“Is there any kind of music I can listen to at night? I really don’t like the sounds I hear.”
Carma giggled, “I think Jared will keep you pretty busy at night. There won’t be anything else for you to hear.”
Miranda’s eyes widened because she couldn’t believe Carma would say those things out loud, “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean. If there where something that could keep the noises out of my head, it would be easier to live here.”
“Don’t worry I have the sounds blended out, you’ll hear only cricket and other human things. I tried to think of everything for you. I want you to know I have done did everything so you would be comfortable here.” Gage was trying not to give too much away, but it was too late.
Miranda went into his head, “It’s ok I need to leave that world behind and I don’t ever want to go back. Unfortunately I do need to take care of my parents; I hope you can understand that.”
She spoke aloud, “Gage can we take the time to talk alone, just you and I. Nothing personal guys,” she looked at Carma, Mattis, Michael and then Jared, “I just need to get some family things straight before I speak to my human parents. Jared I’ll see you by bed time, please have fun with your friends, I need to speak with Gage alone.”
“It’s ok I knew you two would have a lot to talk about. I’ll see you later, just don’t stay out late; I’m used to guarding you. Sweetheart I don’t trust anyone else with you, but me.”
Jared looked into her eyes; he wanted her to know that he wanted her back quickly and that he didn’t trust Gage at all.
“Jared, I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you, don’t worry I be back soon.”
Miranda also let him know if there were any problem she would call him right away through their mind link, and asked him to be prepared because she didn’t truly trust Gage either.
Michael, Carma and Mattis were with Jared as she left, they were really to explore the east wing and find rooms they could stay in. They also wanted Jared to stay by so they could help if Gage became a problem for Miranda. Gage was the most feared but they didn’t care Miranda was more important to them and with her fire power they knew they had a real chance.
Carma enter Miranda’s mind as she was leaving with Gage, “Let me knew if he does anything or if you need me, no matter what I’ll be there for you. I personally don’t care who he is.”
Miranda let her knew that she would call on them if anything went wrong and told her to just be ready. It was the first time in her life anyone was willing to go to bat for her and for that she was grateful and happy.
She wasn’t sure she could keep calling him father but she did it to keep Gage happy, “Dad what is going on here? How does this place work?”
“Now Miranda, that’s not what you came to ask me, is it?” Gage was smiling at her; he knew she wanted to know how she came to be.
“No, but they are good questions, are they?” Miranda knew she could hold nothing back, “How did you have me? I mean what happened between you and my mother? My father knew I wasn’t his, and yet he seemed afraid to talk about it.”
“I threatened him, just like everyone else; if you have something I want I threaten you. Your mother wouldn’t give you up to me, so I let them knew if they did anything to harm any part of you I would destroy them. I would also terrorize anything or anyone they knew. You would be amazed at what the humans would do for you. Well everything but give you to me.
That’s all I really wanted when I found out you existed. I just wanted them to give you to me and they refused, can you believe that? They, mire humans refused me, I couldn’t believe it. Most human beg for me to kill them, they beg to die quickly, but those stupid people refused to give me my very own daughter. I was amazed and I did leave them, but not before letting them know what would happen if you got hurt or into trouble.”
“You really have issues with threatening people. Do you mind stopping where I am concerned? I want Jared, Carma Michael, and Mattis to be ok with me, not worried about you trying to kill them or their families. I have enough problems learning about this new place and trying to figure out how I am going to tell my parents that I am leaving them for the very place they tried so hard to keep me from.” Miranda wanted Gage to know what she had to do. “I will only be leaving this world for a short time. I knew this is where I belong, they may not like it, but I need to be here. There’s nothing left for me there, and they will need to move on without me.”
Gage was happier then he let on. He wanted Miranda here for good but he didn’t want her to hurt for it. He did love his daughter and had been a mean, nasty, evil man until she arrived. Now he could feel himself changing because of her, he knew she was all he needed and now he would give her time, he had waited this long what were a few more weeks.
“All you need to do is tell me what you need and it will be there for you. I wouldn’t admit this to anyone, but I am at you beck and call. Please be kind, I have waited so long to have you here with me, and I don’t want to risk losing you. I am even willing to deal with a vampire as a special friend; couldn’t you do any better than that?”
“Dad, he means a lot to me. Please be ok with that, I know I am asking a lot from you right now; my parents, Jared, my friends, but I need this. No one has ever been this good to me before and I need to have this in my life right now. I hope you can understand.”
Miranda’s eyes were pleading her case; she really didn’t need any more conflict right now. Life was the best it had been in a long time.
“Don’t worry, I am to happy right now to have you back, I will go easy on you and your friends. If Jared is the one who makes you happy or more importantly, keeps you here with me, than I don’t care what he is. Well, I do care, but I am willing to deal with it. Even if you are looking to bind yourself to him, which is one thing I’m hoping you don’t.” Gage seemed like he was being sincere.
“What do you mean, bind myself to him?” Miranda had never heard that term before, at least not in that way.
“It’s like your human marriage. It’s a ceremony that keeps other from claiming you for themselves.”
