by Unknown
“Your ranks murdered my father, an innocent man who protected our secret existence. He sacrificed everything to ensure I was hidden and no one else discovered the truth. You knew this when you executed him. You broke his neck right in front of me!” Kai screamed slamming his fist on the table. I was at his side in a millisecond hoping I could reign him back in. I couldn’t allow him to do something he might regret.
“Kai,” I whispered gently rubbing his arm. He looked at me with tears in the basins of his eyes on the verge of spilling. “Thank you.” I waited for him to compose himself. He stared into my honey brown eyes while he pulled himself back together and calmed down.
I returned to the head of the table and looked at the High Authorities. Vamps live for so long and typically we slowly lose our humanity along the way. When you witness the world in its evolution of war, democratic impulses and downward spirals of deceit acting out on constant societal secret missions of blunder, you harden yourself to the reaction. You begin to close yourself off little by little no longer fazed by repetition or delivery. You’ve seen history repeat itself several times after a hundred years, let alone four hundred. It’s not that you can’t be impacted; it’s that you won’t allow yourself to be for it shows vulnerability.
A tough exterior is needed to survive. Weakness in our world is human emotion. Being married to a mortal in our world is considered a tragic mistake. A vamp will always have the upper hand over you since you feed your human side every day you live with them. You will forever be an easy target of abomination when your partner can’t keep up and is easily killed. You weaken yourself for the length of their existence for you will always be fighting to keep them alive and protected, rather than keeping yourself alive and prized for war.
Our kinds were at odds with each other, easily roused up and egged on. We live for action since we live for so long without it. No vampire lives by a schedule; we live by our impulses. If we feel rowdy, we play with our food. If that’s not enough, we spice up the hunt by seeking out our own. And for many vampires, that’s how they were initiated into attacking vampeens and vice versa.
Looking at the right side of the table, the High Authorities appeared controlled, but you could see the hint of emotional relation buried far behind their eyes. We’d all lost loved ones, but to witness their murder, especially with a parent, was a play of torment. Even they couldn’t deny that.
“Laurence, why has the Vamp Army been at odds with the Bladangs? This has been going on for over a century,” I prompted.
“They attacked us for the first time exactly forty years prior to Pearl Harbor in our Waikiki base. It was a slaughter. They killed every last officer on the island. We do not sit back and allow our enemies to descend without repercussions,” he stated defensively.
“Kalel. Was this attack your retaliation in honor of your father?”
“Yes and we would do it again to protect our family name,” he stood straight across from Laurence and never looked away when delivering his answer. His hand was poised and fingers flickering ready to withdraw his dagger should anyone breathe wrong.
“Kalel, calm down. We are discussing and preparing to negotiate,” I warned. He looked back and forth between me and Laurence, his jaw taunt and defiant. He finally nodded once in agreement.
“Do I have your permission to speak freely without offending anyone?” I looked at both parties around the table.
“You’re in America Lex. Say whatever you want,” Gabi said giving me a controlled smile. I knew she wasn’t angry with me, moreso trying to uphold appearances for the ranks.
“Yes Alexa. You may speak your mind. We’re not as ignorant as you may assume,” Felipe stated. His claws were out.
“Do we agree that this enemy clans thing started with the attack in Hawaii?”
“No, it started with the murder of my father,” Kai disputed. He clutched the chair in front of him harshly. No one sat down preferring to stand at attention to protect themselves from quick moves.
“Understood. Your war started in Waikiki with the murder of your father. And Laurence, yours began with their retaliation, correct?” He nodded in agreement.
“Get to the point,” Auggy huffed.
“I’m getting there. Work with me,” I shot back.
“Auggy, go along with Alexa. I have relinquished control of this session to her,” Laurence defended my approach.
“Laurence, Auggy, Felipe, had your mother or father been tortured and murdered in front of you while you were restrained and prevented from defending them, would you consider yourself scarred in some way?”
“No.” Of course Auggy had to rebel.
“Who is your closest friend or family member?”
“I don’t have any.”
“Who raised you?”
“That’s none of your business.”
“Why?”
“My personal life has nothing to do with this meeting.”
“It does when it’s involved in my point. The longer you hold off telling me, the longer it’ll take to be over with.” I felt my mother cringing behind me and Kellan tensing beside me.
“Since when did you become an obnoxious spoiled brat?!”
“Since you became an arrogant military hardhead!” He burst into laughter. We all looked at him crookedly.
“You are my best weapon. No one would have ever spoken to me like that except my grandmother. She is the one that raised me.”
“Is she still alive?” I asked softly returning to my sweet Southern mannerism.
“No,” he answered. I completed a quick movement of his fingers on his chest and shoulders before kissing them upwards. It took me a minute to realize they were the motions of a practicing Catholic and a sign of homage and respect to his grandmother.
“How did she die?”
“Old age.”
“Did you love her?”
“Of course I loved her,” his voiced went up defensively.
“Would you allow someone to harm her?”
“Never!”
“Should someone have kidnapped her? What would you have done?”
