“Another ship? Certainly not another one as big as this?” Bethany Anne laughed at this and everyone was relieved. Working on this ship was already going to be a challenge.
“Goodness no! The other is what I’m told is a sea taxi.” They all scrunched up their faces. “You know? For the helicopters, ships, sea-doos, submarines and whatever your insanely rich and eccentric take with them around the world.”
“Just how big is this other ship?”
“Something like seventy meters or so?”
“You’re telling me that you have another ship about 225ft long to go along with this one?”
She grinned, “Yup! So, you know, hurry up and get Wagner here moving up the chain because I need a captain, Captain! How are we going to grow the TQB Navy if we don’t hire from within?”
“How do you fund all of this?” He was still working on the whole second ship at 225 feet in length.
“Because after a thousand years a vampire can get quite wealthy. Especially if they aren’t all that ashamed to listen in on private conversations on Wall Street. TQB Enterprises throws off a bunch of extra cash and I’m using some of that cash for these acquisitions. I’m worth more money than you can draw circles in a row it seems. My longer term plan is to at least make these neutral cost concerns, but that’s for the General to deal with at the moment. I need you,” and then she looked at every face, “every one of you to focus on the long term goal.”
Thomas wanted to make sure he understood. “The long term being getting rid of the Forsaken?” He knew she had said that the Forsaken was a near-term goal. What did she want, world peace?
She focused on the Captain. “No. The Forsaken are a blight on the world and need to be addressed. If they give up their goal to make humans their cattle I’ll leave them alone. There’s a bigger problem facing us and the Forsaken are a speed bump on the road to protecting the world.”
“What do we need to protect the world from? Knowledge of vampires?”
She smiled, “Well, in the short term yes. Can you imagine the issues with the religious groups if vampires were provably real? Probably increase church attendance, which might not be too bad if we don’t get the Inquisition again. No, there are bigger problems. The challenge is just how much me and my team have dumped on you this evening. I am not asking you to follow until the end, but long enough to take care of the Forsaken. By then, you’ll know the longer term goal and you can decide if you want to re-up for that fight. Is that fair?” With this, she looked down the table on both sides. Everyone was nodding in agreement.
Jean Dukes spoke, “Excuse me, but I was talking with Scott and he mentioned that this boat was taken from a sheikh. He wouldn’t say what happened, will you share?”
“Yes. I’ll share. The reason that Scott wouldn’t share with you is that the experience was personal for me. We had intelligence that the Sheikh was a dangerous man and was probably guilty of murdering women in international waters. We talked with the Saudi family and they agreed if we took him out for his crimes, we could purchase the boats. I gassed this boat to knock everyone out. When I made it to the owner’s suite, I found the Sheikh in his bed with his latest victim. She had been horribly abused and sexually molested. I took it pretty hard and my team lead had to help me get my shit together again.”
“What did you do?”
“I tortured the son-of-a-bitch for an hour and then cut off his head and shoved his ass off the boat.”
Jean Dukes swallowed. This woman showed no more guilt at killing this man than if she had accidentally stepped on a bug.
John Grimes spoke up then. Everyone turned to face him. “We, her security team, tried the twelve remaining security men and found them guilty of failure to protect the innocent as well as their charge. We, the team, executed them and sent them to the deep before we had a funeral for Natalia. You need to know that every one of us will follow Bethany Anne to the darkest pit and not climb back out until eternity comes. We will not falter, we will not hesitate and we will not accept evil in any of its forms. Whether it’s a Forsaken vampire or evil human they will get the same treatment. We will kill them all and not even monsters in the night will stop us.”
Todd Jenkins took another look at the team lead. There was no fucking way he wanted to meet this man in a dark alley. He was brave, not foolish.
Bethany Anne took over, “We aren’t seeking to right everyone’s wrongs, but we won’t shy away from what’s in front of us, either. I read your jacket, Jean. If you see that happen and it’s two people from one of my ships? You had better save their souls and kill them yourself because I guaran-fucking-tee you their screams will wake up their mothers for years to come if I ever get ahold of them. Do you understand what I’m saying, all of you?”