Gage just realized what he had said, and that Miranda didn’t know all of the rules, he watched a look of shock come across her face
“What do you mean claim me? Can others just claim you, even if you don’t want them?” Miranda was a little worried.
“Only if they can defeat your boyfriend before you were bond to him. Miranda here we have a different set of rules. You shouldn’t worry though because if you don’t want to bind to that person, you do have the right to fight them. You have the power to defeat almost anyone I know so it’s ok.” Gage smiled.
“Dad, do you mind if I call Jared to come and get me now? I know he is waiting for us to be finished, and I am getting a little bit tired now.” Miranda was trying to be honest and keep the conversation light.
“I was hoping you and I could talk a little longer, but if you’re tired it’s ok, I’ve waited this long for my daughter what’s a few more hours. First you must promise to have breakfast with me, bring your friends, but then a little time alone and I will try to help. I will give you as much information as I can to get your parents in order, just remember they don’t like me much, especially your dad. I did take his wife and neither had much choice, but that’s not your fault at all, I don’t knew I could father a human child.” Gage wasn’t sure why he said it, but there it was, out there.
“What do you mean father a human child?” Miranda’s curiosity always got the better of her.
“My race is only able to have two children and only with our own kind, it has never happened with another race. I had one child; a son and someone kill him and my wife, that’s how I ended up in the human world. I was very anger and I needed to destroy something. The law in our world is unstoppable. If you break a law the world comes at you until you are punished properly, so I went to your world, the human world. There I was free to kill or destroy anything I wanted. Your mother had then unfortunate timin
g as to have a fight with your father, when I came in. I took her, she had no free will, I didn’t hurt her, I couldn’t. Someone had hurt my wife and I couldn’t hurt his, not when I saw his face. They agree to never speak of it, and I gave them their life back. Two years later you were seen looking at a werewolf, it scared a lot of people here and I had to admit you were my child.” He went on, “The only problem is your parent wouldn’t give you to me. It didn’t matter what I said, I told them you would have power that they couldn’t understand. I told them you would have problems with everything living in that world but they loved you and wouldn’t let you go. I want you to knew I tried everything that I could to get you back here with me.” Gage was upset and Miranda knew he had been torn for and very long time.
“I understand, you did try everything, I didn’t make it any easier on you when I tried to suppress my power, I kind of fell off of the radar, didn’t I? I also understand you cared very much for me, so I am going to work this out, try to trust me. I will make them see that I need to be here, but I need my own time, slow and easy.” Miranda could see what was going on the struggle between those who loved her. “Instead of calling Jared, could you walk me back to me room?” She looked right in his eyes, “It would make me happy, I need to be with you as much as I can before I go back to them. I want to let you know my plan and I could tell you as we walk back, if you want?”
“That would be great!” Gage thought about how this would look but he decided he didn’t care. “What do you have in mind?”
Miranda looked at him. She needed to see what was to come, and it was good, “You see I’m going to introduce them as friends, and then go away with them on a trip few 3 or 4 weeks. I will need to go back to the human world a few times so most people forget about me and move on. My parents, well you know, that’s a different story. I will need to explain it all to them just not right now, right now I need to live here for awhile first, I hope that’s ok.”
“I’m not worried. I know that you will be back for good soon, so I am willing to wait. Now let’s get back before Jared freaks out.” Gage answered with a smile.
“I guess you’re right, I’m sure he’s driving them crazy by now. If I’m not mistaken, Carma’s more than likely egging him on and enjoying herself.” Miranda smiled, she knew she was right and they were driving each other crazy.
“I almost would love to see that!” Gage answered, “Oh don’t give me that look, she drives me crazy too, and why can’t I watch her do it someone else. Especially since you wouldn’t let me torture her or kill her.”
Chapter 8
The group was ready to jump when Miranda and Gage walked through the door. The east wing door opened up into a giant formal living room that was decorated in French provincial furniture and on the outside wall was an enormous wall to ceiling fireplace.
The fireplace was made of marble and stone. The stones were the most beautiful colors of green, black, grey, and white. They followed up the entire wall and had been blended to give a mysterious appearance that set off the rest of the room. The floor was covered in the most luxurious and soft carpet. It looked as if you could sleep right on it. The furniture was spread evenly around the room so you could hold many different conversations without upsetting any guest. The room itself was big enough to hold a very large party in and Miranda was entranced by the enormity of the whole space. At the other end of the room she noticed a double doorway leading into a hall where she assumed the bedrooms and bathrooms would be located.
Miranda looked around and smiled, “See daddy, they won’t let anything happen to me, not even if it’s you! These truly are the best friends I have ever had, and I have to say I have never felt so safe and cared for in my life.”
Jared looked surprised at Gage‘s smiling face, “Sir, are you ok with everything she wants to do? If there is anything you need from me please let me know, I promise you I will never let her out of my sight. It was the one thing I asked of her before I would agree to this and I told her I would only do it if she stays right with me.”
