by Helen Bright
For a start she does not constantly crave blood, and neither does she lack energy or coherent thought. She hadn’t suffered any of the delirium that some newly made vampires experience either. In some ways, a newly made vampire can appear in looks and behaviour, like a drug addict fighting addiction. But apart from her strength and fangs she appears no different in her appearance or behaviour.
I spoke to Joshua about everything before I left and he told me that he thought he was going to lose what he had with Keeley. I assured him I would do everything I could to help them both, but at the moment, I wasn’t sure what that would be. The only thing I could do at present would be to find Maxim and eliminate any threat that he posed to Keeley or my Gina.
Gregor and I had set things in motion with Viktor to find a monetary trail which would lead us to Maxim. He must have taken his travel documents and wallet with him when he left the Manor house to find Keeley the day he attacked her; because they weren’t in his room.
Viktor had said that Maxim used a credit card to withdraw money in Southampton, so it is possible he was able to board a cruise ship or ferry to leave the country.
Viktor had flagged his passport so that he would be refused travel; but with mind control, you can easily make someone let you through customs if there were no other witnesses. It was harder to do with airports as security is tighter, but for a night time sailing it was much easier to get away with.
New passports are a problem too as it is no longer as easy to fake those documents, although it can be done. Maxim had the old passport from the Ukraine, a much easier one to fake. It rarely mattered to us as much anymore as we always used the private jets to travel in, all owned and shared by myself, Gregor, Viktor, Nik, Josh, Alex, and Freya. We had all formed as it were, a silent part of the Night Movers business that was hidden away from the legitimate import/export and transportation side of the UK company.
We were successfully transporting vampires all over Europe and beyond and this side of the business was booming. I did not know of any other vampires operating a flight transportation service like ours, so Maxim’s only way to get back to his home in the Ukraine or apartment in Moscow was by sea, and that would take a few days to set up.
Even if he did manage to get back, we had guards in Moscow and Kiev looking out for him, with orders to kill him if found, and Maxim would know this.
Until we found he had left the country, I would not rest, and even then I would still want to be sure my Gina and Keeley were safe from any threat.
I arrived back at Nik and Gina’s cottage for a bite to eat before I finished my shift out in the Night Movers office. Gina had said she was okay to go back to work tonight, but Nik had refused, and I had agreed with him.
Gina had seemed tired and weak still, even though she had taken blood from both Nik and myself a few times in the last twenty-four hours. I had been to the chemist’s today and purchased some iron tablets for her. I know our blood would heal her, but I thought she may benefit from taking iron in the long term. I know that the humans who were bonded with vampires who drank more regularly from them did this, and they said it helped.
Gina was in the kitchen in her nightshirt when I returned. It was after midnight, but she was used to working the night shift with Nik, so I supposed Gina found the change to her sleeping pattern difficult when she had been so inactive through the day.
“Hey, Sergei how was Keeley?” she asked as she took out a third mug from the cupboard and put a teabag in for me.
“Physically, she is alright, but I am not sure about her emotional state. I am worried she will want to distance herself from Josh and little Daisy,” I answered truthfully.
“But Nik said that she had to be away from Daisy for a while until she was able to control any blood lust.”
Gina had that little vertical line that appeared next to her right eyebrow when she was worried or trying to figure something out. She hated it, but I thought it was cute. It wasn’t there all the time and for a forty-three-year-old, it was the only sign of her age on her face that she had. Of course now that Gina had Nik’s blood regularly, she would not age anymore. She would always possess these pretty, endearing features that I loved so much.
“I think it is more than that Gina. I am not sure how to help them, but I do not want to see something that was so right, become broken. Joshua was the happiest that I have ever seen him, and I have known him for nearly two centuries.”
Gina came towards me and hugged me close. I kissed her cheek and wrapped my arms around her. She was only around five foot four and as I was six foot she had to tilt her head back to look me in the eyes.
“Sergei, she probably just needs time to adjust. I mean her whole way of life will have to alter now. She won’t be able to walk in the sunlight, so even simple things like taking Daisy to school is out, as is taking her to the doctors or the dentists. Simple normal things that most mothers take for granted. It’s heartbreaking for her, and people need to give her time and support her.
“We may not like the decisions she makes, but at the end of the day, we have to let her live her life as she sees fit. If we push her, she will just dig her heels in. Keeley has always been a strong young woman, and I have a lot of respect for her. I think that Josh should give her the freedom to make a choice, even if it isn’t what he wants. Keeley can always change her mind; we women often do.”
I didn’t need to see Nik to know that he had joined us a few minutes ago, and I asked him what his thoughts were.
“I think Gina is right, Sergei. We need to listen to what Keeley wants. Josh will want everything to be the same as it was, but for the short term, at least, we all know that’s not going to happen. And we all know that Gregor is Mr. Large and in charge, and he may try to influence her. It’s not going to go down well if that happens.”
Nik never took his eyes off me while I was holding Gina. Since our talk, the other day, he hadn’t said anything about my feelings for her. But he watched our physical interactions closely. Like he was waiting for me to make a move on her. Of course, that was something I would never do. For one thing, it would upset Gina or make her feel differently about our friendship if she thought I wanted her sexually, and also, I just couldn’t do that to Nik.
