by C. L. Quinn
Hamid followed the gorgeous woman and Park thought how he must have been on her heels for a very long time. She thought how, if she were a man in Eillia’s orbit, she would too. She turned to Bas.
“It’s going to be alright, isn’t it?” She needed his assurance.
He nodded. “Absolutely. I feel it. We won’t be separated.”
The faux attack had been a success, in Shank’s mind, a great compromise on Bas’s compound. They’d converted eight more vampires, and although they were young, they still provided a stronger force than those who were only human. He’d decided his strategy for the real attack based on his previous knowledge of Bas, and that recent video from the attack. He hoped they had enough. If they didn’t, it would be a bloodbath, and they would never get a chance again. Alvin would die in this attempt if it wasn’t successful. Shanks had no problem with that. He’d be watching it remotely; he was no idiot. He knew odds were way not in their favor.
“Shanks! Where are you?” Alvin’s voice interrupted his reverie. As usual. Well, it wouldn’t be for much longer.
“Sir, yes, sir!” he answered, always the smartass.
Alvin came down the stairs vampire fast. “Where is my woman? Bas’s girl. Where is she?”
Shanks rolled his eyes. “I told you already…she’s too well protected. We’re going to have to wait until we invade the compound.”
“I told you that wasn’t good enough.”
Yeah, that was it. Shanks stood up, a good eight inches taller than Alvin. “Then you better get going. If anyone can get her out before that, it’s going to have to be our oldest, strongest vampire. That’d be you. Need directions?”
Alvin was livid.
“Shanks, I made you. Do not take that tone with me!”
“Then fucking listen to me! They got the place tightened down, especially after the attack.”
“See. I told you it was a mistake.”
Shanks drew a deep breath. “Alvin. I’m going to have breakfast and then I’m training the new vampire lot in combat. You need me more than I need you, remember that. If you want her, you go get her.” He walked out. Alvin was upset enough to snap his neck. But Shanks was right. He did need him. This was fucking going to hell in a hand basket.
Over the next week, Eillia had settled in, met Zach and Burne, and spent time with Park. Park had already learned a lot from her about her heritage, some new hand to hand techniques, and how to zone in on an individual with her mind. It was late one night when Eillia asked Park if she would mind if they could have a bonding session.
Park took a seat on the divan in the room where she’d first met Eillia. “Uh, I…sure, I guess. What does it entail?”
Eillia took a seat opposite her, pulling her legs up under her. “It’s very intimate, Park. More so than even sex. Because it’s a blending of minds, of lives, of experiences. It will bond us as family, but also as individuals. I will see into you, and you will see into me. You must be comfortable with this…this closeness.”
“You’ll see my past? How I was as a child?”
“I will. I missed your youth, I would love to see that with you.”
Park was quiet. Her eyes flickered away from Eillia. “What cautions you, child?”
“I…I had a pretty horrible life until I left my mother. I don’t think you want to see it.”
“To see where you come from, it will help me to know you more.”
“Since coming here, since merging with my amulet, I’ve been able to move past those days. They do not impact me anymore.”
“I’m grateful. Those moments are still powerful. They still made you who you are today. I will not invade those memories if you are not comfortable with it. The bonding is meant to bring clarity, closeness…joy. I would not have you unhappy.”
Within the silence of the room, Park considered the lovely woman casually seated across from her. It was bizarre to know she had been alive almost as long as the history of man. She wondered about the lives she’d led and times she’d lived through. It had to be amazing. More than that, in the past week, Park had felt her warmth, her heart. She felt she was already bonded to her.
“No, I want to. I want you to know me, and I want to know you. So, tell me what to do.”
“You’re sure?”
Soul deep dark eyes met deep ocean green. “I do,” Park said, and somewhere was aware that was a common phrase when taking another into your life. It seemed appropriate.
“Okay, then. Slide closer.”
Park pulled her legs up under her, like Eillia had done. She moved up until their knees touched, then Eillia took her hands. “Close your eyes and let your mind clear. I’ve locked the door and put an aura around it so no one will disturb us. It is just you, just me, in all the world. Empty your thoughts…I’ll guide you. Do you see the brightness?”
