back for the next load. By the time he final y finished and
got inside Christian was already giving his mother and
Gypsy a quick tour of the house. He was kind of surprised
by everyone stil being awake. Charm was already gushing
over Gypsy, who loved al the attention. Gypsy’s fingers had
already reached out to play with the ends of Charm’s long
black hair.
“This is my family.” Christian indicated to Kerr, Doyle,
and Charm. “Wel they’re not real y, but we al take care of
each other as if we are, so I think of them as my family.
Everybody, this is Peg, Michael’s mother, and this
gorgeous creature is Gypsy — ain’t she a cutie?” Christian
made kissy faces as he ruffled her dark hair.
Gypsy rol ed her eyes at him, “Dumbarse! You’re only
saying that ‘cause I look so much like Mikey.” Gypsy
blushed deeply as her gaze fel on Doyle, who was staring
at her, wide-eyed. Michael thought he seemed kind of
green around the gil s. What was up with him?
“Peg, this is Doyle, Kerr and Charm. You haven’t met
Drack, but we’l introduce you another time as Kerr and
Drack don’t get on.” Christian laughed as Kerr pul ed a face
at him. “What? You know you are a big wiener when it
comes to such a tiny little bundle of feathers.”
Standing there dripping water on the floor, Michael
watched as his mother spoke to everyone. Taking the towel
Doyle had gone and gotten him, he dried off and watched
his mother relax as Gypsy became comfortable enough to
chat cheerful y with the others, though Gypsy tended to
gravitate toward Charm. And it seemed wherever Gypsy
was, Doyle wasn’t far away. For some strange reason,
Michael didn’t like that at al . But why he hated it, he didn’t
know. It was something else he would have to fathom out
later. For now, he had more important things to worry about.
He needed to work out how to set his mother’s mind at rest.
Now that she’d seen they were al roughly the same age, he
knew she would be satisfied Michael hadn’t run off and
joined some brainwashing religious cult.
At least now his mother would be less worried he was in
trouble. She could never know she was about to leave her
daughter in a house with five vampires. That would just be
too disturbing even for her, no matter how much she was
addicted to watching re-runs of Buffy and Angel.
His thoughts returned to the present with the mention of
the clutter in the attic. Kerr was agreeing with his mother
about how it would have to be gotten rid of one day.
Michael was kind of surprised Kerr also agreed with his
mother’s suggestion of going through the items before they
tossed them.
Al too soon, his mother could find no more reasons to
stay, though it seemed to Michael she could have quite
happily spent the rest of the day with them. His mother
kissed Gypsy goodbye, tel ing her to behave herself. She
said goodbye to the others, even hugging Charm who she
seemed to have taken a shine to. At last she came to
Christian, who she kissed on the cheek and hugged and
thanked him once again for inviting Gypsy to stay, and for
promising to keep her out of trouble.
Gypsy was happily sitting on the floor, sorting through
their movies and talking to Doyle. As she chatted away,
Doyle had a look of utter confusion on his face, but he sat
and listened to her in rapt attention. Gypsy had always
loved having a captivated audience; she was the more
outgoing half of their duo. Though he wasn’t sure he liked
the way she had latched onto Doyle, part of him was almost
a little jealous. But that couldn’t be right.
Michael walked his mother to the car, and hugged her
goodbye. He stood in the rain and was stil watching her
drive away when Christian came up to stand behind him.
Christian wound his arms around Michael and rested his
chin on his shoulder, his lips brushed against Michael’s
neck, it made Michael shiver. “Does this make you happy,
having your family in part of your life again?”
Turning in Christian’s embrace Michael kissed him.
“Yes, I think I would have eventual y gone crazy if I had to
have stayed away from Gyps for much longer. I love her so
much. I just wish…” Michael said wistful y.
“That it was forever?” Christian tightened his embrace
as Michael nodded.
“In the beginning, when I was by myself, I was seriously
considering making her the same as me, just so I wouldn’t
be alone,” Michael admitted. “I just didn’t know how I was
supposed to do it. Change her, I mean. Every night for the
first two weeks I kind of stalked her. Then it got too hard
and I was determined to purge her from my life. Afterward,
she seemed to be everywhere and I thought I was losing my
mind.”
“What about now?” Christian asked hesitantly.
Michael kissed Christian and hugged him tight. “Now I
have you. I don’t feel so alone anymore.” Michael couldn’t
help smiling as he stood in the rain kissing Christian. “The
question is, am I al owed to keep you?”
“You have had me from the moment I laid eyes on you,
love. I lost myself the moment I gazed into your beautiful,
sexy, purple eyes.” Christian wrapped his arm around
Michael’s waist as they went back inside.
