Chapter Eleven
Chapter 11 ~Cabin off of Cumberland Lake~ When Tony and Jethro arrived at the lake Tony looked around and then said, “This reminds me of that little cabin that we lived in during the civil war. Do you remember that place?”
Jethro smiled. “I remember it very well; the cabin on this property is a copy of that one. I had it built when I purchased the land. It just felt so right; and it brought back so many pleasant memories.” Jethro stated softly.
Tony looked at Jethro. “I know what you mean.” He then said. “Lee, each of us deals with the things that happen in our lives differently. You have always buried your pain and tried to forget about it but in the end it always comes out and together we deal with it. I write down what I’m feeling in my poetry and other times I yell, scream, or take my anger out on you.” Tony stated, “However we will always be together no matter what happens in the end.”
“Tony, do you remember the day that we bonded?” Jethro asked softly.
“Yes, it’s a day that I’ll never forget, February 18, 1650, a few years after we’d met in Paris. I was living with you renting the spare room that you had. The day we bonded Arimus had injured you and you were dying.” Tony replied thinking back to the horror of that day, the day he had nearly lost his beloved mate.
~Paris: February 18, 1650~ Antonio looked at Lee and said, “For many years I have searched for my mate, I never expected to find him in the middle of Paris but I can’t lose you. I’ll do whatever it takes to save you. I belong with you; your soul pulls at mine.”
“I don’t understand what you’re saying, however, I cannot deny that during the time that you’ve lived with my son and I, I have come to care a great deal for you.” Lee replied. Knowing that the injury that he’d received was mortal he looked at Antonio and said. “My feelings for you are eternal but I will not survive this wound and would ask that you look after my son, Timothy, for me after I pass on.”
After listening to what Lee had to say Antonio said, “We’ll look after him together, my love. I’m a vampire and with your permission I’d like to turn you for within you I’ve discovered my soul mate.”
“I’ll gladly allow you to turn me. I’d rather live for all eternity with you and see my son live as a grown man. It’s good to know love than to never have known it at all.” Lee stated, shocked that Antonio was a vampire and that they were mates.
Antonio smiled. “Yes, my beloved, that’s very true…”
~Present Day~ Coming back to the present Tony replied, “The thing I remember most about that night was looking at you after you’d given me your consent to turn you. You looked at me with those beautiful blue eyes and said
‘I love you.’ then you passed out. While I was draining your body of blood you came to which helped because I needed you to drink from me to complete the bond. You were in some pain due to your body’s transition and your eyes had become an Ice Blue, and they were so full of passion. The sight of you held me speechless for a few minutes. I honestly expected you to regret your decision once you were turned and realized fully what was going on.”
Jethro laughed softly, hugging Tony close. “I remember it a bit differently. I watched, as a pair of green eyes became a bright Emerald Green sparkling in the light of the moon as I told you to turn me. The beauty I saw there was enough to let me know that I would never be alone again. As you held me there after it was over, under the full moon I finally felt whole, complete.”
Tony looked down and sighed shaking his head slowly.
“Tony, please tell me what’s wrong?” Jethro begged softly, worried about Tony.
“Do you remember the poem that I told you the day we bonded?” Tony asked quietly.
“No, I don’t. Why don’t you remind me of it.” Jethro replied softly, wanting Tony to talk to him.
Tony looked at Lee and could feel his concern as he told him the poem.
Jethro nodded. “I remember now you told me that after we had bonded because you were afraid of losing me if I should end up getting captured but why would you be thinking about it right now? I’m not going anywhere, Love.” Jethro stated confidently.
Tony looked at him then sighed. “Lee, I feel like I’m losing you to our job. It sure didn’t seem to bother you to leave me out of the loop when you went undercover and pretended to die.” Tony paused closing his eyes then continued. “Do you have any idea what that did to me when I saw you get shot? No one warned me, I wasn’t prepared; it was like I was in Paris again! Lee, I panicked, my mate had been shot and that was all I knew. It hurt, Lee. Do you even realize that it’s been three months since our anniversary? Lee, I’m lonely.” Tony whispered with tears in his eyes.
Jethro pulled Tony into his arms and held him as he cried understanding just maybe what they needed to strengthening of their bond. “Antonio, my love?” Jethro whispered. “Would you like to reconfirm our bond here at our cabin and strengthen the connection between us as well? My feelings for you have not diminished only grown stronger and I’m sorry if I haven’t been paying attention to you. However, I didn’t forget our anniversary I have something for you and I brought it with us.”
Tony looked quietly at Jethro then answered, “I would love to reconfirm our bond and strengthen the connection between us as well. I also have something for you for our anniversary and I brought it with us also.”
Jethro smiled then said, “We’ll exchange them later. However right now I’ve got something you might be happy to have back.” He then got up and went into the bedroom returning with Tony’s dagger.
“Lee, where did you find it?” Tony asked stunned it was the dagger his parents had given him when he’d turned 18, he’d lost it 6 months ago on a case.
“The day it went missing I started looking for it; I located it in a pawn shop and repurchased it. Yes, Tony it’s your dagger, your initials are engraved on the handle.” Jethro stated gently as he knelt before Tony. “Would you reaffirm our bond my love?” He asked as he offered his throat to Tony.
Tony smiled looking down at Jethro and then said. “May the remixing of our blood strengthen the bond we have and allow our love to continue its growth.” Tony leaned down, gently sinking his fangs into Jethro’s throat and tasting the heady mixture of his mate’s blood. He pulled away gently, licking the wounds and pressing a kiss to Jethro’s throat.
Jethro looked at him then softly said. “Through the remixing of our blood may what was once unified be reunified and grow stronger.” Tony smiled and closed his eyes in pleasure as Jethro leaned up and bit his throat. It was a warm rush of love and
Jethro that greeted the renewal of their bond.
Tony nodded. “Yes, we are. Walk with me to the lake, Lee?” Tony asked, wanting to be near the water and to walk hand and hand with his mate..
“Let’s do that.” Jethro responded quietly, willing to do what Tony wanted.
~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~ When they returned from the lake they each went to get the gifts that they had gotten for one another, meeting in the living room to exchange them.
Tony held out his gift to Jethro and said, “This is for you, I hope that you like it.”
Jethro opened the gift and was surprised by what he found. He was looking at a beautifully hand-carved cherry wood picture frame that contained a picture of him and Tony horsing around down by the lake at Haven. “Antonio, this is beautiful, where did you get the picture?”
“My father gave me the picture.” Tony replied quietly.
“Thank you for the picture. I love it. This is for you.” Jethro said somewhat shyly holding out his gift for Tony.
When Tony opened his gift from Lee he knew that it had been custom made; it was a white gold ring with sapphires around the center. “Lee, this is beautiful, the sapphires represent your eyes perfectly. Would you put it on me?” Tony asked, touched and elated by the gift.
“I would be honored, Antonio.” Jethro responded feeling how happy the gift made Tony, and he picked up the ring gently putting it on Tony’s hand. “I love you.” Jethro whispered gently kissing Tony.
“I love you also, Lee.” Tony said as they became lost in one another and their bond.
TBC in Part 2
