Release

by C. M. Steele

  “Thank you, Charlotte. Rest well.”

  “When will you be leaving to the castle?” Draco asked me.

  “In about eight hours. I want to make sure all those in the darkness can hear what I have to say.” My people needed reassurance that we were doing well. And that the battle had been truly victorious for us. Regardless of the massive battle, we came out strong.

  “Will you tell them about your daughter?” he asked. I hadn’t thought about that enough. It crossed my mind initially, but then the sirens rang out and it had to be forgotten.

  “I don’t know. That is a good question. Charlotte, do you know if it would be for the best or should I protect the secret?”

  “Shout it from the rooftops. The people need something to hold onto after this massive battle,” Charlotte told us.

  I nodded. “Great, I shall make the announcement after dinner.”

  I teleported from the room into ours. Nora settled the baby in her cradle before resting in our bed. She turned to me with a smile. “You seem happier.”

  “I am, my Queen. Being around you soothes my aching soul.” I stripped down to my boxers and undershirt, then climbed into bed with my lovely mate.

  “Yes, of course. But what news from Charlotte?”

  “He will speak. And it’s best if we inform the people immediately of our daughter’s birth.”

  She released a deep sigh. “I considered doing the same. Rest my love, we only have a few hours.”

  ~~~~

  The slight nap did a great deal of good for all of us. Several hours later and we were all refreshed and ready to eat and discuss.

  “Feed the little one, and I’ll be right back with our food.” I teleported outside a burger place in Seattle, ordered our food then turned into an alley and teleported back to the island. They were all gathered in the main dining hall ready to eat. I picked up enough food for ten of us. Hopefully, it will be enough.

  “Hmm…it smells so good,” Charlotte moaned, reaching for a bag of burgers. I had to agree the smell was incredible. We hadn’t eaten in a whole day and the women were probably more ravenous than us.

  The babies were in their little cradles resting between us while we ate. After glancing at my angel, I took another bite of my cheeseburger. I was starving more than I believed. I managed to polish off two burgers rapidly.

  Nora took a drink of water, swallowing down the healthy bite she took, then added, “Should I come with you? With our baby girl?”

  I wanted to take her with but wasn’t sure of the risk. “What do you believe we should do, Charlotte?” She was the one who could let me know if it was worth the risk of transporting my family.

  “You must go with. They must have the thread of proof you can provide with your daughter.”

  Nora gasped, looking at the baby and back to me. “What is her name going to be, Falcon? We haven’t given her a name. Heavens I’m such a bad mother already,” Nora panicked, clutching my arm and looking up into my eyes.

  “You’re not a bad mother. It is hard to decide. They keep it for forever, you know. Besides, none of us thought you’d have a girl,” Charlotte explained, grasping Nora’s hand across the table and giving a quick squeeze.

  “She’s right, my queen. We can consider her name.” I shrugged and started to think. What would be a perfect name? She was special. She was the hope we all had. And that was when it came to me. “Speranza?” I offered. It was the first name that popped into my head. “It’s Italian for hope.”

  “It’s perfect,” Nora cheered, squeezing my arm again. “Speranza,” she whispered down to our little girl. The baby cooed in her sleep, sounding as if she liked her name as well. I stood up and pulled Nora from her chair. Without a word, I wrapped an arm around her waist and bent down for a kiss. My hand reached her ass and gave a squeeze. She gasped, and I let go as Draco and Charlotte start laughing.

  “Sorry, my love. I couldn’t stop myself. You look so radiant when you’re happy. I love you, my queen,” I whispered against her lips. “Mm… you taste delicious,” I murmured, moving my tongue along the seam of her lips, losing myself.

  “It’s the burgers,” she moaned. I could feel the giggle as my hand caressed her neck.

  “Nope, definitely all Nora,” I grunted out, rubbing my thumb across her jaw. I lowered my mouth, kissing her soft lips again.

  “Um, can you two finish? Then maybe you can go and welcome the world to little Speranza?” Charlotte asked, giving us a smirk and a shake of her head.

  “Sorry about that,” I muttered, sitting back down with Nora in my lap. “Finish your food, my world. We need to make the announcement soon.”

