Southern Secrets

by Shelley Stringer

  “Oh, you’re so wrong. I’m ready for round two, right now…bring it!” I grinned back at him.

  “Still here, can hear you!” Everett exclaimed. He held both his hands over his ears, following us out the door.

  * * *

  Everett failed to call out his usual greeting to alert Brie to our presence. As I was about to ask him about it, he turned to us and put his finger to his lips. He obviously wanted to surprise her as part of a new test. He burst in the door, babbling away, in usual Everett form.

  “Hello, hello, helllooooo! How is our beautiful, brave Gabriella today?” he gushed, much as he would do bursting into my own house.

  Brie turned quickly, obviously startled, and at first seemingly a little agitated. Once she took notice of Banton and me, she stopped herself. She calmed as if she’d drawn a sheet over herself, her eyes instantly dimming.

  “What great restraint you are demonstrating this morning, my dear! You’re doing great! Banton and Chandler came to spend the day with you.”

  Banton walked over to her slowly, keeping me purposely behind until he reached out to her.

  “Brie? Chandler and I are so anxious to spend time with you today, are you up for it?” he asked as he continued to hold his hand out to her. She took it hesitantly and then looked up at him, recognition dawning.

  I began to sense her mood…and then I got exceedingly nervous. I could almost read how she was feeling. I’d never experienced such a sensation, almost like I was in her head. I continued to watch her, apprehensive. I was frightened by what I was feeling inside as if I was a mirror to her emotions. While she stood gazing at me she blinked, and an expression came over her, like she’d experienced a recovered memory. Her eyes filled with tears, and she swallowed hard, glancing down at my abdomen and taking in the obvious changes.

  She moved her eyes back to my face and exclaimed, “Chandler, how beautiful you look! Are you…are the babies well?” She reached her hand out to me, and I glanced over at Banton apprehensively as I reached to touch her. When our fingers met, it was akin to experiencing a jolt of electricity. I could feel all of the emotions flowing out from her. I immediately felt her desperation, and my heart began to ache as if I’d lost Banton. I could feel what she was feeling! I paused when our eyes connected, and my eyes watered, mirroring hers. Feeling the desolation mount, I had to break our touch.

  “My God…what just happened?” Banton asked as he placed his hands on my shoulders. I turned to look at him, and he stared at me intently, trying to comprehend what had occurred between us, his concern for me was apparent on his face. I shook my head at him, there was no way I could put the emotions into words.

  “It’s all right; I just seem to have…” I began.

  “a connection, never before,” Brie finished.

  “Yes. Is it real?” I whispered, watching her face intently. I sensed elation I’d never experienced. It scared me even more.

  “Yes. I think it is,” Brie whispered back to me.

  “Everett, what is happening? What is going on?” Banton’s voice rose, watching our private exchange.

  “It’s all right. They have a connection. I’ve always sensed it. Chandler will find she will have this connection with others to whom she feels close. Some Aldon have this gift, and since the change, I’ve sensed Chandler has it, too. She can detect Gabriella’s mood, and when properly connected, can feel what Brie feels.”

  I turned to look at Everett.

  “Is this good for her, for Chandler, I mean? I don’t want to upset her too much,” Banton warned, pulling me closer.

  “The connection will pass when they are away from each other. It will come and go, and won’t go any deeper than human emotions such as sadness, elation, fear, or love. Bebe, if you’re too upset or begin to feel badly, we will leave,” he spoke softly to me, not wanting to break the magical connection we were experiencing.

  “I’m fine. I think…I know I can handle this.” I smiled encouragingly at Brie. Then she lowered her gaze again to my abdomen.

  I immediately sensed extreme sadness, an intense sort of grief. As I watched her she slowly moved toward me, holding her hand down to my tummy.

  “May I?” she asked. I looked at Everett, and nodded. I could sense no agitation or aggression on her part, only wonder, love, and a longing.