Another thing was, although I loved her more than ever, I felt that the type of love I had for her had gone beyond sex. That probably sounds very strange and utterly fucked up to most people, but to see Gina happy and contented made me happy too. It was enough for me, and I hope in time Nik would understand this.
“I’m just going to grab something to eat and get back to the office,” I said as I gave Gina one last kiss on the cheek and let her go so I could make a sandwich.
“Come to bed Gina. We will be back at work tomorrow night so let’s make the most of this one,” said Nik as he grabbed Gina’s hand and pulled her towards their bedroom.
I knew what was going to happen even before I heard the little moans and sighs that Gina tried so hard to keep quiet. Nik was letting me know that Gina was his woman in every way. It didn’t bother me at all, as long as he made her happy. I wanted what Nik and Gina had, but I couldn’t imagine myself loving another woman like I loved Gina. I hoped in time that would change because I cut a lonely figure as I sat eating my sandwich while a few rooms away my best friend made love to the woman who held my heart.
I left the cottage and made my way over to the offices, checking over my shoulder as I went in case Maxim was around. Although Southampton was a long way from here, I just had a feeling that Maxim was going to come back to this village, but for what purpose I did not know.
Alex came over to me and asked how things had gone at the Manor. I wanted to tell him truthfully, but Julia was listening, and I didn’t want to upset her. She had cried on and off most of last night, and I didn’t think it was doing her any good to be that upset when she was so heavily pregnant. So I said that Keeley was doing well and that we had been for a walk together around the Manor.
; Then I went through to the conference room and told Alex exactly what my thoughts were. I think he needed to go and see Joshua. He was a brother to him, and Joshua needed his support. I offered to stay with Julia when he went so that she wasn’t left unattended while Maxim was missing. Alex said he would take me up on that and thanked me for my help. He patted me on the shoulder as we walked back to the office and the moment felt surreal. Alex and I have never really got on that well. It was partly my fault as I loved to wind him up, but also, he once caught Freya kissing me. It was nearly sixty years ago and as far as I know he never told anyone, but he had found it hard to tolerate my company ever since.
It wasn’t until last year when I helped dispose of the body of Brandr, the vampire who had once been his stepfather, that he seemed to try and be a little friendlier with me than he previously had been.
Maggie was on the phone as we went back into the office and Julia said they would wait until she was off the phone until they went for something to eat.
“Why don’t you both stay home?” I said as I took in Julia’s tired eyes. “I’m sure Maggie will help show me what else needs to be done in here tonight.”
“No Sergei, we can’t expect you to come in and do our work for us like this. It’s not fair,” said Julia as she offered me chocolate from the large box on her desk.
“Julia you do look tired love, and I know Sergei will be able to cope. After all, Maggie taught you and it didn’t take you long at all to learn the ropes,” Alex prompted.
“That’s because I’m a woman, and we are amazing,” laughed Julia.
“Oh yes you are my love, and I’m a very lucky man to have you as my wife,” Alex said as he gazed lovingly at Julia.
I waved goodbye to them both and went to sit with Maggie at her desk.
“They both seemed to be in a loved-up mood tonight,” I said nodding towards the door that Alex and Julia had just left through.
“Yes, they were, and I’m sure that big box of chocolates had nothing to do with it at all,” she said with a smirk.
“Ah, I see. So to appeal to Alex and Julia’s good nature, I should ply them with sugary treats?”
“You see Sergei; you are learning already. I am such a good teacher I should get a pay rise,” she winked.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Daniel
“Oww…Oww,” I moaned as something poked me in the face.
“Uncle Dan why are you in Aunty Freya’s bed? Are you going to get married now?”
Oh shit, it was Daisy. I hadn’t meant to stay the whole night in Freya’s bed for this exact reason, but I was glad to have had the foresight to put my pyjamas on last night in case she woke us up in the early hours. I opened one eye and looked at Daisy. Her long blond wavy hair was stuck up at the fringe and side. Her big blue eyes were looking from me to Freya and then back again expectantly.
“Why do you think we would get married, Daisy?” I asked yawning.
“Because you are sleeping in Aunty Freya’s bed, and when mummy sleeped in Josh’s bed and we had our breakfast the next day, they asked if it was okay if they got married and I could be a bridesmaid and then Josh could be my daddy and now he is my daddy…” she said all in the same breath.
God this child could speak fast. I’m sure she did it just to confuse adults first thing in the morning.
“Good morning Daisy,” said Freya as she sat up and stretched her arms above her head. Her grey eyes were mesmerising in the sliver of sunlight peeking through the gap in the curtains, and she still looked sexy as sin first thing in the morning. I was pleased that she hadn’t kicked me out of her bed last night, even if Daisy seeing us together was awkward.
“Aunty Freya are you going to get married to my Uncle Dan?”
“Why do you ask that Daisy?”
“Because he sleeped here in your bed,” she said in a babyish voice pointing to me. Sleeped. She was so forward for her age that the odd slip up was endearing.
