by C. L. Quinn
He couldn’t judge. But she was a danger to his family and to this community, and she could not be allowed to hurt anyone again. She was too powerful. So, a committee of her peers, her first blood family, had decided her fate. The first bloods asked the Mother Earth and sought the wisdom of the moon, who agreed that Windari had completed her path on this earth. Her end had been merciful and painless.
Ahmose had been shocked to see Tamesine, who accompanied Windari back to the village to keep her restrained while they transported her.
Tamesine, Windari’s twin. Dead for eight hundred years. Ahmose had been close to both of them at one time, but that was a lot of years ago, and she looked at him as if he were a stranger.
He would have hugged her, but she stepped away, closed to his embrace. Jacob told him she had been damaged and was only now beginning to be able to cope with her life again. It was the additional information about Windari’s attempt at murdering her own sister that had swayed the committee that Windari must be killed forever.
Even his invitation to Tamesine that she was always welcome to return to this community, to that which had been her home all those centuries ago, had been dismissed. When Eillia left to return to France, Tamesine had left with her, wordlessly.
Ahmose’s heart hurt for what she must have endured. Someday, he hoped she would come home.
This village had such joy now. His son thrived with love from three parents, and an entire clan of first bloods who treasured him. The child of Ahmose’s destiny, as beautiful a soul as ever existed.
And within the next year, they would journey back to France for Starla to receive another gift of Ahmose’s seed so that the second first blood child of their community would begin. He hated that such joy walked hand in hand with tragedy, but that was life. But it was the dark that defined the light, pain that defined pleasure, and death that walked on the other side of birth.
This early morning, just before sunrise, Ahmose couldn’t sleep, and wandered up to the top of the hill near Windari’s headstone to watch a brilliant meteor light the sky before the sun did. In the old days, it would be an omen. He wondered, just for a moment, if that could still be true. And he wondered, if it were, was it a good omen or bad? It wasn’t his skill to know, and at this moment, he thought that he didn’t want to. Let life unfold as it should.
TWENTY SIX
Alisa tried to stay behind Koen as they entered this enormous villa that had amazed her as they approached. But she was pulled forward by a stunningly beautiful redheaded woman who took her by the shoulders and looked into her eyes.
“Hello, Alisa. I’m Park, Koen’s daughter, and I can’t begin to make you understand how thrilled I am to meet you. You have made my father so happy. May I hug you?”
The room had filled up with large, gorgeous people. If she hadn’t known they were vampires, she would have wondered what the hell was going on. Nodding, she felt Park’s love for her enter her when they touched, and she found herself hugging back, clinging to this woman she did not know. Yet she knew that she would, and would love her just as much. These intense feelings were alien to Alisa, who, as a child, was rarely ever touched by her parents.
Koen pulled her away.
“Are you okay, baby? We can be overwhelming.”
Alisa released a long-held breath.
“No, I’m fine. Just, give me a moment to adjust.”
Eillia, carrying Caedmon, came around Park.
“I think we should just introduce ourselves, and let Alisa have a chance to do just that. I am Eillia and this is my son, Caedmon. My husband, Daniel.”
A large man behind her smiled and nodded at her.
Eillia continued. “I’m a first blood, and I’ve known Koen most of his life. He is like a brother to me.”
She smiled at them as Park spoke. “This handsome man and gorgeous little girl are my husband Bas, and our daughter Cairine.”
The little girl started to race forward and Bas grabbed her up.
“Not now, little sprite. We’re going to let Alisa breathe.”
The child’s bright green eyes flashed from her father to Alisa with a frown, but then a moment later, she smiled and it reminded Alisa of Koen’s smile.
Another woman stepped forward, petite, lovely, with lush dark hair. Alisa stared at her, and then the tall man behind her.
“Do I know you?” she asked, because she thought she might. They looked very familiar, but she couldn’t place them.
Cherise touched her arm. “Is this familiar? We met briefly in Cairo after you met Koen.”
The woman who told her that she had a different path than she thought she did. Yes, she remembered. Especially because her husband had reminded Alisa so much of the gorgeous man she had left behind in Paris.
“Yeah, it is. I remember now. I met you in Cairo.”
“You were in Cairo when we were?” Koen asked.
“I read her,” Cherise said. “Her lifeforce called to me. I didn’t know until this moment that you were the woman Koen was in love with. I just knew I needed to tell you that you were going to be okay.”
Koen stopped it all by taking Alisa’s hand. He was worried this really was going to overwhelm her.
“Let me get her upstairs and let her settle in. We’ll join you for last meal in about an hour.”
He moved her up the stairs just slightly quicker than normal speed and pushed past a large door into a huge room. Wide French doors allowed a breeze into the room, long chintz curtains waving gently from a roomy balcony beyond.
“Oh, Koen, it’s so lovely.”
He lifted her up into his arms. “It’s your home, Alisa. I hope you’ll be happy here.”
“You’re here, Koen. I will be happy.”
