The Ortega Project

by Linnea Alexis

  She choked back a sob and covered her face with her hands. “But I hoped…he would be human.”

  “It’s not his fault what he is. A child needs its mother. He needs to be fed,” he said tenderly.

  * * *

  Grace

  * * *

  Guilt and remorse flooded over Grace like a tidal wave. Christian wasn’t to blame. She and Roman were. She opened her arms to receive her baby. “Forgive me,” she whispered. “God, please forgive me.”

  Roman handed Grace their son and kissed her cheek. “That’s my girl.” He kissed her other cheek. “We can do this.”

  “I’m not sure what to feed him.” Her voice trembled. “Or what to do. I can’t nurse him anymore.” She handed the baby back to Roman. “I need to get to my cooler.” She jumped out of the vehicle. As she headed toward the back door, her steady deliberate footsteps crunched on the gravel road.

  “Where are you going?” Roman asked.

  “To get him a bottle.”

  She climbed in the back of the SUV and rummaged through bags and boxes. Inside the back of the van, off to the side, stood a large cooler. “Is this your cooler? It isn’t mine.”

  “It belongs to Roman and me. It holds our…food supply. We don’t want to get hungry and have to stop to find something to eat,” Gabriel yelled from the front seat.

  Grace grabbed a bottle of water, spotted her cooler and riffled through it. She found a bottle of breast milk. The milk was too cold and she had no way to heat the bottle. For now, until she figured out a way to bring the milk up to room temperature, water would have to do. She handed Roman a baby bottle filled with water.

  “Feed him this until I get back.” She scooted out of the back of the SUV, set the bottle of milk on the seat, and sat next to Roman who was feeding baby Christian.

  “Can I have my son?” Her voice quaked and she held out her arms.

  Roman wiped moisture from his eyes. “Here you go.” He handed her Christian, along with his baby bottle, and watched as his son eagerly sucked on the nipple. “You’re doing the right thing by not letting him develop a taste for blood.” He brushed a wisp of dark hair from Christian’s forehead and grinned. “He’s beautiful.”

  “Yes, he is.” Staring into her son’s eyes, warmth flowed through her veins, filling her with love only a mother could feel for her child. “I’m so sorry, sweet baby.”

  He spat the nipple out of his mouth and seemed to smile at her.

  Lifting him to her face, she kissed his silken cheeks. “I love you, too.” A tear fell. She cradled him for a few minutes longer until he started falling asleep. Roman held out his hands and she gently placed the babe in his arms. She took a deep breath, fastened her seat belt, and folded her hands in her lap.

  Roman reached over and traced her face with his fingertips. He kissed her tenderly. “We’re ready, Gabriel. Let’s go.”

  Gabriel cleared his throat, turned on the headlights, and started the engine. The turn signal clicked on and he eased the vehicle back onto the road.

  “Roman? Did you know about Christian before tonight?” The word wouldn’t come. Especially when talking about her son.

  “I suspected.”

  How come she couldn’t tell? “When?” she asked.

  “The minute I looked into his eyes.” He reached for her hand.

  “Who else suspected?” she whispered.

  He chewed his bottom lip and stared at Gabriel. “Gabriel. Doc. I figured we might be needing help raising him. I hadn’t come across any How To books on the care and feeding of baby vampires.”

  She withdrew her hand from his and turned to face him. How could he keep such suspicions from her? “Why didn’t you tell me? As his mother, I had a right to know.”

  “And have you hating your own flesh and blood?” His voice rose.

  Blood! There was that word again. She didn’t argue because she knew Roman was telling the truth. Folding her arms across her chest, she narrowed her eyes, and stared out the side window.

  Tempers simmered and no one spoke.

  A few minutes later, when Grace calmed down, she recalled the unfamiliar items in the back of the van. “Do those duffle bags belong to you?”

  “We were clearing out our place… You see, there was this…fire and—”

  She grabbed Roman’s arm. “Whoa. Back it up a minute. A fire? When?”

  “Right before you called me over to your place,” he answered nonchalantly.

