by Amy Allen
Holiday Fun
The Many Lives of Brandi Series - Book 10.1
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The Vampire and Her Wolf Saga – Book 2
By
Amy Allen
Copyright © 2019 Amy Allen
All rights reserved.
This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.
This is a work of fiction. Names and characters are a product of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead is entirely coincidental. EBook Edition License Notes: This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.
This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Amazon.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Dedication
This is dedicated to the kid in all of us no matter our age.
Acknowledgement
Images and Cover Art Illustration by Period Images, Pi Creative Lab and VJ Dunraven Productions. Cover Text, and Branding by Elizabeth Bank with Selestiele Designs - http://www.selestieledesigns.com.
Thank you to Kimberly Huther - https://wordsmithediting.weebly.com/ - for the awesome job editing.
And a very big thank you to my mom for, well, everything.
Prologue
August 2008
Nikolas Davidson knew he was going to like Denver even though he, his still-new wife Brandi, and their eight kids, had only just arrived. He still couldn’t believe he’d been lucky enough to have her show up on his doorstep two months ago, after he’d spent over 200 years looking for her. He was a werewolf and she was his wolf mate, as well as their being true mates. On their wedding night the week before, he had also been shown all of her memories.
Nik had been surprised though when Brandi told him that they were asked to take over as team leaders for her late husband, and the ghost that helped them, John’s old team. “I haven’t been in any form of law enforcement in a very long time, Mate.”
“I realize that. But I don’t want to do it alone.” Brandi knew she could do it alone, and would if absolutely necessary, but she wanted Nik to do this with her. Even with knowing John would be there to help her if she asked.
Nik smiled. In the short time they’d been together, he’d come to know her well enough to know it took a lot for her to ask for help, even if she hadn’t actually asked him. He also knew she could do it alone if he said he didn’t want to help. Pulling her close, he nuzzled her. “You already know I’m going to do this with you. The team doesn’t know me, but it shows how much they trust you to accept me there also.” Wanting to take advantage of it just being the two of them, since Charles had gone into town with Ben, John was making himself scarce, and the kids were all at the reservation with Brandi’s grandfather, Nik didn’t give her the chance to respond the rest of the night.
Nikolas and Brandi spent Sunday putting the house together, with John’s and Charles’ help. As Nik and Brandi were taking care of their room, Nik noticed Brandi put what looked to be a journal down on her nightstand. Moving to her, using a shorter version of her name that he liked, he asked, “Did you have that with us in Los Angeles, Andi? I don’t remember seeing you writing in a journal.”
Brandi smiled as she handed it to him. “I had it with us and I did write in it. Not sure how you didn’t notice. You can read it. It’s basically what you saw for my memories, but may also have a bit more info than what you saw.”
Taking it, Nik grinned and asked, “Am I in it?”
Brandi laughed. “You are. Most of it is written in an old language of Tutro—my homeworld—but it’ll adjust to one you can read. It may sound weird, but my journal knows who is allowed to read it and who isn’t. It’s in a readable language for those who can and in the language I wrote it in for those who can’t.”
Going back around the bed and setting it on his nightstand, Nik smiled at Brandi. “I won’t ask if you’re sure, baby. Thanks for letting me read it.”
Joining him, Brandi returned the smile and nodded before she stood on her toes and kissed him. “You’re welcome. You know I’ll answer any questions you have about it or what you saw for my life.”
Nik picked her up as he deepened the kiss. Ending it, he set her back on her feet as he said, “I do know that, and if I have any I’ll let you know. One thing I know I don’t need to ask for is a question you gave John and Vince, since I’m already immortal. Now, as much as I hate to ask, shall we get the kids’ rooms done so they can see their rooms when we bring them back home from the reservation?”
Brandi only giggled and nodded. She was actually glad she didn’t have to worry about saving him and extending his life, as she had John. Vince was a vampire from a turning that went bad in the 1870s she’d had to fix by giving him her blood. Since Vince could be out in the sun because of her, no one knew he was more than human.
Brandi and Nik, with John and Charles helping again, got all eight kids’ bedrooms done relatively quickly. They were about to leave to go pick up the kids when vehicles, Brandi’s grandfather’s truck being one of them, parked in front of the house. Seeing two of the vehicles, Brandi looked at Anna and shook her head with a sigh. She knew Anna went back to the B&B Brandi owned in the vampire city they’d lived in, taking Leah with her, and brought back the truck and Subaru. Brandi found she couldn’t be mad. It actually helped since they needed more than her car and Nik’s truck. After the kids gave them both hugs, Brandi said, “Go check out the inside, including upstairs.”
Nik and Brandi followed the kids inside and then upstairs. When the bedrooms were checked out, they enjoyed the surprised looks on the faces of the kids when they saw the new furniture. They told Doug and the older girls that they could decorate their rooms how they wanted and they hung the dreamcatchers for Doug, Drew, and Jon. Anna had surprised Brandi by going and getting the ones for her, Anna, and the triplets from the vampire city they had lived in a few months earlier, and then helped Brandi and Nik hang the ones for the triplets.