  I felt Banton stiffen at my side, obviously becoming protective with her hand so close to the babies. As she held her hand gently across my abdomen, the babies moved. She drew her breath in, and then released it, large tears dropped from her eyes down her cheeks. She removed her hand and then looked back up at me. My heart was nearly torn from my chest…she was feeling such longing. I understood. Babies were something Brie would never have.

  “And this is the reason my relationship with John…our love can no longer be. I could never do this to him, to deprive him of this kind of love you have. He deserves to fall in love again, to love someone who can give him children and a normal life. I have to remain dead to him,” she whispered as I cried with her.

  “No! Brie, you have this all wrong,” Banton paused, and then continued as he reached out and stroked Brie’s cheek. “John loves you, no matter what. If Chandler had lost the babies when she was bitten, or when she was attacked in Colorado, that would have been the end of our chances for a family as well. There is no way I would ever give her up. We would simply adopt, or whatever she wanted. My love for her transcends any other need, any other human emotion. John feels the same way about you. He would do anything to have you back. You’re his whole world, Brie.”

  “Brie, is this too hard for you, my being here?” I asked softly. I tried to dry my eyes.

  “Oh, please…no, I want to be with you. My greatest hope, after a life with John, is I gain enough control to be in your lives and get to be a part of the babies’ lives as well.”

  I could tell her mood was lighter when Banton tried to convince her John would rather have her, childless, than anyone else who could bear him children. And her mood lifted even more at the thought of her being a part of our children’s lives. At that moment, I was convinced Brie could have the control of an Aldon.

  Everett placed his arms around Brie and smiled at me. “I think we can all relax now. Come, let’s sit and chat. There is much you need to catch Brie up on, I’m sure,” he rattled, drawing her over to a sofa which had been moved in the room. Several articles of furniture had been added as well, and as Brie seemed to be settling into a state somewhere between human and supernatural, so did her surroundings.

  As Brie and I visited, Banton and Everett slipped from the room.

  “You realize they are still watching us,” Brie commented, when I paused in my commentary.

  “Don’t take it personally. Banton is overprotective when it comes to me and the babies. It isn’t you,” I assured her. She glanced over at the two-way mirror.

  “I heard that, Andie,” Banton yelled from the other room as I giggled, and turned back to Brie. She sighed as she gazed longingly at me.

  “It’s been a good afternoon. Please come back to see me, soon? Everett is right, this is getting easier. You’re the only two humans I’ve been around so far. I’m sorry you’re our only ones we can practice with.”

  “No problem. There is no where I’d rather be right now, I promise.” I patted her leg as Banton came back into the room with Ev.

  “Bebe, it’s time to go. I told Banton, next week I want to take our visit on a little different venue and push her a little further. We’ll see how things go.”

  “Thank you so much, you don’t know how much this means to me.” Brie said softly. Banton pulled her in to embrace her.

  “Just work to get better, so we can get you back to my best friend,” Banton called back to her as I blew her a kiss.

  * * *

  On the ride home, Everett gushed. “Your little visit couldn’t have gone better if I’d scripted it.” He drove along happily, almost in a giddy state.

  “Ev, did you know
what would happen, that we would have the emotional connection?” I asked as Banton reached up to place his hand on my shoulder.

  “I hoped it might, but I never thought it would happen this soon. Brie was such a loving, caring person as a human, and those emotions are intensified now in her transformation. I can sense them, but you have such a connection to her, Chandler. You draw her in as you drew me in, and unfortunately, seem to draw the Orcos. It’s a special aura you possess, stronger as your pregnancy progresses. Dr. Renault has sensed it too. The events of today just confirmed my suspicions. You have a gift, Bebe. You will learn to use it, trust me.”

  “I’ll admit it is a little scary.” I turned to look at Banton, and he was watching me, seeming in awe and afraid at the same time.

  “I know, Ma Petit. We are always a little leery of the unknown. But as you gain experience with it, it will become a part of you, and you will be able to control it. It will become second nature.”

  We drove the rest of the way in silence, each of us going over the day, lost in our own musings. Upon arriving at the house, we found the rest of the house’s usual inhabitants already there.

  Constance met us at the door.

  “Where on earth have you been? I’ve been burning your cell up all day!” she exclaimed, glaring first at Banton, and then back at me.

