Bate

by Jessie Rose Case

  Both men moved forward and shook hands with both girls. “Carol put up out to tea on the door please, gentleman you have an hour to play.” Both men’s grins were huge. “Ena you’re the best.” Pete told her rubbing his hands together. Ena rolled her eyes. Boys and toys. “Kirsty, open up storage 1 and 2 please and escort our guests.” Ena went to make herself a coffee and got her lunch out, bring both back into the salon to watch the excitement. Ena smiled to herself, she never got over how excited men got over new toys. They really, never grew up. Not that she was complaining, hell, she felt the same way over each new piece. Pete came running out as she was raising her fork to her mouth. “You have an Mk48 Striker?” Ena nodded slowly, Pete put his hand on his heart and swooned then looked at her in wonder, “I thought it was still in development?” She shook her head, “no, I err helped on a couple of issues, got several in the deal.” Pete pointed his finger at her. “You are my newest best friend, Arturo needs this.” He told her walking back in. “Arturo does or you do?” She called out after him. Pete laughed. “Same thing Athena.” It was a good hour.

  The boys played with a lot of toys and made several orders. Arturo was going to get a large bill. Athena refused to add the Striker until Arturo approved it. It was also military use only so that would need sorting out. Pete wasn’t happy, she told him it was business curtsy that all individual buys at that level, had to be agreed in person. Pete was ok with that. They both left happy men. Business got back to normal after that and the evening closed in early.

  Blane entered Arturo’s office and found him waiting on him. Taking a seat he could feel the tension. “At what point did I say that Ena was available?” Blane looked at his long-term friend. Arturo knew better than to suggest that Blane had used her. “She’s family I get that. She’s also an adult and has no problem demanding what she wants.” Blane told him. Arturo continued to look at him. “This going to be a problem?” Arturo asked him. Blane shook his head, “no, she’s mine.” Blane watched Arturo lean back in his seat. “She agree to that?” “Not yet.” The room was quiet for a bit. “She asked that you be taken off her security.” Blane nodded and smiled. “Yep she did and last night she told me that we’d had all there’s going to be.” Arturo frowned. “She didn’t throw out a challenge Blane.” He nodded, “yes she did. She’s running cos of what we had. That will change.” Arturo leaned forward, “only if she allows it Blane.” Blane understood. Fuck with Ena and he was a dead man, again. “Understood.” “Good, now where are we with that kid and the hand gun?” Blane outlined the meeting with his father. It had gone well. The father had apologised and accepted responsibility. Blane had told the father that William James and Co, had the weapon and he could pick it up there anytime.

  The conversation in the hall permeated the office. “I’m telling you, she had the best range in hand guns, I hope Arturo approves the Striker.” A knock at the door announced the enthusiastic talkers. “We done?” Arturo asked him. Blane nodded. “Enter.” Charlee and Pete came in. Both were in human security. They both bowed, “My Lord we have delivered the guns back to Athena as requested,” Pete told him, “we asked for a look round and got it, O my I think I’m in love.” He told them both slumping into a chair. Blane stood and growled. Arturo moved to intercede. “In the weapons man,” Pete got out, “not the woman geeze Blane Val would have my balls and I like um where they are.” Pete clarified. Blane backed down and Arturo raised his eyebrows at him. Charlee raised his eyes too, as Pete went on, “she had items there I’ve not seen before. Honestly you could wage war with what she’s got. It no wonder her security’s so tight.” Arturo moved back to his seat and asked Pete, “should I ask what set your heart on fire? And do I need to let Val know?” Pete laughed, “no, Val knows I love her and she’s the only female I need and she loves my toys as much as I do.” He told them wiggling his eyebrows. Arturo and Blane smirked. “Eww dude way too much information.” Charlee told him. Arturo shook his head. “Ok fill me in.”

  “How’d she get the Striker?” Arturo queried with Pete. “Said she had worked on the project, some tech issues that she ironed out and they paid her in several models plus commission. It’s legit cos and wait for it, she a partner.” Charlee whistled. “Man, that’s gotta cost.” “O yeah,” Pete confirmed, “billion dollar business. The gun’s personal use or gifts only or military. A few weeks ago that would have been a very nice advantage.” Arturo nodded. “Ok anything else?” Pete cleared his throat, “I put an order in but she wouldn’t do the Striker unless you personally agreed. It pissed me off but I get it.” It wasn’t difficult to see that Arturo liked that. “I’ll deal with it. That it?” “Yes, boss.” They got up to leave. “Pete check out the security on Ena. Blane’s off that duty.” Pete nodded and walked out the door followed by Charlee who closed it again behind him. Arturo turned to him, “she’s wealthy, knows what she wants and deals with it.” Blane nodded slowly, “yeah, and then she met me.”

