The Scarlet Heron

by Sharilyn Skye

  Samuel called prior to Lara’s return and explained how she had worked with Kimani and brought his family home to him. Samuel and Kimani have been together for many years. Thanks to Lara, he believes that they will mend their personal issues and remain together. Only she could take something so broken and change it into a better thing than it was before it broke in the first place. She refused his effort to pay her, but the AVA has already dealt with that. This is one thing I will win at with her.

  I laid a meal out and poured her a glass of seven hundred dollar wine, which she proceeded to gulp down. I poured her another. I watched as she talked about the little pony she brought home for Jeremy and ate with voracious abandon. I love watching her eat. It is a new passion of mine. I would cook five meals a day, if only I could watch her eat them. It is somewhat of a perversion on my part. It is close to sexual satisfaction, watching her eat.

  I hated to bring up the Tuatha de Danann that had come looking for her the day she left town, but we needed to discuss it. In my mind they were the other shoe that was waiting to drop. They would never give up their search for her, now that word had reached them. A near pure High Blood Daoine Sidhe would not be permitted to live outside of Talamh na Sithe, at least not without a fight. I knew this, but she did not. She had many battles on her horizon and it is my deepest hope that I will be able to help her fight them. I know better than most the depth of treachery and violence that can be found in Faerie and I would not like for her to face that alone.

  I knew one of the men that came looking for her that fateful day. He was an enforcer for the Queen. I knew that she was dead, because I had seen to that task myself, but there must be someone left to lead them. I did not know, not at the time, that it was Aramea, Lara’s grandmother. I knew none of this then. Would it have changed things? No, I wouldn’t have walked away from Lara had I known. Maybe in the very beginning, but I was in love and there is no changing that. That Lara was related to the creature that stole my life and the life of my unborn child did not change how I felt about her. It only made my desire to keep her from that fate stronger.

  This Enforcer was not a kind Faerie, he had been in the chamber for all of my torture and he often partook in it. He is one of the few that remain alive who did. I will kill him if he crosses into this plane again. Now that I know of his continued existence, I will not suffer him to live. Lara does not belong in the hands of this man. Aramea should die too and I long to end her, but I understand family and I understand the capacity for change, perhaps better than most. Do I believe that Aramea has changed? No. I do not. I believe that she wants Lara for her power or that she sees her as a threat to her throne and wishes to keep her close. I will not allow Lara to walk the same path I did and end up chained and tortured for her naivety. That is the way I see Aramea’s intentions heading. Perhaps I am wrong and the color of my past with her will not allow me to see anything but deception. I just know what she did to me. She ravaged my body in every conceivable way because I had power she thought she could take. If she is truly the leader of the remaining Tuatha de Danann, she will not have changed her ways. Regardless of a supposed relationship with Lara.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Before I left to feed we talked. We both apologized. I told her that I wanted all of her and that I was willing to wait. She promised there would be no other men until we had given our relationship a fair chance. A peace so deep settled into the heart of my soul at her words. She is a Faerie, her promise settled between us in a binding. I knew she would not break it until the terms of the promise had been met. She would give our relationship a chance. I could see she was conflicted, frightened and unsure, but she was willing to face that and make an effort. I let her know that should she break her promise, the next man shall die. She thought I was joking, but I know otherwise. I will not survive another night feeling her in another man’s arms. If we try a relationship and it does not work for whatever reason, we will both be free of the promise, but we must try first. I wanted so badly to drink from her then, my iron will strained against my better judgement and I was not sure which would win. She was nervous though, her pupils dilated and contracted rapidly and her heart beat too fast in her rib cage. She was not ready and I had sworn to be patient.

  I kissed her instead and could feel her emotions flow through her. It took every bit of strength I had to leave her alone in my apartment, but I was due to feed and so was Grania. Paul was unwell with what we thought was some type of flu but proved to be something much, much worse.

  So Grania and I went into the city that night, neither of us exactly feeling up to it. She worried about Paul and I about Lara, but sometimes there is little choice in life. Fangs Amillion is an interesting contradiction between the old ways and the new. Money can be exchanged for sex as well as blood, or both can be given freely. It depends on the contract between the individuals involved. Aiyana controls the terms of these verbal contracts and takes a cut of them all by charging for the rooms used. I had helped fund this place and the general clean up of the area and I count it as one of the successes in Baltimore City. I had plans to open others of its kind nationwide, as it filled a void in our community. While I had not planned on the sex trade being involved, it does benefit those who chose to exchange in it, so I do not look too closely. The blood and sex trade will never go away, regardless of advances made by all our Peoples, those desires are base instinct and have existed since the first humans crawled out of the cosmic swamp and no manner of laws will quell it.

  One of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, one I happen to own, is working on a bagged blood delivery system that will go a long way to change some of the practices of our kind and with it, the perceptions of the world at large. My company has been working on this project for decades and we are close to making it happen. I planned to have a solution for the need for blood available by the announcement, but the Red Cross is fighting us tooth and nail, fearing we will take the supply they need. The plan is to take blood from donors that they do not deem acceptable. Our bodies would fight HIV and Hepatitis, in theory, we could clean and filter the blood safely. However, Paul’s illness and the onset of Vampire Infectious Disease has the scientists working for me rethinking this paradigm and we are left to feeding in traditional ways while they test and retest their theories and all possible solutions.

