Vampires and Vixens (Psy-Vamp)

by Lawson, Cassandra

  “That’s not right. You walked back to the house with her,” he argued.

  Ursula gave him a sad smile. “What you were doing was wrong.”

  “So you betrayed me?” He was stunned, hurt, confused. “How?” Then the biggest shock came. “It can’t be.” He shook his head, his voice weak. “Not Noah. He wouldn't do this to me. Noah would never betray me like this.”

  With shaking hands he pulled his phone out of his pocket and called Noah.

  “Hello.” Noah’s voice sounded sad and weary.

  “Why?” he asked more hurt than angry. “We’re brothers.”

  “I’m sorry that I hurt you,” was Noah’s only reply before the line went dead.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  The only stops they made were to drop Trish off at her house, and more than a dozen bathroom breaks. Noah had somehow managed to get her phone back from Nathaniel, but the service had been disconnected with a message directing people to call a new number that she recognized as Nathaniel’s. It had a lot of pictures on it so she was still relieved to have it back. The truck was fully stocked with food for the trip. Noah assured her that there was enough for three days. The first day, Noah drove until late at the night. Finally, he stopped at a motel, and admitted that they would need to replenish the food supply before they went any further.

  The next day was much less hurried. Noah seemed confident that they had made it a safe distance from Nathaniel, and was willing to stop for meals. At one point they even stopped at a bank so Hannah could take out money. Noah wasn’t at all comfortable with the transaction, but Hannah assured him that Nathaniel didn’t even know where she banked.

  Noah was tired so they only traveled until sunset that day before stopping for the night.

  Day three Noah assured her that they were almost there. Hannah had finally started to relax and felt giddy with relief. She was free!

  Noah seemed on edge all morning, and barely spoke to her.

  Finally, he broke his silence. “I need to talk to you about something. I’ve been avoiding this conversation, but I can’t any longer.”

  Hannah waited a long time for him to speak again.

  He pulled the truck to the side of the road, and turned toward her. “I’m taking you to my mother.”

  It took time for the words to sink in; when they did, Hannah slapped Noah as hard as she could, and climbed out of the truck.

  Noah jumped out and followed her as she walked along the side of the deserted road. “Hannah, stop! I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you sooner, but I couldn’t.”

  “Oh, I know,” she spat out, “there is always a reason to lie to me.”

  “In this case, yes, there was a damn good reason to lie to you.” He grabbed her shoulders, and spun her around to face him. Despite her struggles he held her in place. “I’m not going to let you walk off down the highway in the middle of nowhere, Hannah.”

  Her rage crumbled around her, and misery replaced it. “Why would the two of you lie to me about something like this?”

  “Hannah, the only person, other than me, that knows is Ursula. You were with Nathaniel, and then I just . . .” His voice trailed off. He blew out a frustrated breath, and raked his fingers through his hair. “I didn’t want to admit to one more lie so I’ve been holding off on telling you, but you’ll be meeting her in less than an hour. This is not going well at all, is it?”

  Hannah remained silent as she let her mind process yet another shock. Finally, she nodded her head, walked back to the truck, climbed into the passenger seat, fastened her seat belt, and said the last thing Noah expected to hear. “I’m sorry that I hit you.”

  He gave a humorless laugh. “I deserved that and more.”

  She placed her hand on his, and smiled. “That’s true, but I know you have a good heart. It’s one of the reasons that I love you.”

  His breath caught in his throat, and he didn’t dare look at her.

  Then she continued. “You’re like a brother to me.”

  “Great,” he grumbled as he started up the truck.

  Chapter Thirty

  The modest house sat nestled in a wooded area at the end of a very long dirt road. As they neared the house, Hannah realized that she didn’t even know what state they were in anymore. She had been distracted with her own thoughts for most of the trip.

  “This is it,” Noah said.

  “How long are we going to stay here?” Hannah’s hands were a little shaky as she unfastened her seatbelt.

