“Jemima is the reincarnation of Aurora.”
He frowned, confused. Tahlia calmly began to explain.
“I was born 2000 years ago in Rome. That is where I met Aurora. But being from different social castes, we knew we would never be able to be together. She was from the nobility and I was a mere peasant. It was only a matter of time before Aurora was to be married off to a political ally of Caesar. As her godfather, he had the right to choose a husband for her.” Tahlia locked her hands behind her back. “I encouraged my mother to present me to this rich man who was recruiting young men and woman to work and study under him.”
James looked into the intense black eyes that stared at him.
“Lecrac turned us all into vampires. It was many years later that I found the courage to seek out Aurora again. We have been together since.”
“What happened to her?”
“She died in my arms. She was ninety-three. But her spirit has returned to me once every century. I would seek her out, nurture her, and love her.”
“What about all the others?”
“We lived and loved each other for many years before they had to leave this world. Jemima is the nineteenth reincarnation. If I do not capture and kill the Renegade leader, she might be the last. Drake is aiming to turn her into a vampire and then kill her, so the reincarnation cycle will stop.
He fixed on the black eyes that glowed with suppressed anger.
“Without Jemima’s love, I will cease to exist. She is my sanity in this endless existence. I cannot be without her.”
James, listening to Tahlia’s heartfelt words, sat in stunned silence. Love? She had done all this for them because she was in love. It was refreshing to know someone would still do what Tahlia did for love. But Jemima was all he had—all he had left of Jane. Could he let his daughter go, knowing that Drake put Jemima in grave danger? Could he live with the idea that his daughter would be the lover of a vampire? Oh, Jane, why did you have to leave so soon and leave me to face such hard decisions alone?
“I will protect her with my life, James, because my very existence depends on her survival.”
James looked up into the dark eyes. Tahlia had kept her promises to him for 22 years. He never was alone and neither he nor Jemima wanted for anything. She had made sure they were well cared for and all their needs met. Tahlia was a woman of her word. If she said she would protect Jemima, then he believed her. It seemed Jemima’s destiny was already set. No matter what he did or said, nothing could change it. He knew that the ancient being standing before him was testimony to the futility of trying to withhold Jemima from her destiny.
As if aware of the battle raging within his mind and heart, Tahlia bade him a good night and left him to his thoughts.
James was glad when he saw his daughter’s glowing face and shiny eyes. He had made the right decision. His approval was all that she seemed to need. He lifted his cup to his lips.
There was a long silence before the husky voice of Tahlia echoed through his mind.
James nodded and turned to Jemima to find her looking at him with a soft smile. “What are you grinning at?”
“I can’t help but think what a wonderful father you are,” Jemima said.
James felt a warm blush creep up his neck. “Yeah...whatever.”
Jemima’s soft laughter reached his ears, and he smiled shyly at her. It had been a long time since he’d heard his baby laugh like that. She was happy, and Tahlia was responsible for her joy.
James shrugged at Tahlia’s comment and took a sip from his coffee as he studied his beautiful daughter from over the rim of his coffee cup.
Chapter Fifteen
After a long breakfast, Jemima left her Dad who was chatting with Rafina over a cup of coffee. She found it cute to see her father acting like a nervous school boy around the dark Romanian beauty. Not wanting to go back to her bedroom, Jemima decided to explore the house—if one could call this colossal place a house. In addition to the small dining room in which they breakfasted, there were two bigger dining halls and the huge evening lounge where all the vampires congregated on their first night. She smiled when she peeked into a room and found shelf-lined walls crammed with ancient-looking leather volumes.
She stepped in and walked to the closest shelves. After scanning the titles, she shook her head in astonishment. Most of the books were first editions printed centuries ago. She jumped when a soft cough sounded behind her. Jemima spun around and found a woman sitting at a table in the corner with a large book that lay open in front of her. It was mid-morning, so the woman couldn’t be a vampire.
As she walked over to greet the woman, Jemima took in the short blonde hair, big green eyes, and bright smile. Up close, Jemima was stunned to find that the woman wasn’t as young as she had appeared. She looked to be in her mid-thirties, and was incredibly good-looking. Hmm, definitely my type. That was before Tahlia. The dark woman has spoiled her for other women.
“Hi, Jemima, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”
The woman held out her hand, and Jemima shook it.
“I’m Joan Arcadia, and I work for the Human Vampire Slayers Consortium.”
Jemima felt herself relax a bit at the woman’s soft and gentle tone.
“Nice to meet you, too, Joan.” She cocked her head to the side. “If you’re a vampire slayer, how come you can come and go as you please in a vampire safe house?”
Joan laughed softly. “I’m working for the good guys. We all have one goal and that’s to protect the human race.” Joan pulled a chair closer and gestured for Jemima to take a seat. “How are you holding up? I can imagine how confusing all this must be for you. It’s not every day that someone comes to you and tells you that vampires do exist, and that you are the reincarnated lover of one of the most deadly vampires in existence.”
Jemima stared down at her hands and shrugged. “I’m doing fine for now. If Tahlia says we are safe here, then I believe her.” She looked at her watch. In just a few more hours she would see Tahlia again. She looked up into Joan green eyes. “Why do I get the impression that you fear her?”