“So, I’m your older brother now?” Kerr chuckled as they
came back inside and stood in front of him soaking wet.
“Does that mean I get to rake you over the coals for not
coming home last night? No note, no phone cal . You had
us al worried sick. Do I need to ground the pair of you?”
Both Christian and Michael looked sheepish.
Gypsy burst into laughter. “I can remember Dad saying
almost the exact same thing to you, last year, when he
caught you sneaking in at four in the morning, drunk as a
skunk after being out al night with Gena Montgomery,” she
teased. “Do you remember, Mikey?”
Michael glared at his sister, who only laughed harder,
tears rol ed down her cheeks as she told the family about
everything. Everyone laughed except Christian, who
seemed a little cold toward him as they both went and
changed into some dry clothes. Michael had to wonder if
maybe Christian was a little jealous.
Charm snapped her fingers in Michael’s direction.
“Being a big sister is fun.” She shifted so she now sat on
the floor with Gypsy and Doyle. “Can we keep her?” Charm
asked the room at large as her fingers gently smoothed
Gypsy’s hair.
Gypsy threw her arms around Charm’s neck and Michael
saw Charm, Gypsy, and Doyle al frown at Kerr as he
answered.
“I don’t think so Charm. I think after a while, even Gypsy
would realise we’re not her real family, but it’s okay to
pretend while she’s here.”
Charm and Doyle smiled as Gypsy said, “
You are my
family because Mikey and I are a package deal. You can’t
have one without the other. So get the hel over it.”
Michael was just grateful Kerr, Charm and Doyle weren’t
pissed at his human family’s intrusion into their household.
§ § § §
Sebastian ghosted within the shadows of their dreams,
watching and listening to everything now going on in his old
home. A plan started to formulate as he watched “the
family” rotate around the human girl as if she was the sun
and they were the planets who needed her to survive.
He also saw how important this human girl was to
Michael and Christian. This girl… he could use her to seek
his revenge.
His thoughts were interrupted as the boy opened his
door.
“Yes? What do you want?”
“Your attendance is requested in the library.”
“What does she want now?” Sebastian snapped in
annoyance.
“I do not know, I didn’t ask. But if I were you I wouldn’t
keep her waiting. She hates to be kept waiting,” he said
before leaving.
Sebastian needed to find a way to get rid of the bitch
once and for al . She had caused him nothing but trouble
since she got here. She, a mere female, thought she was
better than a man. One day she would get her
comeuppance. He couldn’t understand why the others
made such a fuss over her.
As Sebastian left his room, he thought of al the nasty
things he would inflict on her if her was given free rein. He
stopped just inside the entrance to the library.
“You cal ed for me.” He eyed her up and down and saw
the calculating look on her face. He knew she was definitely
up to no good.
“I want the ring. Give it to me!”
“No,” Sebastian clenched his fist.
“I want the ring,” she demanded.
“Even if I did give it to you, it wouldn’t work. The ring is
bound by Kincaid DNA. Christian’s DNA to be precise. You
have absolutely none in your body.”
“Then why does it work for you?”
“He created me. Part of him resides in me.” Sebastian
spoke to her as if she was a child who was having trouble
understanding. His lips twitched and he stared in
amusement when she lost her temper and started
destroying books and whatever else she laid her hands on.
Lucio was not going to be happy about her losing it again.
Lucio prided himself on knowledge. He was not going to be
pleased with the bitch’s temper tantrum destroying his
sanctuary.
When it didn’t appear as though her fit was going to be
stopping, he turned and left the library. He had some
thinking to do, for which he needed peace and quiet.
§ § § §
It was unbelievable just how much one vibrant human
being could disrupt an entire house. They were just lucky
she had believed the reasons why they were up al night
and slept during the day — night shift was a wonderful
thing. She’d even bought the lie that the rest of the house
fel into the sleep patterns of those who worked. His sister
wasn’t dumb by any means and she would work everything
out eventual y, but for now everything was okay. They could
think about the repercussion of her knowing what they were
at a later date.
Gypsy’s favourite pastime was brushing everyone’s hair
while she fil ed them in on details of her life, most of which
she should have kept to herself. Gypsy’s favourite victim
was Doyle. She seemed to love how his hair always
seemed to be messy. Strangely, Doyle seemed to be a
wil ing victim, which confused Michael. Yet every time
Michael saw his sister and Doyle together, Doyle always
had a so many emotions running across his face. It
confused Michael and he just couldn’t fathom him at al . The
sight of them together made him want to go over and push
them apart. But he wasn’t sure who he wanted to tel to
back off.