“Hunted him down and killed…” He knew where I was going the moment he blurted his response though he’d cut himself off.
“I think you just realized my point.” I turned my attention back to everyone else as the table. “Listen, I’m not saying murder and revenge are right. They go against the Bible and everything I personally believe. But as a vampire, you have very few attachments to another being in life. Most of the time they stem from your days as a human. And should that be ripped away from you in the manner that it was from Kai, I think we all agree his actions are in line with our own had it have been us. Is this an agreeable statement Laurence?”
He reluctantly shelled out a small, “Yes.”
“Agreeing to that statement, you are also saying that though his actions weren’t right that they are forgivable given his circumstances. Do you still issue a yes as your response?”
Laurence cut his eyes at me. He was boiling beneath the surface I could tell which issued me a clear warning to watch what I said. “Yes. Get on with it.”
“Kalel, they have issued a stand to withdraw formal responsibility of the events in Hawaii from you and your group under the pass of impaired judgment due to grievance. Do you accept?”
“That is not my choice,” he motioned to Kai.
“Kai, do you accept?”
“I guess,” he sighed.
“I’m not saying their unit was right for killing your father. In my opinion, it was out of line with their code of conduct and they should have been dealt with by the High Authorities prior to your attack nearly fifty years later. They were conducting business in an underhanded way which made your army look bad,” I said shifting from Kai to Auggy. “Regardless, what’s done is done. We can’t change what has happened but we can change right now. Would you consider the vamp army an asset should they be on your side defending your camp?” I asked directly to Kai, Kal
el and Gabi. They all agreed. “And would you find the Bladangs an asset to your establishment as an ally and resource in all you’re trying to accomplish?” I asked to Laurence, Felipe, Auggy, Mr. Hartford.
“Their weapons and advanced technologies would be a huge asset to us,” Auggy stated, finally on board with me.
“Exactly. I know it’s hard to forget the past but remember, the past is held onto by emotions. And you are not making emotional deals right now, you’re making business deals. You each have something the other wants and can use. Now remember that when you start negotiating. This is huge. You will literally be a world empire at the end of this meeting should you work together. No one and nothing can stop you. But if you don’t come to an agreement by the end of this, you will have an enemy that now knows each of your weaknesses. So it’s in your best interest now as business men and defending units to work this out.” I wanted to pump them up. Remind them of what was at stake if they couldn’t agree to something, remind them of the chances they were taking but also help them envision the potential rewards. This was huge. The two groups coming together in our world is like the US allying with every middle Eastern country.
“Well said Alexa. I believe you have a future in law,” Laurence said.
“Thank you for the introduction and mediation Leka. You have opened our eyes I believe,” Kalel praised.
“I hope so. I really believe that you two coming together is one of the greatest movements in my time,” I smiled shyly. I appreciated the praise, but I really was just trying to stand tall and do in the vamp world what many wished they could accomplish in the human realm.
Chapter 18
“Is there anything else you wanted to touch on or discuss prior to presenting your terms to each other?” I offered quickly returning to business mode. The separate teams spoke amongst each other in whispers which were audible but hopefully ignored by both parties as an early sign of respect.
“No,” Laurence stated on behalf of the High Authorities.
“No,” Kalel spoke on behalf of the Bladang Leaders.
“Perfect. Laurence, Felipe, Auggy and Mr. Hartford, you will present first. Kalel, Kai, Gabi and even you Rafi, you are not to argue any points throughout their presentation. Once they finish, you may present your own terms and issue a response to their requests. Once you do that, Laurence, your team can respond to their counter offers and claims. Kalel, it will work the same. We will take turns, back and forth until both sides have reached an agreeable contract of conditions. I am a neutral party and therefore my mother is a neutral party so Mom?” I turned to her. She appeared quickly at my side. “Will you please type up the full contract at the end? You’re a real estate agent so I figure you’re perfect for the job.”
She lit up as if the President asked her to be his Vice. “I would be honored to,” she dutifully replied.
“When she has finished the agreement, everyone will sign and date it. Do each of you have your seals?”
“Yes,” Felipe replied.
“Yes,” Gabi confirmed.
“Great, then we can finish it all tonight and get on with life. Laurence, your team may begin,” I passed the leader role on to him for the moment. I pulled out the chair in front of me and sat down to listen to the High Authorities deliver. Inside I was screaming with excitement. I didn’t know who that girl was that had spoken with such candor and control but I loved her. I felt like I was on top of the world. In human terms, I’d just conducted a meeting between two country leaders at war and they respected me, listened to me and best of all, they accepted my rules instead of insisting on their own. That was unheard of! I’d officially accepted the role of Vampbassador… hehe. Couldn’t resist the cliché title!
Three hours… it took the High Authorities three hours to get through their terms list. This part of it I could not get into. Granted, it’s important but it’s like being stuck in a three hour board meeting about peanut butter when you’re a marketing firm. The Blandang Leaders took the stand. They actually sat down midway through taking my lead; it was a major move on their part. They were agreeing to trust the vamp army leaders at least to not attack them.
