She sniffed, offended by his reaction. “You know a better place to look eternally youthful?” Teren twisted his lips at that and sank back into the seat. Looking over at me, he shrugged. She did have a point.
We started weaving our way through palm tree lined streets, heading towards the nicer and nicer neighborhoods. As the houses started getting larger, security started tightening. Every house we started passing had walls and gates with intercoms and security cameras, watching our every movement. I started missing our place in San Francisco. It was cozy and warm and inviting. I couldn’t wait until I could go back there.
I sighed and Teren squeezed my hand, running a finger through my hair as he searched my face. I smiled at him and rested my head on his shoulder.
After another ten or fifteen minutes, we stopped before a gate at the crest of a steep sided hill. Shrubbery lined either side of the fence around the gate and the house contained within wasn’t visible. Nerves started attacking me as Starla drove up to a box, pushed the button on the intercom and said, “I’m back, brought a pair of mixed with me.” The gate started rolling open, the metal scream loud to my sensitive ears. She pulled inside, the black car of her bodyguard following close behind.
She pulled up to what looked like a seven car garage and parked the BMW, immediately stepping out if it. I noted that she left the keys in the ignition and figured that she’d never had to put her car away in her life. As Teren helped me out of the back seat, a couple twenty-something vampires approached us. I couldn’t tell if they were mixed or pure, not with it being night now, and them clearly not having any heartbeats. Although they had a certain scent to them, something that was familiar and…comforting.
They looked over Starla, eyeing her for injuries, before sweeping over me. Their eyes widened at seeing my stomach, but then returned to normalcy. Ignoring me, they shifted their attentions to Teren, clearly the threat.
Starla adjusted her dress and tossed her hand out to one of the guys. “This is Jacen,” she flicked her hand at the other one, “…and Jordan. They’re mixed too.”
Jacen nodded stiffly at us. He was sort of short for a guy, but had the same shade of blonde hair as Starla, and also had it meticulously over styled. I couldn’t help but think that these were not vamps who went camping. His eyes were the same blue-green mix as Starla and I thought that maybe they were related in some way.
The man beside him, Jordan, didn’t nod at us, only eyed Teren warily. He was the opposite of Jacen, tall, lean, and dark everything – hair, eyes, skin. He blended into the background of night around him and the whites of his eyes seem to glow at me more than the others.
Teren nodded politely to both of them, a small, excited smile on his lips. “I’m Teren Adams. This is my wife, Emma.” His smile broke out into a wide one. “We’re very happy to meet you.”
The men glanced at each other and then back to Teren. Jordan finally spoke. “We know who you are.” He glanced at Starla again, still looking like he was making sure she was okay, and then back to Teren. “We also know what you’ve been doing, and we’re more…cautious…than happy, to meet you.”
Teren nodded, his smile fading. I grabbed his hand, stretching out my aching joints as Starla’s bodyguard parked his car and got out to stand behind us. That nervous energy tripled in me. I could hear my heart rate spike; I could even smell my fear in the air. I couldn’t help my reaction though. We were in a strange, sealed off location, surrounded.
Teren whispered in my ear that everything would be okay and I nodded, clenching his hand harder. Jordan nodded towards the house and our group started moving that way. Starla sighed, looking bored already as she clutched her Prada bag and examined her nails, maybe thinking she’d scratched one on the long drive back. As we followed the tall, dark mixed walking beside the short, blonde mixed, Starla eyed us and muttered, “I suppose your vamp is flying down to you as we speak?”
Teren glanced at her, looking like he didn’t want to tip her off to that fact, but then, looking at where we were, and the sort of precarious situation we were in, he nodded at her. Surprising them with an unannounced arrival may not be the best idea. She nodded, like she was well aware of that. Resuming that damn gum smacking, she calmly said, “We have full vampires too.”
