Bate

by Jessie Rose Case

  Arturo walked into the reception room from the hallway as Ena left the building. “You heard?” He walked over to her and bent down to eye level with her and kissed her. “Yes.” “Her blood could tell us much about getting pregnant. Her DNA allows for conception, it could help so many couples.” She told him sadly. Arturo nodded. “If Blane knows, he will kill to keep his child safe.” Regin nodded. “So will Ena if she decides to keep it.” “He won’t let her loose it Regin, it means everything to us.” Regin reached out to touch his arm and squeezed it seeing his sorrow. “I know but we have to give her the couple of days ok, it’s the human way and the mating is not clear here.” Arturo nodded, “I am not happy about that and will have to speak with him on it, but we know, she had to have agreed but for now, we watch and wait.” “Thank you.” Arturo took her hand, “come, I have need of my wife.” Regin grinned, “what exactly do you need me for?” she asked with raised eyebrows. “I need my wife to realise how much I love her.” Regin rose, “ummm, I do need a reminder, sometimes it’s difficult to remember.” She told him teasingly. Arturo quickly put his hand under her skirt and slipped his fingers into her panties, plunging two fingers into her pumping hard. “Remembering anything now?” Regin relished in the pleasure his fingers were delighting her body with. Arturo moved her back towards the writing desk. Regin’s breast were heaving with need. “I’m going to need your bite on my breast and your cock in me.” She told him preening. Arturo lifted her onto the desk and ripped her panties out the way, undoing his pants, he parted her thighs and held them open to him, his cock posed at her entrance, “what do you need wife?” he asked her, “you.” Arturo slammed into her letting go of her legs and ripped the blouse from her body, along with her bra and caressed her breasts. “I love you.” He told her. “I love you too husband,” Arturo started to pound into her, dropping his head to her breast and licking her nipple. “Mine Regin.” He told her hungrily. She smiled. “Yours.” Arturo opened his mouth and gave her his bite where she wanted it.

  Ena went back to her shop but her mind wasn’t really on it. She went through the paces and closed up, drop calling her security as normal as she was leaving and got home in a blur. She didn’t really remember the drive, she just seemed to arrive home and suddenly she was there. Going through her security routine she headed to the kitchen. She was hungry again. She was always bloody hungry. Hungry or sick, hungry or sick. Great days. She reflected. She needed to think. She was no fool. Regin had given her a couple of days but that might not hold. Blane could be here anytime and she had no idea what to say. Thank god she had a job on the table and it was Sunday tomorrow, she’d think tomorrow.

  The club was heaving. Saturday night crowd were in full force. Vamps coupling up, couples making up and breaking up. The stuff of life. It was vibrant and alive. He did the rounds, spoke to his men, his security were all vamps. The club didn’t open till after sundown so it worked for them. He could smell and hear the feeding but it didn’t call to him. There was only one blood he wanted and she was off the menu. He needed to stay away from her. She called to him and in her presence, he badly wanted her. His beast became uncontrollable wanting to dominate. He had never been so protective of a female. It concerned Blane, he wondered not for the first time lately if his beast was more in control than him. Was he losing to the bestial animal within him? Many vamps had been killed when going rogue in this way. Maybe his time had come?

  The throw away rang at the appointed time. Ena picked it up. “Yes.” “You have received the materials?” The voice on the other end asked her. “Yes I have all I need.” “When can we expect completion?” “I will have it for you in the next four days. I will drop call and send via the usual route.” The phone disconnected. Ena turned the throw away off and took out the battery. She’d drop it out of town on her way to the airport. Logging into her VIP she chose the country she wished to be seen in and logged onto her computer, re-routing it through several servers and booked her flights. She’d be using one of her other passports.

