Mathias smiled, attempting to put me at ease. "Mairin, I need to know you and your family will be protected. Once Serina knows who seeks her out, she will know how to hurt us. Alfred's only weakness is me. You and your family is mine. Should Serina choose to indulge her sadism, I must know that you and your family will be fully protected. I trust the cats to do this, if not for me, then for you and Kerry."
I shook my head. The situation was quickly spiraling out of control. "Mathias, I..."
"Mairin, I need my focus for this. I need to know you are safe, that your family is safe. Trust me, I beg you. Alfred and I will see to this matter and I will come home to you."
Alfred snorted in disgust. Mathias shot him a quelling look, but Alfred refused to remain silent. "You are too attached to these humans, Mathias."
"Stay out of this, Alfred."
"We could walk away, son, if not for your attachments."
"My attachments, as you call them, are what keep me from being the kind of monster that Serina is. Eternity is a long time, Alfred. Would you have me be what Serina is? A killing machine who cares naught for any other creature?"
"You know I would not wish that for you, my son," Alfred said. "But this is a fight I..."
Mathias interrupted his father, "You can leave, Alfred. I will not. Humans are not just food. I've learned that the hard way. I hope you will someday learn it too."
Alfred was obviously torn between disgust and duty. "You know I cannot leave you, my son," he said, sighing. "Especially if my presence is what has brought Serina to this area. If your attachment to these humans is this strong, I will stay with you and help you find her."
I knew, deep down, Alfred had been about to say this was a fight he didn't think they could win, but neither he nor Mathias would say so out loud. I tried to come up with some argument or impediment to the plan, but neither Alfred nor Mathias would be swayed. Even Xavier, traitor that he was, was on board for the plan Mathias and Alfred laid out. He wasn't worried about Mathias' life. Xavier cared only that the killing in East Hampton stopped.
"So it is settled," Mathias said. "Xavier will stay with Mairin and Kerry in Highland Home. The rest of the panthers will divide up between East Hampton and Highland Home to watch for Serina. Alfred and I will seek her out and do what must be done to end the slaughter."
"Sounds like a plan," Xavier said.
"I don't like it," I said. "This plan leaves you and Alfred on your own unless some of the panthers happen to be in the same area."
"We do not need protection from our own kind," Alfred snapped.
"Alfred..."
"No, my son. This time I will not be silent. There are codes among our kind that have allowed us to coexist with one another longer than any of you can possibly imagine. It is best that Mathias and I go to Serina alone, unencumbered by the morals and values of humans who exist barely long enough to mature past childhood."
"What Alfred means," Mathias said, "is that the rules of polite behavior in our world require a certain level of civility. the presence of the cats when we find Serina could do more harm than good."
I shuddered under Alfred's angry gaze. I knew then that I could not change their plans. As strong as Mathias seemed to me, his ties to Alfred put the older vampire in a position of authority. Mathias would defer to Alfred in this matter, no matter what objections I raised.
Chapter 4
Mathias held me as I clung to him. "Don't do this. I'm begging you," I whispered. "There has to be another way to stop this vampire."
He pressed his lips to mine gently.
"Stop trying to distract me, Mathias," I said, but desire curled in my stomach and I pushed my hands into his hair. Ever cautious of allowing me any contact with his venom, he refused to allow that kiss to deepen. Instead, he slipped his lips along my jaw, settling them into the hollow of my throat.
"I love you," he said, breathing deeply against the hot pulse in my neck. "I must do this, but I will come home."
"Promise me. Promise me you will come back."
"I promise, my heart." He said, caressing my back and pressing me tightly against him. "How can I not return? You hold my heart in trust. I cannot live without it, without you. You must promise to keep safe for me."
"Oh for heaven's sake. I'm gonna puke, you guys," Xavier interrupted. "The sooner he goes, the sooner you two can continue to mush all over each other."