I had no idea if she was merely stating a fact, or if she was implying a threat. My heart sped up even more. Hearing it, Jacen turned his blonde head back to me. “Calm down, no one here is going to hurt you.” Not letting me respond to that, he shifted his head to Starla. “Will you spit that damn stuff out? Do you have any idea how loud that is?”
She twisted her lips and put a hand on her hip. “Shut it, Jace.”
He rolled his eyes and twisted to the front door we were approaching. As he grumbled that she resembled a cow, I felt myself relaxing. As scary as these strangers seemed, underneath it all, they were a family, much like the one I’d left behind at the ranch. That made me feel slightly better, as we walked through the front door of the compound.
I say compound because of its size. Much like the Adams vamps, this group liked space. There were one or two smaller, side buildings in a basic one level design, but the main building was an impressive one to three story dwelling. It varied in height, shape and dimension, so that the building almost seemed alive. Everything was all curves and arches and roundness, as if Dr. Seuss had designed the house. But overlaying that odd architecture was a layer of opulence that made Teren’s family seem thrifty.
Waterford Crystal vases held flowers that smelled completely fresh and new. I was pretty sure they were rotated daily. The foyer had an actual Oriental rug. My eyes could see the intricately weaved together patterns. I thought it was a little gaudy, but it definitely screamed money. The ground not covered by the expensive rugs, was cool, polished granite and the ivory walls were filled with original works of art.
As I stared at the crystal chandelier hanging over my head, I wondered if there was such a thing a poor vampire.
Starla harshly tossed her designer bag on an intricately carved purpleheart wood entryway table. Sighing irritably, she smacked Jacen’s shoulder. He glowered as he looked back at her. Purposely smacking her gum, she gave Teren and me a wry glance as the bodyguard shut the door behind us all. With her thumb, she indicated Jacen. “Did you know that before he died, Jacen here attempted to be a stage actor?”
Jacen tilted his blonde head at her, his face not amused. He crossed his arms over his chest as she continued. “Yeah, he even got a small part in a play. Wanna guess what his role was?”
She raised her eyebrows gleefully as Jacen growled low in his chest. Teren and I looked at each other and shook our heads. Teren started tuning them out, looking around the room, like he could somehow find an answer to our all questions in one of the many paintings hanging on the walls. I could tell he was getting antsy, being so close to what he’d wanted for so long.
Starla laughed, smacking Jacen’s shoulder again. “A vampire. The dork actually got a role as a vampire.” Jacen told her to shut up, but she started laughing near uncontrollably. As Jordan rolled his eyes and disappeared into the house, she managed to spit out around fits of laughter, “The director fired him…because he wasn’t convincing enough.”
She bent over, clearly delighted by this fact. Jacen straightened and glared at her. He could be imposing in a way, but he was still barely bigger than her. “Bite me, Starla.”
She smirked, popping a bubble in his face. “Anytime, Jace.” She smiled and flashed a fang at him.
My eyes flicked between the both of them, not sure what to do with any of that exchange. Teren beside me had finally had enough though. He dropped my hand and stepped forward. That got everyone’s attention. The seemingly relaxed mood in the room stopped, as Jacen and the bodyguard bared their fangs at him. Starla had spent quite a bit of time with us, and wasn’t nearly as wary as she had been upon our first introduction.
She put a calming hand on Jacen’s shoulder as Teren shook his head and rais
ed his hands in the air. Taking a step back to stand by me again, he irritably tossed out, “Why did you bring us here? For stories?” He sighed in frustration and ran a hand back through his dark hair. “You said we should talk to your father…can we see him now, please?”
Just then, Jordan came back to the room with another vampire, also appearing to be in his twenties. I figured he was a mixed then too. Jordan looked between Jacen and Starla, his dark eyes disapproving. “Do you two ever stop acting like children?”
As one, they both turned to him and stuck their tongues out. The new vampire cleared his throat authoritatively and they both immediately stopped goofing off. As Teren grabbed my hand again, Starla skipped over to the new arrival.