  We went anyway, both of us reluctant. Aiyana was up to something, we just did not know what. Not then. She was supposed to be one of my strongest allies and I had personally set her up for success in Baltimore when other cities had refused her business. She became rich and famous with my help. She also became jealous. She and I had once been lovers and the rumors about Lara were far reaching. I do not know whether she still wanted me in a tangible way or not, but she wanted something to be sure and it became clear that something had changed with Aiyana.

  We did not stay long. Grania prefers to get blood from willing donors and would take a while to be coy and seductive. I would often pay for the transaction to simplify things. I chose a healthy looking middle aged man, he was graying at the temples and not unattractive. I did not prefer male over female or female over male, but tonight the only woman I wanted in my arms was Lara, so I chose this gentleman. His name was Alex and he has a daughter in college. He sells his blood to help pay her tuition. I took him quickly and painlessly, using glamour to calm his rapidly beating heart, leaving him a large tip when I was finished. I did not look down on him or others like him. They are lifeblood to us and I appreciate them endlessly. Especially since I cannot take a human Source of my own.

  While Grania was talking to a tall blonde female, I took a few minutes to peruse the club. Nothing felt overtly off, but there was an undercurrent of tension that had not been there before.

  “Not staying long tonight, Aedan?” Aiyana asked as I walked to the bar to return my glass.

  “Alas no, I have business at home that needs tended.”

  “Faerie Business?” She said through clenched teet
h, her heartbeat speeding up, giving away her thoughts on my Faerie Business. “You must bring her.” She said, changing course “You keep her locked away in that dungeon of Westminster. You introduced her to us, then whisked her away where no one can befriend her. She belongs to no one, yet you keep the rest of us from getting to know her at all.”

  “She is mine, Aiyana. I will bring her, but you must know that she is mine.” I gave her a cool look, letting my eyes bleed a shade paler, making sure I put enough steel in my voice to keep misunderstandings to a minimum. She could challenge me or back off. I was not opposed to a good fight and Aiyana would provide one. She was a Native American Abedabun before she was Turned. She was Changed in the traditional way, but retained much of her magic afterwards, which is an anomaly. We are not evenly matched by a long shot, She might think so, but we are not. She would put up a good fight and I would drink her power down before her death, should she go that route, I would welcome it. I waved her off with a dismissal.

  “Forgive me, Governor, I am not challenging you. I just wish to get to know your new lady love and to see who has taken you away from us and caused you to become so fierce.” She frowned, pulling her lips into a sulky pout. “She is an asset to us all, I am sure.” She shook out her long hair and departed smiling, leaving me alone at the bar. I ordered another drink and went to collect my daughter.

  I was right in thinking something was amiss with Aiyana. That night, one of my own was killed in the sunrise rooms at the Club. Aiyana assured me it was an accident, a malfunction of the automatic light blocking shutters, but I have my doubts. I did not know then, the depth of her treachery or I would have killed her then and saved myself the grief.

  Chapter Fifteen

  I found Lara asleep on my couch, the remote control in her hand dangled precariously close to falling. She had been watching VTV and an old western played. They put me to sleep as well so I cannot fault her that. She looked lovely in the pale light from the gas fireplace, its flames caressing her skin with light and shadow. Lifting her gently, I carried her to my bed. She snuggled her face into the side of my neck as I carried her against my body. She does this often and does not understand that she is the only living creature to ever be allowed near my neck this way. I have never allowed anyone but her to feed from it, only my wrist. You learn early on where the strengths and weaknesses lie and the neck is a weakness no one with strength bares. It is a sign of submission and I have not submitted, never. When I hung in chains then, I did not submit and as I hang in chains now, I will not submit. To allow her this close to me in this way is proof that I honor and trust her above all things, I submit to her when needed. Only her. Her face in my neck does things to me it should not and her breath on my skin there excites me like no other. I carried her gently, for I did not want to wake her. I did take her clothes off, but nothing more. I wanted to feel her skin on mine and watch the soft glow of her as she pulsed in the dark. I did not touch her, otherwise. I swear to the Goddess, I did not. We will both be participants in our first time together for I am no rapist. Yes, I have taken innocent blood from the unwilling and to us that is rape, but that was a hundred lifetimes ago and I am not that creature now. If we cannot change and start anew, then whatever is the point of life?

  Her exhaustion was a palpable thing, as was her relief at being home. For this was her home, too. I held her in my arms, my nose filled with the scent of sun, salt and sea that diffused from her and drifted off to sleep well before the dawn. I cannot help that my dreams bled over through our bond, her confusion over them was amusing, but she knew I did her no harm. There was a moment though, when I felt some shift in her, like the cracking of an egg shell where the viscous liquid leaks out. Something happened that night that I am sure neither one of us understand. What precipitated it, I do not know, but I suspect that it was Tuffy’s passing. The breaking of her heart led to a breaking of the bonds within her that kept her from loving, I felt it flow through her like the tides. I truly did nothing but hold her and dream. However, my loneliness is old and my power older, so perhaps it was something I did after all. It was inadvertent, but not unwelcome.