The cynics in the group, if there were any, lost their shit when Bethany Anne’s eyes started glowing red and they could sense the barely restrained righteous anger she was feeling over a hypothetical situation. This woman didn’t think righteous anger, she was righteous anger personified. Jean J. Dukes had found the avatar for her indignation over the event that caused her to lose her Navy commission.
She knew she wouldn’t be pulling ropes to help John Grimes and his team out of the darkest pit because her ass would already be there fucking shit up. John Rodriquez watched as Jean Dukes became committed. This was the woman he left the Navy over and by god this was the woman he would fight and sail with as well. He looked over at Captain Thomas and gave a quick nod. That caused everyone to take a vote right then and it was unanimous.
Bethany Anne had the start of a navy. She looked around the table. Everyone was looking at her for instructions. She purposefully turned her attention to Captain Thomas. “Captain, you and your crew are hereby accepted into my Cadre. You personally will report to Dan Bosse for the time being. Run facts, projects and budget through him. Dan, this group’s starting budget is fifty million.”
She looked around the table. Her casual mention of fifty million dollars had a couple shell-shocked. “Hey!” she slapped the table a couple of times, “You people are on the clock! We have some FCC’s to fuck up. Stop staring around like you’re a newb in the big city, people!”
Jean couldn’t help herself, “FCC’s?”
Bethany Anne stood up and raised an eyebrow and smiled, “Forsaken Cocks and Cunts. Now get busy.” She disappeared, again.
Captain Thomas just smiled. Hell Yes! “You heard the boss, let’s get busy! Rodriquez, Engines. Dukes and Jenkins get together on guns and defense. Wagner, let’s get our heads together with Bosse and Kurns on crew. Jameson, see if you can get with whoever works with the helicopter pilot and figure out what we can fly. I’m guessing you might not be on the boat, but you wouldn’t have been invited if there wasn’t something for you to do.”
Paul agreed. John caught his attention and signaled him over. They broke up and started working.
19
Constanta, Romania
Ivan had gone to bed. He didn't want to interrupt Stephen and Gabrielle. Well, that wasn't true. He did want to interrupt but it was obvious they had stuff to talk about. He had a crush, he was certain. She had dimples to die for.
Huh, he thought, she was a vampire so he supposed dying was a possibility. He spent another hour thinking about her before sleep finally took him.
He woke up at 9:00 AM, about the same time that Stephen usually did. He got up and dressed. This time in jeans and a button down long sleeve shirt. That he could slip on dress shoes and go out on the town was inconsequential. Yeah, right! He was dressing to impress. How he would impress a vampire who was probably hundreds of years old, he had no idea.
He had been texting with Ecaterina and she told him that she was happily involved with Nathan. If his sister could have a werewolf boyfriend, why couldn't he date a vampire? Stephen was cool, fun and living life with excitement ever since Bethany Anne had met with him. What would Gabrielle be like?
Ivan had to admit that so far, his experience with vam
pires was completely colored by his experience with Bethany Anne. Stephen had told him a couple of stories that could curl your short ones about what vampires had done 'back in the day.'
He left his room and went to the kitchen. Opening the refrigerator, he pulled the eggs out. The shelf below had Stephen's blood. Having the blood right there had been a little weird at first, now Ivan didn't even think about it.
Alone, he made an omelette with tomatoes and cucumbers. He added some feta cheese and brewed a pot of coffee. He had been surprised that Stephen was a coffee snob of the highest order. Every morning, he would grind coffee beans to make a brew. Ivan enjoyed it, but normally Stephen was up first and had the coffee already made. Just as he finished laying everything out, Stephen came walking in.
