by C. L. Quinn
“I figured. Okay, I’ll take the boys.” Daniel gave Eillia another look, his eyebrows raised. “You and I will revisit this discussion at the end of second meal.”
Grinning, Eillia chose a box from a stack of boxes, and lifted off the tight lid. It revealed exactly what Cairine had described to Daniel, sparklies for the eight foot Christmas tree that Koen and Bas had brought into the large open room just two hours earlier.
Park picked up Cairine and they both looked into the box, where hand-carved ornaments lay surrounded by shining strings of tinsel. “Oh, they’re lovely, Eillia.”
“They are,” Eillia agreed. “I bought them two centuries ago in Paris. With Hamid.”
Glancing up quickly, Park placed a hand on Eillia’s.
“I’m sorry, my friend. You still miss him.”
“I do. He was a good man. You know how much I love Daniel, and I wouldn’t change our life for the world, but Hamid didn’t deserve that death. I’ll always feel awful for his loss.”
“He wouldn’t want you to. He’d want you to do precisely what you are doing now…living and loving. And loved by your true mate as you were always meant to be.”
“Oui,” Eillia agreed, a distant, sad look in her eyes. Suddenly her chocolate eyes went to Cairine’s beautiful, innocent green eyes. She smiled and touched a curl that nearly reached Cairine’s waist. “But this is not a day for sorrow. This is a day to welcome Santa Claus to France. Am I right, my darling?”
Cairine grinned. “Oui! He has presents for me because I have been a good girl!”
“Then let’s make the house twinkle so that he can find us. Park, let me take Cairine while you see what else I have in those boxes that Daniel brought from my villa in Paris. Cari, come here, you must help me with the lights.”
Hanging off the edge of a cliff in the Pyrenées in southwestern France, the five story villa jutted out over the Mediterranean sea, a balcony on each floor faced the rolling waters. A long row of stone steps led to the private, pristine beach that featured rows of solar lights all the way to the sand. They looked like fairies lining the walkway to a landscaped area with benches that surrounded an enormous fire-pit.
Tamesine finished sinking poles deep into the sand as she circled the outside of the seating area. Once placed, she went back around again to hang string solar lighting, this time in strands of red, white, and green lights, from pole to pole, the different colors twisted together to create a festive, holiday ambience. She stepped back to survey the effect and smiled.
This would be a perfect Christmas this year. The threat to her family was gone, and everyone was coming to the villa from Paris, Zambia, and Iceland to celebrate the collective sigh of relief and the holiday season together. Vampires often didn’t bother with holiday celebrations, but this year was special.
This year there was so much more to celebrate than ever before in their history. A grand destiny was unfolding for the first blood vampires who had been broken into two clans long ago. Defined as children of the moon, and children of the sun, the clans were merging now, through family and love, and protection of an unprecedented number of second and third generation vampire children.
Her own twins were second generation vampires, first bloods, born vampire rather than made, and destined by prophecy to have power even greater than her own. Even Tamesine could not dispute that she herself was perhaps the most powerful vampire ever in the race of the first bloods, which gained her a great deal of respect that she still did not think she deserved. But there was no disputing her power. Knowing what they did now about the future for these remarkable children, she couldn’t imagine how strong and sophisticated their talents would be some day.
She smiled. They’d already gotten glimpses.
The sky was clear tonight, the air cool, sliding in off the sea. Year around, the air was usually quite comfortable here in southern France, although there were moments when La Tramontane visited. The cold and sometimes violent wind from the northwest reminded them how capricious nature could be. But tonight, no complaints as the stars peeked at her from their velvet home above her head and approved of her limited ability to create magical light on their little piece of heaven on earth.
Everyone would be arriving sometime tonight, and although Tamesine was well again after so many centuries of emotional pain, she still preferred solitude and quiet moments with family over larger groups. Dropping into one of the chairs, she closed her eyes and laid her head back to enjoy the silence broken only by the gentle lap of water against the shore. Soon, the house, and the beach here below it, would be filled with happy voices, laughter, and the frantic sounds of dogs and children at play. And she smiled again.
Rustling behind her told Tamesine that someone else had joined her. She opened her eyes and looked to her side.
Starla had arrived, her young daughter in her arms, wrapped in a light-colored satin blanket that reflected the bright lights.
“Tamesine, hi. May we intrude? I wanted to just sit and listen to the sea for a few moments before everyone gets here. It’s already pretty noisy up there.”
“I know. That’s why I volunteered to decorate this area.”
“Amen to that. We’ll be quiet.”
“It’s okay. I’m ready for the influx. This is really a magical moment in first blood history.”
“It is at that. Jacob said that they usually don’t bother with Christmas decorations.”
“True. But we have children now, and children love Christmas.”
“I do too. I always have, so I’m glad we’re doing this. I’m glad we’re all going to be together. We have a lot to be thankful for.”
“Nothing truer than that right now. It’s Shani, right?”
Starla held the bundle up and pulled the blanket back. A shock of dark hair fell over the baby’s eyes and Starla brushed it back.
Tamesine came down onto the sand and knelt in front of Starla. “Hi, little lady. Welcome to France. You must meet my little angels tonight. You are going to be close friends, I am sure of that.”
