Chapter Eleven



“I need a shower,” Shilah announced the moment she got out of the car at her parents’ estate.  She headed for the door.  When Leonidas did not follow she backtracked to where he stood at the front entrance with her father, mother and Octavian.

“You coming?”  She asked.

He looked at her with a glare.  Clearly this was not the way he wanted to announce their bonding to her father.  Maybe he was right.  She didn’t want to throw it in her father’s face.  But she also wasn’t going to hide it.

She walked over to him and took his hand before turning her attention to Constantine.  “Father, mother, I have bonded with Leonidas.”

Surprise registered on Constantine’s face, followed by a scowl.   Resa showed no surprise.  She stepped forward, hugged Shilah then offered Leonidas her hand.  “Congratulations.”

“That’s it?”  Shilah asked.

Resa shrugged. “It’s done.  What would you have us say?”

“That you approve,”  Shilah directed her comment to her father.

For a moment she thought her father was going to light into her.  The scowl on his face did not bode well for welcoming Leonidas into their family.   But Resa stepped over to him and placed her hand on his arm.  They exchanged a long look.

Constantine stepped forward to face Leonidas.  “I am understandably surprised.  I was not aware you’d elected to court my daughter.”

“I hadn’t.”  Leonidas replied.

Resa’s chuckle had everyone looking at her.  She smiled at them, her gaze settling on Constantine.  “If anyone can understand a surprise bonding it is us.”

“Yes, that is so.”  Constantine agreed and turned to Shilah.  “There was no force?”

“Well, I did kind of spring it on him,”   she replied and quickly added, “I wanted it, Father.  He didn’t initiate it.  I did.”

Constantine looked at her for a long time then gathered her to him.  “Then I wish you a long and happy life, my child.”

“Thanks,”  she returned the hug then stepped back to take Leonidas’s hand.

“We are family,”  Constantine proclaimed and offered Leonidas his hand.

“To the death,”  Leonidas vowed.

“To the shower!”  Shilah exclaimed to break the formality of the moment.

Constantine chuckled and gestured them away.  “Go.  We will convene in my study when you have finished.”

Shilah nodded and tugged on Leonidas’ hand to get him moving.  She led him to her suite and started peeling off her dirty clothes.  He took hold of her arm and turned her to face him.  “You did not have to take responsibility for our bonding.”

“I only told the truth.  I did initiate it, Leo.  Because I wanted it.  I wanted you. And it’s fine.  You heard him.  We’re family.”

He nodded and pulled her to him, claiming her lips.  She met his passion with equal measure of her own, but was the one to pull back from the kiss.  “Shower.”

“Shower sex.”  He countered.

“Now you’re talking.”  She grinned and headed for the bathroom, leaving a trail of dirty clothes in her wake.