Ancients and Old Ones : Book 8 of the Heku Series

by T. M. Nielsen

  “Trivial… he said it’s trivial.”

  “Heku have no sense of what’s important,” Emily told her. “Do you want me to talk to the Council?”

  “No, I want Garrett to.”

  “He’s not going to, I can promise that.”

  Alexis nodded, “Yes then… they wouldn’t listen to me.”

  “They may not listen to me either, but I’ll try. If the Council agrees, then you have to get Garrett to agree.”

  Alexis smiled, “Oh, he’ll agree to it.”

  Emily laughed and then stood up, “I’ll go see if they’re done yelling at some angry Coven Lord.”

  Alexis nodded and then grabbed for a tissue as Emily headed out. Derrick was watching Emily walk down the stairs and then smiled and opened the door when she walked up.

  Emily nodded to him and then approached the Elders.

  “What’s up, Em?” Chevalier asked, a little leery.

  She looked at the other two Elders, “I want to talk about what you told Alexis.”

  “We…” Zohn started, but Emily cut him off.

  “She’s not a heku and not bound by heku laws. If it were me, I wouldn’t have even asked the Council.”

  “What’s going on?” Chevalier asked.

  “She may not be, but Garrett is,” Kyle told her. “She cannot…”

  “She’s not going to live her life around heku rules when she’s not a heku.”

  “Stop!” Chevalier yelled, and everyone looked at him. “Why am I not being told what’s going on?”

  Quinn turned his chair toward Chevalier, “Alexis came while you were away and asked for permission to adopt a baby.”

  “She did!?” he gasped.

  Emily nodded, “Yes, and they told her no.”

  “It’s against heku law to adopt for numerous reasons,” Zohn told her. “Not only would it bring a mortal to live with the immortal, it would also risk exposing us.”

  “Not if it’s done right,” Emily said.

  “There’s also the blood test of the mother and father, to verify they aren’t sick,” the Records Keeper said.

  Emily sighed, “There have to be ways around that. Just control them and tell them to approve you.”

  “No,” Chevalier said sternly. “She cannot adopt.”

  “She’s not a heku.”

  “She’s close enough.”

  Emily studied them, and each member of the Council inwardly waited for the vicious onslaught that came when the Elders told her no. They were all surprised when she nodded.

  “I have to help her,” Emily said calmly.

  “Em, it’s important that you don’t go off and do his alone,” Kyle told her. “Think of how dangerous it is to have a mortal child living in Council City.”

  “I do know… I had 4 of them.”

  “No, you had 4 partial heku children.”

  She crossed her arms and studied him as her jaw tensed.

  Kyle couldn’t help but smile, “It’s too dangerous. The laws for the heku were put in place to protect the mortal child.”

  “The laws were put in place for heku. Alexis isn’t a heku.”

  “She exhibits more heku traits than mortal,” Zohn said.

  “Garrett would be the father and he is heku,” Quinn added.

  “That’s your final word?” Emily asked.

  “Yes,” Zohn replied. He decided to keep Chevalier out of the argument.

  Emily shrugged and then turned back to the door. Just before leaving, she mumbled under her breath, “Guess we’ll just have to give her a half-heku baby.”

  Chevalier gasped and looked over at Kyle with wide eyes. Kyle was watching the door shut behind her, “She wouldn’t…”

  Richard, the Chief Interrogator sighed, “We know she would.”

  “She didn’t scream at us,” Quinn said, frowning slightly.

  “I fully expected at least one of you to need revived,” Kyle commented.

  Emily walked up and found Garrett knocking on her bedroom door, “Come on, Alex. Just talk to me.”

  Emily stopped behind him and crossed her arms as she glared at his back. Silas cleared his throat and Garrett spun suddenly and faced them.

  “How dare you put the Council before your wife,” Emily said angrily.

  “I didn’t! I wouldn’t do that… but the Council isn’t going to agree to this. There’s no reason bugging them.”

