A knock at the door announced the arrival of a beautiful woman. “Lady Serenity thank you for joining us,” Regin told the new comer moving towards her to hug her. “Your husband and children are well?” Regin asked. The newcomer smiled and lit up the room. “They are indeed well My Lady. My Lords.” She’d turned to Blane and Arturo and bowed. “We will leave you to it Regin. Ladies.” Arturo nodded to them and walked out followed by Blane. Regin linked her arm with Serenity. “Let me introduce Athena. She is partially mated to Blane and is having a child.” Ena could see the surprise in Serenity’s face. “Partially mated and pregnant? I’ve never heard of that being possible.” Regin nodded at her and patted her arm, “that’s why you’re here, I have your blood on file Marcus’s and Evangeline’s,” Regin turned to Ena, “that’s Serenity’s eldest daughter, she’s a hybrid by birth a Dhampir, very powerful and strong. So now that you have Blane’s blood and your system has settled down, I’d like to compare your blood to Serenity’s if that’s ok and while I’m doing it, maybe you could tell Ena about you and the girls?” Serenity nodded. “I would be happy to.”
“You were a nun? He was, is a vamp, your over 200 years old and have a daughter who was born last century? Wow, I thought my life was complicated.” Serenity patted her hand and squeezed it. “The exchange of blood, at the opportune time, not only does it nourish them and cement the bond but reinforces the circle of life between you both and the love you share. They also give you their life force so you can share their long life. It seems a fair exchange does it not?” Ena frowned. “What’s to stop some eternal youth bitch or male trying to tag a vamp just for that?” Serenity raised a delicate shoulder, “I do not know of anyone stupid enough to try that. I am sure there are those out there. But really, who would go through all you are and I have for the chance that it might work? I guess some are crazy enough to try but if the vamp does not have the binding connection, it would not work.” “How about kidnapping vamps and taking them apart for the fountain of youth?” Serenity shook her head, “wouldn’t work. You have to be joined for the DNA to kick in, otherwise, every unmated vamp would make a mate every time he drank from someone. It doesn’t work like that. Evolution and all that.”
“How did you get pregnant?” Ena asked. Serenity looked so serine, it was clear she was thinking back. “It was a different time.” She told Ena, “it was not something you really thought about, you need to realise that the vampires here, are not the vampires of old or the vampires who are rogue, have no control or steal and covet the old ways. Make no mistake. They are monsters Athena, they take and kill. Have no mercy. No feelings. No empathy for the humans. No matter the age. We are sheep, play things and food to them. Often slaves with no rights. They can be brutal masters and most humans will end up dead or dream of it. That, is the reality of the old world and I hope to God, that you never experience it. Not many survive. Marcus was of that world for hundreds of years, when I first saw him he was turning his life around, sickened at last by his own behaviour, he tried to help where needed, took up the soldier role he held in life and came to many human’s rescue and as I told you, he came to mine and aided me from that fate. He pursued me after the sacking of our church. I turned him down several times. But, I felt a strong need to be with him and although him telling me what he was, was against all my religious beliefs we got through that, he got through to me, I am not ashamed to say that I wanted him before we were wed. He certainly wanted me and I had never experienced a love so ……. complete, so consuming, other love felt insincere without substance.”
Serenity smiled, “he could have used compulsion on me and taken what he wanted but we made it to our wedding night, just. As the priest’s words ended, Marcus carried me off to his home. He marked and mated me, offering his blood to extend my life as a bonded mate, it was my choice and for a while I refused but as the months went by, I realised that I wanted what this male had to offer and I did not want to be without him. My fears stemmed from my superstitions and beliefs to worry, over losing the male I loved. There was never any other choice. We completed the bond, I drank from him, we said the words, he bit me and marked me. It was as beautiful as it was savage. I have never regretted it.”