  Ena checked her emails. She had several from leading arms manufacturers asking for her consultation services on projects. She agreed to three and asked for the specs to be sent via security in the normal way. She had contracts with all of them. If she made good on the issues, they paid her and made her partner in the item. Seeing as they had no item unless the problem was resolved it was win win all round. Assuming she could fix it. She flicked through several other emails and deleted or saved what needed then noticed one from Arturo. She didn’t remember giving him her email address but opened it anyway;

  Athena, thank you for showing my men your toys, I believe I have an expensive order with you. What Pete orders I will agree that’s his job and I’ll agree the Striker, Pete will sulk otherwise. I would be interested to discuss your line of contracted work, say dinner tomorrow 7pm. Arturo.

  Ena wasn’t sure she needed to entangle herself any more than she already was but to refuse could be problematic. She agreed to be there.

  Ena hadn’t felt right all day. She knew herself well. Often her life had depended on her ability to gage her wellbeing in order to accomplish a task. Something didn’t sit right. She’d woken up feeling off colour, resulting in her having to pull back on her routine because of it, then there was a couple of times when she had felt sick but it came to nothing. She couldn’t face breakfast which was most unusual and had grabbed a nutri bar instead. She had a strong appetite in all things including food but not today, the thought of it enough to make her feel ill. She had had to drag herself through some of her routine. Finding no pleasure in it. She was never sick. Her annoyance started to grow. Frustrated in her body letting her down. Giving up she had headed to her workshop and worked on her projects till her alarm had gone off. Only then coming up for some fresh air finishing off another nutri bar and heading for the shower. She’d felt better once she got to her shop office having picked up a sandwich on the way and relieved that she managed to get down. Her stomach settled. The choice had surprised her. Not normally one for more than a chicken combo of some kind, she’d gone for beef, rare with salad. It had been good and had the desired effect to settle her stomach. Ena wasn’t sure what was going on. She didn’t know that remedy but would remember it from now on. Her girls arrived and they had gone through the normal opening up procedures. Ena smiled, she had two customers already outside and three appointments booked in. Ena walked out into the salon and pulled up a chair. “Afternoon girls. Either of you suffering an upset stomach?” A ring of no’s came back at her. Ena sighed. Not yesterday’s lunch then. They had all had the same thing. “Kirsty, please use the intercom and inform our guests that they will need appointments today or later in the week and make those arrangements. Appointments only today ladies, I am out at 6.30pm and may not be back to close up but I will keep you informed.” Ena watched them both go about their routine. She declined coffee when Carol offered it to her and went back to her office as the first customer came in the door. Ok show time.

  Blane woke to the normal noise coming from his club. He really ne
eded a house away from here. It was starting to grate on him. Becoming annoying to have the clang of bottles every afternoon for his wake-up call or the noise from a vacuum cleaner buzzing along somewhere in the club. Silence in this place was a premium and not an option. Laying there he realised that the noise itself was no different from any other day apart from Sunday, the club did not open Sundays. Not for religious reasons, he had lost that part of him many years ago, just that people didn’t really want to party on a Sunday, so it made poor financial sense to open. It was a no brainer they didn’t. Simple. Today however was not Sunday and the grind of clearing out the old and getting ready for the new was pissing him off. He was irritated. Blane frowned. Something felt wrong. He couldn’t put his finger on it but something was definitely off. Another crash of emptying bottles from a crate made him want to tear into something. They didn’t even try to be quiet. This was his fault, he’d never pushed it or made a point of it so why would they? Throwing back the sheets he headed into the shower. This stopped today. He had people to see and things to do.