“When I first met Tahlia, I was eighteen, and she was this dark and dangerous woman whom everyone I knew treated with ultimate care. Now, twenty years on, I won’t call it fear so to speak; it’s more like respect. She’s truly a remarkable woman and an extraordinary leader.”
“The day you were born, we detected the presence of a very dangerous renegade leader in town. He used to be part of the Royal clan but a few centuries ago, he split from the group and started his own band of bloodthirsty vampires. Now, with the birth of his own race, Drake needs only one more thing—Tahlia’s position and her power. To secure that, he needs only to get you out of the way, knowing it would crush Tahlia. Your birth lured him out of hiding. When Tahlia found he was here, she almost went berserk.” Joan grinned at her. “I can truly say that day was the only day I truly feared for my life.”
Hell, who wasn’t at my birth? Jemima prayed none of them changed her diapers. She looked into Joan’s green eyes and wondered if this woman would be able to answer the question she needed to ask. But do I really want to know more about Tahlia? Maybe knowing just the basics should suffice for now, but maybe not. Nervously she licked her lips, and formed the question in her mind.
“Should I fear Tahlia too, Joan?” She felt a little guilty that she was prying into Tahlia’s life. She had the memories of a lover but nothing else. She saw the shock on Joan’s face before the woman quickly shook her head.
“Tahlia is a private person, and we all respect that; but I can’t let you walk around thinking that she is to be feared. Tahlia is very powerful and more dangerous than anything you’ve ever encountered or can think of in you
r life. But she is not evil.”
“I will tell you what I know, but I suggest you ask her to fill in the blanks. At the age of twenty two Tahlia’s mother took her to the Great Lecrac, the First Vampire, so she could learn to read and write. People believe that he was the offspring of a secret liaison between an angel and a demon. Good and Bad. After wandering the earth for many centuries, he decided to create a race and so began the birth of the Royal Clan Vampire nation. He needed healthy young people—Lecrac recruited young men and woman—mostly from poor backgrounds and then compensated their parents with unimaginable wealth. Lecrac decided to build the Race’s hierarchy around four vampire warriors Pierre, Jonas, and Tahlia. The fourth met with destruction centuries ago. Fed by the powerful blood of Lecrac, they took over ruling the Race. Soon afterwards, Lecrac asked to be destroyed.”
Joan cast a quick glance at her wristwatch, and Jemima felt guilty for keeping the busy woman from whatever she was doing before she stopped in. “Please don’t let me keep you, Joan. I really didn’t mean to interrupt you.” She saw the older woman’s green eyes twinkle.
“No problem. I was just killing time until I have to meet with Jonas.” She took a deep breath and continued the story. “About three hundred years after Lecrac’s death, word leaked of this new race, which defied mortality and lived off the blood of humans. Emperors from the East, driven by their quest for more power and for immortality, sent armies to sweep through European villages. Their purpose was to capture live vampires and take them back to the East. With little knowledge of vampires, they transported their captives across land in broad daylight, only to be astonished when all they found were heaps of dust after the sun’s rays had incinerated their captives. The emperors were furious when they heard what happened and wrote it off as black magic. They gave the order to kill all those suspected of being part of the Vampire race. Those were trying times for Tahlia and the Royals, but they overcame it. Ever since then, the Vampire race has lived in harmony with mankind. That is, until Drake became a renegade five centuries ago. Tahlia raised and trained him, and his betrayal was difficult for her to accept, especially because he is going after you.
“For the rest you will have to ask Tahlia yourself. As I said before, she’s an extremely private person, and according to what I have read about her, she’s never allowed any person too close to her except you. Here…” Joan stood, walked over to a shelf, and took out a leather-bound book. “this might help you to understand Tahlia better. It’s a book written about six hundred years ago. The author is a close friend of Tahlia’s.”
Jemima took the book and watched as Joan walked to the door.
“In a few hours the vampires will rise, and I don’t want Tahlia to find me in such close quarters with her lover. She is very protective and possessive of you.” Joan smiled. “Talk to you again,” she said as she left the library.
The ancient book looked and smelled its age. Thrilled to be handling an original 600-year-old manuscript, Jemima sucked in her breath with anticipation. When she opened the book, it creaked softly and Jemima stared in wonder at the fragile pages. Handwritten in a curly medieval style, which added to the charm and mystery of the subject matter, the first page featured a drawing of a tall woman in leather battle gear, her long hair flowing wildly behind her. Her right hand rested on the hilt of a broadsword and the other on the head of a huge black wolf. The moon was bathing both in a silvery glow. Intrigued, Jemima noticed the similarity between the beast and the Vampire. Both looked so at peace in the dark; both exuding immense command.
Careful not to damage the fragile pages, Jemima began to delve into the two millennial history of Tahlia Dorotea Oliveira. Most of what she read confirmed what Joan had told her, and some could draw from the memories Tahlia passed onto her last night. The rest delved into the dangerous and morbid side of Tahlia’s life: her bloody exploits on the battlefield and her courage in leading her army of undead warriors into battle. She read of how the mere mention of the Vampire Queen’s name made her enemies’ blood turn cold and how huge armies took flight at the mere sight of her.
