nothing would harm a hair on her pretty blonde head.
She might not be aware of it now, but she’d just acquired the most badass bodyguard in the entire fae world. And when he finally claimed her as his own, he’d make damn sure she was so safe she couldn’t even get a damn paper cut.
The down settled, dissipating as Raven calmed. The air stopped swirling around him, settling back into the room like a familiar blanket.
There was no longer any doubt in his mind. Amanda Pierson was his, and woe to he who tried to take her from him.
Chapter Five
Matthew Exton was a hoot. The way he glared at Robin and kept an eye on both Melissa and Michaela was adorable. He had huge muscles and a voice so deep it rumbled. When the Exton family had arrived, he’d been first at the front door, introducing himself and demanding to see Michaela. His brown eyes had been filled with distrust, and his stance had been firm and unyielding. The man wanted to make sure his baby sister was fine and wasn’t taking no for an answer.
Martin and Melissa Exton had stood behind their huge brother, rolling their eyes and making
“And if she is my bondmate?” Because that might actually be worse. As much as he longed for a bond like the one Robin had with Michaela, or Leo with Ruby, he also feared it. Titannia would kill her without a second thought just to punish Raven. “How do I keep her safe?”
Aileen’s expression softened. “You do the best you can to see to it that no harm comes to her. You do what Robin has done, and Oberon, and all those with a bondmate. You love them, you protect them, you cherish them and you live with them.”
Live with them? “I don’t understand.”
“A truebond is your deepest strength and your greatest weakness. If anything happened to Sean…” Her face fell for a moment, but then her chin firmed. Raven saw the quiet strength Leo had, the stubborn determination of Moira and Shane’s need to protect all wrapped up in the tiny Sidhe female. “Nothing will happen to Sean, not while I’m alive to stop it.”
The ring of Sidhe magic was in her words, a vow to protect her bondmate no matter the cost.
“Aileen.” Raven glanced toward the entryway to the dining room and saw Sean Dunne standing there, his eyes glued to Aileen. The smile on the man’s lips was tight. “Time for bed, love.”
Aileen stood serenely and placed her cup in the sink. “Of course, Sean.”
Meek and mild, Aileen allowed her husband to take her hand and lead her from the room. “Good night, Raven. Think about what we talked about, all right?”
“I will. Good night, Aileen. Good night, Sean.” Raven sat back, wondering how Sean would take his bondmate’s vow. If Amanda had done something like that, placed herself in the position to hurt herself just to save him, he’d…
He’d…
Well, shit. He’d freak the fuck out. Just the thought that Amanda could be hurt because of him made the breath leave his lungs. Spots formed in front of his eyes, his claws coming out to defend the female he wanted for his own.
Air swirled around him, black down filling the space as Raven fought his instincts to go to Amanda, claim her and let the gods sort it all out. No. If Amanda, as he truly suspected, was his bondmate—no, his truebond—then steps needed to be taken to ensure that she remained safe and sound.
The first would be eliminating those who would use her against him, starting with Sayyid. His half brother would have no problem using a truebond to harm Raven. In fact, Sayyid would more than likely enjoy torturing someone Raven cared about, if only to pay him back for betraying Titannia. It wouldn’t matter that Amanda was innocent, or a human. Sayyid would treat her the same way he would any enemy of his queen.
Raven would just have to kill him before he even found out about Amanda. Nothing would harm a hair on her pretty blonde head.
She might not be aware of it now, but she’d just acquired the most badass bodyguard in the entire fae world. And when he finally claimed her as his own, he’d make damn sure she was so safe she couldn’t even get a damn paper cut.
The down settled, dissipating as Raven calmed. The air stopped swirling around him, settling back into the room like a familiar blanket.
There was no longer any doubt in his mind. Amanda Pierson was his, and woe to he who tried to take her from him.
Chapter Five
Matthew Exton was a hoot. The way he glared at Robin and kept an eye on both Melissa and Michaela was adorable. He had huge muscles and a voice so deep it rumbled. When the Exton family had arrived, he’d been first at the front door, introducing himself and demanding to see Michaela. His brown eyes had been filled with distrust, and his stance had been firm and unyielding. The man wanted to make sure his baby sister was fine and wasn’t taking no for an answer.
Martin and Melissa Exton had stood behind their huge brother, rolling their eyes and making
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