Blood Bound- Book 1 of the Bonded Series- Complete

Chapter 8

"Blood Bound"

2011 Copyright All Rights Reserved

Chapter 8

"Mother, what in the hell are you doing in my room?" Leo demanded.  First off, he was pissed because she had taken liberties to enter his personal sanctuary without asking. Secondly, how dare she question what his motives are to begin with.  He was a grown man for crying out loud, not some insolent child that needed to be told what to do.

"I came in here to talk to you Leonardo.  It's been so long since we have just sat down and talked and look at what I find," she stated waving her hand at the bed.  "You have one of those in your bed," she added curling her nose up in clear distaste of the entire scene.

Leo stepped up to the foot of the bed and took a protective stance; hiding Shelby from his mother's vicious glare.  He was furious with the callous way that his mother had insulted his bride to be.  It has been well over a decade since the last time that she had wanted to just "talk" as she put it. Now was most definitely not the time. 

 "You may want to mind your tongue, mother dear, " Leo drawled out the words ever so slowly.  He was forcing himself to rein in his temper, reminding himself that this was in fact his mother. Holding her stare captive he then added, "Shelby is my soon to be bride and in turn, your soon to be daughter in law.  She will have your respect or else."

Isabella Risso gasped in shock.  Covering her mouth with a white gloved hand, she could not believe what Leo had just told her.  "No," she whispered suddenly stricken by the idea that her baby boy had taken up with a measly human.  Isabella tried to take a step to the side in order to try and see if there was anything particularly special about the invalid that laid in his bed but Leo stood firm in his place and would not allow her even the minuscule of glimpses.  

Frustrated, she dropped her hands to her side and stared back up at her son.  He was so tall and so handsome, almost the exact mirror image of her late husband.  Straightening her spine and putting back on her regal mask of elegance and poise she stated,  "No, it can't be.  I will not allow you to consort with the likes of that.  You are a Risso- Leonardo, a Count of the highest order."

Leo narrowed his steely gaze on his mother.  His control had finally snapped and he began to stalk forward in her direction.  No one, least of all his mother, was going to tell him who he could and could not choose as a life partner.  This was his decision and his decision alone.  Fate had brought his precious Shelby to him and for once in his life he was following his own  path.  Family name and Legacy be damned.  This was about what Leo wanted.

"Mother," Leo spoke tightly, grinding his back molars, "You have no say in the matter.  She is mine and I have declared her as my life partner."

Her eyes widened.  "You can't do that," Isabella whined sounding desperate now.  She stepped forward and grabbed her sons hand, willing him to see her point of view.  This was just wrong..  "Look Leo," She said and turned her gaze towards the fragile figure in the bed.  Shelby was sleeping dreamlessly away oblivious to the ongoing discussion in the room.

Leo turned towards the bed and couldn't help but to smile as his dark Angel accepted the conversion.  Other than the one time that she awakened everything seemed to be going as it should be.