“Yes, it’s scattering through my thoughts.”
“Give it freedom. It is the mind’s eye.”
Eillia was quiet, and suddenly Park felt her with her together in their minds. Like they walked as one. She felt herself drawn backward, backward, the moments of her own life…in apartments all over the country with her mother, the yelling, anger, spitting. Her mother laughing as she and her friends smacked around the little red haired girl in drunken attacks. The sexual attention that, usually thank god, ended with her mother taking care of the person herself. The days without food, weeks without her mother even speaking to her. Days alone at a time with only a gallon of bottled water and boxes of dry cereal. Cruel taunts. Even crueler neglect. Flashes of moments when the little girl found solace in books her mother hadn’t taken away and burned before her eyes. The beginning of her power, a startled and ashamed little girl sure she was a very, very bad person. Because her mother always told her so. And through all that, the golden spirit of that child, who knew someday she would not be that unfortunate child, but free to live as she wished. It had been her only dream. That, and having someone hold her.
Park felt Eillia enter the mind of the child and infuse a serenity that had not been there before. The child cried tears of pure happiness to feel love, for the first time in her life. Park felt it well up from somewhere deep down inside her present self, a spot of total joy, left over from a childhood that had left her incapable of understanding love as a young woman. She felt somehow that the woman sitting on the divan was crying with her, too.
Then Eillia soared away…far from her own life…and the journey that followed was indescribable in its depth and breadth, covering centuries of history in the life of the most remarkable woman who had ever lived. Park knew this to be true. The moments she’d had, the loves won and lost, the purity of sex for its own sake, the events she’d lived through that forged the collective history and legacy of all mankind. Pain and love, and then pain again. Joy in its deepest form. She’d surrounded herself with the immortal, but there were people who she loved who aged and then died. Prompting her to forgo bonds with humans, who were too short lived and tragic because of that. So much living, so much life!
She knew she could not contain the immensity of experiences, moments, emotions, lives, loves, that Eillia had lived through scores and scores of years. And yet somehow, too, they were trapped and absorbed somewhere inside her. They filled her up and made her whole. Park felt brighter than the sun and larger than the universe. Was this how Eillia felt every day? Eillia wrapped her essence around Park and hugged her.
One thing resonated most from Eillia to Park. You will never be alone again. You will always be loved.
Then the vortex of time pulled away, faster, faster…she was torn from Eillia and bounced, mentally, into her own self. And for a moment she thought how big a lie she’d been told…she’d never felt so alone in all her life without Eillia’s life force inextricably intertwined with hers. Her body folded forward, her hands in Eillia’s, their foreheads touching. As the shuttering earth stabilized around her, her mind stepped in and found normality. They were back and it was okay. Eillia opened
her eyes and stared into Parks.
“Oh, darling, I had no idea she’d been so awful to you. I will kill her for that.”
“No. I’ve gone over this with Bas already. Her youth was hijacked, too. Who knows what she could have done in her life if this hadn’t touched her. I have no desire to see her dead. And I am through with those days. You can see that.”
“I can. And I could see your power. It’s daunting. I think you may be stronger than both your father and I together. And you have such a big heart. She deserved to die for how she treated you. But I will move beyond it.”
“Time will unwrap the mystery.”
As they became completely back to the present, aware of where and when they were, they grabbed each others arms and started laughing.
“What a ride!” Park exclaimed. “You’ve had such an amazing life!”
“And as much as I wish I could have saved you from the abuse of that awful woman, I think that, ultimately, it’s a great thing. I think it’s taught you compassion…and you might not have learned that with your father. He’s a good man, Park, but he’s a hard one. Life hasn’t been particularly kind to him. I think with your childhood, it has made you stronger in a way you may not yet know. Still, no child should be mistreated like that. Your mother is a criminal and I would gladly dispose of her.”
“As I requested, thank you, but no. Everything is okay now. I don’t wish to ever see her again, but I can forgive, if not forget. Especially because I think you’re right. I would not be who I am otherwise and right now, I’m pretty happy with who and where I am.”