  Blane came into Arturo’s office for his weekly update on the club. He was unsettled. He hadn’t seen Ena since the early hours in her house following their dinner. That was three days ago. Arturo was waiting for him and ushered him in putting down his phone. “Problems?” Blane asked. Arturo looked directly at him for a moment before answering. “Athena’s missing. Been gone two days. Her girls say its business and that she’s out of the country and is not contactable and will be back by Friday but she never mentioned it and there is no flight out the country with her name on it. Not that that is a problem for her. If she wants to be invisible she has the skills to do it. I just don’t like it.” Blane stood up and started pacing. “She didn’t tell her security?” “She did, told them not to bother she’d be back Friday night.” “Shit,” Blane called out in anger. “She’s a grown woman Blane.” Arturo told him pointedly. Blane turned to him in anger, “you’d just let Regin go?” Arturo stared at him. Then leaned forward. Blane stopped pacing. “Regin’s my wife, my mate, my bonded. Are you mated Blane to Athena?” “Yes,” he cried out, “shit no.” He slumped back into his chair. “Is it yes or no?” Arturo demanded. Blane shook his head, “I don’t fucking know ok,” he told him in frustration. Arturo raised his eyebrows and continued to stare at him. Blane realised he’d over stepped. “I apologise My Lord. She’s killing me here. My beast is demanding his mate. I don’t understand it, I crave her like no other. I don’t welcome it. She doesn’t want it. It’s a mess.”

  “Had it been anyone of my other men, I would question their answers, however, I know you too well. You are not tempted by the females that attend the club, that is what makes you good at what you do, you don’t get involved with the humans and yet, within moments of meeting Athena you are intimate with her, your scent all over her. You were making a claim. That means something Blane and we both know it.” Blane stared out the window. Remembering the time they had spent together, it had been intoxicating, he’d had no control. “I think I may have said the words Arturo. She had passed out from our joining and I gave her a little blood to revive her I was worried, she was out for some time.” “Did you take blood from her and ask her if that’s what she wanted?” “I did ask but it’s not clear the beast was in control but she said yes and the intensity was overload and that’s when she passed out.” Arturo sat back. “Your mated then.” Blane felt the serge of pride hit him, his beast cried out in joy. Blane frowned, what the fuck had just happened?

  Ena was easily lost within the crowd of tourists. She’d made a point of joining the group once she knew where they were going. It made her job easier. She stuck to the route along with them, talking easily and gaining friendship with a couple who she encouraged to move out of sinc with the others offering to explore other treasures. They’d been called back after a short while with no lasting damage, pretending to be intrigued by the architecture and historic content. The couple really were. For Ena, it gave her room to work. Her bag contained her hidden camera an auto shot on the clasp. It was easy to move around and get the pictures she needed. The tour bus drove passed the compound several times on their way to see artefacts. There was a coffee shop down the street from it and she had got the couple to join her for coffee there on several occasions over the past three days. It gave her the opportunity to check the security on the place, they had a clear view.

  The compound was all very low key. No one of importance was meant to live there. In Pakistan security guards were needed for the rich and were a usual sight. No one took notice of them. Only it was her job to. She’d easily spotted the professional guards. Mapped out the market. The trade. The movements. The people coming and going. The usual security was sloppy. Didn’t alter their routine. Nothing random. The professionals were a different league altogether and didn’t blend with the low-key compound vibe they were giving out. There was more going on here. Her intel was spot on. Her time running out, she had to do it tonight. Having finished their coffee and starting to walk back t
o their hotel Ena had suddenly informed the couple that she’d left her wallet on the table and would have to go back. She reassured them that she would be right behind them and slipped away into the dark. She headed to the back of the compound walls and slipped over.

  There were no wall cameras. She scanned the interior quickly taking all the pictures she needed as she covered the grounds and pathways to the main house. She was quiet and efficient. Voices brought her around the house to some low buildings away from the main house. She recognised the noise. Someone was being interrogated. English was being spoken. Male. Two males were doing the questioning and beating. Whoever was receiving the punishment was saying nothing. Ena stayed close to the hedge and listened. She photographed the men coming and going. Noticing a window into the building, she gave it a moment. One guard came out and lit up. He walked right passed her and headed around the back. A minute or so and another male came out. He kicked out at something on the floor and spat. He headed towards the main house. Ena knew she had moments only. She quietly came out from the undergrowth and slid up the side of the building towards the window. A light was coming from it. She edged towards it and slowly peered into the edge of it.

