by T. J. Quinn
Jared looked around the table, and the look on the other men’s faces told him they concurred with his assessment of the woman. He asked, “What was her name?”
Garan replied, “My mother was Monique, and my father was Taron. They had a highly prolific line. Our bloodline founded several worlds. Once I make a marriage contract with her father, the lovely Miss. Lona will become the rightful Lady of the house of Gordon. That would make my parents proud if they had lived to see it.”
Jared asked, “Would it be possible to go with you? I have never seen anyone negotiate a marriage contract. Garan agreed saying it is usually the parents who negotiate the marriage contract, but as mine have passed into darkness, I must do it myself. When your time comes, Alek and I will negotiate a contract, and it will be submitted to you and Miss. Selene to approve. Adjustments will be made based on your wishes. You will benefit from seeing me negotiate my contract. It is something I am genuinely looking forward to. Do not worry. I will attempt to be discrete with Miss. Lona when we are around you.”
Jared responded lightly, “We’ll see what we see. I’m sure my mother also intended that but come to find out people in love apparently love to kiss and hold each other. I got used to it.”
Garan smiled his understanding but was not sure just how used to such things Miss. Lona’s father would be.
Kalen said, “I will appoint a security detail to accompany you.”
Garan whispered, “Not necessary, my friend.”
Kalen tilted his head and asked, “Are you really going to fight me on this?”
That was the moment Jared truly understood what it meant to be his father. He whispered, “The men are not hunting with you, are they? They are your protectors.”
His father looked embarrassed as he replied, “I am more adept at protecting them than they could ever be at protecting me.”
Kalen said sternly, “It does not matter because you don’t go anywhere alone Garan, you know that!” His voice became steely, “You will certainly not go alone with your potential bond mate and only son. The risk of losing you all is too great.”
Lona said quietly, “We have a bunk house. All the men are welcome. I think they will like my place. We own a hundred acres…almost an entire mountain. We hike the trails. I think we still have Crayon breeding there.”
Kalen nodded and said bluntly, “That settles it. We are all coming with you, and I will hear no refusal.”
He turned to Lona and said, “Crayon are dangerous. Avoid them if you can.”
Lona whispered, “I found one when I was young. There is a spot on their forehead and if you touch it…”
Kalen finished, “It creates a psychic link. It is how they communicate. By the gods, you have actually seen one.”
Lona said, “I know you won’t ever believe me but when we linked I discovered they were tortured by the overlords on the ships and that is why they were so vicious. They are peace loving creatures who just want to be left alone now.”
Garan was out of his seat in a heartbeat and snatched her up out of her chair. She looked up into his panicked face and realized he was gripping both her arms as he yelled, “Do not ever do anything like that again. Do you understand? If you see a Crayon again, you will run. Don’t think, don’t link, don’t try to make friends...just run.”
He stopped and looked shocked by his own behavior. He stammered, “I am sorry, Miss. Lona. I do not know what came over me.”
Kalen pulled him away from Lona and said in a soothing voice, “Your bond is strong. You are protective of your new bond mate. Take a deep breath, I have never seen you like this Garan.”
Kalen turned to Lona and said slowly, “Tell my friend that you will never do anything that dangerous again. He needs to know you will be safe.”
She immediately understood that it didn’t matter what she thought he needed to hear she would not take such risks in the future. She walked up to him, slid her arms around his waist and whispered, “Don’t worry, I promise I will not put myself in harm’s way. I will be smart and safe when you aren’t around. Your wolf now protects me from such things. I will always be safe.”
He wrapped his arms around her and breathed a sigh of relief.
Lona was extremely pleased to be spending a three day weekend with Garan and Jared. She didn’t mind that his men had decided to come as well. She liked them all, especially Jared. He was kind of quiet and sweet, and she greatly liked the fact that he was willing to give his father a chance and that he didn’t freak out when he learned about his heritage. She was also extremely excited about getting to see her father. She was an only child, and the time they spent together was something that filled both their cups.
They emptied out of her vehicle at her old homestead. Her father came out of one of the barns, and they ran up to each other and hugged. He said, “Baby girl, I’m glad you came and look you even brought guests. It’s my lucky day. You know how much I love company on my mountain. It gets lonely up here.”
She laughed and replied, “I know your opinion always seems to be the more, the merrier.”
She introduced him to Garan and Jared, and Garan noticed his jaw tightened for a split second when he shook hands with him. Lona introduced him as Harlan Mitchell.
Garan immediately said, “I’m nothing like her last friend. I would never hurt her.”
That immediately got the man’s attention. The man smiled and said, “For your sake, I certainly hope not.”
Garan replied, “I am very attached to your lovely daughter, and I hope you will give me an opportunity to get to know you.”
The man nodded stiffly. Garan introduced his men, and Lona put them all to work.
Lona said, “Let’s cook out and then we can get up at the crack of dawn for a horseback ride up the mountain.”
