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The bishop’s eyes narrowed and his mouth formed a hard line across his face. “Christian is not Cerberus or Silus,” he growled. “I know what my wife suffered, and I corrected the situation, much like I fixed yours. Do not mention his name again in my house.”
“I’m sorry. You’re right.” She should not have brought up such a fresh and painful subject involving his new mate. She was angry and scared for her son. “But what if Christian’s more like his father than we realized?”
“Your son is a good and honorable male, Adriel. He’s done nothing to make me believe otherwise. If he’s struggling, it’s only because he’s finding his way. There are centuries between him and his mate. Of course, it will take time. He’s adjusting.”
“He hasn’t let her leave the house.”
“Because she tried to run.”
“And why do you think that is?”
“I understand you’re only trying to help and you care for the young female’s well-being, but do you honestly believe your son would harm his mate?”
She recalled the blood on her son’s temple and the way his mate deferred to him so meekly. The young female had markings on her hands that told Adriel she was of a modern time. Her behavior didn’t match her appearance, but the blood covering her son might explain why.
“Not all men possess limitless patience, Eleazar.”
“He’s not Cerberus. You raised him. Believe me, his bullheadedness is of your line, not his father’s. He will not hurt his mate.”
“How can you be so sure?”
Her mind traveled back a lifetime, to a place she would never forget, a place that existed long before they arrived in the colonies and made their pilgrimage from Philadelphia, a journey she never assumed she’d live to see. Three hundred years later, she still feared she was in the calm before the storm and her mate would eventually find her.
“You’re letting fear influence your thinking, Adriel. Perhaps you should pray.”
While the steadiness of prayer could center her at times, it would not help her son. These initial moments between mates were crucial and delicate. “He needs guidance.”
“Do you also plan to hold his prick whenever they copulate? Really, Adriel, Christian’s three centuries old.”
Centuries could not dull the shock of what Cerberus had done to her. She shivered at the memory of her mate’s palm striking her down, his heavy fists hammering into her, and the ruthless crush of his manhood tearing into tender, virginal places.
“Only a male could find humor in such things.” She turned and sniffed. “There’s a fire in that girl. I sensed it. Christian might have banked the flames of her impetuous nature, but she’s a far cry from the domesticity he was expecting.”
“They all are.”
“Your situation’s different. You’re the bishop, and your mate was born immortal.”
“That does not excuse me from shock. My wife and I share a four-and-a-half-century age gap. I performed her baptism. Believe me, she was not what I expected.”
“But you were pleased. What if Christian isn’t happy with God’s choice?”
“When the dreams started, I refused to accept her as the other half of my soul. I assumed there had to be some sort of mistake. But I was the mistaken one. Larissa’s my perfect match and the other half of my soul. She challenges me in ways I need to be challenged, and I do the same for her.”
She studied him for a long moment, noting all the ways he’d mellowed since mating with the young female. “You’re less irritable since bonding.”
He raised a brow, not commenting on the obvious reasons why that might be, but he also said, “Larissa has convinced me that I am not needed everywhere at once.”
She chuckled. “But however will you maintain your omnipotent authority, Eleazar?”
“Very amusing, Adriel. In truth, it’s been…peaceful. When I shut the world out, my evenings belong to my family alone. They deserve my full attention, and I’m finding I truly enjoy spending my evenings alone with my daughter and mate. The Order is large and some nights the intrusive noise can be endless. Now that I’ve gotten into the habit of turning down my sensory in the evenings, I’m able to focus on what matters most—my family. We’re…happy.”
“Then I’m happy for you. As a mother, you have to understand why I want the same for my son.”
“Have faith. Christian and Delilah will realize the perfection of their bond in time.”
It was a nice fantasy he painted, one of flawless divination, but if that were always true, how did he explain the cruelty she experienced at the hands of her called mate?
Moving to the window, she stared off in the direction of her family’s land. “I want them to be happy.”
“Happiness is an American notion that has nothing to do with survival and procreation.”
She glared at him over her shoulder. “Shut up.”
He chuckled. “Adriel, they will find their way. Give them time and a little grace.”