A persistent banging from a distance suddenly seemed louder. Both women turned around and heard the banging on the door, their voices calling out to them.
“Oh, my spell has worn off. They’re probably freaking a little.” Eillia said and peeled off the couch while flipping her hand up, and the door opened. Park wondered if she could do that. She realized, surprised, that she probably could. Bas came in quickly, an automatic gun in his hands, followed by Jake, Zach, Vaz, and Hamid, all armed. Their eyes swept the room after noticing the two women on the couch together. Eugene entered with his weapon drawn. Cherise behind him, then Dez, Burne, the McCairns and Tim.
“We’re fine,” Eillia said. “You couldn’t have been knocking long.”
Everyone looked confused. Eillia laughed.
“I’m sorry, guys. I be-spelled the opening for a while for privacy. It broke too soon. Ordinarily, you would not have been able to enter, but you would not have wanted to. Sorry.”
Bas came over to Park, dropped down and put his hands on her. “You okay?”
She smiled her reassurance to him. “Better than ever. I am surrounded by people who I love.” She looked around the diversity in the room. “I realize I haven’t known you all that long, but I feel as if I have. I feel like we’re family. And we’ll beat our enemy because we are so strong together.” She looked at Eillia. “And…don’t worry about my father. I think we’ve got it. Thank you all, for your concern. I will never forget it.”
All these people were here to protect her and her child. She turned to Bas. “I’m very tired after my journey. Will you take me to our room?” She knew she would never tire of saying those two words…”our room.” A place where they would always be alone, where they would make love, hopefully for a very long eternity like Eillia and Hamid. She touched Eillia near her heart. “Thank you. I am so honored to have shared your journey.” Eillia bowed her head, and touched Park in the same place.
“You honor me as well. Sleep deeply, my dear. You really need rest after such an intense bonding.”
Later, with Bas asleep beside her, the household quiet and darkened to keep the daylight out, Park lay beside him, up on her side, looking at him. Her vision in the dark had increased exponentially since her powers had been unlocked by the spirit amulet. God, he was beautiful. She knew him…she could feel him more now than before. It wasn’t just the increase in her skills…it was the bond they were forging that was as deep as the one she’d forged with Eillia. No. Deeper. Stronger. She knew, with no doubt that they were meant to be together.
Zach was adjusting well. The only thing that had been hard was knowing how his friends were suffering…to them he’d just disappeared and was presumed dead. He’d asked Tim to pull up local news for Los Angeles, and it had been tough to see the speculation. His disappearance had been linked to Parks, foul play seemed certain, but they had no good leads. He hoped to hell Dwayne didn’t remember his vague reference to Vancouver and come looking…or tell the authorities. It was best if they both just remained mysteries that would be unsolved and eventually get buried in the cold case files. Which, he assumed, was what happened in most vampire conversion situations.
And Dez. She had decided they were best as only friends.
“I’m your Sire. I’m here to guide you into your vampire life…not be your sex toy. You’ll see there are endless possibilities for that.” Her statement had fallen on pissed off ears. Zach wasn’t a twelve year old with a stiffie and the hots for a girl he couldn’t keep it down around. He knew they were incredible together. He knew she did too.
Zach countered her statement. “Alright. You think we’re better off looking for sexual attachments elsewhere. Okay. Can you get me a hot girl for my next blood meal?”
He saw her flinch. A little. She controlled it, enough that if he hadn’t really been watching her, he would have missed it. But she did. It didn’t make her happy that he wanted a sex partner with his next blood meal.
“Yeah, don’t have a problem with that, but Bas will. He doesn’t want us to compel our meals for anything more than that. He thinks sex should be consensual.”
“Not a problem. I’ll compel her for the blood, I won’t need to for sex. Have you seen my equipment? Why yes, you have. Yeah, doubt she’ll turn me down. Plus, I’m a really charming guy. Add the dream quality bod with my irresistible charm, she’ll throw me down on the sheets.”