  “I’m sorry, MOM, my cell is dead in my purse. We went shopping for some nursery stuff, and didn’t know we needed to check in with you!’ I shot back as I flopped down on the sofa.

  “Well, if you went baby shopping, you didn’t buy much. Where are all the packages?” She crossed her arms in front of her, obviously not buying my story.

  “Give it a rest, Darlin’. We’ve been furniture shopping and Banton is having it all delivered later,” Everett retorted in a last minute save. I smiled at him thankfully. Constance turned her back to me to leave the room.

  “First she’s meeting Everett on the sly, now she’s taking Banton with her, and they’ve got a little threesome going. All right, all right…keep your little secrets! I feel as if I’m back in high school, and the new girl has excluded me from the new clique,” she mumbled, leaving the room. Banton chuckled, crossing the room and joining me on the sofa.

  I reached over and plugged my phone into the wall, and missed calls began to pop up immediately. The first one was Dr. Renault.

  “Oh, gosh…Dr. Renault called. They must have the results of the amnio,” I commented. I looked up at Banton.

  “Call him back, Chandler,” he urged as I retrieved his voicemail. I hung up after listening to it, and looked up.

  “Well?” he asked expectantly.

  “He wants to see us in his office early in the morning,” I answered.

  “On a Saturday?” he whispered. I knew what he was thinking, if he wanted us to come in on a Saturday, something must be wrong. When he realized I sensed his reaction, he pulled me over onto his lap.

  “Let’s not jump to conclusions; he just probably knows we wouldn’t want to wait around all weekend, Andie.”

  “Mmmm. Let’s hope.” I leaned my head back against his chest as he kissed the top of my head.

  “Oh, great…Bad-Ass Dad is on the front porch!” Constance exclaimed. Banton rose to go to the front door.

  “They are supposed to stay away. That is what the two phone calls per day are for,” she complained.

  Banton turned and held his hand out, silencing her. He then turned and glanced at us one last time before he opened the door to greet them.

  “No more taking your word to just trust you. We want to know what is going on, now.” No greeting preceded his tirade. Uncle Lon had never looked more serious. Aunt Sue stood behind him, nervously wringing her hands.

  “Please come in, Mr. Lon…Mrs. Sue. It’s good to see you, although I wish you hadn’t put yourself in this position,” Banton offered as he glanced out at the three Aldon standing guard on the front porch.

  “And what’s with the gathering outside? Are you having a party tonight?” Uncle Lon continued. He shrugged out of his coat. I hurried forward to take it from him as Aunt Sue leaned in to hug me.

  “Chandler, I’m sorry for the intrusion without a phone call, but Lon insisted. He’s been stewing for days, and quite frankly, so have I,” she breathed out, catching sight of Constance standing by the staircase.

  “Sweetheart, it’s good to see you.” She embraced Constance.

  Ty and John came cautiously down the hallway to greet our visitors.

  “Let’s all go into the living room and sit down. Can I get anyone anything to drink?” I asked.

  Uncle Lon sat down on the sofa, and then spoke up. “Yes, some scotch if you have it.” He watched silently as Banton turned to get his drink.

  Banton paused beside me and touched my cheek reassuringly.

  Uncle Lon waited until he was down the hallway to interrogate me.

  “So, Chandler Ann, which one of you is going to be the one to spill it first? I want to know what this big medical secret is, and why the Navy is involved.”

  “Dad, it’s complicated, and we can’t…” Constance began. Ty place his hand on her shoulder. Uncle Lon stiffened as he watched the silent communication between the two of them.

  “I won’t take top secret military operations as an excuse for me to just stay away from my daughters! No father is going to stay away and not ask questions when he’s been told his daughters’ lives are in danger. You’re living here in the middle of all these men…” he trailed off. Banton returned with a tray of drinks.

  “Dad, I talk to you every day. You know everything I’m doing, I have excellent grades, I stay home and don’t party, and I’m with Chandler and Banton twenty-four seven. Why are you acting this way?” Constance asked, throwing her hands in the air.