  “How? Why?”

  Roman chuckled. “We were burning some garbage and a fire broke out.”

  “Luckily, it was small, contained in the kitchen,” Gabriel added.

  “A grease fire?” she asked.

  Roman hesitated and traded glances with Gabriel. “Sure.”

  “But…?” Different scenarios floated around in her head about what might have happened. Each scenario worse than the previous one. “Don’t tell me,” she murmured, “I don’t want to know.”

  “We needed to find a new place, too. So it worked out.” Roman rubbed his palm up and down her arm, leaving a trail of goose bumps.

  Her hand flew to her mouth. “What if Christian bites my parents? How am I going to explain that their grandson’s a vampire?”

  Roman laughed. “You won’t have to. Just make sure he doesn’t get hungry when he’s around them.”

  “How can I do that?”

  “Watch him. Listen to him. In his own way, he’ll tell you.”

  Grace decided staying on top of Christian’s hunger would be a priority—especially around her parents.

  “Oh, and by the way,” Roman said, interrupting her thoughts, “Doc’s going to be joining us as soon as he finds a safe place for Deanna. He’s also been working on a special formula for our son, something that’ll ward off his craving for blood.” He snorted. “Hell, I even promised to be a guinea pig again. For Christian’s sake. Maybe we can start the program together.” He poked Gabriel in the back. “Gabe’s thinking about giving it another shot, too.”

  “Dream on.” Gabriel said.

  Roman’s mood sobered. “But right now, the way things are, it’s better to hold off starting any program. We need to stay what we are. We’ve got no choice, because no mortal can protect Christian from who or what wants him.” He thumped himself in the chest. “We’re his safety net.”

  “But where’s everyone going to live?”

  “Doc and I will stay with you until we find someplace permanent,” Gabriel answered.

  “My parents look forward to meeting you guys, but what will they say when Christian and I are living with three men? Two of which aren’t my fiancé?”

  “Tell them we’re your harem or his godfathers,” Gabriel answered in a cheesy Marlon Brando impression.

  She groaned. “No seriously, what do I tell them?”

  “They’re helping us move, right?” Roman asked.

  Grace nodded. “Yes.”

  “Then that’s all you need to say.”

  Christian slept in his car seat, fastened between his parents. Roman fixed his eyes on the road ahead. Gabriel drove in silence.

  50

  Grace

  For the remainder of their journey, Roman and Gabriel traded off driving duties several more times while Grace tended to Christian.

  The long road trip gave Grace the opportunity to find out more about the vampires and decided Gabriel wasn’t such a bad guy after all. The men, though they often clashed, shared a strong bond and she got the feeling they were more like brothers than friends.

  Soon she’d be home. Her stomach churned at the prospect of facing her dad. Living with three men, he might not even let her stay at the cabin. She couldn’t blame him if he put the kibosh on her plans. What would she do then? She closed her eyes and tried to push that possible problem out of her mind.

  As Grace neared her home, she panicked. There was no way she would meet her parents until she’d tidied up. Midway through Wisconsin, she begged Roman to rent a motel room where
she could clean up, fix her hair, and apply makeup. She’d given Christian sponge baths whenever the opportunity presented itself, so his appearance wasn’t a concern.

  Roman relented. They checked into a motel where everyone showered, changed clothes, and stretched their legs. Because the room didn’t have a microwave, Grace filled the bathroom sink with hot water and warmed two bottles of milk.

  Three hours later, they were on the road again.

  At eight o’clock, they crossed the Northern Michigan border. Gabriel drove the last leg of the trip. Having grown up in the area, Grace recognized landmarks and street names, and directed Gabriel which way led to her parents’ cabin.

  A half hour later, Gabriel navigated the vehicle along the paved two-lane highway leading to the lakeshore. They passed a road sign that read “Crystal Island.”

  “We’re almost there.” Her shallow breath came out in puffs.

  He drove around the large lake until they reached the causeway leading to the tree-shrouded twenty-acre island.