“Are you tired from the flight? Do you want to rest?”
“Would you mind? I’m exhausted and I really would like to lie down.”
“Anything you want, of course. I’ll let the others know.”
“Can someone bring up my luggage?”
“I will. But look over in that closet.”
Across the room, two wide mirrored doors covered most of a wall, so she did as he asked and went over to push back the pocket doors. They slid aside to reveal a walk-in closet nearly as big as the room.
Racks of clothes covered both sides. One side looked like men’s clothes and the other side looked like women’s.
“Park and Eillia filled them for you. It’s all in your sizes. Nightgowns are in the drawers there. Everything you need is already here in the room. I’m a man who likes to be prepared, and since I want to give you the world, I thought I’d start right here in our own bedroom.”
“You are going to spoil the hell out of me.”
A knock on the door interrupted them.
“Come on in,” Koen called out.
The door opened and a champagne bullet flew in.
“Samson!” Alisa called out.
They’d sent him on ahead to acclimate to the house before they arrived.
Bas poked his head in. “He’s a handful. Cairine and Caedmon love him.”
“Thank you, Bas. Bas, would you let everyone know we’ll see them tomorrow night. We’re going to turn in.”
“I understand. Of course. Alisa, welcome home. We’ll show you around the area tomorrow. I’ve arranged for one of our human blood-bonds to let you tour the village in daylight so you can really enjoy it, before… Well, you know what I mean.”
Alisa nodded and tried to keep her breath under control. She did know what he meant. Before she became a vampire and couldn’t go out in the daylight again. It felt too odd, suddenly, and Koen was right. She was feeling overwhelmed.
“Hold me, baby. Would you hold me all night?” she asked. He took her in his arms and carried her out onto the stone balcony.
“Breathe. It’s going to be wonderful. I promise you, Alisa, you’re going to love this life.”
“I believe you. I’m just…adjusting.” That had become her go-to word to describe
her unsettled emotions.
“It’s been a hell of a year,” she said suddenly.
“I know. Let’s get you into one of those silk nightgowns and let you sleep.”
Alisa nodded. Sleep. Yes. Tomorrow would be time enough to adjust to her new life.
Minutes later, curled up against Koen, with her nearly grown puppy pressed against her legs, her breathing calmed. As she began to fall asleep, she thought of the strange journey her life had led her on the past year.
All she could think of was what a shame it was that she couldn’t write the story.
TWENTY SEVEN
Alisa grabbed for the unruly dog, but he got away and raced through the room, knocking over everything he could as he chased the kitten Cairine had brought with her.
Frustrated, she looked at the little girl giggling on the divan, and wondered if she could do it.
She hadn’t tried hyper speed yet, but how hard could it be? Concentrating, she burst forward and caught the dog easily against her as they landed on the carpet.
Cairine giggled even louder.
“Yeah, I’m sure we look ridiculous, but, hey, I did it!”
Eillia came into the room.
“What did you do?”
“I used vampire speed without sending myself into next week.”
“Congratulations! You’re getting the hang, Lise.”
“I know, right?”
Eillia looked at Cairine, who was giggling so hard now, she’d fallen over.
“What are you laughing at, little stinker?”
Eillia scooped her up.
“Park and I are going for a swim. Why don’t you join us?”
“Sure. Do I need to go get a suit?”
Eillia tilted her head. “Not really. It’s dark, and we’re vampires. We don’t have modesty issues. If you’re more comfortable with it, though, sure.”
“No, I’m going native!”
Bas swung in, grabbed Cairine, and scooped up the kitten.
“I’m heading home. Eillia, would you tell Park I’m taking Cari, and I’ll see her at second meal later?”
Eillia nodded. “Sure.” She turned to Alisa as Bas left. “Well, Park’s waiting for us on the beach.”
Alisa got off the floor and kissed Samson on the head. “Be a good dog.”
Taking Alisa’s hand, Eillia led her down the stone path to the sound of waves breaking against the sand.
Alisa breathed deep of the clean, fresh, moist air. She loved this part of the world. She loved her life. And Koen had been right, she loved being vampire.
Park looked up at them as they approached.
“Tonight, the sea is calm, the moon is an enchanting crescent, and the sand is still warm. This is the definition of serenity.”
Serenity. A perfect moment when everything comes together just as it should. Alisa wandered into the water, which lapped gently at her ankles. She drew her sundress off over her head and threw it onto a beach chair some distance away.
There were parts of her old life she missed. She’d loved her job, reporting the stories, but she couldn’t do that anymore. Not the way she had, anyway. And Percy. Luckily, he was okay. Koen had compelled him with a memory of her passing on, with no pain, and left him with nothing but love and peace, and all the good memories of their life together. He’d miss her, but it wasn’t with pain or regret.
Most of all, her love for Koen grew day by day…well, night by night. The first time she’d drawn his blood three weeks ago, her body linked with his and she finally understood what he meant when he called her his mate. They were now one lifeforce, merged, bound, locked together. They did not just want to be together, they had to be. She knew she was in love for the first time in her life, and the last.
