I looked upon our house in the near distance, it was cute and cosy even though it was far too big. My darling husband declared that he was going to ensure that all of the bedrooms would be needed and that we would have to start planning the extension because what we had was not enough for his grand scheme. It had five bedrooms but had been done in a way that the extension was possible. There was also a guest house that had three bedrooms which at the time of it being built I had stated it was the biggest waste of money. But as it turned out, I was completely wrong. We had visitors on a regular basis, not just Marty and Nick but the other elders often stopped by. Now that the curse had been broken, things were altering for them. Gabrielus was the first to be caught unaware, he was in a firm relationship and the fact that his partner was pregnant was welcomed, so he wasn't upset by it. No, that was Elias, the man who thought he was a gift to woman kind now had to be careful he didn't get them pregnant. He had lived for a long time without worry and then one day a woman turned up on his doorstep telling him she was carrying his child. I held my fits of laughter until the elders were gone, William wasn't overly impressed at me finding delight in his misfortune but I thought he deserved a little bit of punishment. Not just for the entertainment feeder that he sent to William when we were apart but for his ways in general.
Marty and Nick were enjoying their new life as joint elders for the family dynasty. There was a ruling that William would always be an elder of sorts, he could never completely relinquish his entitlement but he could pass the decision making aspect over to another, or in this case, two others. Vampires were starting to make their way back. They were always going to, regardless of whether it was William or not. But until their master could see past the dark cloak of forced submission and love to a vile woman, they knew that they could never truly be loyal to him. Now that the chant had been broken, they willingly returned and embraced their new masters. Marty was always up for the political side of it, ensuring that the Lordship worked smoothly. Nick was the schmoozer, making sure everyone was happy and dealing with any little issues. Their little tag team rule was working well and it pleased William that his decision had been the right one. I knew it was difficult for him to let go of it, it was something that had been in his family for a long time. But he had to let it go, not for me but to let go of his own terrible past. His greed for power ended the lives of his parents, something that still haunts him. He has moved on and deals with it as best he can but I know it will always be in the back of his mind.
My mind lingered to my own parents and our past, of how things can change by one little event. Adrian entering the shop had caused a severe bout of depression in me. After spending the entire night stocking the shelves in tears, I had decided that I didn't want for life any longer. And in that one little decision, I had set off a chain of events that made my life better. I had my parents, I had a new world, I had a gorgeous little girl and I had a devilishly handsome husband. But could I ever move forward when the past will always follow me? I remembered back to the memory of my mother, I had walked down the aisle first as her attendant. When I reached the end and my father wrapped his arm around me, waiting for her with his own beaming happiness, I watched as the stunning figure of my mother walked down the aisle. I don't think that I have ever seen my mother look as gorgeous as she did tonight, the dress hugged her curves and the smile on her face was bright. But as she drew closer and I could see more of her curves in the tight dress, I saw the swell of my baby brother. The slight curve of her stomach caused a small pang of jealousy within me, this child would have something that I could never have no matter how much I wished for it. He would be raised in a house with both of his parents and would never feel unloved or lost. But even though I had the morose thoughts, I knew my life was this way for a reason. William raised my hand that he had been holding to his lips, kissing it with a soft smile. I don't know if he could sense the unease but it was like he knew of my dull thoughts. I smiled back at him, realising the past didn't matter any more. It lead me to a happier life with my family and my love. The past might have been terrible but the future will always be wonderful.
Bonus Chapter 1: Dinner for one
(Set at chapter 5, as told by William)
The sun had slipped behind the buildings allowing for safe passage through the town. It had taken some time for it to do so, waiting in the safety of the bush wasn't the most fun I had ever had. Rarely did I venture through the bush unless I was unable to find a meal elsewhere, this was my emergency stalking ground. The people in this place knew each other all too well and a stranger was watched with interest. Of course I had come here just enough that people now assumed I lived somewhere in the town, a few people had greeted me in my infrequent loitering. But now it was going to serve a purpose, I was going to do what I had never done before. Buy human food. I didn't know where to begin, it was perplexing and the blinking lights of the eateries were garish. Casually I made my way along the waterfront, many places had popped up since I had been here last, offering different kinds of foods. As I walked along the board walk I pondered why I was doing this. Mary, the human that had been thrust upon me by an annoying detective. But if I were truly honest with myself, I would realise that I didn't care. In fact, I would go so far as to say that it was perfect. She was perfect. Temperamental, feisty, stubborn and deep down she was a good woman. Regardless of the rules that the elders kept regarding intimacy before marriage, she still had innocence. Elias was right about their thoughts towards this subject, today's world does not accommodate such attitudes. His constant reminder that the people of today did as they pleased and it was their life to decide was correct, it was none of our business. But Mary called to me in a way that I never thought possible. All thoughts of Carmella were slipping away as if she meant nothing and it had me concerned. Was my love for Carmella fading into nothing?