  “Is this it?” Gabriel asked.

  “Yes.” Her heartbeat pounded in her ears. She offered up a quick prayer that the meeting between her parents and her vampires would go smoothly.

  The full moon guided them along the single-lane dirt road. Tires stirred up gravel, ricocheting small stones against the bottom of the SUV. She cringed at the sporadic thuds and small bumps in the road. Road kill? She squeezed her eyes shut. “Tell me when we get to the island.”

  “We’re here,” Gabriel said. “Where to next?”

  Her eyelids snapped open. “Slow down.” She scanned the left side of the road and pointed to a white mailbox. “This is it. My parents’ cabin.”

  “And your new home,” Gabriel added.

  As they approached the driveway, Roman said, “Pull over and kill the lights.”

  Gabriel eased off the road and came to a stop.

  “Wake Christian up,” Roman whispered to Grace.

  “But he’s sleeping peacefully.”

  “When he wakes up, he’ll be hungry. Do you want your parents to see him when he wants to be fed?”

  She gasped. “That never occurred to me.” Knowing when to feed him might be a problem. Her hands trembled. She gently nudged her son awake. He scrunched up his face and opened his eyes. He stared at her and howled, revealing tiny fangs.

  “Here you go, babe.” Roman handed her a bottle.

  When she positioned the bottle near Christian’s mouth, he grunted and moved his head from side to side until he latched onto the nipple and sucked.

  After a few seconds, Roman touched her hand. “Check his fangs. Check if they’ve receded.”

  She pulled the nipple from Christian’s mouth and ran her index finger along his upper gum. “They’re gone.” She gave him a weak smile. “Are you sure this will work? I don’t want my parents to find out. I’ll break the news to them later, but only if I have to.”

  “Remember to feed him at the first sign of hunger. You need to stay close to him. Watch him. Study him. Learn his body language.” Roman lifted her chin and kissed her gently. “Sorry the Vegas plans didn’t work out, but we can go back and do it anytime. I still want us to get married. If you’ll still have me, that is.” He took her hands and lifted them to his lips. “I can make a good life for you.”

  “There aren’t a whole lot of jobs around here for vampires.”

  He lowered his eyes. “Don’t worry your pretty little head about money. I have plenty. Until now, I had nothing to spend it on, so I banked most of it.”

  “Was it an inheritance?”

  “Not exactly. We hunt hunters. Slayers.”

  “And we’re damn good at it, if I must say so myself,” Gabriel boasted.

  “Since our team broke up, a larger squad made up of warriors from L.A. and San Diego took over our territory. Gabe and I plan to put together a new team up here. This time around, we’ll freelance. There’s always a need for what we do.”

  “But isn’t it dangerous?” she asked.

  Gabriel laughed. “Just a tad.”

  “So you see, babe, I can provide for you and our son. He will be raised by two parents who love him and each other.” He glanced at the driveway, drew in a deep breath and blew it out slowly. “Okay, let’s go say hello to your folks.”

  Gabriel turned the headlights back on and signaled to make the turn into the driveway. Before turning, he locked eyes with Grace in the rearview mirror.

  “Grace, no matter how you get along with them, if they’re like any other grandparents on the planet, they’re going to love their grandchild.” He shook his head. “God, there’s so much love around here; I think I’m going to puke. You’ve got nothing to worry about. Us—Roman and I—on the other hand….” He burst into laughter. “Now that’s another matter.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Was Gabriel planning to feast on townsfolk?

  “You can wipe that frown off your face,” Roman said. “We’ll behave ourselves. They’ll never know what we are. We’ve been fooling folks for a long time and are good at it.” He poked Gabriel’s shoulder. “Keep going.”

  As Gabriel drove onto the property, loose gravel crunched under the weight of the vehicle. A porch light came on and the front door opened.

  “I think they see us,” Grace said.

  Gabriel pulled into the driveway and stopped the car.

  A blonde woman poked her head out of the doorway.

  “There’s my mom.” Grace’s heartbeat sped up and her stomach did somersaults.

