“The press?!?!? Oh, this is so not good Mason.” She sat down on the couch and just knew there possibly were some scandals to avoid. No wonder Dixon was ready to retire at the young age of sixty–five.
“Don’t worry Miss Alex. William is here a lot, he’s the one that usually pulls White House duty with me. He’s married and doesn’t touch any of the White House gals. If need be, he feeds from syringes while he’s here.” Mason pointed out the small refrigerated and small warmer that rested on top. “If you don’t believe me you can check the White House trash. All empty blood bags and broken syringes get tossed.”
“I see.”
“You have something you want to talk to me about?” He pointed to the files and schedule book in her hands.
“Yes. Yes, I do. But first, were you playing World of Warcraft when I walked in?”
Mason glanced away. She had caught him red–handed. “Yes, Ma’am.”
“Which realm?”
Mason looked back towards Alex. “Tanaris.”
Alex gave an all–knowing smile at Mason. “My character Zelfin exists in that realm.” She went to the Ben’s laptop and logged into the game with her userid and password. “I can only play for a few minutes, and then we need to discuss the schedule because I have an appointment I must keep later today.”
CHAPTER THIRTY–FOUR
Raymond watched his sister cross the living room of the mansion. She carried two boxes of poker chips in one hand and a goblet of blood in the other. He watched as she skirted her way around the love seat and coffee table, and made her way to the green table that sat in the corner of the room, opposite the bay window. He thought about offering to help her, but didn’t want to incur her wrath. She had been moody as of late. Raymond suspected it was because of Dixon’s decision to retire.
She sat the chips down on the hexagon shaped green velvet, spilling a drop of blood from her goblet in the process.
“Damn it,” she cursed, and then quickly licked the side of the glass to prevent more spillage. She reached across the table and grabbed a coaster, which was inches from Raymond’s hand, and placed the challis safely down. She took a seat and pulled out a tissue from her pocket and dabbed at the stain. “Raymond, did you ever ask Alex if she played poker?”
Raymond shirked his shoulders. “The game didn’t come up.”
“Where is she tonight? Maybe you could see if she wants to come by and spend some time with us tonight.” Sulie’s smile was obvious. “I know how much you like her. I like her too. She does fit in with the family.”
Raymond smiled. “She said she had plans this evening — something about an appointment she had to reschedule due to the Florida trip.” Raymond thought of his schedule. He was not on the away team to Texas, so he would not see her tonight, or even tomorrow. His shoulders slumped, and a frown crossed his face. “Probably for the best really. I need to think a few things over,” he said, trying to convince himself that more time was what he needed.
“What’s to think about?” Sulie asked. When Raymond offered a sheepish look, she rolled her eyes. “You both like each other. It's destiny.”
Raymond picked up a poker chip and tapped the chip back down at the table, like it kept pace and allowed him to think. He looked down at the chip in his hand. “She’s human, Sulie.”
“Most of the world is human. So what?”
He stopped tapping the chip on the table and looked up accusingly at her. “You, out of everyone, should understand. For God’s sakes, you helped me raise Sterling.”
“And Sterling is a half–breed,” she quipped back.
Raymond’s face hardened as he stared at his sister. He tossed the chip aside. “Yes, damn it. He’s a half–breed. Do you know how hard it is for me to see his pain? To know that I can never arrange a marriage for him? It kills me to know that I am useless when it comes to helping him.”
Sulie rolled her eyes. “I don’t think Sterling is hurting for female companionship.”
“He hurts for female vampire companionship. There are times I can sense his thoughts, and I know he’d be happier with a mate of his own kind.” Raymond looked away and no longer made eye contact with Sulie. “After his Jahrling Year, when he left home for a short while…,” Raymond swallowed hard, “… part of me was happy to see him go.” He placed his hand over his mouth, shocked the confession came out.
Shock, and then rage flared in her eyes. “That is so not true! I know exactly how much you suffered when he went rogue and shunned our bloodline. Not knowing where he was, or how he was doing. His absence was one of the hardest times in your life, and you know it!”
“Yes, but part of me was happy not to see the pain in his eyes every day.” Raymond shifted nervously. “I’ve never admitted that to anyone before.” He turned back towards the table and focused on another poker chip, playing with the tiny disk with his fingers.
Sulie reached over and put her hand on his arm, stopping the little dance of the poker chip. “It's okay. Watching loved ones suffer is always difficult.”
“He’ll never marry a vampire woman, well, maybe another half–breed, or he could marry a turned human — of course he treats human women with no respect, so I don’t see that last one happening.” Raymond took a deep breath, “He’ll never have a seat on the Council or represent our bloodline.”
Sulie smacked his hand with hers. “He doesn’t want to be on the Council, and since he’s the only child either of us has had, he basically is our bloodline.” She paused a moment. “Wait. This isn’t about Sterling. This is about you and Alex,” Sulie accused, her finger-pointing at him.
Raymond nodded. “Yes, and I’m only a member of the Council because my human wife is dead. You know yourself the Council does not recognize marriages to humans. They only accepted me as a Council member, and as the Coven Master for our group, because I’m the oldest purebred among us, and I’m male. And even then I had to be 100 years old to even ask that we be considered our own coven.” He rolled his eyes. “If the Council wasn’t in awe of my ability to compel other vampires, they never would have granted us that much, and you know it.”
