Blooded

by Jessie Rose Case

  They gazed at each other across the table when a knock at the door told them their personal time was up. Arturo rose and went to open it. Several of his men were standing there with Valentina and James. Arturo nodded to them and headed back to Regin. Sitting at the island he turned to look at them. Valentina came in and went to Regin and hugged her. “Seeing as none of you were expected here before I leave, I can only assume we have a problem.” He told them a little annoyed. “Sorry boss, we do have a problem.” Valentina told him. “Jazel is on his way here. He has split with Marcus and is coming for Regin.” “How many are with him? “50 We think, maybe more.” Valentina answered him. “When do they get here?” He asked her. “That is unknown.” Arturo turned to Regin. She could see the pain in his eyes. “Could you defend against 50 Regin?” He asked her quietly. Shit thought Regin. Even on her best day with Arturo’s powers 50 Vamps or more? No she couldn’t. “I cannot stay Regin I’m sorry.” He told her reaching out and reminding her. “It would only make it worse Marcus would come here too.” Regin let out a deep breath. “I know you can’t.” She told him honestly. “And you could not survive against 50 or more Vamps Regin.” He reminded her gently taking her hand. “How much time do we have?” He asked Valentina. “Unknown but he could be here in 40 minutes at full Vamp speed.” Fuck. Regin knew this was a lost cause. Val thought it important to add something. “If Regin is not here, Jazel has no reason to come here and cause havoc to the populace.”

  Regin looked up and narrowed her eyes at Valentina. That had been an obvious push. Undeterred. Valentina told her. “You cannot stay here now Regin. It would give Jazel what he wants. If he takes you he weakens Arturo.” Regin weighted up all the information and tried scenario’s where she could stay and survive. She came up blank, time and time again. In the end she had no choice but to agree with Valentina. “I need to leave.” She told Arturo sadly. Arturo rounded the island and took her into his arms. “I am sorry I know this is your home and when its safe we can come back, but now you cannot stay but I am not sorry you are coming with me. Pack or leave it all. But we leave in 20 mins and secure this house.” Regin nodded. “Come I’ll help you.” Valentina told her. Regin ran into her room, went to her closet and pulled down a large suit case. Pointing Valentina to the dresser. “Second drawer, underwear. Third drawer T shirts. Forth drawer jeans.” Valentina started grabbing and packing. Regin grabbed her nice leather knee high boots and her snow boots and sneakers. A leather jacket and a warm parker. Dumping them on the bed. She grabbed several jumpers and added them to the pile. Several pairs of PJs that made Valentina raise her eyebrows at and her makeup, brushes and toiletries. “Regin if it’s not in that bag it’s not coming and I’ll buy you new ones. Move it woman we need to leave every minute puts you in more danger.” Arturo called out from down the hall. Valentina smiled then winked at her. “I’ll take it. Make him buy a lot.” She sniggered walking out the room. She passed the bag to one of Arturo’s men. The kitchen was spotless. Dishwasher was going. Bin was being taken out by one of the boys. Great housekeeping.

  Regin rushed into her lab. “I need to take some of this with us. Get me the boxes over there.” Both Val and Arturo brought her boxes to her and Regin filled them with her materials and arsenal. Arturo called in his men. They each took a box from them and took them out to the cars. Regin was clear. “Don’t breathe around them. Don’t drop them and don’t touch them.” As the last went out the door. Arturo grabbed her hand. “Let’s go.” He told her. They reached the front of the house and Regin set the alarm systems and relayed it to the company informing them she was going away for a while. Arturo walked her to his car. It was a Mercedes limo type. Charlee was at the wheel and James opened the door for her. Regin got in followed by Valentina. Arturo walked around the other side and got in. Val sat in the pull-down seat behind the passenger seat that was now taken by James. Regin looked out the window. Several of Arturo’s men were running to cars both in front of them and behind. It was 2 hours and 20 minutes to Montreal by car she reflected as the cars moved off.