  In front of her was a male, tied to the ceiling with his hands shackled. His clothing torn. He was bloodied and bruised and his head slumped down. He was aware though. Ena scratched the glass. The males head shot up and he looked right at her as Ena lifted the camera and took several shots of him and the room. She tapped out in Morse. ‘USA’ and slipped back down into the undergrowth as the male who had gone smoking came back and re-entered the building. Without anyone noticing, she crossed the grounds and slipped back over the wall and headed to the café. She made a point of asking several people if they had seen her wallet and looked around in distress before walking off, breaking into a run to get back to the hotel as quickly as possible. She spotted her couple on the terrace waiting for her. She slowed and took several deep breaths before approaching. She took on a look of being distressed and told them it was gone. She thanked them for their company and headed up to bed. She’d be gone by morning and on her way home.

  Ena had used one of her other passports to get back on the plane and slept the flight back getting the red eye. Taking a taxi to the car park five miles away of a large supermarket, she paid the driver and watched him leave, taking off the wig, glasses and hat she’d been wearing for the past week in an area void of car park surveillance stuffing it in her hand bag. Ena walked to the industrial waste bin and threw in her suitcase, it held nothing of value and the large hand bag she’d used. Her essentials were already on her. Ena went in and purchased a padded envelope added her files and located the drop point. She placed the envelope as she’d been directed and walked out heading to her next destination and called another taxi. Ena got in and told the driver to take her to where she’d left her car. It hadn’t taken more than 40 minutes. She waited until the taxi had left the drug store lot before walking slowly as if she were going in to shop. As the taxi driver pulled out into traffic she walked to her car and got in, heading for the nearest drive through, she was starving and wanted it now. It was 1pm, Ena smiled she would be there in time to open the shop.

  Blane picked up the phone. He’d had little sleep and he was fast running out of time on blood. He needed to drink. His joints started to ache and his eyes felt grainy. He rubbed them reaching out to answer his phone. “Yeah,” he croaked out. “Good morning My Lord Blane, she’s back.” Blane sat up right. “Where?” “She’s at the shop.” “Thanks Luce.” Blane disconnected and put the phone down and headed to the shower. He needed a chat with Athena. She needed to learn, she couldn’t just up sticks and leave and he’d be way fucking happy to tell her.

  Ena was glad to see the girls had done a good job in her absence. It had reminded her that she needed to think of having a third. If she was going to be taking private jobs she needed someone to fill in. She was thinking of Jace, Kirsty’s friend. There was no better time than now. “Kirsty, do you think that Jace would be interested in joining us here?” Kirsty turned to her. “Are you kidding? She’d love it. She had the same training we had and we could bridge any gaps until she’s up to speed.” “Good ask her to come in ok.” Kirsty nodded. A buzz at the main door indicated they had a customer. Ena watched Carol check the screen. She recognised the face. He didn’t look happy. Carol turned to look at her. She really wanted to tell him to fuck off but that wasn’t going to cut it, she just knew. “Let him in. Ladies give us 10 please. Have a coffee break.”

  Blane heard the buzzer go and push through the door. He walked over to the glass and noticed the two staff heading into the back. He looked at Ena and his body heated, he knew his eyes flared with need. “I don’t suppose we could talk without the glass?” He motioned to her and watched her shake her head. “Not here no.” He nodded barely holding back his temper. He knew she was right. If he was in the same room with her now, he’d be fucking her. Blane cracked his neck and looked coldly directly at her. “I don’t know what shit you just pulled but you left without telling anyone, that is not acceptable.” Ena stared right back then leaned into the glass. “You, don’t tell me what I can and cannot do.” Blane took a step closer to the glass. His hands were fists he struggled to contain his beast. Dominate. Take your mate. It called to him. “You are under the protection of House Arturo. It would be polite to let us know when you are going off reservation.” He gritted out.