Raymond looked at Sulie. “If I take a human to my bed, and its public knowledge, I don’t think the Council will be so forgiving this time around.” Raymond then added, “Especially if a child is produced.”
Sulie gave her brother a questioning look. “The other night. Things didn’t go as planned?”
Raymond shrugged his shoulders. “Not in the slightest.”
“You’re getting ahead of yourself, Raymond.” She patted him on the arm. “Dating a human is not the same as marrying her. Plus, there is no child as of yet.”
“No. Of course not,” he replied.
“You also don’t know if Alex would want to be turned. Maybe you’re worried about nothing.”
He sighed and feigned renewed interest in his poker chips. “She can’t be the human director for our team if she’s turned. It's part of the job requirement that she be human, and I know how much this promotion means to her. Plus, … I care about her. I wouldn’t turn her unless she was to be my wife, and we’re not even dating, at least not yet.” He put his hand to his temple. “It's just so confusing.”
“It's no longer the 1800s, Raymond. The strict rules of yesteryear have softened. Sometimes I think only the Council members care about the Council rules and procedures.”
He pursed his lips. “We still need a seat on the Council so we can voice our needs and opinions as a society. If I lose my seat, we lose our ability to represent ourselves, we lose any negotiation leverage to secure marriages for the kids of the Colony …”
“I honestly do not see the Council as playing that important of a role in our every daily routine,” Sulie said, cutting him off. “But, I do not want to be classified into another Coven. I like our little group and don’t want to answer to anyone else,” she said taking a sip from her goblet.
“I like being separated from them as much as possible as well,” Raymo
nd confided. “And, even though we work for the government, the kids might not want to follow in our footsteps. William’s kids, or any other kids the team might have, may want to join another coven elsewhere. We don’t need them blacklisted.” He let out a deep sigh. It wasn’t enough to care for this generation of team members, the little ones needed his protection as well. A vampire who wasn’t protected by the Council was a starving vampire, or an exposed one. How could he knowingly risk their future?
“You fret too much. Besides, it's okay to love a human. You just need to take things on a day–by–day basis,” Sulie said.
Raymond allowed her words to sink in, but they weighed heavily on him. He was being selfish to put his wants above his team members. Deep down he believed everyone should be allowed to find a wife or a husband and live happily – lifespan after lifespan. He looked over at his sister, someone who had never known such joy. “I know I ask you this periodically, so I’ll ask you again,” Raymond said, changing the topic. “I can contact the Council about arranging a marriage for you again.”
She held up her hand. “Thank you, but no. Never. I’m fine as I am.”
Raymond knew of Sulie’s nickname of ‘Old Maid’ around the Council. Many of the available bachelors had their eyes on her as she looked the other way. He suspected Sulie never knew how much of a catch she was. “You shouldn’t be alone, Sulie. You could have a family of your own.”
“I’m happy with my life as it is. So, no thank you.”
Raymond made eye contact with his sister. In a lowered voice, he said, “The Council voted against turning Dixon.”
Sulie glanced away. “I’m aware of their decision,” she curtly replied. She began stacking her cluster of chips in stacks by color.
“I would look the other way if you turned him,” he whispered. Her eyes quickly made contact with his. They both understood the risks of an unapproved turning. Sure, Dixon would have the blood from the government because of the Colony, but his family line would be unprotected. The Council had connections with the Red Cross, other blood banks and hospitals across the nation. A vampire under the protection of the Council did not have to hunt for food, and thereby not run the risk of detection. There was a seedy underground for blood supplies, but usually at a high cost, so many unprotected vampires lived as scavengers, eating from humans, and always on the run so no one would discover their true natures. They also lived meagerly, unable to arrange marriages in family lines which had massive amounts of wealth through literally generations of accumulation. To be an unprotected vampire meant pain and hard work, and possibly death if your activities to survive caught the notice of the Council. Raymond watched as Sulie shook her head. She did not want that future for Dixon and his descendants, and neither did Raymond.
He reached over and held his sister’s hand. “Tell Dixon you love him. The Council will approve his turn if you choose to marry him.”
Sulie took a deep breath, and then wiped away a tear. “Dixon isn’t in love with me. I check him medically when I’m with him. He never gives off any signs of love.”
Raymond shook his head. “The man loves you, Sulie.”
“Even if that is true, he doesn’t know it.”
Raymond sighed. “Perhaps you declaring your love will be the catalyst he needs to consider his true feelings for you.”
Sulie frowned. “Or he’ll turn and run.” She bit her lip. “I still have time before you wipe his memory, right?”
Raymond raised his hand as though taking an oath. “I swear not to touch his mind without your knowledge.”
“Thank you.” She accepted the handkerchief Raymond offered. “So? Alex, huh?”
He drew in a deep breath. “I’m starting to have feelings for her. I actually miss her when she’s not around.” Raymond smiled, but then added, “She wants children though.”
“You’re a great father, just look at how wonderful Sterling turned out. Plus, you get along beautifully with William’s children. You love kids. There’s nothing wrong with having more.”