  “I will if you let me go,” she pointed out.

  “Why, you can sit right where you’re at.” I grabbed her burger that rested on the wrapper and dragged it across the table, setting it in front of her. “I can’t stop holding you, Nora.” The constant worry that something would go wrong muddled about in my brain most of the time, but I want her close because it felt so damn good.

  “I’m not complaining. It’s just going to take me longer to finish.” Your cock is pressed against my pussy.

  She finished that part telepathically, making me groan. She’d be ready for me in two days, but I wanted her right now. I moved her back to her seat. “Can’t have you delaying us.”

  Really? Me? She laughed at me, shaking her head and blushing. My mate was so perfect, I longed to possess her all day and night.

  A few minutes later we were finished eating.

  We prepared ourselves to address the soldiers and their families, then we bundled up the baby. Nora nestled her to her chest, and I wrapped Nora up in my arms. “We’ll be back shortly,” I told Draco and Charlotte. Then we were gone.

  We were in the courtyard of the castle. Most of the debris had been cleared away and some framework had already been gathered. We had speed and strength to our advantage. In two days, the castle would have the exterior completely rebuilt. The final details and such would take at least two weeks as we waited for the supplies from Draco’s seller.

  Many of our men were skilled in homebuilding over the centuries. Half the soldiers and staff resting while the others worked hard when we arrived. They took shifts allowing those in the dark to rest during the day and they switched at night.

  “Attention,” I called out. I kept Nora covered, waiting for them to gather before we revealed the truth. “Everyone, please come here.”

  It took less than a minute for even those who were sleeping to surround the courtyard.

  “Hello everyone. There’s something I must share. My beloved mate has had our child.” Gasps and cheers erupted. Nora moved from around me with the green blanket holding her. “I would love to introduce you to Speranza. Our little ray of hope.” Nora uncovered her face and showed the crowd our beautiful miracle.

  “Speranza! Speranza!” they cheered. “All hail the King and Queen!” More cheers for our future resounded through the night air.

  “Thank you,” Leonora told them, holding our little girl close to her chest. “Thank you all. We will do all that needs to be done to end this war. She brings us the hope that we all long for. A day when we no longer have to live in fear. One day we will all be able to walk in the sunlight. Give us more time to make it happen. It’s been a very long day and night for all of us. I’m sure we could all use some rest. Please get some and we can reconvene tomorrow night. Right, Falcon?” I gave her a nod. I had no idea that she was going to take over giving a powerful speech. I smiled the whole time. She couldn’t have made me any prouder. “Thank you again, but my daughter and I must rest.” They cheered us over and over.

  I raised my hand to silence them for a moment. Once they were quiet, I spoke, “Thank you all. Let us thank all those who lost the battle for us. We will be victorious if my mother’s words were true. The birth of our daughter only adds credence to their life given in honor and with purpose. Rest and feast well. More supplies and food will arrive for the mornin
g. Goodnight.”

  I clutched onto Leonora’s waist and she tightened her grip on Speranza, then we teleported back to the island.

  Chapter 7

  Stavros

  The Lombardi castle lay in ruins. The days were numbered for Falcon and his mate. I had had enough of them all. He wasn’t as powerful as me. And soon he would be joining his mother who couldn’t stop me. Their island may be impenetrable for now. But as their weapon supply becomes depleted the attack will be effortless. We had the help of human military leaders on our side. They were easily manipulated. A promise of eternal life made them my puppets and fear convinced the rest. With their men, my army’s size had quadrupled to ten thousand strong. Even with the recent losses, my army was larger than Falcon’s forces. He thought that he could beat us, but he would be sorely mistaken.

  I had an ace up my sleeve, their scientist. If I found the cure first, all those afflicted would come to me, pleading for leniency and paying for the antidote. Falcon would have nothing to bring them to his side.