  Ena stare at him for a moment. She gave a nod. It was clear that she hated to acknowledge it but he was right. “Professional curtesy, agreed. I will make my apologises to Arturo.” She turned to leave and took several paces. This conversation was not over. “And what about me? You were ill the last time I saw you and then you just disappeared. Think that’s ok too?” Blane knew he was practically shouting and it probably didn’t make any sense but he couldn’t hold back his temper any longer, he was glad to see her in one piece and back ok. “You are a female under my protection.” He spat out. Ena stopped and turned back to face him, she narrowed her eyes. He could see her own temper rising. “Let me be clear. I do not need a male’s protection. I do not ask for it, nor do I want it. Do not make the mistake of seeing my gender and thinking I need anything other than what I take.” She looked at her watch, “your time is up. Good day.” Blane watched her turn and walk towards the back office. This was not done. He was not done. He would fucking reminder her of her place.

  Ena nodded at Carol and Kirsty and entered her office and checked the vid screens. She saw Blane stand and gaze into the camera like he knew she’d be checking them. He raised his hand and pointed at the camera. It was clear when he mouthed the words, we are not done. Then stalked out the reception room and the door closed behind him. Shit. That could have gone better. Ena slumped in her chair. She had done this assignment all wrong. She’d been running. She’d fucked up. It wasn’t like her. She could put it down to not being used to answering to others but that was a load of crock. She’d always answered to others. In this case, she chosen not to and she’d messed up. She’d have to take her licks. It was a bad call on her part plus she’d promised Regin she’d be in touch and hadn’t followed through. Trouble was, she didn’t know what she was going to do. Ena looked at the large rare burger, her second, sitting on her desk. She sighed and reached for it.

  Ena finished off the burger and cleaned up in the bathroom before picking up the phone in her office and calling Regin. “House Arturo, how may I help you?” “Hello, this is Ena, could I speak with Lady Regin?” “Hello Ena, yes one moment please and I will connect you.” Ena guessed they had her on ID call and heard the sound of phones connecting and the silence of someone being informed of who is on the line. “Ena? Are you ok?” Ena smiled. She could hear the concern in Regin’s voice. “Yes, Regin, I’m fine, I’m ringing to apologise. I skipped town. Not a cool move and not one I’m proud of.” “Did it resolve anything for you?” Ena could hear the real question she was asking. “No.” “I see. Yo
u should come by so I can do a check-up if nothing else ok. Its important.” Regin was being insistent. Ena wasn’t surprised. She was resigned to having to face the music. “That would be fine. Tomorrow around 11am ok?” “That’s fine.” Regin told her. “See you then.” Regin put the phone down. Ena did the same. That wasn’t going to be fun.

  Ena wasn’t too surprised to see Blane walk up her drive shortly after 10 pm and enter her house even with the security on and come into the kitchen. She’d put two steaks on the griddle, she got up and put on a third. “Sit down I’ll do it.” He told her gruffly. She turned towards him m to give him a mouthful and stopped, “don’t fight me on this ok, let me do it.” He told her. Ena put up both her hands and went back to the table, picking up her wine glass. She wasn’t sure if she should really be drinking but needed it. Lost in her own mind, she barely registered the salad and potato being put on the table but did when the steak arrived. “Thanks.” She told him picking up her knife and fork. She knew they needed to talk about her being pregnant and her field trip but couldn’t bring herself to do it. They ate in silence. She polished off her first steak and Blane got up and pulled the other from the hot plate and gave it to her. She was a little shocked and embarrassed at the amount she was eating but she couldn’t stop. She needed it.