by T. J. Quinn
“From the time I could remember, I lived with a man called Stephen Abrams. He’s an evil man. He taught me to make drug simulations on a computer. I thought we were helping sick people but come to find out it was illegal designer drugs. Once I discovered that I refused. He was making a lot of money off the simulations I made. He beat and starved me to force my compliance. When I was too weak to be useful, he dumped me into an orphanage. That’s where my mother found me two years ago. He found me and got a court order giving him custody of me.”
“How can that be? You are with your mother, and she has custody.”
“I’ve always been at the orphanage.”
“Why?”
His father was short and to the point. Jared liked that. “I have trust issues.”
“We will work on that together.”
“I’m a half-breed. Let’s not pretend I mean anything to you.”
The vampire’s chin came up. “I do not know what kind of honor system your mother has taught you if any. Know that such insults as you have just dealt to me are settled on the field of battle among our kind.”
“I wasn’t trying to be insulting. I just like to know where I stand.”
“You are my only son and heir, the last of a strong and proud house. You and your love mate are young yet, but will one day carry on our line. That is where you stand with me.”
“I have not yet come into my hormones. Selene and I are blood bonded, so do not expect me to separate from her.”
“That thought never entered my mind, son.”
Selene spoke up, bringing them gently back to the task at hand. “My father has filed an injunction with the local magistrate saying that Jared is to stay with his mother. It will be a moot issue in nineteen days because he will come of age.”
“What do you wish of me in the here and now?”
Jared spoke up. “We need a blood test to establish paternity.”
“You scent like me; therefore, you are mine.”
Smothering back a smile, he clarified. “It is needed for the human courts that do not have a prime’s ability to scent.”
“It will be as you wish, my son.” A smile curved the corners of the man’s mouth. “I have looked forward to saying such for so many years. It pleases me greatly to meet you and welcome you to our great house.”
Pulling out his cell, he texted his mother to send her physician. Selene answered the gentle knock at the door, and the physician got right down to business. Garan did not seem to notice when the blood was taken. He waved away a bandage. It made Jared wonder just what kind of situation it would take to jog someone like Garan out of his complacency. His father was a fascinating creature. When the door shut behind the man in the white lab coat, Garan spoke again.
“Do you mind if I ask your plans for the future.”
“I will come into my inheritance in less than two weeks. I have many that I grew up with who are in need. I plan to see to their needs first and foremost.”
“You are an honorable warrior.”
“I have been hunting with my mother as of late. I also work in a support position at my local precinct.”
“You are leaning towards being a hunter.”
“How did you know?”
“Your eyes lit up when you mentioned hunting. I would be proud to have you spend time hunting at my side as well. I have always dreamed of passing on the skills my father handed down to me.”
“I would be interested in getting to know you better. Unfortunately, we now have a situation on the tarmac that needs to be addressed. My stepfather waits with thirty of his men.”
Coming to his feet, Garan intoned. “Only thirty human men? He will regret not bringing more before the evening is out.”
“Alex and my mother will not wish blood to stain their nice new institute of higher learning.”
“I will make no promises save one. If this human behaves rationally, he will live. If he does not, I will be forced to eliminate him.”
“It is the company he works for that is the problem. He is the one responsible for performing their dirty deeds.”
Bringing the com attached to his shoulder to his lips, Garan spoke softly into it in Vampiere. Jared liked everything about his father so far.
“Come we will deal with this interloper.” Turning to Selene, he spoke softly. “Reverend mother, please stay safely inside the building. I would normally not be so bold as to make requests to one such as you. However, you are young and fragile. I will risk no harm to your person.”
“I wasn’t planning to go out there.”
Jared dropped a kiss on her cheek and followed his father out to the lobby. His men were gathered and checking their weapons.
Jared noticed that his mother and Alek were growing more anxious by the second. He quickly jerked his chin to her. “All is well, mother. We will not shed blood if it can be helped.”
“You are not going out there.”
Turning his back on his mother was a brash move, but he wasn’t about to let the woman who’d abandoned him to a life of hell start bossing him around. Following his father out, they approached Abram.
Before anyone could speak, Garan made a gesture that Jared didn’t recognize and his men shot every single one of his foster father’s men where they stood. Just when he was about to get riled up about it, Jared saw the tiny darts sticking out of their bodies.
“Why the fuck did you do that?”
Walking up the older man, Garan ignored his question. “I wish to speak to your masters.”
“What the fuck…”
Before the man could spout off again, Garan grabbed him by the throat and lifted him from the ground. Staring him in the face, he repeated his former request. “I wish to speak to your masters. Say yes if you will comply with my request.”
“Yes, god yes. Put me the fuck down.”
Sitting him on his feet, Garan followed him inside the shuttle. Jared was floored by how easy that had been. He could virtually guarantee that no one had ever treated him that way before.
Flipping on the holographic interface. Several faces shimmered into view, one after another. “What is this about Abrams?”
