by R M Taylor
He was bracing himself for a text back from Lina refusing permission for her to stay, given that they had so many issues at the moment. An extra shifter on board was yet one more person to be concerned about. There were 7 adult shifters living in their coven, most mates of turned vampires. They all had kids, who were shifters too, but these were Lynx or wolf shifters, relatively small and not as much of a risk as a dragon. He would have to be careful when he explained to Lina, if she thought the situation too perilous she would want Lucy gone. A stressed shifter is an unpredictable one, sometimes their shifts can become involuntary as the animal inside tries to defend itself against the perceived threat. If Lina thought Lucy was a liability she would order him to make her leave. Which he would do, but he would be going with her.
Chapter 24
He lay waiting for the reply for Lina and as time went by he was growing concerned at her lack of response. He heard a knock at his door and he rolled out of bed and grabbed some PJs from his drawers, pulling them on as he walked to answer the door. It had better not be Isobel he thought, he was already fed up with her. He yanked the door open, ready to give her a mouthful for bugging him for the second time in as many days. His mentor Will stood in front of him, looking grim.
“Will, everything ok? I have company…...” Aris opened the door further to let him in. Will entered and took a seat on the sofa, clearly wanting to talk.
“I needed to speak to you, I was with Lina when you texted her. I thought you had more sense than this Aris, I tried to explain…” but as Will launched into his dialogue Aris cut across Will’s sentence.
“I know, Will I understand, she’s a powerful shifter, dangerous family, her blood will be potent I may not be able to stop. Look, I took her blood, she asked me to, it wasn’t a lapse in control, and everything was fine, I’m a little high but apart from that fine. She’s a rare dragon, I know that. Her family might not like her being with a vampire, we can’t afford bad press now, yadda yadda yadda I get all that, but I like her a lot Will, I’ll make it work” Aris said, his voice rising in frustration. He dropped into the chair opposite his mentor and tried not to glare at him in annoyance.
“Aris, she’s Sofia’s daughter” Will said reluctantly. He waited for the words to sink in and then continued.
“I’m sorry, I would have told you yesterday, but I honestly thought my warning was enough. I did not want to drag up the past and cause you more pain. When Lina said she was here, I had to come and tell you” Will said sadly. He waited for a reaction, any reaction at all but Aris was silent, he looked white, and he stared at Will in shock. Seconds passed.
“How do you know? We had no idea who Sofia was, and no idea she was a dragon shifter, I assumed she was a tiger due to her scent, how do you know Lucy is her daughter?” Aris asked quietly.
“I managed to trace Sofia years ago. We needed to make sure there were no signs she was involved with you, that no-one linked you to her. I traced her through two people in the club who knew enough about her to give me enough clues to find her family. She scented of tiger because of her mate, he was a tiger, so it must have lingered on her. You were a young vampire, your senses were not as developed as they are now, these days you would be able to tell it was a male scent on her and not her own. Dragons do not scent like other shifters, their scent is very subtle, so it is easy to see why you did not pick up on it. I covered our tracks thoroughly, especially after discovering who she was, her family was powerful. I did not want you to attract the attention of the Delarossa matriarch, she would have sought vengeance. There was no point in telling you Aris, you were already torturing yourself, knowing you killed a little girl’s mother might have sent you over the edge. I had to protect you from that, I was your mentor, it was my job. I am your friend, it is still my job” Will explained slowly, tentatively, trying to break things gently. There was no way to explain this without it hurting his friend badly.
“Do the family know anything?” Aris asked him, colour returning to his face.
“No. They had no idea, and I decided it was best to keep our distance, let them think she had left. There was no trace, the missing person report was eventually lost under the hundreds of others filed every year. I am sorry Lucy grew up not knowing, but it was all necessary” Will implored Aris with his eyes, begging forgiveness.