Jemima placed the open book on the table as a shudder ran through her. This portrayal of Tahlia was so different from the gentle Tahlia she and her dad had come to know. Is it wise to get involved with such a dangerous creature, even if we were lovers for centuries? Once again, Jemima found herself transported to the previous night and the ancient memories of love she and Tahlia shared over the centuries. Again, she felt the sting of tears at the painful moments Tahlia had to endure. Jemima’s doubt disappeared like mist before the sun. She closed the book carefully, felt a gentle caress on her cheek, and knew instinctively that it was Tahlia. She was awake.
Jemima laughed softly and returned the book to its shelf.
“You’re making me dizzy, Tahlia. You’re standing too close.”
When Tahlia smiled gently and took a careful step backwards, Jemima had the chance to study her more closely. She was startled every time by Tahlia’s beauty. She was breathtaking and emanated an unearthly sexual appeal. While she was shamelessly checking Tahlia out, Jemima could feel those deep black eyes studying her, too. There are so many appealing qualities about her. Her eyes caressed the chiseled planes of Tahlia’s face. Tahlia was a work of art, a living sculpture. Her body was unbelievable. The way she walked with her hands locked behind her back complemented her imposing physique and emphasized her authority as the deadly Vampire Queen. Under Jemima’s scrutiny, the beautiful lips unexpectedly parted into a teasing smile, and Jemima quickly looked up into the black eyes.
“Did I mention that I could read your mind, too?”
Jemima’s eyes widened.
“Yes, I know you find the way I move pleasing. I have seen the way you have looked at me when you thought I was not looking.”
The black eyes twinkled at her, and Jemima couldn’t contain herself anymore. She reached out to trace a finger over the soft beautiful lips. “To say I find the way you move pleasing is a gigantic understatement, Your Highness.” She watched as Tahlia’s eyes almost immediately began to heat up until they were hot mesmerizing pools of black. Even if she’d wanted, Jemima knew she wouldn’t be able to break their gaze. After reliving the erotic memories Tahlia had planted in her mind, she was eager to experience how skilled this woman really was. Tahlia groaned softly. Jemima knew the Vampire had been reading her mind again and was reacting to her last thought.
“Let’s go to my room.” Jemima saw a fleeting look of surprise in the black eyes and grinned. Her eyes traced Tahlia’s tall frame suggestively. “If my memory serves me right, you haven’t been intimate with anyone for over ninety years.”
Tahlia graciously stepped aside, allowing Jemima to lead the way out of the library.
Chapter Sixteen
The vampire grinned, his sharp fangs glinting in the diffuse light as he stared at the well-lit structure and the figures mingling around the entrance. He was almost sure they were holding the woman there. Tahlia never took chances with the safety of her lovers. Hunters heavily guarded the mansion where the humans lived. After staking out the place for the past two nights, it became obvious that they were not in residence anymore. The only other place he could think of was the safe house, and he had a feeling that he struck gold.
“You thought you could keep her hidden from me, Tahlia,” he murmured. He ground his teeth as his eyes glazed over. “There is no place on this godforsaken planet that I would not turn ov
er in my search for her.” He felt a soft movement behind him and turned. Three renegades stepped out of the shadows. “Make sure the place is under twenty-four hour surveillance.”
“Yes, sir. Is there anything else you want us to do for you?”
Drake smiled. “Do not fail me.” With that, he turned and disappeared into the shadows.
†
Jemima walked slightly in front of Tahlia and smiled, knowing that Tahlia was staring at her. She could feel the black eyes boldly caressing her hips and her thighs. She suddenly was very glad she’d put on her Levis this morning. They were not only comfortable—they also accentuated her attributes. Jemima hoped she didn’t turn the Vampire on so much that it triggered her hunger and resulted in Tahlia’s literally taking a chunk out of her backside. It would probably hurt like hell. A faint snort sounded, and she quickly turned to look at Tahlia. The black eyes were expressionless, but she could see a faint flicker of amusement in the obsidian depths.
“You got that one, too, didn’t you?” She was embarrassed entertaining such crazy thoughts. Tahlia smiled, and Jemima quickly looked away. Good heavens, smiling like that I’m actually tempted to allow Tahlia to snack on my ass.
“You know, you can block me from reading your mind,” Tahlia said.
Heat crept up Jemima’s cheeks at the sound of Tahlia’s deep throaty chuckle. Jemima took a deep breath, and, with as much dignity as she could muster, continued down the hallway.
Tahlia changed subjects. “I followed you to the party at that Manhattan penthouse the other night. You were there to meet that art critic.”
Jemima turned to look at Tahlia. “You were there? Gosh, what a disaster! Everything that could go wrong did. First, Martina chipped a tooth on her glass. Later, she suddenly had to go home, because she couldn’t stop scratching herself. The whole night was so strange. After what happened to Martina, none of the other girls wanted to get close to me. It was the worse party I’ve ever been to.” Jemima shook her head at the memory…
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