Tamesine curved a hand around the little head as she watched the dark eyes stare into hers. As her hand touched the baby girl, she felt the child’s lifeforce much like she’d felt Caedmon’s before he was even born. As she had felt her own children’s lifeforce when she carried them.
This, then, was a new talent for her. She’d thought that what she felt with Caedmon, Eillia’s child that she hadn’t even known existed at the time, had been unique. Now, though, it appeared that she could bond with any first blood child on that level. It was an honor, and it was daunting. It implied a responsibility someday when these children met their destiny.
She looked up at Starla. “She’s perfect. You and Park made a miracle in that little room.”
Starla’s eyes moistened. “I know. Thank God that worked. If it hadn’t been for the miracle of artificial insemination, my children would never have been born.”
“Oh, I think the universe is guiding this very carefully. I can feel it in this little girl’s lifeforce…nothing was going to stop her from coming to you.”
“Thank you, Tamesine.” Starla paused, then began to speak again carefully. “I’m glad that you’re well again. And I’m sorry about your sister.”
Tamesine stood and walked over to the fire-pit to begin adding the wood for the fire they would build later tonight.
“Thank you. It had been a long time since we’d been close, so I’m okay.”
Starla knew better. She knew how awful Windari’s rage had been. Following Tamesine to the wood pile, she made her look at her. “Tam, you and I have a connection because of Windari. You know that she killed me, too. My son survived only because of my status as a Shoazan, just as you did. If you ever want to talk or anything, just let me know. It scarred me, it had to have scarred you much deeper.”
Tamesine couldn’t answer. Starla was right, but with everything still raw, Tamesine felt the darkness on the edge of her mind. She’d been pregnant when Wind
ari killed her on a northern Scottish island, and after 8 centuries, she’d discovered the child that she’d given away back then. A daughter, a beautiful vampire, who was in pain, too.
Starla’s hand slipped down Tamesine’s back and around her waist. “I’m sorry, my sister, I didn’t mean to bring it all back. I just wanted to let you know that someone understands and that I’m always there for you.”
This time, Tamesine responded and weaved her own arm around Starla’s waist. “Thank you. I lost a sister centuries ago, but I’ve gained so much more this past year. I don’t think I can have too many sisters, so thank you for your offer. Would you like to light the fire? I’ll hold Shani for you.”
As Tamesine took Shani from her mother’s arms, the baby curled quickly to Tamesine, her arms reaching for her.
Starla lifted her eyebrows. “I think my daughter has claimed you, too. We’re family, Tam, all of us now.”
Tamesine couldn’t have agreed more.
Koen had left the front door of the villa open so that any new arrivals could just come right in. He was in the main living area on the first floor helping finish the tree decorations when he heard a familiar deep voice.
“So this is what you do when you’re not chasin’ the bad guys.”
As Koen turned, he grinned. “A guy’s gotta have a hobby. I like shiny things. Brother.”
Koen walked over to the man who had just entered. Xavier stood a few inches taller than Koen, but they met on equal ground and gave each other tight hugs.
“I’ve brought my best Scotch, laddie,” Xavier announced, and set a leather case on the sofa.
“Then I won’t have to send you away. I’m glad you came, my brother. This will be the grandest celebration of first bloods in history.”
“Can’t miss Christmas and a historical moment all wrapped in one visit, can I? Besides, I have a yen to see all the new first blood children together. It’s going to be epic, isn’t it?”
“Aye, it is. Come, we have a buffet serving all night tonight. Did you bring anyone with you?”
“Nay. I thought about it, but there’s no one in my life right now that I want to share this with other than family.”
“You’re always welcome. Come.” Koen turned to Park. “I’ve got the star in place, daughter. You’ll excuse me?”
“Go. Hi, Xavier. Welcome. I’ll see you at the beach later.”
“That you will, lass.” Xavier slapped Koen on the back.
“How ya had such a fine daughter, I’ll never know.”
“You want me to rescind the invitation, or you going to play nice?”
“Nice. I can pull that off for an evening or two.”
“You old dog. Park, call me if you need me.”
The two men disappeared into the dining room. From Park’s vantage point, she could view the already decorated room lit floor to ceiling with multi-colored lights. The lights wound around the tops of tables that would be filled with delicious food choices for the next five hours as the rest of their guests arrived before daylight.
Her father and uncle were grinning like mischievous schoolboys. She shook her head as she finished the final touches on the tree. Her father was so happy now. So was everyone in their community.
Placing a hand on her swelling belly, she thought about the son who would be here by next Christmas, a brother for her precious little girl. Both children were the first third-generation first bloods known. The coming year would be an interesting one.
The tree decorated, she carefully stepped off the stepstool and grabbed a white-chocolate covered pretzel stick. Cairine was still with Eillia since they’d moved on to run lights and pine roping up the stairwell, so Park took the moment to wander down to the beach to see if Tamesine needed any help.
A large car pulled up in front of the villa and stopped just before the double doors, left open as an invitation and surrounded by lit candles on tall stands.