“This assignment is going as planned. They got an injunction on this end…”
Shoving the foster father to the side, Garan stepped forward. “My name is Garan of the House of Dracon. You have targeted my son for acquisition. I wish to negotiate an end to his interaction with your company.”
One of the men asked cautiously. “What do you offer in return for us to never contact him again?”
Without an ounce of hesitation, Garan stated, “I agree to let each of you live and continue milking the system for whatever benefit you can get from it. My son will not be supporting your efforts any longer.”
His stepfather foolishly spoke. “That’s unacceptable…”
Without looking in the older man’s direction, his hand shot out, gripping him around the throat. Staring at the screen with multiple faces, Garan slowly began to apply pressure.
“I wish you to see the fate that awaits each of you if you refuse to leave my only son be.”
When Abrams began turning blue, the one who’d spoken first gasped. “For god’s sake, let him go.”
Dropping the man into a crumpled mess on the shuttle floor, Garan spoke. “Do we have an accord?”
“Hell no, you don’t give the orders here.”
“That is fine. Choose.”
“Choose what.”
“I wish you to choose which of you will be the first to feel my wrath. I would choose the one of your group that you can most easily replace.”
“Look, you crazy fucker, we are not going…”
“Fine. I will do the choosing, and I chose you. Prepare yourself to match wits with a vampire prime.”
“What? Why me?”
“You chose to speak for your group. Therefore, you must be their leader. It is a common battle tactic to take out the enemy’s leadership first. It leaves the other di
sorganized and off balance while they attempt to select a new leader.”
“God in heaven, we are not enemies. I don’t even know you.”
“You have made yourself my enemy by coming after my son. You will capitulate, or I will destroy you, human. We will start by talking publicly about my son’s early experiences. Your company’s dirty deeds will be laid bare for all to see. I will use every legal means at my disposal to offset your bank accounts and file civil suits against every single one of you. It does not matter if I win, only that you lose the trust the public has in your company.”
Another man spoke, “I’m the CEO. We simply wish your son to look at a few simulations.”
“No. Every man must draw his line in the sand. We draw ours here and now. How many hunters do you think it would take to destroy your company or damage it beyond recovery? I have a total of fourteen at my disposal today, and several are beyond reproach, should it come to testifying in court.”
“You won’t reconsider?”
“We will not. Your days of making money off my son are over. I suggest you look for a better scientist.”
“Fine, but none of you are welcome in our region.”
“I do not agree to any infringement of our personal liberty. Know if we end up crossing into your region, your company will be the furthest thing from our mind.”
“A truce it is then.”
“I accept a truce. Know that I have had my shoulder com recording our conversation. I captured facial recognition and voice imprints. If you break your word to me, I will hunt each and every one of you down.”
“The same goes for our side.”
“Then we have nothing further to discuss.”
The moment the screens went blank, Abrams choked out weakly. “Don’t think for a minute this is over.”
Garan turned and swiftly booted him in the gut, knocking him against the wall. “I am unclear on why PharmCom employs someone like you. You are clearly not intelligent, articulate or well versed in diplomacy. I consider you a liability. If I ever find you anywhere near my son again, I will not ask questions or file charges. I will simply remove your head from your foolish shoulders. Am I making myself clear?”
Gasping and holding his stomach, the older man nodded before coughing up blood. Turning on his heel, Garan strode out of the shuttle. Jared stumbled after him. Watching the man lay waste so effortlessly to his demons was an eye-opener.
Dakota stalked up to them. “What the hell did you do?”
“You will not curse at me, Dakota Davenport. I am not your mate, your son, your father or anyone who cares about your opinions.”
Alek intervened. “Maybe we can take this conversation someplace a little more private.”
“I do not answer to either of you. If you wish to speak to me, simply ask politely.”
Alek’s jaw clenched. “Will you please speak with us in private so we can plan our next move?”
“It would be my pleasure to speak with you.”
Following them back, Jared tried to imagine how this conversation was going to go. If he’d thought it was going to be complicated, he was dead wrong.
His mother had cooled down considerably. “Please tell us what happened with Abrams.”
Waving one hand imperiously through the air, Garan replied serenely. “I do not know what you wish to know.”
“Did you kill him?”
“You specifically said no bloodshed.”
“What did you do to him?”
“We stunned his crew because they looked a little trigger happy. Then there was some choking. I spoke to PharmCorp, and veiled threats flew back and forth. They agreed to stand down and I might or might not have popped an internal organ when I booted Abrams in the gut.”
“You booted him in the stomach?”
Nodding, Garan stated matter-of-factly. “After I choked him a little, but he needed the little extra reminder to follow his employer’s agreement. Anyways, it’s all taken care of for now and now what I wish to discuss.”
Alek’s curious voice sounded off. “Exactly what do you want to talk to us about?”
I have questions for Dakota. Turing to her, he asked patiently. “Why did you not let me know you had found him until you needed my blood. We have been coordinating our effort for years, and you agreed to let me know if you found him first. You broke your word to me, and I would know why.”