  “Even if asking helps Alex?”

  “How can being denied again help her?”

  “You put the Council first… and now you’re on my list,” Emily said. She walked past him, purposely bumping her shoulder against his chest before disappearing into her room and slamming the door behind her.

  Emily walked over and slumped down in a chair besides Alexis, “Figures… all men on the Council.”

  “They told you no, too?” Alexis asked.

  “Pretty much.”

  “I’ve noticed that heku women don’t even want kids.”

  Emily nodded, “It’s hormonal and they don’t have those hormones.”

  “So I never get to be a Mom.”

  “I wouldn’t say that quite yet.”

  “What do you have in mind?” Alexis asked her.

  “Well… I can pass a blood test. I’ll just adopt.”

  “They won’t adopt to a single woman, especially one so young.”

  Emily sat back in her chair, “That’s true… bloody heku have me at 21 years old. Course, I have a birth certificate to prove I’m in my 60s.”

  Alexis shook her head, “They wouldn’t believe it.”

  “I hate being 20.”

  “Age wouldn’t even matter as much as you’re single as far as mortals are concerned,” Alexis told her. Emily could see Alexis’ heart drop as she fought back the tears again.

  “I could find a husband,” Emily said, smiling slightly.

  Alexis looked up at her, “Do what?”

  “I have money… a lot… I can just use Exavior’s money to buy a mortal husband. We get married and adopt a baby.”

  “That’s ludicrous.”

  “True… So then I’ll have a baby for you.”

  “Dad’d never go for that.”

  “Your dad wouldn’t have a choice,” Emily said. “It’s my body and I can do what I want with it.”

  “Yeah but Dad’d have to help.”

  “No he wouldn’t. We’ll use artificial insemination and then Garrett can be the Dad.”

  “Out of the question,” Chevalier said from behind them.

  Emily jumped when he spoke, and then she glared at him, “Don’t sneak up and eavesdrop on us.”

  “I didn’t sneak up,” Chevalier said, sitting down beside them. “You’re not going to have a baby for them.”

  “Why not?” Emily asked.

  “Alexis, go.”

  Emily turned and watched Alexis leave their room, then she turned back to Chevalier, “I’m not talking to you about this. You don’t understand.”

  “I do understand the mortal woman’s need to reproduce, however…”

  “No you don’t! Even mortal men don’t understand that.”

  “Ok, maybe it’s not first-hand, but I do understand there’s a physiological need.”

  “There are two options. Either I adopt for her, or I have a baby for her.”

  “No”

  “I have to help her, Chev.”

  “I’m your husband and I don’t want to watch you go through another pregnancy. What if the baby is full heku like Dain? He almost killed you.”

  “I don’t care. I’ll do whatever it takes to make Alex happy.”

  “She is happy! She’ll get over the baby thing… we’ll get her a dog maybe.”

  “Oh my God!” Emily screamed, and then stood up. “You are ignorant!”

  Chevalier frowned, “I think not. Now calm down.”

  “I will not calm down! You have no idea what you’re talking about. This isn’t like she wants a new bike… She wants to be a mothe
r.”

  “Heku have long been appeased by raising animals.”

  Emily moved to him quickly and he braced himself for a slap, but she simply stood in front of him and whispered, “She’s not a heku! Get that through your head… She doesn’t have to live by heku rules and if she wants a baby, then I’ll get her one.”

  Chevalier took both of her hands so she couldn’t try to hit him, “She is my daughter, and she is a blood-drinker, therefore bound by heku rules. She’s married to a heku… and…”

  “She had no more of a choice in this than I did. She wants a baby, not something that’s going to bring down your species.”

  “It’s too dangerous.”

  Emily jerked her hands away from Chevalier and walked out of the bedroom. He watched her go and wondered at how calmly she was acting. Normally she would be screaming and hitting by now. When she disappeared into the game room, Silas gave her location to Chevalier and received orders to watch her, but leave her alone. Her temper was high and it put her guards at risk of being turned to ash on a whim.