“I have to tell her, I owe her that. I must explain. I never would have started anything if I had known. I never knew Sofia’s surname. I would have kept clear or tried to. Lucy deserves to know the truth about….” Aris was cut short by the door to the bedroom opening, Lucy entered the living room, a disbelieving hurt expression on her face and anger flashing in her eyes.
“You killed my mother?” She asked quietly, her wide eyes never leaving his. Will stood and made his way to the door, but before he could leave she turned to him.
“You sit your ass down, you were involved so you will explain. I heard most of that conversation, and I want the truth. Explain what happened” Lucy snapped, her voice raised. She looked fierce, pinning them both with her glare, which had turned to slitted dragon eyes for a second, before returning to their normal blue. Will returned slowly to his seat and explained what happened, filling in the background and details leading up, knowing Aris would struggle to find the words. At the end, Will stopped so Aris could finish the story from his point of view. After Aris finished, he began apologising repeatedly. Lucy shook her head and abruptly left the room, slamming the door. A seconds later water was running in the bathroom.
“You should leave. Thank you for what it’s worth, I know you meant well Will” Aris said, defeat obvious in his voice.
“I am here for you, and I am sorry I had to tell you but if this had gone further you both would have been hurt so much more had you found out in the future. Can you imagine if I told you both this in 6 months or a year? You never get close to others Aris, I knew she was different” Will said as he turned to leave. “I had to tell you. Before you both got in too deep”
“I know. This is so fucked up, I really like her Will. I can’t believe it. I can’t ever make up for this. I can’t fix this” Aris said goodbye at the door and returned to the bedroom with her case, so she could dress after her shower. He put it on the bed and then he sat and waited for Lucy to come out, feeling the shame and the devastation from the past as well as the fear of her reaction and the dread. She would leave, and if she left she might get hurt or killed. He had to help her, he owed her so much he altered her life irrevocably, she never knew her mother because of him. He had to make sure she had a future and whoever was trying to harm her was out of the picture. He could do that, he would kill for her if it kept her safe. Not just because of the guilt, but because she was rare, unique and beautiful, and he couldn’t stand the thought of a world without her in it.
The shower was on for a long time, he had no idea how long, but eventually it stopped, and she emerged from the bathroom. Clutching the towel to her chest, her hair up in another towel, she crossed the room and opened the suitcase, pulling clothes out. She pulled a heavy book from under the clothes and handed it to him.
“The book my grandmother left me. Can you start to translate it? The quicker you do the better, then I can get answers” Lucy finished drying off, and then pulled her clothes on without waiting for him to leave, he had seen it all last night she had no reason to be shy now. She pulled her hair from the towel and began combing.
“Lucy, we need to talk about…” Aris’ words died in his throat as she talked over him.
“No, we don’t, I can’t deal right now Aris. Too much has happened. I can’t process this as well as all the rest of it. People are trying to kill me, and I need to know why. My mother has been dead for a long time and I can’t change that. But I can keep myself alive, and that is my priority now, that and keeping my friends safe. I couldn’t give a crap about my aunt and uncle on my father’s side, they were bastards to me. So, I have no-one left but me, which is another thing I need to deal with but I’
m gonna act like an adult and add that to the big pile of issues I need to address and deal with it later, right now I need a strong drink and someone who can help me with this book. Someone who I can trust. You will still help me, right?” Lucy asked.
“Yes, of course I will. I owe you so much, I can’t ever make this up to you, but I’ll try. But besides that, I like you a lot, a hell of a lot, and I know I can’t make this right, but I’ll do anything for you Lucy, I promise” Aris stumbled over what he said but meant every word.
“You can trust me. I won’t hurt you. I will help you in any way possible. Literally anything” Aris looked her in the eyes and she nodded.
“Ok, then let’s do this” She said, determination in her expression.