"Stuff it, Xavier," I said, smiling. Mathias had promised. I could live with that. He only made promises when he believed he could keep them. As for Xavier, I had to admit, the more time I spent with Xavier, especially when I watched him with Kerry, the more I liked him. But now was not the time for him to butt in. Mathias was about to leave me behind while he and Alfred attempted to reason with a homicidal vampire who had a penchant for slaughtering young men or turning them into an army of vampire slaves. I had more important things on my mind than Xavier's delicate stomach. Mathias held me for a moment longer and then stepped away from me, turning to face Xavier.
"I leave you in charge of protecting the most precious thing in my life, Xavier. Fail in this task and I will delight in eviscerating you."
"Yeah, yeah. I get it. I fuck up, you kill me. Get on with it leech." Xavier and Mathias grinned at each other while Kerry and I shook our heads.
"Boys," we said in unison.
Mathias kissed my forehead once more and then slipped into the growing darkness. I knew Alfred was waiting for him in the shadows and despite not trusting Alfred for much, I thought I could depend on him to keep Mathias safe. Alfred may not like me or approve of Mathias' attachment to me, but he loved Mathias and I was counting on Alfred's care to protect the man I loved.
"So what do you gals wanna do tonight?" Xavier asked. "Horror movies, popcorn, and lots of sugar?"
"Sure," I said. "Let's go wild." I watched the growing shadows on our street for a moment, imagining Mathias walking with Alfred even though I knew they were long gone. I wanted so very much to be as strong and fast and invincible as Mathias was so I could help him. I felt weak and fragile and I hated it. Why couldn't I be more than a freak with bad dreams and weird vision. At least the panthers were strong and could battle against evil. I was left waiting while others had to fight for me.
"You'd better come back, Mathias," I whispered to the dark. "You promised."
***
The television flickered, casting shadows around the living room. Mom and Tawnya had given up on the movie festival after the second slasher film Xavier had picked off of Netflix.
"Isn't your grandmother expecting you home tonight, Xavier?" Mom had asked as she and Tawnya yawned and headed for the stairs. She'd been eyeing Xavier for a couple of hours once she realized he hadn't planned to leave after dinner.
"Naw," Xavier said. "I told her it was an all night movie fest with you guys. You don't mind, do you?"
"Nope," Mom said. "Just make sure to lock up the house if you give up and go to sleep. On the couch." Mom looked at me, a meaningful nod and glance at Xavier conveying her intent.
"I'll make sure Kerry and Xavier behave themselves," I said, laughing. Mom probably had far less to worry about when it came to her daughters and their boyfriends than any other parent in Highland Home. Mathias was disgustingly chivalrous and Xavier knew if he took advantage of my sister, Mathias would tear him limb from limb. I knew it kind of pissed Kerry off that my boyfriend was acting like an over-protective father, but she also knew he wasn't doing anything with me that she wasn't doing with Xavier. For now, Kerry was willing to tolerate Mathias' old-fashioned notions of male-female interaction, but I didn't know how long that tolerance would last. When it gave out, I guessed she and Mathias would fight it out. I planned to stay out of it.
Tawnya watched me as though she knew what I'd been thinking. She seemed to like Xavier, though I was pretty sure she knew there was something off about him. I wondered what Xavier's energy tasted like to her. She'd told me once that Mathias' energy tasted like a vampire and that was
how she knew. Tawnya watched Xavier, but she didn't have the same aversion to Xavier that she did to Mathias. I think she was more concerned about the normal teenage stuff with Kerry and Xavier than any metaphysical junk.
When the next slasher movie ended and Xavier grabbed the Wii remote to start looking for a new one, I saw that Kerry was sound asleep. She'd curled up against Xavier, who had thrown an arm over her shoulders and wound his fingers into her long hair. She looked peaceful and so very young when she was sleeping. It tore at something deep inside me to know that my weird magnet, especially when it was turned up as high as it had been for most of a year, put her in so much danger. I was glad she had found Xavier. I trusted him to be strong enough to watch over her and keep my sister as safe as possible. I caught Xavier watching Kerry sleep and realized with a jolt that it was love I saw in Xavier's eyes when he looked at my sister.