  “Go to her,” Roman whispered and leaned over to give her a quick peck on the cheek. He scanned the property surrounding the cabin. “This is a perfect place to raise our son. It’s beautiful here. It’s isolated and peaceful and safe.”

  Gabriel jumped out of the driver’s seat, slid open the side door, and took hold of her hand. “You’re shaking. Take a deep breath, close your eyes, and count to ten.”

  She handed the baby to Roman and squeezed her eyes shut. “One, two, three….”

  Dressed in jeans and an oversized T-shirt, an older version of her daughter sprinted toward their car. “Gracie! Gracie!”

  “See, I told you there was nothing to worry about.” Roman grinned.

  Grace ran toward her mother’s outstretched arms. They embraced and wept on each other’s shoulders.

  Pushing away from their hug, her mother darted toward the SUV with Grace following close behind. “Where is he? Where’s my grandbaby?” Her mother poked her head inside the vehicle where Roman held his son. “Look at him.” She squealed and reached for the baby. “Can I hold him?”

  Roman handed his son to the boy’s grandmother and climbed out to stand next to Grace. He slipped his arm around her waist and she rested her head on his chest, watching her mother hold the squirming baby in her arms.

  “Look at that gorgeous hair,” Grace’s mother gushed. “And those big brown eyes. You’re going to be a regular lady killer when you grow up. Yes, you are.” Tears streamed down her mom’s face as she lavished kisses on Christian’s pudgy cheeks. She pulled him close to her heart, rocking him. Choking back sobs, she smiled at Grace. “Thank you for giving our family such a wonderful little treasure.” She stared at Roman. Tears stopped and she tilted her head. “Hello. And you must be…?”

  Grace put her arm around Roman’s waist. “Mom, this is Roman. Christian’s father. Roman, my mom, Susan.”

  “Well hello, Roman, Christian’s father.” Her brows drew together and the smile left her lips. “How’s your blood disorder?”

  “Ma’am?”

  “When you were sick, I explained you had a blood disorder,” Grace answered, giving him a don’t-you-dare-say-a-word look.

  He smiled at Susan. “I’m fine now. Thank you for asking.”

  Susan’s gaze darted to Gabriel, who leaned against the front of the SUV with his arms folded across his chest. “And this is Roman’s friend?”

  “Yes, Mom. This is Gabriel. He helpe
d us move.”

  Susan’s scrutiny shifted between the two men. “I’m happy to meet both of you. You must be famished. There’s plenty of food inside. Follow me.”

  “Thanks, but I’m good,” Gabriel said

  “Nothing for me either,” Roman added. “Instead, we’ll start unloading the car and give you two ladies a chance to catch up.” He winked at Grace before hurrying to the back of the vehicle. He handed Gabriel two large trash bags filled with clothes, and he pulled out the diaper bag and a small carry-on suitcase.

  Loaded down with Grace’s and Christian’s things, they swaggered toward the cabin.

  Susan watched the vampires climb the porch steps where they waited at the front door until someone opened it from inside. “My, they’re polite young men.” She turned toward Grace. “So tell me, what are your plans for tonight? Your dad and I were planning on spending the night but, there are only two bedrooms.”

  Grace got the message. “The guys can sleep in the back of the SUV.” She scanned the area around the lake. “They’re a couple of night owls.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous! It’s chilly outside.”

  Christian started grunting and squirming. Susan kissed the top of his head and handed him to Grace, who held him to her chest, gently rocking back and forth.

  Susan grimaced. “I don’t know if you’re living together or what, but because of your dad, it would be best if you not sleep with Roman. At least not tonight, anyway.” She put her arm around Grace’s waist and strolled toward the cabin. “There’s the sofa. Or maybe they’d rather sleep on our new recliners. They’re super comfy. We fall asleep on them all the time.”

  Christian gave up a loud burp. They laughed. Grace nuzzled Christian’s cheeks.

  “You mentioned getting married in Vegas?”

  She remembered. “There wasn’t time before we left.”