  Ena arrived at the House Arturo. It was ten to seven. She was a little early traffic had been good. She didn’t give a thought that being early would be a problem, this was a working home no matter its stature. Ena got out her car and headed to the main doors, they opened and she was greeted by the Butler Jenson, “good evening miss, it is nice to see you again, this way.” Ena nodded, again lost for words at the old-style formality and the wonder of the house. It just fitted. The old colonial styling beautiful, majestic even. The Butler knocked on the reception rooms she’d been in before and opened them wide. Regin was sitting on a sofa smiling at her entrance. She came forward and hugged her kissing her cheek. “I’m so happy you could accept Arturo’s invitation. We have a few family guests tonight nothing huge, come take a seat.” Regin ushered her in to a single chair by the fireplace that was not lit due to it being warm enough without it. “What will you have?” Regin hovered by a drinks tray. “Would it be ok to just have some iced water?” Regin smiled. “No problem at all,” the Butler bowed and left the room. “He’ll be back shortly with it,” “I hope it’s not an inconvenience?” Regin waved her hand, “not at all. I thought it would be nice to have some girl time before the men get here and smother us with testosterone.” Ena couldn’t help but smile. “Yeah, that can be very annoying.” She agreed.

  “So give me the skinny. Who’s Ena really?” Regin asked her raising an eyebrow. Ena laughed as the Butler came back and handed her the iced water. “I’m sure Arturo has it all in a file some place.” Ena told her. Regin nodded. “He does but that’s not who you are that’s a file. I want to know you. I’m a scientist by nature so I’m inquisitive. Some would say nosy.” Regin smiled at her cheekily. Ena liked this woman. “Well I grew up a bit of a tom boy, mum was gone and dad was a man’s man and as such, didn’t like the idea that boys would come calling.” Ena smiled widely. “He made sure I could drive myself from an early age and I could defend myself with and without weapons. I had an aptitude for it so he put me into competitions and I found I liked it and won. A lot.” Ena smiled sadly remembering a number of difficult conversations with her father. “That kinda turned around on dad, as I was suddenly the one driving us to go to more and more and branch out into other fields. I think, deep down he liked that too.” Ena had a moment of reminiscence. It was comforting and welcome. “Was he the one that decided on the military?” Ena laughed, “no, he tried to talk me out of it. I think he knew where I’d end up if I did, he was worried for me.”

  She trailed off remembering some of their arguments. “It was the only thing we argued about.” She told Regin sadly. “He was so happy when I quit and came home. It was time. I knew he was ill. He hadn’t said outright but I could tell something was very wrong and it wasn’t the business because I was still involved to a degree on that and it was going well. It wasn’t money either, we had plenty of that and didn’t really use much of it. So I came home to deal with whatever was going on. And if I were honest, I’d had enough.” Ena could feel the chill she’d created. “Bad?” Regin asked. Ena thought about how much she could say on her last few missions. She didn’t access those memories willingly. “Bad enough to have trouble sleeping.” She told her. Regin looked off from her chair across the room, “I’ve had my share of that. Before I met Arturo I thought that all vamps were death. I’d experienced it up close and personal, lost friends and taken on killing them as my mission in life. Some of what I saw still haunts me.”

  “And yet, you got passed that to be with Arturo.” Ena told her. Regin laughed focusing back on Ena. “O he gave me little choice in that matter, he invited himself to a party where I was supposed to be the main course and wouldn’t let me deal with it alone. He was surprised by my abilities made sure I knew it too and then wouldn’t leave me. I didn’t take it well and told him so. He got bossy and I got pissed. Then he offered me a new chance at life which I refused until I just fell in love with him. Make no misteak I’m very very happy and would not have it any other way. He gave me more than I ever expected in my life and I am eternally grateful for it. I thought I was living before I met him but that was purely existing, he brings my life alive. Ironic isn’t it? Considering many would consider him dead.” “How did you fight vamps? Your moral?” Regin nodded, “I was yes but as a scientist I devised several ways of killing or hurting vamps using their failings against them, liquid nitrate, sliver, while oak etc and found a way to disperse it. It worked. Then Arturo figured out that I needed his blood and that gave me a whole new level of bad.”