"Xavier," I whispered. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure, Maire. Anything," he said, carefully turning so he could see me without waking Kerry.
"What you feel for Kerry. It's more than a crush, isn't it." It wasn't really a question
He looked down at my sister and his normally tense expression softened. "Yeah. Definitely more than a crush."
"And you know I don't care about, well, your condition, right?"
Xavier nodded. "Good with weird...like Gram says. You've never even pushed for details like a regular girl would. You're kinda like a boy in a girl's body."
"I'm not sure how to take that," I said, laughing.
"It's a compliment. You kinda feel like a brother to me except that I get weirded out if I think of you that way and then think about Kerry."
"Well, do you mind if I ask for a couple of details now?"
"Nope. I kinda wondered when we'd have this talk actually."
I swallowed hard. This was getting weirder by the moment, but I had to know. I had to protect Kerry.
"How is the virus transmitted? I mean...can Kerry..."
"I'd have to change into my panther to give Kerry the virus, Mairin," he said. "We're only contagious when we're in animal form. The doc doesn't really know why, but I've seen weres in human form fight and cut humans. When we're in our animal forms, blood to blood contact is what carries the disease. In human form, the virus doesn't move from host to victim."
"Oh," I said. I didn't know what else to say without sounding too maternal.
"I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy, Mairin. I certainly wouldn't do anything that would endanger Kerry."
"I know, Xavier," I said. "But I'm the big sister. I'm supposed to worry."
"You're in more danger from Mathias than Kerry ever will be from me," he said, stroking Kerry's hair.
"You've watched him long enough to know Mathias won't hurt me, Xavier."
"Not intentionally, no," Xavier said. "But you have to admit his friends are a little more dangerous than my brothers are. And his venom is way more contagious than my virus is. One tiny nick with his teeth and you're a vamp, Mairin. No cure, no turning back. And while furry is for life, it isn't eternity. We age and we die. Vamps don't."
I shuddered. Xavier's assessment was brutal but true. Kerry would never be in the kind of danger I was from Mathias if she were to stay with Xavier and the other panthers. Other than their once a month shape change, the panthers were human. They aged, they lived, and they were able to control themselves. Mathias' family and any other vampires he might know would always be killers in one way or another. They would always be far more dangerous than the panthers. As for Mathias' venom, there were times when I thought of what it would be like to live forever with Mathias. Those dreams were both wonderful and terrible. I knew I would love him for eternity, that there would never be any other man I would love, but I'd had a first hand look at the horror of being a vampire through Mathias' memories. I'd seen what killing had done to him and I didn't know if I could survive it as he had. I also knew I couldn't ask Mathias sacrifice his soul for me.
"He wont even kiss me because he's afraid of infecting me," I admitted.
"Yeah, I'd wondered about that. I've seen how he touches you, Mairin. He is aware of every move he makes, of everything that brings you closer to him. I've never seen anyone be so careful with another human being. It's kind of weird actually."
"I think he's afraid of what might happen if I got hurt and bled near him. The broken ribs last spring weren't a problem because there was no blood, but I saw him at the hospital. The flash of blood in an IV put a look in his eyes I don't think I ever want to see again." I shuddered, remembering the explanation Mathias had given me about why he wouldn't let me give him blood. One drop was all he believed it would take to make him forget himself, to take my life and live an eternity with regret.
"You know something?" Xavier asked. "I owe you an apology."
"For what?"
"For not believing you about Mathias being a good guy. I've watched him. I've seen him look out for Kerry as much as he watches over you. He's a better man than I am in some ways. He's accepted an awful lot of shit from the pride without so much as a sharp word before today. I'm sorry I doubted you and him."