“And your daughters are well?” Serentiy laughed, “o yes, they are the joy in our lives. Eve has become an excellent fighter but she is loving and kind hearted too. She is young for a vamp but I am told her dhampir abilities make her a master, she is being trained, Arturo has been very kind to us. Ang, it is possible that she has already met her mate. He is a strong vampire, old. She has the gift of sight and called to him. Her life will be full of challenge and danger if she goes to him but she will have her sister’s strength and skills as well as her sight to aid her and we will have her back.” Ena sighed. “Do they get a choice in what they do?” Serenity smiled, “they will always have the abilities and strength of dhampir but if they had told me they wanted to do flower arrangement I would have supported it. Only …,” Serenity looked around her, “this world we live in, is dominant male. It takes a lot for a woman to make her mark. In this world, more so. They need to be able to protect themselves. They cannot afford to be weak. Men will want them and try to take them. Thinking they are easy for the taking. My girls will prove that wrong.” Ena nodded. “I understand that, it is similar to my father’s wishes for me and mine for my child.” Serenity patted her hand again. “That, is being a parent.”
Regin came back into the room. “Ok, so the tests are running. We should have some results in a couple of hours. The boys are out tonight, so how about we have some dinner?” Regin rang the bell as Ena turned to her. “I’m starving sounds good.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Ena reflected on the evening. She’d had gone back to the shop and closed up. Jace had come in and they had talked about her taking up a full-time position. Ena had taken her in to the gun range and let her rip with some of the arms. It was clear that her gang history had given her some skills. She wasn’t afraid of guns. Ena had noted the gang tats. She had been clear that the failsafe in the security, should any unauthorised gun try to go out of the building would result in a complete shutdown of the store. Nothing in or out until opened by her. Ena liked that Jace asked the right questions and gave her some pointers with the guns and told her to come back in for the next week for training on how to work the shop and deal with customers. They would open half an hour later to give Jace the training she needed. Ena felt this to be a positive move. She’d also discussed rear door security. Particularly if the girls were going to open up and close for her. It had to be two of them at all times and she was going to have security on both doors from now on. Regin had told her to speak with Pete on that. It would be part of his detail. Ena had run her checks on Jace and they had come back clean. She’d had some run in’s but nothing major. Ena checked the unofficial tags she could pull on. Jace wasn’t running with any gangs now and didn’t appear to owe any favours or allegiances. She seemed clear of prejudices and influences. That was good.
The sight of Blane sitting outside her house with several bags gave her pause in her thought processes. He wasn’t wasting any time moving in. She pulled up at the garage and pressed the button to open, once it was high enough she pulled in and stopped. She saw Blane come in behind her. Ena sighed. Guess this was going to happen now. She closed the door behind him and found him opening her car door. “Thanks. Not wasting any time I see,” she told him getting out. He smirked at her. Ena brushed passed him and headed for the internal door. She went through the security and opened the door to the house heading for the kitchen. Blane left her to go to the front door and got his belongings before joining her in the kitchen. She unloaded her guns and put the coffee on. “What do you want for dinner?” He asked her going to the fridge. “Don’t you think this is all a bit domestic?” She asked him annoyed. “Nope,” he told her cheerily, “my woman needs feeding so does my babe.” He grinned like mad. Ena felt like hitting him. Hard. She sat at the table. This wasn’t
a battle worth fighting. She blew out a breath looking for some calm, “surprise me.”
Ena put down her fork. The pasta had been good. Picking up her napkin she wiped her mouth and put it down staring at the male opposite her. “So, I had a long talk with Serenity today.” Blane looked up from his food, he was still going at it. He swallowed. “And?” Ena watched him load up another fork full. “She tells me that there are a lot of vamps out there that are not like House Arturo?” Blane swallowed again, “yep, we discussed this.” Ena gazed at him rolling more pasta around his fork. “That the monsters of legend exist and you were all probably like that.” Blane put down his fork and looked at her. “We were. I was, Arturo was, all the elders were until we gained control and every new vamp until they gain their own control or is freed of his master is like that. They are hungry all the time. Think of your hunger of late and multiply that a thousand fold. They have no pity. No remorse. No judgement. No understanding and no emotion. Just blood and we killed for it.” Ena could feel the cold seeping from him. Her fight or flight mode kicked in and she tried to hide it. “For how long did you live like that?” Blane rubbed at his forehead. “A couple of centuries.” “You were murdering and killing for a couple of centuries?” Blane nodded. Ena looked around her. “Fuck.”