As they finished hanging the one in her room, Anna noticed the sad look on Leah’s face. Pulling her sister aside Anna said, “Let Mom and Daddy know you want to go into town and why. I know Mom wanted to make you one, and she still does, but she wasn’t sure what color it should be or what you’d want on it. The ones for the triplets she didn’t give them a choice. Then, Mom and Daddy surprised Doug, Drew, and Jon with theirs from what Doug told me. Mom hadn’t made herself one when she did the ones for the triplets and me, so when she did hers, I don’t think she expected it to be hers and Daddy’s.”
Leah only nodded before going in search of her parents.
By the end of the day, Leah had a dream-catcher hanging at the head of her bed too.
On Monday they went to the courthouse with all the kids. Brandi adopted the three boys while Nik adopted the triplets as well as Anna and Leah. Anna and Leah were glad to have their actual father officially as their dad. They then went to enroll Doug and Drew into the elementary school they would be attending before they signed Jon and the triplets up for their preschool. Anna and Leah hadn’t quite decided what they wanted to do yet.
They settled easily into a daily routine. Brandi and Nik went in to the ATF office each day. Doug was in the same grade as Brody, Grayson, and Marilyn’s son, while Drew started kindergarten. Brandi and Nik were glad their two boys were attending the same school. Both liked their respective classes. Jon, as
well as the triplets, enjoyed their preschool. Anna and Leah decided to enroll at the University of Colorado, Denver. Although neither really knew quite yet what they wanted to major in, they made sure their classes ended by two o’clock so they could watch their young siblings until their parents got home, so Charles didn’t have to. All the kids seemed to love their new schools.
Chapter 1
November 2010
As Brandi sat on the back porch watching her husband, their adult twin daughters, and her three wolves play in the moonlight, she let her mind wander as she played with the crystal hanging from her neck.
The crystal reminded her she wasn’t of this world, and was an extra link to her father. She thought of, and remembered, her life before coming to Earth. From birth she was always considered immortal and able to shift at will, though at the time, she was too young to fully realize her shifting ability. Her thoughts included having to leave her parents when she was 3 years old and then being bitten by an ancient vampire bug when she, and some of the other kids plus some of the elders were on a nearby planet, causing her to become a vampire as a child, though still living and able to be more human than vampire. She also thought about her life since, and even more so the time she was in the monastery in the 1770s where she was kept against her will and used. The only good that came out of the time was having Anna and Leah and, in a roundabout way, meeting Nik, her Werewolf.
Brandi also thought about the talk she’d had with Charles not long after they’d moved to Denver. She’d found out that, although he wasn’t technically an angel, he was a protector of sorts and had been assigned to Nik after Gloria died. Brandi was surprised when Charles told her that now that she and Nik were together again, he, Charles, wasn’t needed. She’d told him that even if he wasn’t needed to watch the family anymore, he was still family to them and welcome to stay for however long he wanted and was able to. She was still glad that he had smiled and nodded.
It was hard to believe she and Nik had been married two years now, after re-finding each other only a couple months before they got married. Their families combined easily. His three boys with his late wife, her triplets born from her and a vampire husband, plus Anna and Leah, the twin daughters they’d conceived together over 200 years ago, as well as their 11-month-old twins—a boy, Jason, and a girl, Brittany—sleeping quietly in Nik’s and her room.
While keeping an ear on the baby monitor next to her, her mind then settled on the previous evening in their living room. They had been working together in charge of the ATF team her late husband John had been the leader of. They had spent several days talking about remaining in Denver or not. Two days ago they’d decided it was time to start fresh elsewhere. Nik had agreed with where she’d suggested they move to. Yesterday they talked to Director Thornton, the director for the Denver office, to let him know what they were going to do. Brandi was happy the man understood and was fine with the plan. Last night they’d brought the rest of the team in on what was happening. Since she knew two of them would realize something was up since they knew her well, she just jumped in with it.
“I know y’all are wondering why you’re here. I know I could have waited, but since I want to focus on the holidays and not worry about this, I thought it better to tell you now. There is going to be a major change in January. Nik and I haven’t decided on the exact date, so I will let you know that as soon as we decide, but y’all will be a team without a physical leader.” At their “What?”, she added, “There’s only one person who really is the leader of this team and, although yes he is a ghost that can be seen when he wants, he is still dead and not even I can change that. Nikolas and I have been the leaders, since I had helped John, but it just hasn’t felt right to me.”
Vince had looked at her and, voicing what the others wanted to know, and using the shortened version of her middle name he and the rest of the men had called her for 140 years, asked, “Understandable you not wanting to be in that role anymore, Nic. What’re ya gonna do instead?”
She looked at Nikolas, smiled, and said, “Well, we talked about it and, though the kids don’t know it yet, we’re moving to Oahu. Though I don’t want to leave until after Christmas and the New Year, it’s time for something new. A change for the family.”