  I checked in on my prisoner. He worked in the belief that his family would be spared and worked twice as hard. They were living and breathing, but I had no interest in sparing any of them. Once he gave me the cure, my men would finish them all off. The guards never left them alone for one minute. They were all in different cells.

  "Vigo? Do you have something for me?" I asked my pathetic victim. He was an easy capture; Falcon underestimated me like the arrogant fool he was, and I destroyed all their work in the process. It made me laugh repeatedly. They didn’t know my secret. The only one of my kind. It was truly hilarious to me that I had been able to easily escape without being discovered for centuries.

  He threw down a notepad onto the counter. His ire clear as day. It didn’t affect me at all, but then again, I held all the cards. "No, I don't. You destroyed my lab with everything I've been researching for centuries. I'm starting off in a new lab blind."

  "Don't tell me you don't remember anything. I know that’s a fucking lie. Don’t test me, Vigo. Get to fucking work, you worthless weakling.” He came off as a lame vampire and I couldn’t wait to chop his head off.

  “Remember, if you kill any one of my kids or my mate, you’ll get nothing from me. Nothing at all. I’d rather die than live without them.” The bastard had a point, but I hated him. He was a friend to Falcon and Falcon’s mate who happened to be a scientist herself. If only she had been the one in the lab instead of this fuck, I would have pulled off the biggest coup. Having her at my mercy would be the ultimate satisfaction. In fact, I had to capture her. Ending her life would be the perfect way to destroy Falcon.

  One of my men, Emory, entered the lab, breathing rapidly. Seriously, they were fucking vampires and they were weak. "My Lord, the girl has been born,” he sputtered out.

  "What!" I roared, my ears ringing with rage and uncontrollable bloodlust. My face reddened as I waited to hear more. He blanched, freezing in place.

  “Tell me before I rip your throat out,” I bite out, lunging forward with my hand on his throat.

  "She has. Lombardi..." he choked out. I released my hold, stepping back and letting it sink in for a moment. My rage simmering to a new level.

  "Falcon's mate birthed a girl?" I asked, my head twisting slightly. I knew that his mother had prophesized this, but until now, nothing had given it any credence. In fact, I believed many felt it was becoming less likely that the prophecy would materialize.

  "Yes, sire,” he sheepishly answered. I wanted to rip his head off for giving me such terrible news, but I was already running low on useful soldiers and I would need them now more than ever.

  "I will kill them myself,” I declared. I would find them and attack when they didn’t expect it. I left them there, wishing to be alone. My headquarters had been reminiscent of a bunker. I hated living in the shadows.

  Stop regretting the decisions Kyros.

  Woman, please leave it alone.

  You’re becoming weak, Stavros. Not the man I mated with.

  You haven’t given me a child, so please don’t speak about weak.

  Maybe it’s you that’s the problem. A shame we’re mated. I’ll be in bed when you’re ready to work out that weakness. The witch knows what I need. She was in for it tonight. Centuries of forced darkness has made her bitter, but a good fucking will calm her down. It always did. No walking for a full day.

  Chapter 8

  Falcon

  Two days after the births, I awoke with three messages from the police in Washington. They wanted to meet with me at my earliest convenience about the explosions. With no real leads, it looked like I was out for the insurance. I hated cops sometimes, but in some ways, it wasn’t their fault. They had no idea that I had a deadly enemy with the power to rule the world. If I wanted to keep our lives a secret, then I needed to take their nonsense and convince them otherwise.

  The last call caused Nora to stir, ticking me off. She had been up feeding Speranza just two hours ago and needed her rest. I wanted to make love to her, but my mate was running ragged for the people, the baby, and myself. It took more out of our mates because they were new vampires. They got pregnant as they became vampires and they hadn’t built up their strengths before it was challenged.

  “Go back to sleep, Nora,” I told her, hoping that she’d actually listen to me.