“Goodness m, you’re right,” said Freya in a mock shocked voice. “Whatever are you doing sleeping in my bed Dan?” she said trying hard not to laugh.
“Erm, I...” What the hell did I say to that? I shot Freya a look that told her she was in for it later, and she just winked at me and laughed.
“I want to go sailing today. Can we go sailing in Frank’s boat Aunty Freya…please,” Daisy said giving Freya the cutest little pout ever.
“Well we will have to ask him if it’s okay, but I don’t see why not. Would you like to go sailing with us at Hornsea Mere Dan?”
“I don’t mind going sailing,” I said picking Daisy up and tickling her.
“Oh Uncle Dan, your mouth smells,” said Daisy pinching her nose. Freya burst out laughing, and I silently cursed my little niece for pointing out my morning breath to the gorgeous woman at the side of me.
“Come on Daisy, let’s go and get you dressed and then we can get some breakfast,” I said carrying her out of the room where Freya was still laughing loudly.
It turned out that Freya’s gardener, Frank, had a sailboat that he built himself. It was around fifteen-foot-long and had two sails, one huge one and one much smaller. He named his boat Sally Ann after his wife, and for a man of very few words that seemed to say a lot.
Hornsea Mere is the largest freshwater lake in Yorkshire and lies to the west of Hornsea. It’s around two miles long and was dotted with other smaller sailboats by the time we got there.
I helped Frank to get the boat into the water from the trailer as Freya got Daisy into a lifejacket. As I had said before Frank was a man of very few words, so when he gave instructions on how to operate the sails I was all ears. To be fair to Frank, he kind of got my confusion after he used words like Batten and Jib, and then he started to break down the basic operation and different parts of the boat into a way that I understood.
I would like to say that with my help we got the sailboat over to the other end of the mere without any issues, but I did have some problems with the first sail. It was breezy today, although, I wouldn’t have said it was a strong wind; but in no way was I prepared for how the largest sail would almost throw me to the other side of the boat when it billowed out and the ropes I held pulled me over.
Freya was part concerned part amused at my mishap, and she asked if I was hurt. I thought that I would have some good bruising later, but male pride forced me to say that I was fine. Daisy just said I was being silly, and that you were not allowed to be silly when you are on Frank’s boat.
Apparently Keeley and Daisy had sailed on this boat a few times before, and Frank said that my sister had mastered the use of the sails on her first go.
Well didn’t that just make me feel better!
It didn’t surprise me, though. Keeley was much smarter than me, always had been. My dad used to say that you didn’t have to tell Keeley anything twice as she always got it the first time.
Although we were twins and were both tall blond, and blue-eyed, that’s where a lot of our similarities ended. Keeley excelled in school and was going to university when she fell pregnant.
I, on the other hand, hated school and was not academically gifted. I didn’t do well in my exams, and the only thing I liked about the place was all the sports I got to play and the fact that all the girls fancied me.
I wish I hadn’t found the academic side so hard and that I would have tried more because there aren’t a lot of job options open to someone who got a D in every subject he took, apart from art.
I could really draw and paint well, and because of that, I used to get teased by my friends that I was gay. Of course being tall and having as much muscle as I had when I was a teenager soon put a stop to that, but the fighting didn’t go down too well with my dad and my Aunt Mags and being constantly grounded because of it soon put a stop to the fighting.
I hoped Daisy took after her mother. Not only was my sister smart and beautiful, but she had such a good heart and was so kind and loving to everyone. I hoped that being a vampire woul
dn’t change that side of her.
Looking at Freya at the moment, with her light blonde hair flying behind her as we sailed across the mere, I began to have hope that my sister could retain the same personality. After all, Freya was kind, thoughtful and generous to a fault with her time and wealth to those she loves. Freya was also gorgeous, sexy and although she was a vampire which meant she was ridiculously strong, that didn’t stop her humanity from coming through. Freya had been so hurt and betrayed by the loss of her family at her father’s hand, and she had carried that with her for all those years, still crying over it even yesterday.
Although Freya could snap me in half if she wanted to, I still felt the need to protect her. But I couldn’t tell if that was going to be a good or bad thing in Freya’s eyes.
After two hours of sailing, we headed back to Freya’s house. Mollie had cooked a huge dinner with roast beef, Yorkshire puddings, and all the trimmings. I was glad because I had been really hungry when we got back.
After our dinner had settled, we played a game of cricket on the lawn at the side of the house, and I felt myself warm to Freya’s male staff a little more than I had previously. It was obvious they adored her and although they were her staff they were all like one happy family, and I was glad that Freya had these people in her life.
Seeing them with Daisy was great too. Keeley and I no longer had our grandparents, and my dad had been too drunk the last year to do anything like play cricket with Daisy, so the fact that she had these people here, wanting to play and enjoy the outdoors with her, was a real gift. More memories for this little girl to take with her throughout her life.
After at least an hour of attempting to play cricket with a little girl who made up her own rules about any sport she was playing so that she could win, it started to rain, and we packed up our things and headed indoors.