Another three hours went by. The sun was up and humans going about their daily routine outside before Kalel, Kai, Gabi and Rafi finished their portion. Back and forth negotiations continued for another four hours. This was worse than school; this was borderline torture. Why did I agree to this position again?
“We have our final outline,” Laurence announced.
“Yes, we have reached an agreement,” Kalel confirmed.
“Mom, please go with Kalel and Laurence to type the final paper. Everyone else, sit tight,” I smiled.
“Kai, I like your tribal art. How many do you have?” Auggy asked. It caught me off guard. The last thing I pictured these two discussing was tattoos.
“They are part of your right of passage, or they were for me anyways. I have five of them,” he took off his jacket and roll up his sleeves to show them off. I assumed Auggy had seen them before and that’s how he knew or perhaps his spies were fans of them too. Who knows. All I wanted to do was crawl into bed beside Kellan, the man who’d stuck by my side through all of this and try to forget about Kai, the man who would simply be a flavor of the month. Ok, so I would be his flavor of the month…
“Felipe, donde tu eres?” Gabi asked. Felipe lit up and immediately slipped into a cross between Spanish and Italian which seemed to be understood by Gabi.
I was trying to avoid only one person at the table and perhaps I didn’t include him like I should have but I couldn’t help but be angry at Mel’s father. Did he have any idea of what he had put her through in his disappearance?! Worse, did he know what situation he was putting me in by him being here?! He had to have known it was my house and me who would be here.
“Lexi, I know I’m not your favorite person right now but I would like the opportunity to speak with you at some point. You are my only chance at seeing my baby girl again,” he offered moving down towards me. He stood beside me waiting for me to say something.
“What kind of vamp are you?”
“Vampeen. Now you know why I need to speak with Melanie,” he sighed. I heard the defeated strain in his answer.
“I know it’s against the rules but she does know about me; no titles though to protect her. That should make it easier. She’s also started dating a vampeen, a friend of Kellan’s,” I motioned towards Kellan.
He didn’t say anything. I didn’t know if I’d offered too much too soon or what... But then I felt it. A single tear splashed down on me. I looked up at him. He had no emotion splayed on his face; he was controlling every part of him. I stood up and positioned myself in front of him.
“She’s a great girl and I’m sure she will forgive you when she finds out the truth. It won’t be easy because you could have stayed and explained it to her when the time was right as my parents did. But she’ll need you. She’ll have questions that I’m too new to answer. She’ll need you,” I stated.
“I hope so,” he finally offered.
“I won’t say anything to Mel about it right now. It’s your place to tell her. Just promise me you won’t procrastinate.”
“She’ll find out. Her mother is one too.” His voice was chilling as he spoke the answer.
“But…I… How…” I stuttered caught off guard. I’d never suspected anything. Mel’s mom looked young, but supposedly had had multiple plastic surgeries. Damn my nose I couldn’t smell her… and, but… Kellan would have said something had he picked up on it. He was at my side intrigued as well.
“Lexi can’t smell blood, humans or vamps but I’ve never picked up on it. I’ve met Mel’s mother several times,” Kellan said.
“And you won’t. She’s paid a lot to ensure that. She’s wanted in our world by many and not for her looks.” I gasped. That explained it. That explained why Mel was limited to me as a friend. Her Mom must have known my parents weren’t a threat; I wondered if they knew. This…
this made so much sense now. Why her Mom was so overprotective and off in so many little ways. Perhaps this was why they’d divorced and she probably fought to keep the kids. The kids were her only reason to stay here and not live a life on the run; they kept her grounded and sane. This also explained why they’d moved so much. But why would she have been wanted by so many in our world? What had she done?
“I’ll make sure Lexi calls you to set something up. We won’t discuss this with anyone. We both love Mel and don’t want to see her or Kyle hurt,” Kellan spoke for me since my voice was gone. The wind had been knocked out of me. Was anything in life as it seemed anymore?!
“Here is my card. That’s my cell. You’ll have to protect your thoughts around her mother, she has that gift. I don’t so I can’t tell if you’ve blocked yours or not. Be careful. She’s good at what she does,” he warned.
“And what does she do?” I asked.
“She’s a vamp assassin.” I officially drove ninety miles-per-hour into the brick building and crashed. Craig!
“Why… why haven’t you turned her in?” I pressed.
“Because it would destroy my children. They’ve been through enough and will go through more I can’t control. I don’t want to add to it.” That one answer proved his love and devotion.
“Now, wait. Does she kill anyone she wants or do people hire her? Mel’s boyfriend is a vamp,” I tried to remain calm though inside I was screaming and trying to keep from passing out.
“You can relax. She’s hired and paid very well.” I let out the breath I didn’t know I was holding, but felt no less at ease with the situation. I suppose it made sense since a vampeen was the only thing capable of keeping up with a vampire to axe them and vice versa, but still…
“Th..Than…” I sighed frustrated and overwhelmed. “Thank you,” I finally managed. He nodded and returned to his seat. I was officially spooked. I’d immediately thought of Gran. Had someone hired an assassin like Mel’s Mom to kill her?