“How do I know you won’t go back to doing that?” Blane looked at her. “I wish I could give you guarantees, I can’t. I fight the temptation as we all do day by day. Being bonded will stop that. I will only crave you. It’s another reason those of us who seek a better life desperately look for mates to bond with.” “Only you didn’t.” She reminded him. “That’s not what’s going on here.” Blane shook his head and pushed his plate away. “Nope I relished in the pain of fighting it. Didn’t want to ever forget what I had been before, what it had taken from me. Didn’t want to be with anyone special. I wasn’t looking for an out. Then you appeared in the club and my beast that had been dormant for many many years burst out from his depths in my brain and screamed out. Mine.” Ena leaned forward, “So the parasite is controlling you?” Blane laughed, “it’s no parasite, it’s the vamp virus it has a life of its own, its own wants and needs but it does try to steer us. It works with us to make sure we can survive. It’s all about survival whatever that takes. Some can live with that knowledge daily, I chose to bury it and stopped listening to it. It became silent.”
Ena put her hand on her belly and looked up at him. “But it’s not silent now. Will my baby be a monster?” Blane saw the pain and uncertainty in her eyes. He leaned forward taking her hand. “No. He or she will be just like a normal child. They will want blood mixed in with their feed and they will want blood and milk while young and their food human balanced. They will demand your time and love and grow a little faster than a human child. They will be strong. Deadly but a child none the less and as with any child, how you raise them will determine what they will become. Their abilities and strength will need to be controlled and they will need a strong understanding of what they can and cannot do.” Ena wiped at a tear falling from her eyes and nodded. “Ok that was a good speech.” The doorbell rang. “You expecting anyone? She asked him looking out the window. The search light had come on. “No. You?” He reached for his gun. “No one comes to this house apart from my cleaner.” Ena stood and picked up her guns.
“The alarm back on for exit doors and windows?” She asked. Blane nodded. They both knew vamps could undo locks hence the need for the alarms to be active. “If it’s a vamp he needs to be invited in right?” She asked him. Blane nodded at her. The bell went again. “They will try compulsion.” Ena grinned. “Well let’s see what we got shall we?” And led the way out the kitchen before Blane could respond. Blane got to the security camera before she did. “Don’t know him,” he whispered in her ear. “You?” Ena shook her head. No she didn’t. Ena walked away from him quietly and hit the floor with her feet then walked heavily towards him. “What’s the dam time? Seriously coming to the house at this time. Do people have no sense of decency!” She called out then grinned at him. Blane rolled his eyes and took a step back behind the door. Ena opened the door with one hand, the security bar still in place. It opened 8 inches.
“It’s a bit late for a house call don’t you think?” She asked the man standing in her front porch. He appeared to study her for a moment. Then breathed in and eerily focused back on her. “Ok, your being freaky so I’m closing the door, if you don’t want the cops on your arse you’d better leave.” Ena went to close the door. “Wait.” Ena opened the door again. “You smell …. of that club owner,” he told her with a sneer, “and something more …. delicious. You need to open the door and invite me in.” Ena stepped back and played with the lock grinning at Blane from behind the door, then schooled her face and took the bar off stepping back and opening the door wide. “Invite me in bitch.” The vamp told her taking a step forward. Ena frowned and looked at the floor. “My head hurts.” She told him. “Just invite me in.” He told her. “Yes, yes.” Ena said. “Going in now.” She turned away and shuffled towards the stairs. “You stupid bitch, you invite me to come in to your house, not go in yourself.” Ena stopped and turned around. “Daddy said I should never let anyone in.” She told him. “For Fuck Sake.” He turned towards the driveway. “The bitches brain is scrambled. She’s delicious. I seriously want to fuck her. If you want this your gonna have to help.” He called out. Another vamp raced towards the house and stopped by his friend. “You will invite us both in to feed and fuck you.” The new guy told her with a chilling smile. He was stronger. Ena dropped the pretence. “You know, I’d like to say I’m tempted but I’m not.” She moved to one side and raised her guns as Blane came around the door with his own out telling their guest. “Hello boys. Don’t move, these rounds will kill you.”