  Arturo’s house was an hour and a half outside of Montreal. Regin noticed that they were on the road for nearly 4 hours all told. The cars pulled into a driveway through large electronic gates with a gate house. She wondered what kind of house needed a gate house? Armed men were on either side of it. And it was supported by what looked like a 10ft wall running both left and right. As they drove through a large park road appeared ahead of them. The road continued for 15 minutes until a house could be seen. It was colonial. It was huge. Regin couldn’t believe it. She looked at the house and looked at Arturo. He was gonna live in a flat about a club and he owned this? Regin’s eyes were round like saucers. She expected Mr Darcy to come running down the grassland any minute followed by Elizabeth. Seriously? He could have told her. Regin turned to Arturo. “When you said you had money and businesses do you not think it would have been nice to tell me this is your kind of house.” Arturo looked at her confused as to what the problem was. “Regin it’s just a house. One of many I use.” “It’s a bloody mansion and it would have been nice to know that I’m going to be living in a museum!” She told him and through gritted teeth her own anxiety hitting her hard. “I don’t have museum clothes on me.” She told him. Val grinned. Arturo shot Val a curb it look. “You don’t need any special clothes Regin.” Regin threw her hands in the air and looked at Val. “He has no idea.” Val nodded in agreement. “Nope.” Arturo looked from one to the other, he was lost. “Whatever you need we’ll buy.” He shrugged. Regin huffed. Not the point! She was so unprepared for this. No one said anything about playing lady of the manner. Just the thought of that made her cringe. She was a scientist for god sake! She had no idea what crinoline was! Seriously, not happening. No. Nope. No chance.

  They pulled up around the side of the house. Arturo got out as did James and opened Regin’s door. She got out followed by Val. Regin looked around her. She met a guy who was living above a bar. What the hell happened? This house just wasn’t real. It was spectacular. All while sandstone and marble. Massive portico and loads of windows. “I feel like I should curtsy or something.” She told Val shell shocked. Val laughed. “Not so long ago we did. Don’t freak but the staff still do.” Regin turned to look at her. “Seriously?” “Yep.” Blimey. No. Still not playing lady of the manner. Arturo held out his arm for her and Regin took it. It seemed play acting was part of this house. Regin resigned herself to playing along. Taking the stairs, they walked into a large hallway with a central staircase facing the front of the house, it circled up to the first floor. A large chandelier hanging from the ceiling and several large portraits hanging on the walls. Regin looked again at three of them as she walked pass. They were Arturo. Cleverly disguised but no mistaking the features. If she hadn’t known they could have been close relatives. They looked to be a hundred years or so apart looking at the dress code.

  Looking around as she walked forward several people were present. An older male came forward and bowed to them. At the same time the other staff bowed or curtsied. OMG thought Regin it’s the twilight zone. “My Lord welcome home. How was your vacation?” “It was fantastic Jenson. Meet my wife Regin.” Jenson was clearly taken aback. “Your wife sir?” “Yes I got married.” Regin was sensing out the room. Most of those present were day walkers. She could feel the link to Arturo and now to her. The security were Vamps. Most she had seen before. There was nothing obviously wrong here that Regin could feel. But something didn’t feel right. Something was nagging her at the back of her mind. Telling her something was off. Regin moved as if looking at the paintings and art work. Studying the ceiling and staircase. She caught a sense of something dark coming down the stairs. Regin looked up and saw the most beautiful Vamp she had ever seen. Regin turned away from her and noticed that several of the staff took a step back and avoided looking at this new person. Regin reached out with her senses. This woman was emotionally dead. She had no concept of kindness. She was brittle, rude. Distrustful. Ag
gressive. Dominant. Arrogant. She was a bully without enjoying it. “Arturo your home.” Arturo turned towards this person. “Yes Sarah I’m home. Are you well?” He asked her. “Well enough.” Sarah turned to look at Regin. The moment she caught her scent she stilled. And turned eerily to Arturo. “You bring temptation into this house?” “No Sarah. I bring my wife.”