Dakota’s eyes filled with tears and she said, “I wanted to.”
“You did not. I communicated with you twice since you found him and you said nothing. You just let me keep searching for endless months.”
“I know that a young warrior needs his father. I’ve have been having a difficult time getting to know him, and I thought that meeting you would be totally overwhelming for him.”
“That was not your decision to make alone, Dakota. Obviously, you do not feel I am necessary to his life, or you would have shared with me that he had been found. I think you were aware that I wanted to find him as much as you.”
“I’m sorry. I just wanted to absorb him into our family before I introduced another variable.”
“I believe that because you now have a mate, I am no longer important in your eyes.”
Alek spoke up. “Now let’s just all calm down a minute.”
Garan turned to speak to the other man. “Until you and my son’s mother are officially mated, I do not believe your words carry weight.”
Alek replied hotly. “I’m not trying to replace Jared’s father, perhaps supplement but not replace.”
Turing back to Dakota, Garan continued his dialogue with her. “I have grown accustomed to your inconsistent feelings towards me Dakota. One moment you love me better than any male alive. You pursue me relentlessly until you get what you want from me. You come flying back to me and live with for five long years, then walk out on me with barely a conversation as you are walking out the door. Now you call out of the blue saying come right away that you are desperate need of me. As soon as you get my blood sample seem no longer interested in knowing me. Now you have reversed your decision yet again and are telling me that my son needs his father. I hope and pray your behavior towards our son is not so intemperate. If so it would certainly make forming a bond with him very difficult.”
Jared almost intervened, but Dakota spoke on her own behalf. “I have been a good mother, but that does not excuse my poor decision in not telling you. You have my apologies.”
“You have not only let me down, but you have failed our son as well.”
“In what way?”
“Why have you not spoken with our son about his time before you found him? You had a responsibility to tell him about his heritage…his family. I can understand how a human might be confused about such things but what I cannot understand is how a vampire can be confused about these things. You who are the very weakest of our kind know these things. Your handling of this situation has proven to be a grave disappointment to me.”
Dakota was on her feet in seconds, and her voice was dripping with anger, “Garan, please forgive me but who are you to sit in judgment? His early experiences have made him untrusting of others, particularly those of us who left him defenseless in his formative years. I chose to take things slowly for a reason.”
“Dakota, I can tell you love our son. However your judgment in this matter is nonexistent. You will step back and not interfere while I do my duty as his father.”
Dakota immediately said, “Our son needs two parents not one. I know that now.”
Jared stared at the large vampire who had just fought to be part of his life. He spoke up for his mother saying, “Do not worry. She has only been positive and supportive of me. It seems you got the worse end of our family relationship. For that I am sorry. My mother is usually much calmer and collected. I think that the thought of losing me again is making her act in ways she normally wouldn’t. I don’t know if you care to hear this, but I am glad that you are here, and that I am getting the opportunity to meet you
at long last.”
“I’m sorry if the way I deal with this situation precludes us from spending time together. Your mother is probably right about her love mate being better for you.” Jared could see that the day’s events had taken a toll on his mother. She sat with her arms wrapped around her stomach. Alek slid his hand into hers. It was strange how she was so resilient when it came to dealing with other people’s problems, but so affected by issues that impacted her loved ones.
As Jared stood staring at his father for the first time, he understood what his relationship should have been like with his parents. The one thing both of his parents had in common was an overwhelming urge to protect him. Now that the situation with Abrams was behind him and he understood his parents were dedicated to his well-being, it was time to heal. For the first time, Jared could see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Selene slipped up beside him, and he wrapped an arm around her. Jared felt his heart fill with love for her. Who would have thought that one of society’s throwaway children could find love, peace, and happiness after being through so much strife? Staring down into her sweet face, he was beginning to think that just about anything was possible for him.
Chapter 17
Realized Dream
~ Dakota ~
Dakota stood staring out her office window. The sun was setting, casting an ominous glow on the property. It had been three long months since Abrams had turned their lives upside-down. Though Garan and Jared seemed confident the worthless excuse of a human being was gone for good, Dakota knew the price for peace was being forever vigilant.
The institute was coming together nicely, with Alek’s firm hand at the wheel as CEO. Her operation dovetailed nicely with his company’s vision statement, freeing her up to teach, hunt and enjoy her newly formed family.
With Squeaky and Arianna managing projects, they were finally gaining traction. Dakota’s current project was hiring staff and working out a training schedule for next year.
The institute would soon be operational under Dakota’s formidable leadership. She had culled the best minds from around the country for the most extensive and most collaborative out of the box venture of its kind. So far it appeared to be a raging success, projects were popping, Alek had managed a merger of some sort with his tech firm and was slowly parleying several interesting projects into lucrative products for the industrialized military complex. They were flush with cash and ready to begin cranking out justice students.