Choices Read Online Free PDF Page B

what he asks.  Please just go and wait.  I’ll be all right, he won’t kill me.”
    “Without even touching you, he just beat the crap out of you!” Her voice rose as she dared another glare at Julian.  “How can you be sure he won’t murder you?”
    Roderick had the nerve to smile.  “I’ve known Julian for decades.  He’s just angry.”
    Pushing Roderick’s arm aside, she peered at Julian one last time.  “You need anger management classes.”  She huffed and stomped to his bedroom.
     
    The soft click assured him that Rachel was out of earshot.  Roderick swung back to Julian purposely ignoring the throbs of protest from his bruised body.  “You didn’t have to do that. I was prepared to speak to you.”
    “Is that so?” Julian sneered, his piercing gaze searing.  “I seriously doubt you were in a hurry to travel to Rome and inform me of your blatant disregard for our laws.”
    “He didn’t plan for this to ha--” Cyn stopped talking when Julian snarled. 
    “How long?”
    The abstract question took Roderick by surprise.  Mentally, he scrambled to figure out the exact timetable since he and Rachel bonded. “Sixteen days give or take a day.” 
    Julian paced, his hands gripped behind his back.  In all the decades he’d known Julian, this was the first time his leader had disciplined him.  What could be so bad that Julian seemed at a loss for words?  When the Roman finally turned to him, Roderick held his breath.
    “A blood-bond is normally unbreakable.” He stated the obvious.  “Fortunately, you did not bond correctly.  Our rules are there for a purpose Roderick.  There’s a reason why you are not allowed to mate unless the woman is the right one.  It has to be a life mate or it will drain you of your powers, your immortality.”  Julian turned, his eyes locked on his.  “You must give her up. And you will leave the Protectors.”
    Roderick mouth fell open.  “Are you saying our bonding can be broken? Why do I have to resign as a Protector?”  The thumping of his heartbeat thundered in his ears.  The only life he’d ever known was slipping from his fingers and he’d yet to understand what Julian expected.
    “When a Protector bonds with someone that is not a life mate, his powers can diminish. You were not just asleep when I arrived, but passed out.  The combination of fighting and having to be with her daily is taking its toll on you.” 
    “That sucks,” Cyn mumbled under his breath.
    The chair Roderick slumped into groaned under his weight.  Julian was right. He was fatigued, barely able to get home every day after leaving Rachel’s house.  Today he’d not even had the energy to ride to her place. After passing out in the street, he’d never felt so drained and it had frightened him. Once home, his weighty limbs had barely allowed him to make it from the shower to the bed before he collapsed onto it.  “What’s happening to me?”
    Julian’s gaze softened. He neared and placed a hand on Roderick’s shoulder.  Energy surged through him, electric tingles raced up his legs through his chest.  When Julian pulled his hand away, Roderick jumped to his feet.  Every ache and pain was gone, his entire body restored.
    “It’s temporary, perhaps a week or two before your energy will begin to wane again.  I would suggest you maintain your distance from her, but the need will become impossible to resist.” 
    “Can the bond be broken?”
    “Not at the moment.”
    “Does this mean I can remain a Protector?”
    “No.” The reply was clear. 
    “Damn it Julian, help me out here. What am I supposed to do?  If I can’t break the bond, how the hell am I supposed to get rid of her? I don’t want to quit.  Being a Protector is my life.”
    A gasp made them all turn to the doorway.  Rachel stood with her hand to her throat. By the stricken expression, she’d overheard his ranting.  Without a word, she turned on her heel and raced from the