She immediately put Garan and Jared to task building a fire in their rather huge barbecue pit. Her father noticed that Garan and his men were extremely well adapted to their lifestyle. They took the initiative to cut firewood, ensured there was enough for the wood burning cook stove in the kitchen and at each of the two fireplaces in the huge cabin. Garan noticed jerky smoking on long specially built pits and realized it needed to be turned, so he washed his hands and used a long pair of metal tongs to carefully turn each piece before he closed the makeshift clear glass covers again. His men swept the front porch and assisted Lona with a variety of small tasks, and they all seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely. He noticed that Garan’s men were very respectful of his daughter and she was not shy about telling them what to do. He wondered if they worked for the two of them. His son was just about as helpful as Garan and his men, but it was apparent he was not as well versed in their lifestyle.
They took a break about mid-afternoon and Garan broached the subject of a marriage contract with the man.
Harlan asked, “I don’t know what you mean. On planet earth, we have a marriage license, and it is the legal document that verifies a marriage has taken place.”
Garan replied, “A marriage contract among my people is a document created between the families of a couple who intends to marry which stipulates what the male may expect from the female. I have taken the liberty of creating a rough draft for you to read over. If you would be so kind as to tell me what parts you do not agree with and tell me what is important to you, then we can move toward formalizing a contract today.”
Harlan sat down and read over the document. He could not keep the shocked expression from his face. He glanced up and asked, “You are actually worth seventeen million dollars, and you are prepared to pay a bride price to me of ten million dollars?”
Garan replied, “I am a strong earner, and I would pay all that I have for the privilege of having your daughter.”
The man grunted and continued, “You require that my daughter bear a minimum of two children for you and you are generous enough to agree that they do not necessarily need to be males.”
Garan explained, “As you can see, I have a strong
son from a previous relationship who will be heir to my house. I would not like for Miss. Lona to be forced to keep having more and more children in the hopes of making sons. I will be satisfied with just healthy children, no matter the sex.”
Harlan said, “I see that you have agreed that my daughter may visit me a minimum of four times per year but must come with at least four armed protectors as opposed to the one must stay with her constantly. What pray tell do you think will harm her here that did not harm her as a child?”
He saw panic briefly flint across the Vampire’s face, and Jared quietly explained, “Lona told us Crayon breed here. My father had some unfortunate experiences on the ships that make him wary of the Crayon.”
The man mumbled, “I understand.”
You have a stipulation that Lona may leave you at any time and you will continue to support her throughout her life, but she is not permitted to take your children with her. She may visit them as frequently as she likes with no advance notice necessary.
That is generous.” Harlan was barely able to keep the sarcasm from his voice.
Again, Jared spoke for his father, “I am sorry, but that is not negotiable. I was taken from him at birth, and he spent my whole life trying to find me. No one who cares anything for my father would object to that particular stipulation.”
Lona spoke softly, “That was actually my idea…in fact, I insisted.”
Garan drew her into his arms and held her against his chest for a brief moment before he let her go. For the first time, Harlan could see their bond.
Harlan read part of the contract, “The bride will reside with the groom at his choice of locations including his home world if that option becomes a possibility. However, it will be the groom’s responsibility to keep the bride in the style befitting the Lady of the House of Gordon.”
Lona sighed and said, “You probably don’t want to know all about that. Suffice to say he decides where we live, but I decided the style and manner our quarters.”
The older man looked offended as he read the part of the contract that applied to him. He glanced up and said sternly, “I don’t need a protector nor do I want to live with you in my old age.”
Garan replied, “I would like the offer of a protector to be a standing offer. Any of my men would consider it an honor to serve you. I would never want to force you to live with us but if the time should come when living alone on the mountain becomes a burden to you I want you to know you are most welcome in our home. I would think that once the children begin to come, you might think about it differently. Children need their grandparents. The value of the wisdom learned on their grandfather’s lap cannot be underestimated.”
The old man grunted again and continued reading the contract. The ugly Vampire loved his daughter and made sense. So far, he was having a hard time disagreeing with him on pretty much any of his reasoning, but many of his stipulations were unnecessary in his opinion.
He glanced up from reading and found the Vampire with his arms wrapped around his daughter, and he was running his nose over her temple tickling her face. She couldn’t help to giggle and then she turned her head to capture his lips. The Vampire seemed surprised but delighted and allowed his daughter to take the lead in kissing his socks off.
Harlan glanced at the Vampire’s son, and the boy just smiled nicely and rolled his eyes. It left Harlan with the impression that his little daughter must accost the man similarly on a fairly regular basis. He took out an ink pen and began marking on the contract. The couple continued to cuddle and kiss on each other. He found that less annoying than he would have imagined.