  “You're going to stay until after the baby is born, longer if you want. I’ll be here for a few days to help you get settled in, and then I need to go home.”

  “You’re going back there?” It was more accusation than question.

  He looked guilty as he admitted, “Nathaniel is my brother and I still love him. Besides, it will be easier to keep you safe this way.” That was only part of the truth. It was getting harder every day to deny his own feelings. He needed to get away from her before he did something to ruin their friendship.

  The door to the house opened, and a stunning woman walked toward them.

  “Oh my God! Your mother is Snow White!”

  Noah laughed. “She hates that Disney movie, so you might want to avoid mentioning that to her.”

  Noah’s mother glided across the yard. She would make Hannah’s own mother look graceless. Her black hair glistened in the sunlight. It was cut in a shoulder length bob that framed her delicate face. Her wide eyes were blue, like the older Disney version of Snow White, and her ivory skin was flawless. She wore an ankle length tiered skirt, and a white peasant blouse that was belted loosely at her tiny waist.

  Noah climbed out of the truck, and lifted her off of the ground in a hug. She was so tiny that her feet dangled in the air.

  “Noah!” she squealed. “Put me down, you silly boy.” There was no mistaking her British accent. “I’m so glad that you made it here safely.”

  He kissed her cheek. “It's good to see you, Mom.”

  Hannah stepped out of the truck, and stood to the side. Her shock at discovering Noah’s secret was still fresh, and she felt like she was seeing a ghost.

  Noah’s mother walked to Hannah, and grasped both of her hands. “This must be Hannah, and my unborn grandson. I’m Lenore. Please no mentions of Poe!”

  Hannah felt the tension ease from her body. “It's nice to meet you.” Then she asked, “Why does everyone keep referring to my baby as a boy?” It had been bothering her, but there were so many other things to worry about.

  “It's genetics.” Noah explained. “We only produce male children. You really should have asked Justin to explain it before we left. I’m not really sure of the specifics.”

  “I had other things on my mind, and Justin is kind of a prick.”

  Lenore laughed, and hugged her with one arm. “I assume Justin is the name that Jeremiah is using these days.” She continued when Noah nodded. “He was a very grumpy little boy. Of course, I only knew him for the first couple of years of his life. Ursula has kept me up to date on two of his name changes, but not the latest one.”

  “He’s still pretty grumpy, so I guess the only thing that’s changed is his name.” Then Noah remembered Caitlin. “He has picked a mate.”

  Lenore seemed delighted. “Oh, is she a nice girl?”

  Noah thought for a moment, and then said, “No, she’s not very nice most of the time.”

  “Well, perhaps she’s nice around him,” Lenore suggested. “Are they happy together?”

  “She is even meaner around him, and it’s really fun to watch. They aren’t actually together yet. Justin wants to wait until she finishes medical school first,” Noah explained. “Sadly, she hates him.” Noah didn’t look like he found this sad at all. It seemed to amuse him.

  “She doesn’t hate him,” Hannah argued, and then she yawned. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m so tired. All I’ve done is sit for the last couple of days.”

  “It’s the stress.” Lenor
e squeezed her shoulder. “Come inside, and I’ll fix you some tea.” She steered Hannah toward the house. “It will relax you after your long trip.”

  “Please don’t go to any trouble,” Hannah protested.

  “Humor an old woman.” She seated Hannah at the breakfast nook in her kitchen, and then started the water for the tea. “Are you hungry?”

  The mention of food made Hannah’s stomach rumble. “Excuse me,” she said, feeling a little embarrassed.

  Noah gave her a reassuring smile. “What do you feel like eating? I’ll run into town, and pick up whatever you want.”

  Hannah shook her head. “You don't have to go to all of that trouble.”

  He rubbed her belly gently. “My mother is already trying to figure out a way to get rid of me so she can spend some time alone with you. We may as well make it easy for her.”

  Hannah gave him a list of the foods she was craving. Now that she could hold down food it was a pretty long list.