Thoughts of my dearly departed wife were washed away as I paused at a convenience store, remembering that Mary worked in one of these places. I had not ventured into such a place, Martine offered to do this job for me. Well no, she insisted in her usual stubborn way. I turned and looked at where I was, I had been so engrossed in my thoughts that I had turned the corner to the side street and was no longer walking along the board walk. An odd smell caught my attention, one that smelled reasonable. I followed the scent to a little shack a few doors up from the convenience store and pushed through the gate to peer through the window. The family inside had sat down to a meal that looked pretty good and as I wandered back to the convenience store, I wondered how I could find something that good for Mary. There was no electricity for cooking with and I wasn't sure if the gas cooker was still functioning correctly. This was a problem, after seeing what the detective packed for her, I knew that not only was it insufficient for her but within a few weeks she would be running out. I had to supplement her meals but without a working kitchen, how was I going to do that?
I wandered through the aisles of the store, looking at the items like a clueless idiot. Well I suppose I was a clueless idiot. I picked up a tin of pumpkin soup and scoffed at the idea of feeding it to Mary. The next aisle was just as troublesome, what on earth was a potato chip?
“Well that's a mighty big frown.” A soft feminine voice drawled out beside me.
I turned to the woman who had a basket full of food weighing down her arm. She was a beauty, long lustrous black curls hung over her shoulders, fair skin and big blue eyes. Her curvaceous body was squeezed into shorts and a sleeveless shirt.
“It is, aren't you cold?”
She grinned a whopping big smile at me and shook her head.
“Cold doesn't bother me. Are you searching for something?”
“Just dinner tonight.”
The woman nodded slightly as her heated gaze poured over me. I could hear her heart pound hard and when I smiled at her, it kicked up a fraction. This I could use to my advantage.
“I never know what to have.” I sighed as I put the packet back onto the shelf.
“Well potato chips for dinner would be interesting, can't say as I've ever had that before.”
She chuckled as she readjusted the basket on her arm.
“Here, allow me.” I offered with a gentlemanly grin.
I took the basket and followed her to the front of the store.
“Do you live close by?”
The woman turned and looked at me with a smug grin and a raised eyebrow.
“Is that the best pick up line you've got? You don't even know my name.”
“Forgive my rudeness, I was merely offering to assist you with the burdensome bags. Of course, if you're offering.” I grinned with a little chuckle.
“Sammy and I suppose this could become dinner for two.”
I grinned and put the basket onto the counter, wondering how long I would have to feign interest in her before the meal was done. No doubt there will be time spare whilst the meal is cooking, whatever it is that she was planning to make. I looked at the items as the cashier was scanning them and placing them into the bag, they looked like vegetables.
“I've got a roast on.” She said as she looked up at me with a smirk. “It shouldn't take too long once the vegetables are in.”
“Of course.”
We walked along the street, the overhead lights were few and far between though it didn't seem to bother the woman. She didn't say much, the occasional question which I answered as honestly as I could. Lies bothered me, I didn't want to be caught out if she happened to try and trap me. As we approached the intersection, I saw a familiar car parked on the side street. I grinned thinking that nothing had changed about Nicolas. It was like he knew where to be waiting for me without being asked.
Sammy's house was tucked away from the view of the street, her neighbours were a considerable distance which made this ideal. I wasn't one for taking such a risk but the offer of a cooked meal for Mary was worth it. Sammy turned and looked at me as she stepped up to the front door.
“You never told me your name.”
“William.”
She smiled and unlocked the door, letting me into her house. It bothered me that she was so complacent with her safety. She didn't know me yet she was alone in her house with me and yes, I was going to end her life.
Bonus Chapter 2: In the land of Limbo
(Set at Chapter 27, as told by William)
Walking into the underworld has always been tense, not just because the place was writhing with the dead but because there were many that could not be trusted. Anton was a soul that was bound to the will of the maker, he could never lie nor betray another. He was a person that could be trusted and was always reliable. But there were others here that would drop you into the biggest pile of manure if the opportunity were to arise. The ones that were a worry were the witches that had turned bad but were pretending to be good. They were two faced and not to be trusted for a second. What their purpose down here was, I couldn't say. I didn't think that collecting a soul would require too many hands but apparently it did. Anton was a fool for allowing them to be here, all it did was make his world a mockery to those that looked upon it. I stood before the glass doors that were surrounded by the glittering marble façade. Anton certainly liked his finery and this was a gleaming beacon of excessiveness. The floors were white marble, the giant pillars that stretched high were marble and the walls beyond them were marble too. Many eyes lingered over me as I approached the glass doors, they hid in the shadows of the pillars as they gossiped. I could hear the words, I could hear the sniggers but I did not care. The doors slid open, inviting me into the much cooler office area. Two ruby red eyes looked up at me as I walked into the reception area, I could tell she was smiling. She always was.