He handed the contract to them, and they began reading together. Harlan pulled a cigar out of his box and offered one to Jared while they waited. Jared smiled and decided to try one. They lit the cigars, and Harlan poured the young Vampire a brandy and added a few drops of blood. Jared was impressed that the old man was sharing himself that way. It was something kind of intimate that longstanding friends usually did for each other. It left him with the feeling that the man had accepted his father into his family.
Jared and Harlan watched from across the room as Garan and Lona sat together reviewing their marriage contract. They seemed to be having a wonderful intimate bonding moment.
Harlan noticed that Jared smiled as he watched his father and asked, “Are you happy with your father’s choice in wives?”
Jared immediately responded, “I adore Miss. Lona. She stuck up for my father when no one else would. Watching them fall in love has been a genuine pleasure for me. My father has never had a woman to love, and I am very pleased that the one person he is absolutely crazy about can find it in her heart to love him back.”
Harlan asked, “So, what’s up with all the ‘protectors’?”
Jared looked embarrassed and replied, “My father is the last remaining head of a great house. He is the leader of his world, and his men are what remain of the other great houses. In other words, he and his men represent the infrastructure of an entire world. They hope to protect their blood lines and somehow make it back to their world to begin again.”
Harlan took another puff off his cigar and said, “Lofty aspiration.”
Jared stated, “It will happen, it is just a matter of when. Vampires live a very long time.”
Harlan murmured, “If they weren’t such Cradon haters it would happen a lot sooner.”
Jared sketched a brow and before he could ask Harlan what he meant by that Garan and Lona came over. Garan asked, “Why do you not want a bride price for your daughter?”
Harlan was blunt, “Makes her a whore…she’s not. Next issue.”
Garan said, “I am important on my world. Your daughter is precious and valuable. I don’t want the history of my family to say I didn’t pay her worth.”
The old man insisted, “We don’t pay for women on this planet, we pay for whores. Get with the program.”
Jared intervened, “May I suggest a mutual compromise. I suggest that my father pays a total of ten million spread over a half dozen charities of Miss. Lona’s choice. Even the history of my people will respect that my father paid her worth and that she chose worthy charities for him to give the money to…perhaps charities that support children.”
His father nodded his agreement and Harlan said, “I could hardly object to that.”
Garan asked, “Is there some reason why you stipulated that we must have at least one male child who carries your last name.”
The old man responded, “You may be the last of your line but know that I am as well. I want a grandson to inherit my name and my property.”
Garan replied, “Miss. Lona has agreed to have up to four children to accommodate your request. Are you agreeable to that plan of action?”
The old man nodded and smiled. Garan stated, “All of your other stipulations we agree to.”
One of Garan’s men copied the document over in Vampier, and Jared read the document out loud then everyone signed the document. Kalen opened a case of red wine, and Harlan handed out cigars.
Lona mixed blood into the wine and noticed Garan’s men were drawing straws to determine who would drink and who would guard. She was slowly getting used to their ways although they didn’t talk about it openly.
She realized how difficult life was for Garan at times. It stoked a protective streak in her soul for him. She immediately took him aside and cuddled him while she discretely fed him. Her father didn’t seem to notice or care what they did together.
Jared tried to ignore them because he strongly felt they needed some down time together after the stress of the contract negotiation. He settled down and texted with Selene as everyone ate. They acted rather like his mother and Alek, so he knew for sure they were in love.
Selene Texted: So how is life on the mountain? Are you ready to come back home yet?
Jarred Texted: Nope. I love it here. The views are majestic…breathtaking even. Wish I could come here often.
Selene Texted: Sorry I am miss
ing it. Sounds wonderful.
Jared Texted: If we get another invite you should consider coming with us. I think you are a lot tougher than my father thinks and I have a funny feeling you would like it here.
Selene Texted: I have been thinking about learning some hunting skills. I know I am small and could never be a good hunter, but I realized when I helped you and your mother find my father that I do like it.
Jared Texted: I have noticed that my parents hunt differently. My father hunts on instinct and my mother on intellect. I wonder what it would be like if we paired up to hunt. I think that we would be unbeatable.
Selene Texted: ♥♥♥☺☺☺☺♥♥♥
Jared Texted: I thought you would like that idea.
Selene Texted: So how is your father getting along with Lona? They used to argue so much I thought they hated each other and now they are living together happy as can be.
Jared Texted: Umm…I’m sorry to say she has somehow turned him into her lap dog. He follows her around with a big smile on his face most of the time. It would be kind of cute if it weren’t my father. Feels strange but I guess no stranger than seeing my mother with Alek.
Selene Texted: That never made me feel strange. I was just so happy that he found someone to love who seemed so devoted to him. It was kind of a relief.
Jared Texted: I kind of feel that way about my father because he has never had the experience of being head over heels in love. I am happy for him, and Lona is a really nice person. She seems dedicated to feeding him, and I can appreciate that. He always seems so reluctant about feeding. That is a little strange.