He actually looked a little tired. He went to the cupboard and grabbed a mug, then held it out to Ivan. Ivan raised his eyebrows but poured him a cup. Stephen would be able to smell that this wasn't fresh ground.
All he did was take his mug with him and sit at the table. "Good morning, Ivan. I'm sorry, but I need coffee in me before I make coffee." With that declaration, he started to sip the hot beverage. "Even this vile stuff. Maybe I'll only need half a cup."
Ivan smiled as he put down the carafe. Sitting down across from Stephen, he started on his own food and coffee. "Long night?"
"Yes, it was good to really catch up with Gabrielle again. She has been awake for a long time and went through most of this computer and Internet revolution."
"So, she doesn't need any training?" Ivan was a little disappointed.
Stephen hid his smile behind his mug. "Oh, she could probably use some pointers here and there. But what she will need is more information on the black web."
Black web? "Oh, you mean the dark web?"
Stephen waved a hand lazily in Ivan's direction. "Black, dark, morose, whatever web it is that the bad guys use. That one."
"Is she going to do some work with you?"
Stephen stood up and walked over to get his coffee beans. This morning, he was finishing a small package of Mocha Java from Yemen. He went through the process of making a proper coffee while he talked with Ivan. "Yes, she is going to work with me and Bethany Anne. You know that Michael hasn't been back in Europe since before the American Revolution?"
"No, not exactly. I'm not up on all of the politics and history of either the Americans or the vampires. No offense."
Stephen smiled, "None taken, my friend. Well, Michael is, or was, the first vampire. It is from him that my brothers and I were made. He was up in England, I think, following two Forsaken who took a boat to hide from his wrath. So, he followed them to the colonies. By the time he finally found and killed them, he had fallen in love with the people and wrote my brother and me a letter to tell us to take care of Europe as the strictures required. He had decided he was staying in the new country."
Stephen cleaned the grinder as the coffee percolated. He continued his story. "So, David and I took over responsibility for Europe. David was mostly in Germany at that time. I'm not sure if he is still there or where he is, exactly. We charged our children as well regarding the Forsaken. But there have been times when I have slept a little too long. Gabrielle has been the one to help me the most when it comes to tracking down the Forsaken. Unfortunately, she has a softer heart for both her family and humans. She claims she follows the spirit of the strictures, not exactly the rules. She was worried last night that Bethany Anne had come here to kill me for Petre’s actions."
"Really? Would Bethany Anne have killed you for Petre because of some, what, rule book?"
Stephen took his first sip and his whole face relaxed. He sat down at the table across from Ivan again. "Well, if she were following the strictures, that is a possibility. But my queen is a noble woman and even if she is doing something wrong, it is for the right reasons. She did come here to find out why I had allowed Petre to be such an ass. I guess it was obvious to her that when I answered the door, I was in no shape to be following the activities of my children. That Gabrielle still mostly follows the old ways is a testament to her strength, not my parenting." He took another sip. Coffee was to be enjoyed, not swallowed like it was medicine to take on your way out the door.
Ivan got up and started cleaning his dishes. "So, she was surprised by your age, I take it?"
"Yes, very much so! It is one of the reasons, I think, she has decided to work with me to get Europe back on track. I'm afraid that Carl, and therefore Michael, might have been unaware that Europe wasn't as protected as they thought it was. I can tell you that I was never such a harsh dealer of death or so angry if someone besmirched my honor. Considering my indelicate activities with the fairer sex at times, I hardly judged others who had occasional indiscretions."
"What would you judge them for?"
"Oh, if anyone insulted or questioned Michael in front of me, that would not be allowed. Even I understand that to allow disrespect of the Patriarch is a recipe for revolt and rebellion. But if they were disrespectful in my presence in matters of etiquette, that might be only slightly punished. In the old days, Michael would take even breaches of etiquette as an affront to his honor."
Ivan pointed to the carafe of remaining Mocha Java and Stephen held out his mug, "Thank you." Ivan just nodded.
"What do you think are the other reasons?"