The admission had obviously cost Xavier dearly. He continued to stroke Kerry's hair, but wouldn't meet my eyes.
"I don't think he's a better man than you'll be Xavier," I said. "I think he's just had longer to be a man than you have. Give yourself a break, OK?"
"Yeah," he said gruffly.
"Will you tell me more about what your doctor said was the reason for Hector not turning?"
Xavier sighed. "The were virus, no matter what form it is, is the most deadly thing in a were's body. It kills everything else. I haven't had so much as a cold since I was seven."
"That doesn't sound too bad," I said.
"That part isn't bad. There are worse consequences of catching the disease." Xavier shrugged. "Sure, the furry thing is kind of a pain, but that's not even the worst of it. It's the damper it puts on someone's future. The virus kills more than other diseases. Weres can't have kids. The virus kills everything."
I watched the way Xavier ran his fingers through Kerry's hair and I knew the answer to my next question before I asked it. "Did you want kids, Xavier?" I asked. My heart was breaking for him. To have that kind of decision taken from him at such a young age was wrong.
"I never really thought about it before...well before I met Kerry. I mean I'm only sixteen, so I don't need to think about having kids right now anyway, but Kerry makes me wish I could give her kids if she wanted them."
I didn't know what to say. I knew Kerry wanted a lot of things from her life and kids were an eventuality she'd talked about from time to time. "She's only fifteen, Xavier. If it comes to you guys wanting kids later, you'll adopt. I know Kerry won't mind."
"Yeah, she'd love any kid. Hell, she loves me."
"Just don't think that because you can't get my sister pregnant it gives you free reign, okay lover boy?" I smiled to soften the words.
"Yeah, I know. I would never do anything Kerry didn't want to do and she's told me she's not ready. I'll wait my entire life for her if I need to."
"I don't think it'll be that long," I laughed. "Her hormones will kick in before long. Just be as careful with her heart as you are with her health, OK?"
Xavier snapped a salute. "Yes, Ma'am."
"Okay, enough over-protective older sister crap for one night."
"Thank God, I was gonna have to rip off my ears if you were gonna keep going."
"Bite me, kitty."
"Nope," Xavier laughed and Kerry stirred in her sleep. Xavier kissed the top of her head and whispered something to her before Kerry settled again. Watching them made me wonder if I was more dangerous to my family than any of the monsters I seemed to attract.
"I keep thinking I should leave Highland Home," I said softly.
"Why?"
"I'm the magnet, remember. Everything supernatural in a fifty mile radius seems to head straight for me. If I left, you, K
erry, Mom and Tawnya would be safe."
Xavier shook his head. "I don't think so, Maire. I asked Gram about that when the vamp started killing in East Hampton. She said something big was on the way and that we were gonna need your help to stop it. I think if you leave, your family will be in more danger than if you stay."
I sighed. "Did Elise happen to say what was coming?"
"Nope. She's good at that. She can keep a secret like no one else."
I shook my head. Some days the metaphysical mess that was my life was simply overwhelming. I longed for a nice, normal life where I didn't have to worry about killer vampires, love-sick werecats or looming evil. But when I was truly honest with myself I had to admit that without the metaphysical weirdness, I wouldn't have Mathias in my life. For him, I would put up with the rest and thank the Divine for bringing it to me.
Chapter 5
"Alfred, my love, why do you make me go to such lengths to see you?"
"You need only call, my queen and I am at your side," Alfred bowed to the lovely red-haired woman who smiled cruelly in return.
"We both know that to be a lie, my child," she said, flicking her eyes to Mathias. "This one pulls you harder than even I do."
"He was yet young and needed me when you last called, my queen. I could not leave him to the tender mercies of the colonial vampires. They had already run him under ground."
"But you ignored my call, Alfred. You hurt me deeply. So deeply I have come to this provincial cesspool to discover what has kept you away from my side."
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