The guys had all nodded, knowing she would still be available if they needed just to visit since they’d all been friends since 1870.
Letting her mind come back to the present, she stood up. Listening to the house in general for a moment, she made sure the younger kids were still asleep as well as hearing both babies still sleeping through the monitor. Brandi then turned and saw Doug still at the kitchen table. From the porch, she told him, “Clean up your place and then to bed, please. It’s past time.”
Standing up, realizing he’d actually fallen asleep, Doug grinned sheepishly and said, “Okay, Mom. What’s going on, by the way? Are we going to be here for Christmas?”
Holding her arm out to him, she kissed his head when he came outside and snuggled into her. “Yes, we will be for Christmas. All I’ll say is it’s somewhere I haven’t lived in a long time. It’s a change we all need and it’s a surprise for all of you.”
Sighing, he said, "All right. ‘Night, Mom. Love you. Will you tell Dad I love him?"
"Of course. Remember tomorrow is Thanksgiving, so you can’t sleep in. Everyone will be here in the morning. Sleep good. We love you, too." She watched him go back in, clean up where he was working and eating at the table, and then head toward his room.
Looking back out at where the six were playing, she gave a low whistle to get Nik and the girls’ attention. When they joined her, she ruffled the fur of both her daughters, gave her husband a kiss on his head, and said, "Please don't stay out all night. Remember we have to be up early tomorrow since it’s Thanksgiving and everyone will be coming here." At Anna's bark, wondering what else was going on, Brandi only said, "You'll have to wait. Just know, as I just informed Doug, we will be here through Christmas. And don't ask your dad." Giving them each a kiss, she then added, "’Night. Love all three of you, and Doug said goodnight and that he loves you, Nik." Getting a bark in answer, as well as him rubbing against her legs, Brandi then turned, went into the house and to bed, a smile on her face.
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As much as she loved Halloween, Brandi also loved the holiday season that was just getting started, and this year she seemed to love it more.
Thanksgiving was finally here. Brandi spent the morning finishing cooking dinner with the help of her sister-in-law and cousins-in-law. As she was setting the table, Brandi heard a knock on the door. She hoped it was her oldest male best friend, Jim. Seeing Nik get up, Brandi couldn’t help but giggle when she saw him grin at her. From the way he was shaking his head and looked to be quietly laughing, she guessed her excitement was easily felt, which meant Jim would have felt it too and would also be laughing. Finishing setting the table she smiled, more to herself, not caring if they both ended up giving her a bad time. Glancing up, she noticed Jim seemed to be quietly chuckling when he turned his head her way with a grin that copied Nik’s as he followed Nik to the couch.
Looking at the living room, Brandi wasn’t surprised to see their eldest son Doug was on the sofa, watching the Packers/Lions game with his dad, grandfathers, uncles, and cousins. Her brother Michael’s wife Jessica, her cousin Adam's wife Lena, and her cousin Grayson's wife Marilyn, John, Charles, and now Jim, were watching too. She was amazed when Nikolas’ and her eldest and adult daughters, Anna and Leah, took Drew, Jon, and the triplets into the living room to be able to play or join in watching the game.
Having moved back into the kitchen when she heard a buzzer, Brandi stepped out of the kitchen and into the dining room, and looked toward the group sitting in various areas looking at the TV. It made her feel good to see them all together. She was glad everyone was together for at least Thanksgiving. She hoped they’d be able to do it again for Christmas, since she and Nik hadn’t told anyone
but the guys of the ATF team that they were moving.
Brandi then moved to look at her twin babies as they lay in their playpen, napping since she’d already given them their bottles as well as baby food that was the Turkey Quinoa Apple Sweet Potato that they enjoyed. Watching the babies made her smile. They had ten kids now. She was glad the house was big enough to be able to accommodate them all, as well as any guests. It was hard to believe the twins would be a year old on January first. She and Nik still hadn’t decided how soon after the twins’ birthday they were going to move.
Returning her gaze to the living room, she called out, “Can one of you gentlemen help by bringing the dishes to the table from the kitchen for me, please? It's time for dinner.”
Getting up from the sofa, Nikolas moved to his wife's side and gave her a kiss before he quietly told her, “I’m happy Jim was able to make it, too. He asked if we minded him staying till next week. Told him we love having him so it’s fine.” He wasn’t surprised to see Brandi nod. He then moved into the kitchen to bring everything out. As Nik carried the turkey, he called out to everyone, “It's snowing.”
Hearing that, the kids, their eight plus Marilyn and Grayson's twins and son Brody, ran to the windows to look out. Turning to Nikolas and Brandi, Doug asked, “Can we go out and play?”
Laughing, Brandi and Nikolas said at the same time, “After dinner we will all go out.”
Nodding and looking excited, he and Brody helped Anna and Leah get the younger kids settled at the table as the rest of the adults found their seats. Having already fed the younger twins, Brandi made sure they were still sleeping.