“Good evening Master Lancaster.” Nolia purred. “Master Dremain will be with your shortly. Can I offer you a refreshment?”
“No thank you.”
I smiled politely, knowing her idea of a refreshment was her neck. Demon blood wasn't the greatest and I would rather go hungry than feed from her. It also didn't help that she was always trying to undress me with her eyes, I dreaded the thought of what she might do if I were foolish enough to agree to her 'refreshment'. Nolia smiled back and returned to her duties, I wandered to the window to gaze upon the underworld. The glass window spanned the entire wall from ceiling to floor.
The underworld was an odd place, it could be seen as beautiful if a red sky and black trees were considered pretty. Of course, there were other colours though they weren't in this section. This was the section of the souls that have been permanently locked into the underworld, always kept close to Anton. A tree was a soul, placed within a sapling when it arrived into the underworld. If the soul was a good one when it was alive and within a being, the tree would grow green. When it was needed, it would be called back to life. If the soul was bad in its life or if it was locked to the underworld, the tree would be black. It was a sad sign of how things were in the world, there were many black trees out there. The door to Anton's office opened, I turned to see a ghostly figure waft out soon followed by Anton. They briefly spoke until one of the assistants wandered out of her office. Like Nolia, she was a gorgeous woman who liked to visually undress anything with a heartbeat. She held out her hand to the ghost and waited for him to take it. The figure reluctantly took it, following her down the corridor. This was his life now, he would be here until he could reason with Anton to return to the world above or until his soul was requested for another life. Obviously death had wanted him to remain in the underworld, if he could not reason with Anton for his return then he was meant to be dead.
“William, do come in.” Anton smiled brightly.
Ruby red eyes darted up to me, I could almost hear her salivating. I offered a polite smile again, though it was weak and held no intention. The door shut quietly behind me, I turned to Anton who was smiling wickedly.
“Can you not speak to her?” I hissed.
Anton chuckled. “She's a demon William, if she wasn't thinking about sex then I would have to check for a pulse.”
“I don't care if she's thinking about it, just not about me.”
He rolled his eyes in a dramatic fashion and settled into his seat, gesturing for me to take the one on the other side of his desk. It was glass and it always surprised me that he had a glass desk. I would have expected something wooden that hid secrets underneath or crystal to match the rest of the gaudy things in this place. Everything was in order, there wasn't a single thing that was untidy. Beyond the glass desk and leather chair was another wall of glass, the view was the same red sky and black trees. To the right of the desk, against the far wall was a long leather chair. One pretty demon woman was draped against the side as she laid along its length. It didn't surprise me that Anton filled this place with pretty women, he was a single man who clearly had a libido that could rival several demons. She looked at me the same way that Nolia did, Anton looked at her as the smile faded and his eyes narrowed. With a flick of his hand the woman disappeared into the air, Anton's eyes narrowed harder at the void that she had once filled. He glanced at me and smiled again, the derision that he had for the woman was gone.
“Why do you concern yourself with her? It's not as if you are going to be coming here on a regular basis.” He frowned. “Are you?”
“Of course not, the demon filled shadows whisper, the receptionist eye humps me every time I walk in here and it's far too hot for my liking.”
He chuckled again as he shook his head, leaning back on his chair with amusement. “Never a dull moment with you.”
“As always.” I said dryly. “What has she done now, why did you call me down so urgently?”
“Nothing, do not fret for my ability to handle one soul William.”
“She isn't just one soul Anton, she is a scheming monster.”
His eyes widened with delight. “Glad you've seen the light. As I have said to you before, she is no issue for me as none of them are. I would not be in this position if I could not handle the w
orst of them. Your scheming monster is but a blip in comparison. The reason I called you down here was because your request for the papers of permanent residency are on the verge of being approved. They are going through the final checks and then it is done. Is that fast and efficient or what?” He grinned broadly.
“I need to speak with Carmella.”
The smile on his face turned into a confused frown as he stopped tilting on his chair. “Pardon?”
“It's the curse, I want it gone. I cannot let Mary continue to build her love for me and then find out that I cannot give her a child. It might be that she has never said anything about children but I know she yearns for a family. I want to give her that.”
“Your need to give her what she has never had is admirable. Maybe if you explained the curse and what it means then she will understand, maybe even accept a life without having a child with you.”
I shook my head with a pained sigh. “It is not good enough. I owe it to my family and my ancestors, living and dead to break this curse. I do not know if this is the right path but I must speak with Carmella.”
Deadly Beasts (The Curse of the Rose Book 1) Page 55