  Lenore assured him that she wanted nothing, and he headed off to town. Hannah was moved to the front room, and seated in an old rocking chair that Lenore referred to as a waiting rocker. It was there that she waited for her tea.

  “Here you go, dear.” Lenore handed her the tea cup. “Did you want sugar or milk in your tea? I’m afraid I don’t have any lemon or honey.”

  “I'm not much of a tea drinker,” Hannah admitted.

  “It will soothe your nerves,” Lenore said. “You’ve had far too much stress lately. Would you like me to read your tea leaves?”

  “You read tea leaves?” Hannah asked.

  Lenore nodded. “I come from a very superstitious family,” she explained. “I think that it rubbed off on Nathaniel more than Noah. I taught Nathaniel to read palms when he was only four years old. Roman was livid when he found out.” Her eyes became moist with tears.

  “Did you . . . Never mind I don't want to pry.”

  “You don't need to be so formal with me,” Lenore assured her. “Right now you’re very confused, and I want to help you get through this. You are the mother of my grandson, and the woman who holds my son’s heart.”

  Hannah looked down at her tea. “Nathaniel doesn't love me.” The mere mention of Nathaniel made her cringe.

  “Nathaniel is obsessed with you. He wants to possess you, just like his father wanted to possess me.”

  A look of bewilderment came over Hannah’s face. “I don’t understand. You just said that I hold his heart, so I assumed you meant that he’s in love with me.”

  “I have two sons.” Lenore sipped her tea.

  Hannah stared at her open-mouthed. “Noah? Why would you think that?”

  “I had my suspicions when he was arranging your escape. He went on and on about your many fine qualities. Those suspicions were confirmed when I saw the way he looks at you.” Lenore seemed more than a little pleased. “Noah would do anything for you, including denying his own feelings. You were with his brother and he believed you were both happy, so he tried to keep his feelings hidden. Now he believes that you need his friendship more than anything else.”

  While Hannah hadn’t consciously allowed herself to think about it, the idea didn’t seem strange at all. “Nathaniel did all of the things that they do in romance novels, and he made me feel special. He seemed perfect. I never told Nathaniel that I loved him, and I couldn’t bring myself to accept his proposal. I kept thinking that we just hadn’t been together long enough.” Hannah felt lost all of a sudden.

  Lenore nodded. “I understand how you feel. Both of my sons are a great deal like their fathers, and I went through some of the disillusionment that you are feeling when I was with Roman.”

  “How did you meet Nathaniel’s father?” Hannah asked to change the subject.

  “I was thirteen years old when I met Roman, just a child. I was the oldest of five children, and my parents could scarcely afford to feed us. I had a talent for palm reading. My parents feared my talent, thinking me cursed, but they needed the money so they used it. One night, when we were in town trying to earn extra money I met Roman. He was in London with two of his brothers. He offered my father a small fortune to have me read his palm. I suspect that my father knew he wanted more than a palm reading.” She sighed, and smiled sadly. “Roman was handsome and wealthy. He sent food and supplies to my family. From the moment I met him, his coldness frightened me but his world dazzled me.

  “The first time that he invited my family to his home I was so swept up in the moment that I had no idea what was really happening. As soon as we arrived, I was taken away and dressed in a beautiful gown. When I came downstairs for dinner, my family was gone. They didn’t even say goodbye to me. That night I wed Roman.”

  With her mouth agape, Hannah struggled to speak. “You were just a child!”

  “It was a different time,” Lenore explained. “Girls that age often married. If it makes you feel any better I was nearly eighteen the next time I saw him. In that time, I learned to read and write. I ate better than I had in my entire life. When Roman returned to begin our marriage, I was more than agreeable. He was an attractive man, and I knew that I had it better than other women in my class.”

  “What changed?”

  Lenore frowned. “I’m not sure how to explain it. Roman was never really happy. He started to look for excuses to avoid me. If I did something wrong, he would lock me in a room for days. I think he loved someone else, and I looked like her. I’m guessing that he married me, because I reminded him of her, and then hated me because I wasn’t her.”