Ena fired three rounds in succession. She went for the legs of the older vamp. He went down screaming. The other vamp stared at her screaming out, “are you crazy bitch?” Ena grinned. “I don’t like your attitude.” He shut up moaning holding his leg. The vamp rounds had torn him up pretty badly. Ena could see several of her security vamps coming out of hiding running towards them. “How did they miss those?” She asked dumfounded pointing at their security. Shaking her head she turned back to the kitchen. “Blane I’ll call it in. Their yours.” Ena called it in. House Arturo was coming out in force. Aparently no one fucked with the family. Good to know.
They secured the older vamp. The younger one was bouncing around. Going nowhere. “O man did you smell her?” His teeth dropped. Blane stood in front of him. “Find some control or we can put you out. What’s your name?” The guy nodded, “Jim.” “Ok Jim, explain what’s going on here for me?” The guy stuttered. “I woke up a month ago and Gary is hanging over me laughing saying I made it, then the hunger hit and I’ve been with him ever since. He had me checking out the club, said that he’d been involved in some action a couple of months back and their numbers were low so I got in.” Blane nodded. “Did he tell you why you come here?” “Jim said he still had work to do and followed your scent out here. He wondered why you were suddenly hanging around here wanted to know if there was another angle on House Arturo they didn’t know about. Said we were going to check it out. We could smell the female at the gate. Man. I didn’t know anything could smell better than blood.”
Blane turned as he heard the cars pull up. Arturo got out the second one and came towards him. Blane bowed. “My Lord, we had a breech.” “Everyone ok?” Blane nodded. “Yes. Two prisoners. Jim here has been very helpful. The other is with our guards in the rear. Ena put three bullets in him she didn’t like his attitude.” Arturo nodded then indicated to one of his men. “Take him. Show me.”
Two hours later Blane entered the house along with Arturo, John, Pierre and Gia. Ena had answered his call to invite them in. They were all standing around the kitchen, mugs of coffee in hand with some tasty pastries that Ena had put in the oven, that were now hot sitting on the side. “Thought it was too good to sa
y it was over.” John spoke. They all nodded at each other. Ena sat at the table watching them. “He started the fire in the club that gutted it. His orders were clear, take out as much of the periphery as possible and keep going until relieved.” “That relief he’s waiting on might be a bit dead now.” Pierre told them. Arturo nodded. “Yes but his masters orders stand. As would yours in his place. So, is this a case of he’s not caught up yet or are there player’s we are yet to see?” “You have other players.” Ena told them. They all turned towards her. “He would have check in’s and time scales. If he failed to make them, his boss would know something was up. If he’s boss failed to turn up, he’d know something was wrong. There should have been contact before now. So assuming he turned up at the appointed time at the appointed place, one way or another, he knew. So he had new orders.”
“John, looks like you have more work to do.” Arturo told him. “The young guy.” Ena interrupted, “the older one might have taken him with him. He might know where the meeting point is and the next check in.” Arturo looked back at John and gave a nod. John vamped out. “What I want to know,” Ena continued, “is how they got passed my security guards. If vamp smell is as good as they say, how come my security guys didn’t pick up the other vamps near the property or on it at least.” The room felt very quiet. “We had to tell them to turn their sense of smell off around you Ena.” Blane told her quietly. She looked around the room Gia nodded. “Ok, I’m off to bed. You guys carry on. My Lord, thank you.” Ena doffed her head and headed out the kitchen door followed by Gia. “You my guard Gia.” She asked wearily. Gia smiled at her as she walked to the stair case and linked their arms walking up with her. “Think of it like a sleep over. Well until Blane kicks me out.” Gia gave her a wide-eyed look and a wink. Ena giggled. Some of the tension leaving her. “Right, cos that’s gonna happen now.” It was Gia’s time to laugh as they reached the top of the stair case, “O honey that’s gonna happen any time!”
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