He grimaced. “As a human she would only be fertile for just a short time more; we’d have to have children soon. They would be …,” he paused briefly, “… they would be half–breeds.”
“Half–breed or purebred … What difference does it make anyway? A baby is a baby.”
Before they could continue their conversation, they heard Ben’s heavy footsteps in the kitchen. Sulie hugged Raymond’s hand within her own hands, ending their private conversation. The winner of tonight’s game not only had to do laundry for the house, since they still didn’t have a housekeeper, but also got to choose the team names for the Austin trip. Raymond hoped the names would be livelier than the last set, which was Team A and Team B.
CHAPTER THIRTY–FIVE
“Thank you so much, Micki, for rescheduling me this past week.” Alex said as she sat down on her usual spot on the white couch. With Alex leaving the next day for Austin, Texas, this was the only chance she would have to talk with the doctor.
“No problem.” Micki closed the door, tossed her keys into her handbag, and placed it on the table. She then opened her drawer and pulled out a notebook and pen before finally taking her own seat. “I don’t mind working the occasional evening when it’s needed. You sounded stressed on the phone. Did you take the promotion?”
Alex sat on the edge of the couch cushion. She wasn’t sure when the transition occurred, but she now was a full believer in therapy. She hated being here, hated spilling her guts to a total stranger, but she felt she needed to talk to someone about recent developments and was so relieved when Micki said she could be available this evening.
“Yes, I did take the promotion,” she began, “but that wasn’t what I wanted to talk with you about. … Well, it kind of is. It's a new environment. Different than what I’m used to.” Alex chose her words carefully. “I just hope they can accept me as the new security chief.”
Micki jotted down the information. “Why wouldn’t they accept you? You’d be one of them, right? A member of the team?”
“A member of the team, yes. One of them? … Not exactly.” Alex purposefully sidestepped any details of any differences that existed – the obvious one being human vs. vampire. “I wanted to talk to you about the man I work with.” Alex paused, thinking what would be the best way to discuss her situation. “His name is … ‘Michael’.” She felt that she shouldn’t use Raymond’s real name for security reasons, even though Micki had assured her several times over the years that everything shared would be confidential. “He’s wonderful. He’s tall and muscular, good–looking. He has a sweet nature about him too and I love spending time with him.” She bit her lip. “I want to date him, Micki.”
Micki narrowed her eyes to study her client. “Whether you have a relationship or not, you’ll be working closely with this man. Long hours. Evenings, weekends.” Micki leaned in toward her patient. “How do you feel about that?”
Alex took a deep breath. “I’m okay with that. He’s … well, he’s different. Honorable. Trustworthy – and I’m not just saying that because I have access to his private files and know a lot about him.”
Micki nodded, obviously taking it in. “The problem is that you work with him.”
“Oh, yeah.” When Micki just stared at her, Alex continued, “It is a conflict of interest. If I date him I could lose the promotion.” She inwardly groaned. It was more than that and she knew it. Relationships usually only ended bitterly or happily ever after. A break up would probably lead to her being dismissed eventually as the Director, and her memory zapped. Happily ever after sounded great, unless she became a vampire and could no longer be the human liaison for the team. Dating Raymond led down just one road – and it would be a bad career move.
“I want to see him romantically, but it's a bad career choice,” she admitted.
“There are often several risks when it comes to love — if we are talking about love and not a fleeting encounter.”
Shaking her h
ead, Alex confessed, “It would not be fleeting.”
“It is your career, and your choice, but just last session you made the observation … ,” she flipped back a page in the notebook, “that you always put your career first. ‘It’s what I do’, you said.”
A slight smile crossed Alex’s lips. “That does sound like me.”
“Love is a leap of faith, Alex. There are no guarantees when it comes to the heart.”
Alex realized she did want a guarantee. Even a crystal ball of some sort that could see into the future would be welcomed. She leaned forward and rubbed her temple with her fingertips. “Michael is perfect … Simply perfect in every way. But … ,” Alex sighed. “ … I don’t know how to say this.”
When she noticed Micki slyly glace at her watch, Alex began. “Let’s say I did start seeing him, and it works out. Michael is … a different religion than I am.”
“Oh?” Micki opened her notebook and started taking notes again. “Tell me about him and what his religion is. You’re Catholic, right?” Alex nodded. “Is his religion a denomination of Christianity?”
“Let’s just say that his religion is different from mine. … Overall I don’t mind his religion. I find it quite sexy. … I can see myself with him for a very long, long time. The thing is, what if he asks me to convert?”
Micki set her pen down. “When you say that you see yourself with him a ‘very long, long time’ are you thinking possibly of marriage to him?”
“Sure, if the relationship works out,” Alex said, sitting more pensive on the couch.
Micki set the notepad in her lap. “Alex, you just met the man. I think you need to examine what you’re feeling and understand that this relationship is really only in its infancy.”
“I know. I know.” Alex wrung her hands. She hadn’t realized she had been sweating. The office was normally a cool temperature, and yet she felt the need to wipe her hands on her pant leg. “In the best scenario, let’s just say that he is the one I marry.”
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