Chapter 25
Lucy looked at the print out, he had translated about 10 pages worth so far, from present day back, and it was fascinating. For starters, it was obviously one book in a series, the date on the first page was 1st January 1940. The book was numbered volume 23, so if the previous volumes were as big as this one, potentially one book per 100 years, judging by how ¾ of the book was filled already and it was 78 years old. If they could locate the other 22 books that could be over 2000 years of history. That couldn’t be right. Maybe 2 books per century? He had no way to know for sure, but it was obvious her family had ancient roots. They would have to go and see if any of the properties Lucy now owned held any of the older books. Aris had seen books like these before, two vampire families he knew personally had similar record books and the head of the family was responsible for keeping accurate accounts of notable events and any new family that joined by birth or marriage, as well as the less common deaths that inevitably occurred.
He had the privilege of reading a century out of Isobel’s family journal in the past. She had wanted him to read her story, from her birth to the present day. Another attempt to bond him to her. He was fascinated, with the history, the language and the wealth of information it revealed. But the fascination was for the beauty of the book, not for her beauty. So, he found the language and style of Lucy’s book familiar, and what surprised him was the number of common events and families that they both knew, both the Decante vampire family and the Delarossa dragon shifter family. It would seem the two crossed paths at several junctures in their histories and even shared businesses until a disagreement ended their arrangements. He struggled when he reached the record of Sofia’s birth and life story. He had no idea she had had so much to deal with. In a way it explained why she had pursued a social life in the clubs she had. She had no chance to rebel and find her own path. She went from student to wife and mother, with no time for herself in between. So many expectations from her mother, she had made few choices for herself until she finished school and met Lucy’s dad. Within a year she was pregnant with Lucy. No freedom, so no wonder she eventually craved it.
It made it worse, what he did cut her life short and she had no time to enjoy anything, including motherhood. It wasn’t just sad, it was tragic. He grieved for her all over again, and he knew Lucy would too. She sat reading the sheets he had typed while sat crossed legged on his sofa. A lot of the previous pages had stated impersonal logistical things, others talked of the family’s alliances and long-standing fealty. The local families that were linked to the Delarossa’s, as well as businesses that connected. He waited while she got to the part he thought was important. A story about her grandmother Lucrezia when she was young, her first official boyfriend who died in a challenge fight with a man named Jenner Chizeck. Her refusal of his hand in marriage when her first love died. The description of the family feud, and the birth of her first child, Marius Chizeck. Why not Delarossa? All children born to the Delarossa line kept their surname, females and males. So, he should have been named Marius Delarossa. There was an abrupt knock on the door, he was expecting Will again, but Aris opened the door to an angry Isobel.
“Aris, apparently you have a visitor, does she know you are spoken for?” Isobel glared at Lucy from across the room. Aris took a slow breath before answering.
“Isobel, I am not spoken for. I am single, have been for years. I most certainly am not yours, so you have no right to be here” Aris was about ready to shout at her, but he had kept his relationship with Isobel polite and civil for Isla’s sake, blowing it now would only give her grief.
“She knows you have a daughter then? Your priority should be her, not fraternising with shifter women, especially a dragon! There may be another child soon, your time will be limited if we have another son or daughter. You will not have time for other women” Isobel looked around Aris to glare at Lucy again. This woman was mental, how many ways could he say the same thing?
“Isobel, leave, we are not together and never will be again. I don’t know how clearer I can be. I have no interest in parenting a child with you again. We don’t even like each other, you take great joy in causing problems for me. We barely speak to each other. I will never be with you, ever again. Would you like this in writing, so you can read it over if you forget again?” Aris was seriously pissed. He hadn’t told Lucy about Isla yet. Fucking Isobel. Isobel inhaled, about to launch into another retort so Aris cut her off.
“Leave, now” Aris gritted out, and after a pause Isobel gave a small sly smile and turned and left. Aris slammed the door and returned to Lucy, he sat on the sofa next to her and gave her an apologetic smile.
“She’s my ex, my daughter is 15, and nothing like Isobel thank god. Isla, well, she’s amazing, bright and lovely and strong” Aris searched her eyes for any sign of hurt or anger but there was none.