  Sarah was visibly shocked and stopped on the stairs looking at Arturo. “Bonded?” “Yes.” He told her. “Bonded.” “Then it cannot be broken.” She whispered. To Regin she seemed to be talking to herself. “You will no longer need me to run your house. Your wife can do it.” Sarah walked right passed them both and out the door. Several staff sighed in relief. Regin turned to Arturo. “I don’t know what that was all about and I don’t want to know. That woman is a bitch, has issues, is emotionally void and is a bully. I don’t want her anywhere near my home Arturo.” Arturo looked at her shocked. “Sarah has been through much in her life. She is much misunderstood.” She raised her eyebrows. Was he this stupid or just male? “Arturo. She needs help. Don’t tell me you did not know. She’s like it with Vamps too. I will not turn a blind eye to that. Believe me when I say, your household will be much happier that she has left.” Arturo turned to his staff. “Jenson?” “Sorry My Lord but your wife is correct. Sarah scares the staff and they are uncomfortable being around her.” Arturo frowned. “Has she hurt anyone?” He asked. “No My Lord, well not deliberately. But she can be hard on a person.” Arturo closed his eyes for a moment. Placing her hand on his arm. She felt his anguish. He opened his eyes and looked at her. “I would like to rest if that is possible.” She told him. Jenson stepped forward. “This way My Lady.” Dam thought Regin, she was playing lady of the manor after all.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Regin looked round the room she had been led to. As Regin walked behind Jenson she took stock of what she was seeing. Wealth and plenty of it. Oil paintings adorned the walls. Marble statues. Antique tables and chairs. Fresh flowers in vase’s. Chinese furniture and other rugs. The hallway runner so deep her feet felt like they were bouncing. It would be easy to think that someone had been on a world tour and collected as they went. Her house looked pitiful compared to this. Jenson had indicated left and walked on. Regin followed him as he opened double doors and led her into a large sitting room. It had comfortable settees and single chairs with side tables scattered round the room in small groups. A central fireplace had three settees surrounding it with a coffee table in the middle. “This is the family or sitting room My Lady. On the other side of the hallway is the morning room it is also the main reception room. It leads to the banqueting rooms. Through this corridor.” Jenson indicated ahead of him. “This leads to the family bathroom. Beyond that is the library. A smaller sitting room and the master’s office. On the other side of the corridor are several small reading and entertaining rooms. Upstairs are the bedrooms. The master apartment is to the right. Should you need anything you simply ring for it. There is a traditional call bell cord in each room like here or you may use the house phone, there is one in each room. You simply raise the receiver and it will ring in the servants wing. Can I offer you refreshments?” Arturo looked up from his phone. “Coffee and some light refreshments please Jenson.” “Sir.” Jenson left closing the doubled doors behind him. Wow thought Regin. How did she get here again? “You look worried.” Arturo told her coming to her and wrapping his arms around her and hugging her to him. “I’m not cleaning this house Arturo.” Arturo laughed. “No you’re not.”

  Regin couldn’t get over what she was seeing. “Your ridiculously rich aren’t you?” She felt him shrug. “Yes. That a problem?” He asked her. Regin shook her head in indecision. “I’m not sure but I’ll let you know.” Arturo grinned into her hair and kissed her head. “Too late now my fire fly. Your mine.” “Yes.” She sighed enjoying the comfort of his embrace. “What’s with the ‘My Lord’ bit. You failed to mention that as well.” She accused him. “I told you I was first here Regin. First means your first. It is yours until someone else takes it away.” Regin frowned and pulled back to look up at him. “How much is yours exactly.” Arturo let her go and sat on a chair by a drinks table. Jenson took that moment to come back into the room with a young woman Regin remembered from the hallway, she carried a tray. She curtsied to Arturo and placed the tray on the table in front of him and withdrew. Jenson closed the doors. Regin walked over to the table. It had a coffee pot, two china cups, two plates, sugar and milk crystal bowls and a selection of small sandwiches and cakes. Regin sat down. This was surreal. She picked up the coffee pot and poured coffee into both cups and handed one to Arturo. Followed by a plate. “Thank you.” He told her. Regin picked up her own cup and sipped the coffee. It was quite lovely. She was playing lady of the manor. Dam it. She looked at Arturo. Waiting. Arturo felt her eyes on him and looked up at her from his phone. Regin raised an eyebrow. The ‘well’ was evident. “Canada and down as far as beyond New York.” He told her. Holy shit. Thought Regin. “All of it?” “Yes.” She took a few minutes to process that. “So how does all this work exactly.” Arturo took a couple of sandwiches and put them on his plate.