  “Do you go out to battle now?” Ena asked. “There are many that are not happy that Arturo made a life here without the European Council of Vampires. They had tried for several hundreds of years to bring him down without success. A couple of months back we had a challenge. It was a messy business. Hundreds of vamps died. Some of the elders trying to over throw Arturo died, he also renewed some loyalties too. I’m capable when stressed of shooting lightening and killing. I’ve done my share of that and in that war. I’m not proud of it but it had to be done. Arturo is my husband and mate and I will use whatever power I have to defend him and this house. We’re still cleaning up, there are still vamps out there from the uprising that are under orders to keep going against us. It will take some time, some changes at the top to filter down so to speak, if needed the girls come to my aid and we work it together.” “The girls?” Ena asked. “Yes Gia and Val, they have me training which I do not like but get what that’s about. If Arturo is down, I want to be able to fight for him.” The doors opened and two women walked in. Ena remembered them from the previous dinner. “Ena, Gia and Val.” They both came over to shake hands. “Vamps right?” Ena asked looking at the two women. “Yep.” Regin told her. They both looked at her and smiled. “So,” the beautiful dark haired woman asked, “Blane got anything to offer in the sack or is it all talk?” Ena choked on her iced water and Regin came over to pat her on the back. Ena got this. She was back in barracks. “Hung like a horse ladies.” She replied to their laughter.

  Ena couldn’t remember having such a good time in a very long time. The women unpretentious funny and intelligent, could take the humour as well as give it. It had been fun. The hour before everyone else filtered in, just the four of them had been interesting. And clearly asking her to dinner for 7pm was for this reason. Arturo wanted her to feel she belonged and she did. Dinner was actually at 8pm. The men started to filter in around ten minutes to. Each walking to their partner and kissing them. Revelling in their company. There was amazing love here she realised. She was surprised to see Gia with a huge mountain of a man called Nicky. Gia had said the relationship was new and kept referring to him as her puppy. Ena clearly didn’t get the joke until Nicky lost his cool when Gia told him “down boy.” “Jesus Gia, I’m not a dam dog, lycanthrope and all male.” He told her proudly puffing out his chest. Gia raised an eyebrow, “I’ll be the judge of that.” Ena tried not to laugh. Gia was so tiny by c
omparison and yet she held all the cards in that relationship. Ena realised appeared to be the odd one out, the others were all partnered off. She could see the strength of the relationships between the vamps and the humans and Ware? Ena shook her head, had she come to the twilight zone? It was clear they were bonded by their affection, it ground them together like a good team and it surprised her to see that it was the humans that had much of the control. The vamps huffed and puffed as did the Ware, but the humans held their strings. It was unexpected. Regin must have guessed when she got it, she winked at her. This was show and tell girl style. Ena nodded. Message received.

  Ena followed them in to dinner chatting with Regin and took the seat indicated at the table. She had the spare next to her. That was fine. It was good to feel part of a team again. And they were a team there was no doubt about that. Regin leaned forward, “how do you like your steak?” Ena didn’t have to think about it for a moment. “Rare.” As she turned away the dining room doors opened and Blane walked in. He bowed. “My apologises My Lord, Lady, I was unavoidably detained.” Ena suddenly realised whose chair was next to hers. Dam.

  Blane took his seat at the table and was glad to see it was next to Ena. He nodded to Regin, she gave a nod back. Ena noticed and narrowed her eyes. Blane tried not to smile. “It’s nice to see you again Ena, I hope you are well?” She turned to face him determined not to show her annoyance. “I am thank you.” He watched as she turned back to the conversation across the table from them. He leaned in, “I understand that business is going well?” Ena turned towards him and found him within inches of her lips. Blane smiled and Ena pulled back frowning at him. “Personal space much?” Slipped out. “Nope, don’t believe in it.” He told her. They stared at each other for a moment. Then she leaned back in. “Those balls your so fond of, keep pushing and your gonna loose um.” She told him coldly then turned back to the table realising that the conversation had stopped. “Well,” said Val, “who doesn’t like to play ball?” Pete groaned as the table burst out laughing. Ena joined in and chanced a glance at Blane. He was grinning. The food came up shortly after and conversation was fun and entertaining with tails of battles and lost loves. “You’re having yours rare?” Blane asked her. “Yeah had this weird craving all day and it settled my stomach earlier.” Ena put a piece in her mouth and chewed, giving off a mewing sound that gave Blane an instant erection. “Wow this is good, I need this recipe.” Blane frowned, she’d told him she rarely ate anything other than chicken where meat was concerned and beef well done when she had to.