  “How did you meet Noah’s father?” Hannah asked.

  “I was very lonely. Roman rarely spoke to me. I used to spend a great deal of time at the stables. I loved horses, even though I never learned to ride. It was there that I first met Noah's father, Colin. He was the stable master. He would listen to me talk for hours, and he spent a lot of time just playing with Nathaniel. I loved him. When I found out I was expecting Noah we ran off. I knew Noah wasn’t Roman’s child. I hadn’t had relations with Roman in well over a year. I admit that it was a shock. I had assumed that a human couldn’t get me pregnant. Obviously, I was mistaken. We moved to this country, thinking we would be safe. Those were the happiest five years of my life.” Lenore smiled sadly; her eyes were misty, and distant.

  She shook her head to force herself back to reality. “Unfortunately, Nathaniel never stopped asking about Roman. When he found out how to contact him, it was all over.” She swallowed back a sob. “Roman came for us. I don't know how it happened, but the house we were living in caught on fire. Luckily, Roman managed to get Nathaniel and Noah out safely. Colin didn't realize that the boys were safe, and he continued to search for them. Ursula got me out of the house after I fainted from the smoke. She convinced Roman that I had died in the flames. Colin didn’t make it out.

  When I awoke I had a note from Ursula, assuring me that the boys were safe and that she would update me on them when she could. That ended up being harder than we expected.”

  Hannah struggled to find words to express her sympathy, but there weren’t any.

  Lenore gave her a weak smile. “The hardest thing was losing my sons. It took me several decades to find Noah, and I know that I can’t contact Nathaniel unless I want to return to Roman. There have been many times when I considered it.”

  Silence hung between them for several moments.

  “Are you positive that the baby will be a boy?” Hannah rubbed her belly.

  “Nothing is guaranteed in life,” Lenore admitted.

  Hannah’s eyes were suddenly filled with a glimmer of hope. “What would happen if the baby is a girl? Would she still need to feed on energy?”

  Lenore shrugged. “The study of genetics is new, so I really don’t know. There’s never been a female child, to the best of my knowledge.” When her gaze met Hannah’s she saw the hope in Hannah’s eyes. Hope was good, but not when it would only lead to disappointment. “Having a boy doesn’t mean he will be a bad person.
Just look at Noah. Even if your child chooses to feed on energy that doesn’t mean that he will behave like Dominic did with your cousin. Most of the men are very careful to protect the humans they feed off of.”

  “I suppose you’re right. I don’t really like Justin but he seems like a good man, and his brother has always been very nice,” she admitted. “I know it’s crazy, but I really feel like the baby is a girl.”

  Noah’s return interrupted their discussion. He must have overheard her, because the first words out of his mouth were, “If it’s a girl that would explain a lot. Justin has been going on and on about how strange it is that you don’t need extra iron.”

  She looked at him, loaded down with bags of food. Even though Nathaniel had given her a lot, he didn't do things for her like Noah. Nathaniel would have ordered food, but Noah drove all over to get her what she wanted.

  “I passed by a maternity shop on the way, and picked up a few things for you to wear.” He put the bag beside her.

  “Thank you.” She hadn’t been able to bring her clothes from the house. Her mind kept going back to what Lenore had said about Noah’s feelings.

  He seemed to sense her discomfort, and frowned. Then he leaned down and kissed her on top of the head. “Eat your food.”

  That was an order she was happy to follow. Hannah managed to stay up only a short time after dinner. She was exhausted. Lenore showed her to her room, and she was fast asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  It was early when Hannah walked into the living room, dressed in the jade green jumper and white blouse that Noah had bought for her the night before. It was baggy but comfortable, and she was sure she would fill it out soon enough. The sight of Noah asleep on the couch made her smile. He wore the same clothes as the night before.

  “The poor boy was so exhausted that I didn't have the heart to wake him.” Lenore spoke quietly as she came into the room. “I always thought it was silly to tell someone to wake up so that they could go to bed.”