  “When I arrived here in 1655 New York already had a violent history and was changing from a Dutch colony. I’d invested in the Dutch fur company and made a lot of money over the previous 30 years or so. As I told you. I’d bought land and had a house built. Paid retainers and I shipped myself over. I wasn’t too sure I’d make it. Ships were lost. People died. The journey very long and hazardous. Even a Vampire couldn’t survive being at sea in the water for months. I was glad to arrive. My retainer picked up my crate and took it home. His instructions were clear. He was not to open it. It was for his master to do that. He was to provide nourishment and leave it in the house. His master would be along shortly after. I waited until he had left the house and emerged from the crate. I easily established myself and sent letters and registered my claim with the European Vamp Court. Declared it independent and offered refuge to any and all who wanted it. The European Court was not happy. Many Vamps started to leave when word got out. They were angry and did not believe in this new world and wanted nothing to do with it. They had forbidden anyone from trying the journey. For me, it was land for the taking. And I didn’t care what they thought, I’d done it legally within Vampire law and they couldn’t dispute that or take it away. I was lucky in that I had a relationship with a learned Vampire who registered my claim so it could not be disputed or mislaid.

  With each new ship that arrived. More of my people arrived. We spread out across the country. Set up networks. Finding the more north we were the better in terms of sunlight. We needed to mingle and hold positons of respectability to move forward. As time moved on, we became wealthier. Gold, silver, oil. The land became attractive to the European Court and they sent those they considered would be best able to oust me from time to time and provide them with another continent. They lost. But kept coming. For over the next 150 years. I gained more people and fought more battles. As the first, everyone else pays me tribute and is here under my discretion and lay fealty to me. In Europe, the Council expect up to half of what you earn or steel from someone else. Here, they pay me if they can afford it and only 10%. It pays for our hierarchy and structure and family investment. For that, they get work, financial support and security and are bonded to me by blood. I do not expect them to bow and scrape. I expect them to make something of their lives. Those that slip or turn are dealt with. There are rules. No one hunts. Those that come and do not declare themselves are also dealt with. There should be no unrecorded Vamps in my territories. The European Court sent others from time to time but none in the last 100 years. If I’m honest with myself I’ve been expecting someone for a while now. They are tenacious in what they want.”

  “And Jazel?” Regin asked him suddenly feeling sick. “He asked for permission to come and start a new life here. I granted it. It was soon evident that the new life he wanted was not what we offered here. Rather th
an deal with that he left and moved down south outside my territories. The areas below my boundary line that runs along the edge of the barrios of New York coast to coast are open territories. They are feudal. Fought over by whoever is the strongest. We deal with them when we find them in ours.”

  “If someone fights you and wins, what does that mean for your people?” Regin asked putting down her cup. “They go to the new Lord. Or die. But I have changed things as technology has evolved. We are a corporation in our own right. Everyone is a shareholder. The corporation owns the rights to our wealth and disposes its wealth through shares and grants. I am the Chair. I have a board. My decision is final. Only someone I nominate can take over. Should I die it goes to the next person in line. The wealth that is mine alone has been earnt by me. That will now go to you should I fall. They cannot touch it. It is protected and tomorrow my lawyers will be here to take your finger prints and an eye scan that will allow you access to my wealth. And as my beneficiary should anything happen to me you are protected. We could all walk away tomorrow and they would get nothing but the territory itself.”