Dez looked pissed enough to eat nails. She hesitated, and then pulled her cell out, dialed. “Yeah, Eugene? Get Zach a cheerleader type blonde for his next meal.” After she barked out the order, she shoved the cell into her back pocket and turned to him. “There. Done. Like I give a shit what you do.” She walked away without looking back.
Zach smiled. Yes, she did. He’d play it out. Eugene would bring his blood meal to his chambers around midnight after the breakfast buffet. He’d learned he only needed to take blood every two or three days. Although he’d been feeding only on Dez’s blood until just a week ago, he’d started on pure human blood this past week. It tasted different, and left him calmer. Vampire blood was hi test and gave him a buzz much like strong alcohol used to. He’d heard about Park’s blood, and although he was curious, he knew he’d be a dead vampire if he asked to try it. Plus, his relationship with her had developed to that similar to siblings, and he thought it might be awkward with her, given the potentially sexual nature of feeding. He looked forward to tomorrow night. Right now, he was exhausted, which he was finding increasingly normal how that his body was completely converted. Daybreak brought an intense need to sleep. He peeled off all his clothes, made sure his uv blocking wall was in place, and dropped onto his bed. He was out in moments.
While the rest of the vampires in the household went to rest, Eillia took a moment to make a call while Hamid massaged her slim back. God, he was good. She almost moaned, but her call connected.
“Hey,” she said casually, in perfect French. “Just checking in. Haven’t spoken in a while. How’s it going?”
The man at the other end of the call responded in French as well. “Good. Mostly. Niggling headache, which I normally never get. It doesn’t seem to go away no matter how much I feed or rest. Persistent son of a bitch. Otherwise, good. Are you at home?”
“No, visiting an old friend. That’s what made me think of you. We should get together sometime this year. I miss you old friend.”
“I’ve missed you as well,
dear woman. I could use that friendship now, in light of circumstance. It’s been a hard decade.”
“I know, my dear. I’ll be returning home within a few weeks. We’ll meet up.”
“I’d love to. I’ve had an odd…I’m not sure how to describe it…an odd sensation. Almost premonitory, like something is happening…or going to. I can’t shake it. I suspect it’s where the headache stems from. Give me a chime when you’re back, dear lady, and we’ll get shit faced together and maybe you can help me.”
“All you need, dear Koen. I am now, as always, at your service. Be kind to yourself…you have a habit of not doing so.”
“I know this. It seems kindness doesn’t know me right now. But I’ll try. For you. Tchifidh me thu gan mhoill, a chara.” He rung off.
Eillia knew he was troubled…he’d switched to Gaelic to tell her he’d see her soon. She moaned as Hamid massaged between her legs. Then she said, “He doesn’t know. But he’s beginning to.”
Hamid nodded as he removed all thought of Koen from his lady’s mind. The problems would wait until the next day. They always did. And the last thing he wanted his woman to be doing tonight was thinking about another man.
144
Chapter Twenty
Jake called the entire household to a strategy meeting the following night. Only his sentries were excluded. Bas sat with two of the most beautiful women he’d ever known on each side of him and thought how different this moment was than what he expected when he first headed back to this stronghold after the attacks had begun. That he had a child on the way…there was nothing in this world that seemed more impossible. And yet it was true. He’d best this psycho idiot and make a safe home for his unexpected family.
“I just wanted to relay all details of this battle to everyone at once to be certain no one was missed. Bas has had recon teams out, and Tim here has been doing some deep surveillance. We’ve found where we believe Shanks and his crew are staying. So far, no sighting of the main culprit here, but that’s no surprise. He’s clever, to have come this far. Not clever enough, but he’ll find that out soon. From what we’ve been able to put together, they’re not ready yet for the attack. It appears they’re putting together a vampire army, new vampires…and that takes time. He knows what he’s facing here, so if he has a chance of doing any damage at all, he’ll have to have a lot of newbies, since we can slice them down without breaking sweat. We haven’t been able to get an exact count of what he has already. We don’t think they’re close to ready, since he has to know he can’t hit us with too small a force, or it will be a bloodbath for his guys. And we’ll just retire to lunch afterward. Still, we got caught once before, we won’t be again.