  “Hey!” Silas yelled when he saw Emily spin the secret door and disappear into the bar.

  Once standing, Emily focused on the game room and then turned to the shelves full of alcohol. She braced the door with a broken chair and then walked over and cleaned out a shot glass.

  Silas frowned and turned to the other three Cavalry with him, “Why are we in the game room?”

  The one closest to him looked around, “We were guarding Lady Emily.”

  “I know… so where is she?”

  “Probably in her room.”

  “She wiped our memories,” Silas said, aggravated.

  “Let’s at least go check the room.”

  Silas nodded and they all left the game room and started up for the fifth floor bedrooms. Once there, he listened at the bedroom door and then knocked. When no one answered, he opened the door and looked around the empty room.

  “She ditched us,” one of the Cavalry said, irritated.

  Silas sighed and called for Mark.

  A few minutes later, Mark walked into the room, “What’s wrong?”

  “Emily ditched us,” Silas said.

  One of the Cavalry turned to his General, “We were suddenly in the game room and it was empty.”

  Mark nodded, “So she wiped your memory. My guess is that she’s in the bar.”

  “Damnit!” Silas yelled, and blurred down to the game room, followed by the others. He walked over and tilted the mirror, but the door didn’t spin.

  Mark tried it and then pushed against the door, but it didn’t move, “She has it blocked again.”

  “Emily!” Silas yelled. “Open this door, now!”

  Mark called for Kralen, and then turned to the door, “Let’s all push and see if we can get in. Then we’ll talk to the Elders about clearing out that bar. I know they kept it for recreational use by the Council, but Emily’s the only one using it.”

  The others nodded and braced against the door. When they pushed, the sound of shattering wood could be heard as they spun into the bar and stepped out. Emily looked down at them from her perch beside the high windows, and just as she locked eyes with Mark, she took a long drink from a bottle of bourbon.

  “Damnit, Em,” Mark sighed. “Why?”

  She didn’t answer, but turned to face the boarded up windows that led down to the former Ancient’s room.

  Silas walked forward, “Why did you wipe my memory!?”

  They all turned when the door spun again, and Kralen stepped in, “What’s going… why are you drinking!?”

  “Stop yelling at me,” she whispered, but stayed facing the boards.

  “I’m sorry… but why are you drinking?” he asked, calmer.

  She shrugged and then dabbed at her eye with a tissue. When they realized she was crying, Mark ordered everyone out, except Kralen.

  Kralen watched the others leave and then jumped up onto the ledge beside Emily, “Want to talk about it?”

  She looked over at him, “Off the record?”

  “Sure”

  “I had an argument with the Council.”

  “Again”

  “This is different… this time they’re messing with my family.”

  “Except that one of the Council is your family too.”

  “Yeah, one that doesn’t really care about his daughter.”

  Kralen sighed, “Tell me what happened.”

  Emily looked over and took another drink before explaining, “Alexis wants a baby, so she asked the Council if she can adopt.”

  “And they said no, obviously.”

  “Right. What gives them the power to dictate what my daughter can and can’t do? She’s not a heku.”

  “She’s pretty close though. There are rules among the heku that are more strictly adhered to than others… not adopting is one of the top.”

  “She’s not a heku. So then I decided I would just have one for her, but Chev said no.”

  “I’m surprised you listened to him.”

  “Exactly, I’ve lost my mind,” Emily said before taking another drink. “When did I start taking Chevalier’s orders?”

  “Maybe when you thought he was gone forever.”

  “She wants a baby, I can give her one.”

  “It’s a pretty dangerous game. What if the baby is full heku, he could kill you.”

  “Chevalier said that too.”

  Kralen smiled, “It’s true.”

  “Well it’s my body. If Alexis wants a baby then I’ll give her one.”

  “Most heku just adopt a dog.”

  “Heku women don’t have the drive to be a mother like we do.”

  Kralen watched her and his eyes narrowed, “How much have you had to drink?”