It seemed every time Michael turned around, Doyle was
sitting on the floor in front of Gypsy with his eyes closed,
listening as she played with his hair. At the moment she
was tel ing him about going to stay at Granddad’s farm for
holidays when they were kids. Listening unobtrusively
Michael’s heart lurched, he had been thinking more and
more about Grandad’s farm in the last few weeks. Now to
hear Gypsy also talking about it made him think maybe it
was in their minds right now for a reason. He just wished he
could work out what the reason was.
“You know,” Michael shook his head as he and Christian
walked through to the kitchen. “I think Gypsy might have a
crush on Doyle. What do you think?” He bit back the growl
he felt building deep within him.
“They just like hanging out is al . He’s good at listening to
al her talking. I get the feeling he likes it. Better his ears
than ours,” Christian grinned.
Michael started laughing, “True.”
Drack had retreated to the top shelf of the bookcase in
the lounge room, just to keep out of the reach of Gypsy’s
hands. That meant Kerr spent as little time in there as
possible on the off chance the owlet came anywhere near
him.
True to his words, Charm found Gypsy to be irresistible.
Although he hated leaving her, he was glad Charm was
happy to stay home and keep Gypsy company so he and
Christian could head out to feed. He hated lying to his
sister, but he couldn’t tel her the real reason he needed to
leave the house.
Reluctantly, Michael left Gypsy talking with Doyle and
watching a DVD. Somehow she seemed right at home
among his new family. Tonight Kerr had gone out feeding
on his own. Stopping briefly in the lounge room Michael told
her they wouldn’t be long, and promised to bring Gypsy
back a hamburger.
“Do you want anything, sweetness?” Michael asked
Doyle and then blushed because of the endearment had
slipped from his lips. Doyle was red faced too, so at least it
wasn’t al him.
“I want a real one Mikey, none of Johno’s crap. You know
I hate the food there,” she yel ed at their retreating backs.
Walking through the darkened streets, Michael was in a
good mood now the others had seemed to have forgiven
Christian and Christian was now comfortable enough to be
with him while around them. Michael personal y didn’t care
what any of them thought. The best part was, Gypsy was
okay with the fact he loved Christian. She didn’t seem to
mind he was in a gay relationship and she was the only one
whose opinion real y mattered to him.
“Michael?” Christian interrupted his thoughts.
“Mmm?” Michael reached out and took his hand. “What
is it, babe?”
Waiting as Christian thought for a moment, Michael
caressed the back of Christian’s fingers. “What’s going to
happen if y
our family finds out what we are?”
Michael froze. He had never thought what would happen.
What would he do if they found out and rejected him? There
would only be one option. “I would leave, so my being here
didn’t hurt them,” Michael answered honestly.
“You would leave me?” Christian sounded upset at the
thought.
Michael lovingly caressed his cheek. “I would hope you
loved me enough you would want to come with me, but if
you couldn’t, then yes. I would leave you. I wouldn’t be able
to hurt Gypsy because it would kil me to cause her pain.”
Christian closed his eyes as if in thought, as Michael’s
fingers traced gently over his face and neck as Christian
began to speak. “I would have to go with you. I don’t think I
would be able to let you walk away from me now. It would
kil me if I couldn’t see you, touch you, and love on you every
day for the rest of our existence.”
With relief flooding his body, Michael kissed Christian
tenderly and said, “I’m glad. I feel the exact same way about
you, babe. Come on, let’s go feed.”
Standing outside the cinema in the mal , Michael and
Christian perused the crowd. “Wil we be seducing
strangers tonight, or are you in a hurry to get back home to
Gypsy?” Christian asked. “There are two girls staring at you
right now.” Christian’s nodded in their general direction,
and Michael’s eyes fol owed the movement.
“They’l do.” Michael just wanted to get this over and
done with, Christian was correct in thinking he wanted to
get home to Gypsy.
Casual y, Michael took Christian’s elbow as they made
their way over to stand near the two young women, both
making smal talk as the line advanced. They explained that
they were going to see the same movie, but at a later
seating, as they were going for coffee first, and wondered if
the girls would care to join them.
As the conversation went on, Michael leaned toward one
of the girls and felt her lean into him. He nodded slightly in
Christian’s direction trying to tel him to cosy up to the other
girl. They would need to hurry things along if they were
going to feed and get home. He bit his lip as Christian
rol ed his eyes in a great imitation of Gypsy.
As they stood there with the women, Christian realised
Michael could be quite charming when he wanted to be. It
made him a little jealous as one of the women wrapped her
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