“We’ve been over a lot. I think she can figure these thing out on her own, I just happy she’s keeping me in the loop. Goodnight!” Gage started to walk away. He suddenly turned, “Jared keep her safe, even here don’t let her out of your sight, you know nothing is really ever safe. If not it’s me you’ll deal with!”
“Don’t worry Sir, Carma has already given me that lecture, it’s good to see you two can be on the same page about something, even if it is about killing me. I need to tell both of you, if anything happen to her, I would deal with myself first and if there is anything left, the two of you can fight over it.”
Jared looked at Miranda, “How are you feeling, this world can take a lot out of you. Do you need anything? I went to the cottage and got all of your things while you were gone, I hope I didn’t miss anything. If I did I’ll go back now to the cottage or the human world, I want to go and get it while Gage and the others are here. I don’t want to leave you alone for a second, but I wouldn’t see you go without anything either.”
Carma made a sound and then Mattis started to laugh. She did it again, this time Miranda and Jared hear it. It was a whipping sound.
Jared looked away from Miranda and stared at Carma intensely, “Very funny. We’ll see how funny it is when I kick your butt.”
Miranda jumped in quickly to change to situation “All I need is for you two to get along, so calm down, she just playing around. I just need to go to bed, that’s all, let’s go.”
“I’m glad to see that he is so quick to defend you and you to defend him, but no fighting children, just make up and go to bed. I think you’re all just a bit grumpy and tired.” Gage smiled knowing he had something to work with.
Miranda turned to her father and kissed him, “Good night daddy, I’ll see you for breakfast as I promised.” She stopped in her tracks and turned to face Gage again, “Oh, what time is breakfast here?”
“About breakfast, it’s close to ten am for me, is that ok?” Gage asked.
“It will be perfect, I am very tired, and I think I need the extra sleep. Have a good night sleep!” Miranda was headed for the hallway door, when she turned to Gage, ran back and grabbed his hand, “Thank you for everything. I needed to be with you tonight, to learn all of that, it was important to me. I’ll see you in the morning.” She hugged him tightly, very human, the others stared as Gage hugged her back.
“Good night sweetheart.”
It was time for Gage to go, he knew it. He didn’t want to leave her, but he did, he left her with a room full of vampires and in his mind that was all they were, “Jared, any problems you knew what to do, right?”
“Yes, I will lay my life down for her, don’t you worry.”
Jared knew that was the only answer Gage would accept; it was the only right answer, it was also the true answer he had in his mind.
“Mattis and I will be close by, no one will get anywhere near her.” Carma added to Jared’s reply.
Michael added, “We take guarding her very seriously.” He wanted to be sure Gage understood this time there would be no mistakes.
Gage left knowing that these may be vampires but they were the best in business. They had more clean kills between the four of them, than some whole family lines had, if anyone could keep his daughter safer than him it was those four vampires.
Miranda walked to the other side of the room and down the hall with her friends. “Did you guys figure out where everyone’s sleeping?”
Carma reply quickly, “It wasn’t really hard, Gage left us a sign.” She pointed to a large door not far from the living room; it read Miranda clear as day. “Apparently he has been waiting for a long time for your return and kept a room waiting. The room is amazing, come on I need to show it to you! You are not going to believe the size of it!”
Mattis and Michael quickly jumped in, “Why don’t you see her in the morning, she did say she was tired, maybe she just wants to go to sleep.”
Carm
a stared at him, “But I want to show…”
“It’s ok Carma, she was Jared’s friend before she met you, and I think he might want to show her the room.” He winked at Jared, grabbed his sister and covered her mouth so she couldn’t fight him on it. “Miranda we’ll see you in the morning. Good night! Say good night Carma.”
“Goodnight, I still don’t get why I can’t show her the room she’s my friend too,” Carma was still protesting when her brother smacked her on the top of her head.
“Carma, don’t you think they want to be alone now! God! Can you really be so quick one minute and that thick the next?” He was laughing at her now as a look came across her face and she blushed. By now Michael was laughing at her.
“Oohh duh” A light finally went off in her head and she figured out what her brother was talking about, “Miranda remember we’re right down the hall if you need us! Have a good night! Try and get some sleep.” Carma was laughing now and she had given up on the blushing.
“No problem but I think I got this one covered.” Jared couldn’t believe he said it even as it was coming out of his mouth. He whispered, “I’m going to pay for that one.”
No sooner did he finish whispering and Carma jumped on it, “I bet you do!”
Carma was always quick with her replies; he should have known that one was coming.
“He really should watch saying that stuff around me, I’m never going to let that stuff go.” She was giggling to Michael and her brother when they each walk to their doorway and said goodnight.
“Miranda I’m really sorry about that. I should know by now to choose my words more wisely when I’m around her. I hope I didn’t embarrass you.”
Jared looked pretty pathetic when he turned to look at her and that made her giggle inside; it was just so human, even from a vampire.
Miranda just as quick as Carma answered him, “No problem, maybe you will have this covered.”
Now Jared was embarrassed, he was so sure all along how to handle anything, in the course of two minutes both girls had him to the point where he didn’t know which way was up.
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