“Hello, Father,” she said, throwing her arms around him and kissing his cheek. “I brought back the vampire causing all the problems. Seems he tried to turn his human.”
Her father smiled down at her. His face was smooth and lineless and intrinsically beautiful. He had completely green eyes and sandy brown hair, but looking at him gazing at his daughter, I thought I could see the resemblance. “I’m glad you’ve returned safely, Starla.” He glanced up at her bodyguard and briefly nodded. The big, silent man nodded back and left the room. I exhaled with relief when he did.
Looking over at the two of us, the man slung his arm around his daughter, kissing her head. While never removing his eyes from us, he said, “It’s Teren, isn’t it?”
Still holding my hand, Teren extended his other to the man. “Yes, sir.”
The man smiled with one side of his mouth. “Please, call me Gabriel. And this one here is your mate?” Gabriel smiled warmly at me, extending his hand in my direction.
I took it, noting the coolness of undead skin, and gave him my greeting. At the same time, Teren answered with, “She’s my wife, Emma.” He emphasized the word wife. To Teren, that word carried greater weight.
Gabriel took in my achingly obvious condition and frowned slightly. None of them seemed to realize what Teren wanted with the mixed. None of them seemed to have expected a pregnant girl in their midst. Turning his head to Teren, he raised his eyebrows at him. “You tried to turn her? While pregnant? I can see your dilemma now. That was very foolish and quite a risk. Why would you do that, to someone you obviously care about?”
Teren took that as his opening. “She was dying, another vampire bit her. I tried to save her. Can you help her? Do you know what I’ve done to her? Do you know if she’ll convert? Can you save the children before she does?”
Gabriel laughed, releasing Starla and gripping Teren’s shoulder. “Are you always this anxious?” Extending an arm down a hallway, he calmly said. “You and I have some things to discuss, don’t we? Come, first I have something to show you.”
Teren sighed at that, frustrated to not have his questions immediately answered, then nodded, and stepped where Gabriel indicated.
Chapter 20
Gabriel
We walked down hallways lined with gold fringed tapestries. A lot of the pictures were scenic, but some were actually of vampires. It was discreet of course, one merely being a man kissing a woman’s neck, but my enhanced eyes could see the slight shadow of a fang on the woman’s neck as the vampire leaned in to drink from his meal. Sadly, the picture made me hungry.
Teren clutched my hand hard as we walked behind Gabriel and Starla. Glancing at him, I could see that his jaw was tight. He was nervous and excited and most of all, struggling with impatience. My upcoming birthday was like a death toll, gonging in his head. Rubbing my stomach with my free hand, I checked my physical state. Aside from slightly swollen feet and a mild case of heartburn, I felt fine. Not about to have a heart attack or anything.
I leaned into Teren’s side and he looked down on me, concern replacing anxiousness in his pale eyes. I smiled encouragingly and he gave me a nervous smile in return.
Jacen from behind us, snorted. “You two act like we’re marching you to the gallows. Stop being so dramatic.”
Teren frowned at the man, but Gabriel in the lead, stopped and looked back at him, clear displeasure in his striking face. Starla beside him laughed and smacked her gum. I heard Jacen swallow, but my attention was all on Gabriel.
Narrowing his eyes, he calmly said, “I expect immaturity from Starla, she is only twenty-two, after all.” Starla beside him harrumphed at that. I nearly expected her to stomp her pricey high heels too, but she refrained. Gabriel continued, ignoring her. “You, Jacen, are over one hundred twenty.” He raised his eyebrows. “Start acting like it.”
From behind us, I heard Jacen sigh and slump. “Sorry, Father.”
My head swung around to stare at Jacen after he said that. Father? Jacen was staring at his shoes, admonished under his father’s stern gaze. Confused, I looked back at Starla. She’d called him father as well, but he’d also just said she was twenty-two. I didn’t understand how he’d had children one hundred years apart? I was under the impression that that wasn’t possible.