Lucy smiled, having a daughter only made her like Aris more. What was there not to like? Oh, yes, he killed her mother. That.
“Isla is beautiful, I think she’s inherited the best bits from both of us. Isobel wasn’t always like this, she’s gotten worse over time I genuinely worry for her mental health, and she’s been asking recently to have another child with me. She feels like that’s what’s missing in her life. I turned her down flat, I have no interest in her, save for anything that affects Isla” Aris waited for her to respond but she just nodded.
“It’s none of my business you don’t need to explain. She is obviously a jealous woman, we all have our exes. Exes are exes for a reason. I didn’t like the smile at the end though, she will bring more trouble your way that much is clear. She was warning me off, she considers you hers, I wouldn’t be surprised if she has spread all sorts of rumours about you. Women like that are nasty” Lucy met his eyes properly for the first time since the revelations earlier. Damn she had beautiful eyes, but they were so sad, and it was his fault.
“Yeah, she won’t let go, no matter what I do. Problem is she is well connected too, her family is well respected, and she had many years of travel before she settled in this coven, she knows a lot of important people all over the world. She left her old coven with a few dozen others when Lina, our coven leader, left in 1910 after a huge fight with the old coven leader. That’s one of the reasons she is so bitter. She feels the grass was greener back in her old coven. Having Isla with a changed vampire, not a pure, and outside marriage, to a regular guy instead of a man from a well-bred known family, it’s brought her and her family shame. Older vampires don’t let go or change their beliefs and traditions easily, and born vampires tend to be snobby and stuck up. I don’t think she would ever regret having Isla, but she certainly seems to feel that I owe her, and she goes to great lengths to bring me trouble in one way or another. She could easily cripple my businesses if she decided to. She’s threatened before, and Lina got involved and warned her. She likes power and likes to wield it. She is desperate and trying to force me, so she doesn’t have the added shame of children with different fathers. Other vampires of her generation judge her for her decisions. It’s sad, but it is what it is” Aris looked at the sheets still in Lucy’s hand.
“This page is interesting. It refers to when your Grandmother was young” Aris crossed over to her and sat next to her on
the sofa. He pointed out the paragraphs he was referring to. “We need to go soon though, it’s nearly 12, we need to meet David”
“I can go alone, you don’t have to come with me” Lucy said, but she really wanted him to come too.
“No, you aren’t going alone, if you don’t want me to come then I will ask Will. It’s too dangerous Lucy” Aris adamantly.
“I would feel better if you came with me. I know I shouldn’t, given everything…….” Lucy couldn’t believe her own words; recent events had obviously broken her sense of self preservation. How could she trust her mother’s killer? Accident or no, he was obviously dangerous.
“I would follow you anyway, I have stalker tendencies” he smiled. “But don’t let it put you off, it just means I like you” he smiled wider. “In all seriousness though, it might be dangerous, but we will be in the open so if it all goes bad you can change and torch the fuckers” he smiled, and absentmindedly rubbed her back. When he realised he pulled his hand back quickly.
“Sounds like a plan” she said and rose to get ready to leave.
Chapter 26
They entered the park after getting coffee at a cafe. Hers a Latte, his, an Expresso, since milk tended to sit heavy in a vampire's stomach, and often ended up coming back up. It was raining lightly, and she carried a wide dark red umbrella, which helped as it allowed shade for Aris. They were slightly early and found the church easily, it was an imposing figure in the forefront of the park, right next to the wide lake. It was an old small church, a 12th century Gothic building, with pointed arch and high windows. She estimated it was taller than it was wide, and it reminded her of a cathedral she once saw, only in miniature. It was surrounded by gardens and trees all with turning leaves, oranges and yellows and browns all mixing to produce a beautiful backdrop to the church. They sat on a bench facing the water, drank their coffee, and waited for David. Conversation was still difficult, there was so much to say but it all felt too serious and heavy and not the time to speak about it, the shock had gagged her.