  I felt her awaken, her emerald eyes watching me. Her heart rate sped up and she smelled…unsure. I understand this side of me is difficult for her, I appear dead. Nothing moves, unless I will it strongly. I could have awakened and comforted her, but this is her sticking point. This, she needed to come to terms with on her own. Dawn was heavy on my soul, so I sank back into it. Still, she snuggled back into me, fitting her rounded bottom to me like a puzzle piece and together we slept. Later, I wondered if the unease she felt was a result of the emergence of her feelings for me, or perhaps her recognition of them, I do not know. In that moment, between awareness and sleep I could not read her thoughts. So many things about her, I do not completely understand and that just adds to my desire to know her better. I dozed in and out, but was aware that she lay warm and naked against me long after sunrise.

  Chapter Sixteen

  She used my toothbrush. Well, not my personal one, but the extra I keep for her. When she left my rooms she smelled of me and everything in my bathroom smelled of her. I growled low, feral and smiling a likely unpleasant smile, when I awoke and noticed it. It was difficult to restrain the desire to march across the field between our homes and take possession of her. I have always been what this century calls an alpha male and vampirism does nothing to ease that. Not surprisingly, I can be quite territorial. Lara must have skipped the section of the vampire guide on dealing with territorial vampires. Ah, the things she did that she did not understand. All my fault, I assure you. I should have been a better teacher when it came to the supernatural world, but this dance we engage in is too delicious to spoil. Had she known, she would have used my products anyway. Of that, I am certain. She enjoys teasing me. She thinks of me as a gentleman and herself as safe, which she assuredly is.

  I returned calls from the Leader of the European Vampires and the Vice President of the United States. The Europeans were having issues with a delegation from the Middle East and the Vice President wanted clarification on the Bill currently sitting in the House. I spoke to them both at length. After I got off the phone with the European Leader, who was also my Grandson in a manner of speaking, as his father was Turned by me, I sent a few emails and checked the stock exchange. I had hundreds of living children and they had thousands more in total. There are those loyal to my House all over the world. Many of them work for me or my companies in some capacity, but we all share the same vision. Together, we are trying to build something good of the darkness from which we came.

  Through the windows of my office I watched Lara work, she went about it with such aggression that I dared not send someone to help her. She is very independent that way. She loves her horses and working for them brings her peace and if she was working out something in her mind, perhaps it would bring her resolution. I watched as she spoke with Sarah and Jeremy, then headed inside. Paul was going over to have her look at him. He had been unwell for weeks, going back and forth from the human doctors had produced no results. We were all hoping Lara could figure out his ailment.

  Wrapping up my work, I readied myself to join her in her clinic, we had plans for later this evening, but I wanted to check in with her beforehand. I showered and changed, drinking a cup of coffee while I readied myself. She was rubbing off on me.

  I walked into the clinic to an unexpected sight. Noah Breger, a lycanthrope and also one of my few friends, was standing with Lara, studying something under a microscope. Paul lay, pale and weak, on a chaise. I wasn’t worried about Noah being there for personal reasons, Lara and I had already worked this out and he was a friend. He was also staunchly gay with a committed partner, but I worried that he might figure out the true nature of what Lara is, which could be troublesome. He is a Healer also, not like she is, as he has no faerie blood in him. He is however, smart, intuitive and contains no small amount of magic, himself. The Lycanthropes were on the verge of joinin
g us publicly, coming out as they call it. There has been tension between our two groups since the beginning of time, mostly because we have hunted them and used their blood for our gain. Not myself, I’ve always fought to make them allies and to find a way to keep the fragile peace we have fought for. I have had several lovers of the shapeshifter persuasion and I have never hunted them or intended to do them harm, not even in my darkest days.

  Noah is their political leader. Not just locally, but nationwide. They are a smaller group than we and have chosen to pick one leader instead of relying on system of representatives the way the vampires have. Should I make it from this mess I am in, I plan on changing the way vampires are organized, as this democratic farce we presented to the public has not proven successful. I will do so quietly and with as little bloodshed as possible, but mark my words, some blood will be shed. In my desire to be generally accepted from the outside, I have made myself and others with progressive minds, more open to attack. This will change.

  Behind the scenes though, Noah and I have worked closely together to formulate a plan to bring the Shapeshifters into the mainstream. When I built this clinic for Lara, I asked him to be physician of public record. She worried over her license to practice nursing, as if holding onto that might change things for her. I refuse to disavow her of this ideas, she clings to her humanity like a life rope. I will not take that from her, regardless of how much red tape it causes me.

  The sight of them working together, gave me pause. She did not know about any other supernatural group and he did not know what she was. I worried that those two things could lead to trouble. Again, this is my fault. I have been selfish where she is concerned, but I have tried to be gentle in her introduction to our world. I worry that she will reach a breaking point, some unknown dot on the map of things that she will be unable to move past. I do not wish to see this happen.