  “What’s going on?” she asked, sitting up in bed. The bed sheet fell slightly, and her milky breasts leaked just a drop; I wanted some. Feral and horny, I’d growled and left the room. I was in the shower, stroking my hard cock. I need you too, Falcon. It’s only one more day. Stroke it, for me. Goodness, I want to feel your hardness deep inside me, claiming, staking, and owning me until I beg to come.

  Damn it, Nora. I love you. I’m coming.

  I love you, too.

  I finished my shower faster than normal because I could hear my little ray of sunshine wake up to be fed again. Once I entered our room my lovely mate had a big wicked smile for me. I took a whiff and knew it wasn’t because of our exchange.

  “You can call it returning the favor.” She handed little Speranza to me, then tucked herself under the covers and rolled to her side to go back to sleep.

  “I have to go to back home to Washington today,” I mentioned as I changed my baby girl.

  “Why? Was that what the call was about?” she asked, rolling onto her back. She tossed off the covers, forgetting all about sleep. She got up waiting for me to respond, then she helped me with the little one. I could wield a weapon with an elegant precise and flare, but I couldn’t change a diaper without wasting thirty wipes. If there was anything that could make me feel more human, it was this.

  “Yes, it was the police. They have more questions.” I frowned because I knew that they would try my patience. They didn’t like when I gave them all the answers. Hoping I’d slip up, they’d change the questions around, but it never worked. Sometimes, I had to play submissive with them in order to leave. Many of them had a complex to be the alpha dog, not knowing that superior beings lived among them.

  “Goodness, can’t they just leave us alone?” she complained, wrapping up our little girl in a blanket. She cradled her in her loving arms, but then I snatched my sweet baby. I held her close to me.

  “If we’d been anyone else, we’d love their diligence,” I reminded her, then cupped her cheek and kissed her lips.

  “I suppose, but you’ve been busy enough.” She pulled away from me. I set the baby down in her cradle and rushed to my wife, slipping my arms around her.

  “Are you feeling neglected, Nora?” I whispered in her ear, breathing heavily with concern. My heart couldn’t take that she was lonely.

  She looked up at me with her lovely, sweet gaze that made it hard to leave. “No, Falcon. I just know it’s only going to get worse as the war explodes.”

  I brushed my hand down her cheek, loving the way she pressed her face into it. “You are my priority. No one, and I mean, no one means more. You’re my mate. I
live solely for you. If you call, I’ll be right there.”

  “I know you will. I just don’t want to be that added trouble for you.”

  “Love, since I met you all other things become bothersome. You, on the other hand, are all I live for. Come, Speranza’s asleep. I’m going to lay her down and then spend the rest of the night holding you. I’ll head over to meet them tomorrow. After all, they have no idea that it takes me only seconds to get there.”

  I kissed her, then carried her to bed. We laid there, talking about the future, making fanciful plans after the war ended.

  For the first time, we had a hope for more.

  ~~~~

  I arrived back in Seattle, leaving Nora and Speranza with Draco and Gideon as her protectors. The thought of something happening to her made me anxious, but I knew that I had their loyalty. The city was in the midst of a hard rain storm. I hopped in the rental I pre-ordered before my arrival, supposedly by plane. “I have plans to return the vehicle today. Is there a drop off box?”

  “Yes, sir. You can pull into the lot and send the keys down the chute near the door.”

  “Thank you,” I said, smiling before taking the keys and heading to the police station. The ride took about fifteen minutes. Not the fastest way for me to get there, but sometimes you had to do what you had to do. The station was crowded, and thoughts ran screaming through the room into my ears. I shut them all out and I made my way to the desk where an overly worked officer who was hearing it from a woman with an ax to grind about a parking ticket. He’d just gotten her to calm down when I approached him. “Cheer up. You know she’s just trying to get out of it.”

  “I know. How can I help you, sir?” he asked. At least someone’s not a dick today.

  “I’m here to see…”

  “Aw Dr. Lombardi, I’m so glad you could make it on such short notice,” Detective Norton interrupted, smiling as he approached and stuck out his hand. I shook the chubby hand with a little extra pressure, forcing a grimace from him.