“Teren, how did he…?” I didn’t know how to finish that sentence, so I didn’t try. I didn’t need to either. Gabriel swung his green eyes back to me and smiled warmly.
Understanding my vague question, he answered with, “They are not my blood children.” His eyes glanced at Starla, attached to his arm, and Jacen and Jordan behind us. “The title is honorific, I suppose.” He shrugged and indicated us to keep walking. As we approached a set of marble staircases, leading down into even more levels, he continued with his speech. I was grateful for it. His deep voice was a soothing distraction from the feeling that we were headed towards the dungeons.
“All of my actual children have converted and moved on, to start their own nests around the world. I miss them, but I can sense them through the bloodline, and take comfort in that.” He looked down at Starla, fatherly pride on his face. “As for my new family, well, I take in what mixed I can, giving them a home and a safe place to changeover, if they still need to. They are free to come and go as they like, but many have decided to stay here with me. Safety in numbers.” He looked back at Teren and me. “They gave me the appellation, out of respect.”
Starla grinned back at us, blowing a big bubble. With a slight clearing of his throat, Gabriel held his hand out to her. Pouting like a child being reprimanded unfairly by a parent, she spit her gum in his hand. Jacen behind us laughed softly and Starla shot him a glare. While not technically related, the two sure acted like squabbling siblings.
As we descended to a hallway, deep under the main level we’d started out on, I noticed that the luxuries continued on even down here. Plush carpet replaced the granite flooring from upstairs and I nearly wanted to shuck off my shoes and let my aching toes sink into the fibers. The hallway we were walking down had several closed doors in it, almost like a dorm. I wondered if we’d traveled down into the living area of the mixed. I wondered if the full vampires stayed down her too, but while dark and underground, it wasn’t as lightproof as Halina’s rooms. Maybe they were the next floor down. As we padded along, Starla still pouting, Teren stepped up to walk beside Gabriel. There was enough room in that hallway that I was able to stay beside him, and the four of us walked along.
With a mixture of wonder and respect in his tone, Teren asked, “If I may, sir, how old are you?” I widened my eyes curiously at that. If Jacen was over one-twenty, and deferred to this man, he must be even older.
Gabriel smiled, a calm wisdom in his emerald eyes that only decades of experience can give you. It was still odd to me to see so much life experience in the eyes of people who looked younger than me. With a shrug he stated, “Six hundred eleven.”
Teren’s jaw fell open, as did mine. A low whistle escaped my lips before I could stop it. Wow. He’d been around for the actual medieval times. I couldn’t even begin to comprehend everything he’d seen.
He smiled softly, and for just a moment, I saw the weariness behind his eyes. Wisdom did come with a price. As Alanna had told me once, immortality wasn’t all it w
as cracked up to be.
“Oh,” Teren said softly, looking like was trying to process that as well. Nearly in a whisper he added, “I wasn’t even sure if we would live that long.” He looked down when he said that, his ignorance on his own kind seemingly embarrassing him.
Gabriel put a hand on his shoulder. “There is much that you don’t know.” Teren looked up at him as Gabriel sighed, almost regretfully. “I sort of blame myself for that.” Teren scrunched his face, confused by that statement. Gabriel sighed again. “Your nest came to my attention a few years ago.” My jaw dropped way open at that. My teeth popped out too, before I embarrassingly pulled them back in. Only Starla noticed, giggling at me.
Gabriel continued, looking chagrined at Teren’s surprise. “You all looked so peacefully content at your little ranch. A blissfully ignorant little family.” He smiled with a corner of his mouth and shook his head. “I didn’t want to interfere.”
Teren started sputtering and ran a hand through his hair. “We didn’t know…we thought we were alone. Why…? How…?” Calming himself, he took a deep breath, exhaling slowly as well. “We would have been honored to meet you. You should have come by.”
Conversion Book Two: Bloodlines Page 43