  “Banton, dear…you’re about to be a father. If your daughters were living with men you didn’t know, their lives in danger, one of their friends had been kidnapped, maybe murdered, and they asked for you to stay away and not to worry, what would you be thinking?” Aunt Sue appealed to Banton.

  His expression softened as he nodded at her. “I know. I don’t know what to say, except to tell you everyone here is committed to keeping them safe. We are working hard with our contacts here, and we haven’t had any reported activity since Mardi Gras. So I’m hoping this situation won’t last much longer.

  “What is this genetic thing? What’s this all about?” Uncle Lon asked, turning to Constance.

  She whirled to me with a helpless sort of look. I had no idea how to put them off.

  Everett flitted into the living room. “I think it is time to level with your dear parents, Constance. We are far past worrying about the Aldon old guard, and the Orcos are dangerously close to exposing us all. I certainly think your parents deserve to know. Your brothers are carriers as well, and they will surely be targeted sooner or later.”

  “Aldon…Orcos? Would someone please explain all of this to us? In English!” Uncle Lon demanded.

  Ty pulled Constance over and sat down in the armchair, settling her down in his lap. Banton led me over to the loveseat, and Everett brought chairs in from the dining room. When everyone was seated, Banton cleared his throat.

  “Bear with us, Mr. Lon…Mrs. Sue. We’ll start at the beginning.” He placed his hand on my shoulder.

  My poor Aunt and Uncle sat in a state of disbelief while Banton recanted all of the events of our ordeal, from that fateful night aboard the Navy gunboat when the SEALs first encountered the Somali pirate Orcos, through his surveillance of my property, my abduction, and Brie’s supposed murder.

  Uncle Lon’s brows were drawn so closely together I was afraid he’d have a headache. “What the hell are you saying? What are they?”

  “They are called Orcos. They drink blood…for lack of a better term, they are what you think of as vampires,” Banton answered bluntly.

  Uncle Lon and Aunt Sue sat in stunned silence. I watched them as they processed what we’d just told them,
and I couldn’t tell if they were just overwhelmed, or if they thought we were kidding

  “All right, let’s just say we believe this…all of this. Why are our girls involved?” Uncle Lon seemed skeptical.

  “Because we carry the same gene that the SEALs do. We draw them in,” I answered quietly.

  “What?” Aunt Sue asked, her expression horrified.

  “Banton was wounded during a nightly recon the night after we got engaged. He was bitten, but because of his genetics, he came through all right.”

  Uncle Lon interrupted. “This is crazy. Vampires don’t exist. I don’t believe in ghosts, and I’m pretty sure I quit believing in the tooth fairy at age five.”

  “Mr. Lon, I’m sorry. We haven’t done a great job of explaining this to you,” Banton began.

  “Why don’t you explain to them what partial transformation does to someone with the gene, and then show them,” Everett suggested as Banton switched his attention to Everett. Banton nodded, and then patted my shoulder as he rose.

  “Vamp…Orcos possess super human strength, and are as fast on their feet as a cheetah. They are immune to most human diseases and old age. But they must feed on blood and flesh, and they crave human blood. When I was bitten, I went through a painful transformation. I had to learn to control my temper, and I had to learn to curb my own strength. Every nerve, every feeling…every sensation is multiplied by a hundred. I had to be careful until I got a feel for my own strength and abilities, especially with Chandler. And in case you’re worried…no, I don’t drink blood. I do require more protein, rare steaks and such.”

  Uncle Lon sat back into the sofa, with his arms crossed across his chest. Banton stood for several seconds, and then motioned to Uncle Lon to follow him to the front door.

  “Come with me.”

  Uncle Lon and Aunt Sue rose and made their way behind Banton as Everett and I followed. Banton stepped out the front door, and then to the drive way. He looked first one way and then the other, checking the neighborhood to see if anyone was watching. Finding the street deserted except for the Aldon protectors watching the house, he walked over to the bumper of Aunt Sue’s SUV, placing his hand underneath. Everett nodded to him as if to say, “Go ahead.”