Eillia and Park swam near her, and pulled her out deeper into the water.
“You can go beneath for long periods of time. Practice with us. You cannot drown. Next time, we’ll bring headgear with a light, and I’ll show some amazing underwater life,” Park said to her father’s mate.
Park knew they would be close, because they both loved the big vampire so much. But Park could see into Alisa’s soul and knew she was a kind, beautiful woman inside and out. She fit into their family as if she’d always been there. Bobbing in the warm water, Park saw her father’s silhouette on the balcony above them. He was happy. Truly happy in the deepest sense of the word.
Maybe they would have some peace for a while. They were due, after all the trauma of this past year.
“Let’s go a little deeper, Lise,” she said, and began to swim. Alisa and Eillia followed her.
Koen watched the three women swim, naked, out into the ocean behind his home. Life was finally as he always hoped it would be. He was loved and in love, and it could not be better.
Alisa had made a startlingly beautiful vampire. Her already considerable beauty had been enhanced enough he really did have trouble letting her get out of his bed. Her eyes, though, which had been a bright blue, nearly glowed. In time, he could see her gaining first blood talents.
The threat was over. For now, everything was wonderful. He had a trip scheduled next week to take her to South Africa to meet Jake and Starla, and the children of the moon.
He believed the lives of the first bloods were changing now. Something deep inside him warned him that the Mother Earth was close to calling them to duty.
Koen believed that something was coming. It was the reason so many first blood children were suddenly being conceived. It was their time. They were being called. Soon. He didn’t know when but he felt it was soon.
There was a disturbance in the air. As one of the first bloods, one of the oldest beings to walk the earth, he felt it. He knew Eillia did. And he knew the children, the ones born these past two years, he knew they felt it too. Something was coming.
They had built a strong community of powerful vampires. They could deal with whatever came. Until it did, he would love his family, make love to Alisa, and thank the fates for bringing Alisa home to him before her awful human illness took her from him forever.
It had been close, he knew that. He’d felt her weak lifeforce when he’d found her. Now, watching her laughing and playing in the warm sea, vampire, and his forever, he smiled. Destiny had been kind. He was a man who knew when to stop, breathe, and say thank you.
“Thank you,” he whispered to the sky.
the end
Back in Chicago…
God, Lauren was tired of fighting for every little thing!
That damned backseat was stuck again. Every time she tried to lower the seat to carry her floral arrangements in the ancient hatchback, Lauren broke a nail and her temper skyrocketed. If she could just pull out a little more profit, she could buy a newer car. Or a van. That would be so fucking nice!
But it wasn’t happening anytime soon so she struggled with the defective latch and finally got the seat to drop, carrying herself with it.
Nice. Elegant. Her ass in the air and her face in the floor. Was this the right life for a woman with a doctorate? Hardly. But it was her best choice for now. Lauren felt like she was a walking advertisement for living with the consequences of your choices. And it was true. She was responsible for the nasty turn her life had taken.
It still sucked.
She finally got the ten orders loaded securely, groaned in relief, and turned the key. Dead. No response at all.
“You’ve got to be kidding me!” It struck her that that phrase had been her theme song lately.
Tired of fighting with the car, she picked up her old flip phone and dialed a number. A quick answer brought a sigh of relief.
“Merry, thank God! Can you come and get my latest delivery? This car refuses to do anything now. It’s like dealing with a stubborn jackass. You can’t get it to go when you want it to go, and you can’t get it to stop when you want it to stop. Really? Oh, thank you. I’ll give you an afternoon off with pay.”
Lauren left the ornery car abandoned behind her shop, Floral
Magic, and headed back inside.
Around the corner, in the shadows of an adjacent alleyway, a man stood silently, blending into the grayness. He’d found her. He wasn’t sure at first, she looked so different. So he’d had to do some serious surveillance for several weeks. But it was her.
The committee would be pleased. Probably give him a promotion. He pulled his handgun out to make sure the clip was full. Although he would use it only as a last resort since they wanted her alive.
Man, was her life about to get seriously bad. He knew what they had planned for her, and it made even him cringe.
Well, he had a job to do. Time to go to work.
Koen and Alisa belong together and I am so happy that they made it.
ALS is an awful fate, and on behalf of all those who battle this in real life, so bravely, I just wish there really were vampires who could heal you and give you back your interrupted lives. Fate truly does have a lot of power and too many times, we have to accept the path it chooses for us. All we can do is live and love every moment we can, and be grateful for the gifts we are granted, just for the time we humans get in our brief little lives.
The lullaby mentioned on page 211 is from a movie with Debbie Reynolds, Bundle of Joy, entitled Lullaby in Blue. It has stuck with me all of my life and seemed to belong right there.
Go to clquinn.com or C.L.Quinn Facebook page for information on new titles, the release of Book Six, Days of Redemption, and C.L. Quinn’s Christmas novella, Angel High.