  “Enough that I’m not as mad right now.”

  “The Elder has her best interest at heart.”

  “Your Elder has the faction at heart… his kids have always been on a back burner behind the faction. So am I for that matter.”

  “I wouldn’t say that exactly.”

  “I would. Alexis never has really connected with Chev. They are polar opposites.”

  “I’m not going to argue with you on that,” Kralen said. He shook his head when Emily offered him a drink.

  “I know what it feels like to want a baby and not be able to have one. When I was told by the doctors that I couldn’t have children, I thought my heart was going to shrivel up and die. I’m not going to make Alexis go through that all because her genes are screwed up.”

  “Adoption is too risky, I’ll agree with the Council on that one. As for you having a baby for her, it seems logical. However, I do think that your husband should get a say in it.”

  “Why? It’s my body.”

  “One that he cares a lot about. We were all scared to death when you had Dain and you kept getting sicker and sicker.”

  She shrugged, “One out of 4… chances are it’d be ok.”

  “Not good odds though.”

  “So what am I supposed to do?”

  “My suggestion would be that you calm down and talk to the Elder again about having a baby for Alex. I wouldn’t suggest you go behind the Council’s back and adopt though.”

  She smiled, “That obvious I was going to do that?”

  “Yes, it was.”

  Emily scooted down until she was lying in the window sill, and then she set the bottle of bourbon down beside her, “Now I just need a nap.”

  Kralen laughed slightly, “You aren’t sleeping up here.”

  “Why not?”

  “You’d fall off and break you neck.” He picked her up and then jumped down and started for the revolving door, “I’ll take you up to bed.”

  When they appeared in the game room, Mark and Silas were waiting. Kralen smiled at them and walked past when he noticed Emily’s eyes were shut.

  Once Emily was in bed and sound asleep, they met up outside of her door and Mark turned to Kralen, “So what happened?”


  “Same thing that we heard earlier. She wants to either adopt or have a baby for Alex,” Kralen said.

  “She drank over that?”

  “It’s important to her and the rest of us kind of just blew off the idea.”

  “Let’s go talk to the Elder,” Silas suggested. “He needs to know she’s been drinking.”

  “Been drinking?” Kralen asked. “She’s downright drunk.”

  “Great,” Mark sighed, and then led the way to the council chambers.

  ***

  Chevalier watched her sleep. Since their fight over the baby almost 3 months ago, Emily had a hard time with confrontation and somehow managed to sneak alcohol into the palace unnoticed as a way of dealing with it. He used to think her running was the worst possible thing she could do, but would take that over her continued self-destruction.

  She seemed unnaturally compliant with the Council and hadn’t told them no on anything. They were all on guard, waiting for her to revert to her defiant ways, but she seemed honestly trying to do as they asked and not cause any trouble. The alcohol was one way Chevalier suspected she was using to still feel somewhat in control when the Council began to interfere with her wishes.

  Emily sat up and grabbed her head, then looked up when Chevalier shut the heavy blinds, throwing the room into darkness.

  “There’s some aspirin on the table beside you,” he told her as he sat on the bed.

  She grabbed it and took some with the hot coffee sitting beside it.

  “Want to talk about it?” he asked.

  “Not really.”

  “That’s four times in the last month that you’ve gotten drunk.”

  “I’m sorry,” she said, and then took another sip of coffee.

  “I just want to make sure it’s not getting out of control again.”

  “It’s not.”

  “What caused it this time?”

  “I don’t want to talk about it, ok?”

  He studied her, “If it’s your guards, I can talk to them.”

  “It’s not,” she said, and then finally stood up and staggered into the bathroom for a shower.

  Chevalier stepped out when he heard Mark outside of the door. Chevalier shut the door behind him, “What happened?”

  Mark looked over at Horace, “Tell him.”

  Horace sighed, “It was my fault, and I apologize. She’s been acting weird and I caught her checking around a corner down on the 1st floor and there were no guards.”