“Let me help you out, sweetheart,” a deep voice said when the car door opened and a large swarthy man got out to extend his hand back into the car.
“Just take Brigitte, baby,” a woman’s voice followed, and the man lifted a squirming baby out and held her close.
Ahmose moved back with Brigitte as Mal stepped out, pulling a big satchel with her. “She has been inconsolable since Starla left two days ago.”
“I know,” Ahmose agreed. “Those girls cannot stand to be separated. I am fascinated to see how this unfolds someday.”
“It’s exhausting. I think that the big dwelling can’t be finished soon enough.”
Ahmose’s mate spoke of the enormous multi-winged home he was building at the top of a hill in their village so that both he and his mate could share it with Starla and her mate, Jacob. That way, all parents could be under the same roof with their children. The odd family arrangement that became odder yet when Mal joined the family earlier this year would finally be managed. He had known as soon as Mal and Brigitte came to live with them that there was no other choice.
Shaking his head, he smiled as an elegant Asian woman got out of the other side.
Chione had always been a beautiful, graceful woman, but now, since she and her new mate shared the gifts of the Mother Earth, she moved as if she barely touched the ground. And yet there was no one on this planet that was as grounded in the deep earth as she and Donovan.
This year had been transformative for the first bloods. The next promised to be even more.
Another big car pulled in behind Ahmose’s vehicle and he turned to watch the second car stop a few feet shy of his own rented SUV. All four doors opened simultaneously and he heard a squeal as a petite woman got out and raced forward to embrace Chione. He smiled at the little empathic vampire that held a place in the spiritual world and could walk the trail that separated the two planes of existence.
Cherise held Chione for several long moments before she moved back, keeping Chione’s hands trapped in hers.
“My friend, I have been excited to see you again! For the past two months I have intercepted messages that I believe were sent out through the cosmic swarm. You and your new mate are gifted with the power of the earth. Where is this man, I must meet him right away.”
Cherise’s eyes moved around the driveway until they touched on Donovan, now visible after lifting up from pulling a duffle bag from the back of the car.
“You don’t have to point him out. Like you, my dear lady, he glows.”
Donovan searched for Chione in the increasing crowd of people around him and his eyes landed on the beautiful petite woman walking towards him quickly with purpose. His eyes lifted to Chione, who followed the brunette, and she shrugged with a soft smile.
When the lovely brunette reached him, she stopped, her huge eyes searching his, then leaned closer and held him loosely. His heart began to pound and his head felt light. Suddenly, he needed to touch her, too, and he dropped the duffel bag to slide his hands onto her shoulders.
Chione watched them as a big man with long hair came up behind her.
“There had better be a good reason for that,” he said, amused.
Chione looked at Cherise’s mate, David. “There is. She is feeling the power that rides inside my Donovan. As she just did with me.”
“Okay then. He may live.”
Turning to David, Chione touched his arm. “I think that is out of all of our hands. He is not only a guardian of the earth, he is Shoazan.”
“Ummm,” David responded. “You are something else, too, child of the moon.” He could feel the magic beneath her touch as well. He may not be an empath like his mate, but he was a highly intuitive first blood.
With a tilt of her head, Chione nodded to him. “We’ve had an interesting year.”
“Well, congratulations, if he is Shoazan. Are you with child?”
“Curiously, not yet. I am given to understand that it will come, but I have no idea when.”
“I always thought that the conception happened pretty much at the first… Well,
the first time.”
“It would appear that is not so. I am grateful, as it saved Donovan’s life. But we still wait.”
“Perhaps my Cherise will have news for you.”
“My dear child of the sun, that is exactly what I thought.”
“Shall we?” David held his arm out and Chione took it to let him escort her.
Approaching Donovan and Cherise, David looked at Donovan. “Are you finished with my mate?”
Donovan’s eyes moved over David, who still held a hand around Chione’s, which rested on David’s arm, then to Cherise, who still touched him. “Trade?”
David grinned then. “Wise, my friend. I think, though, that we are both lucky men.”
“Vampire males. Alpha in every way. Come, Chione, let us go in and see what Koen has prepared for first meal. We have both had long flights.” Cherise abandoned Donovan for Chione and they walked ahead of their men, who turned to bring in their luggage.
“Those women enslave us, eh? I’m David.”
Donovan assessed David, still adapting to his new vampire nature. The past two months he’d been in the protected community of Ahmose’s people in Zambia. The man seemed warm and welcoming, as had all of the vampires he’d met so. He offered his hand.
Lauren pulled her bag from the car, but she’d forgotten to zip it after she’d opened it just after they’d landed. She’d slipped out a lightweight top for this climate to replace the heavy sweater she’d worn when they left Iceland. The bag caught on the edge of the door, tipped, and spilled the contents, her belongings scattering everywhere onto the concrete driveway.
Bryn had been lifting his own bag from the back of the car when he heard the familiar “What the fuck?” coming from the love of his life. He grinned. When her usual clumsiness made its appearance, and that was often, he always grinned. She made him laugh all the time, one of the things he loved most about her.
Peeking around the edge of the big hatch, he watched her throw her bag onto the ground like a deflated balloon.