"I'm sorry, what other reasons?" Stephen knew exactly what Ivan was asking. He might be centuries old, but his mind was now razor sharp again.
"You said that Gabrielle had multiple reasons to work with you on Europe for Bethany Anne?"
"Ah, yes. Well, part of that is she is a wonderful daughter who truly cares for her papa. That she still does after all of these years is a testament to me finally choosing a wonderful person to change. It is a good thing I got her right, at least. She was a handful to deal with after the change, let me tell you that."
"Do you have any other daughters?" Ivan looked curious, not like he was seeing if there were options.
"No!" Stephen had a wide grin. "Oh, no. Gabrielle is a fantastic child, but she was such a handful when she was first turned that it totally put me off changing women ever again. I had to listen to her for twenty five years tell me I should do this, I should do that. Don't date that woman, don't cheat with her. Why was I doing this and why can't I do that. It was emotionally draining.
“When I finally realized that she had sucked the joy of female companionship completely out of my life for more than two years, I threw her out of my house!" Stephen’s eyes were shining in the morning light.
Ivan smiled, "Ok, most of that I believe. You throwing her out of the house? I find that hard to believe."
Stephen deflated on himself with a smile. He wasn't going to trick Ivan with this half-believed lie. Stephen leaned forward, "Can you keep a secret, Ivan?"
What secrets wasn't he keeping at the moment? There were vampires and werewolves and even his uncle could change into a bear. "Yes, why?"
Stephen whispered conspiratorially, "I paid a Frenchmen to seduce Gabrielle and they went to Paris on their honeymoon. It was the best gold I had spent that century. It took me almost a year to stop looking over my shoulder on every date to see if Gabrielle was watching!" Stephen leaned back against the chair, resting as if a large weight had finally lifted from his shoulders.
Ivan had to laugh at that part of the story. This he could believe. The Stephen he knew would certainly do that much.
Stephen continued, "When I saw her again it was twenty years later. She had stayed with the Frenchman until he passed away and Paris had helped my little dragonfly to open wings she didn't know she had. She was still tough, but she was never as much the curmudgeon she had been before. For that alone, I will always have a soft heart for French people and Paris." He waved his cup of coffee towards Ivan as if it was a salute, and finished the drink and put it down on the table.
"Stephen, other reasons?"
"Yes. She heard what Petre was doing and realized that she had bee
n lax in actively tracking down rumors of things amiss in the UnknownWorld. She said she ran across two other children in the past decade and all admitted the reports they shared with Carl were maybe a little fabricated and light on details. They had each had only two run-ins with Nosferatu within the past twenty years, so it felt very much that there were no problems in Europe. Now, based on what is going on in America, she wonders if that is because they were focused on the United States, or if it was on purpose to get us here in Europe to become complacent."
"That's not concerning or anything."
"True. It is why she is going to move here with us. She will take my old room downstairs. We can make it up a little nicer, but it is protected from the sun."
"She truly cannot be touched by the sun?" Ivan's concern shaded his voice.
"All of my children have some defense against the sun. For Petre it was very painful and in minutes could kill him. For Gabrielle, it would take more, it would take a while before her skin would do more than show a very nasty sunburn. But after having to endure the pain a couple of times, she takes precautions to not accidentally be hit by direct sunlight."
"Can Bethany Anne do anything to help her? Maybe, I don't know, make it so she can be in the sun?"
Stephen considered his question. "You know, I don't have an answer to that. It would be beyond helpful to the group if she could do something like this. I will have to text and ask Bethany Anne to call and talk." Stephen seemed to retreat into himself, thinking.
Plus, Ivan mused, he could get to see more of Gabrielle during the day.
Kurtherian Gambit Boxed Set One: Books 1-7, Death Becomes Her, Queen Bitch, Love Lost, Bite This, Never Forsaken, Under My Heel, Kneel or Die (Kurtherian Gambit Boxed Sets) Page 57