“I didn’t mean to wake you. Go back to sleep.”
“The kids? Are they okay? Jenny?”
Iramis smiled. “They’re in bed. We instead went for pizza.”
Sandra sat up as she studied her wife’s face. There was a tell-tale green tint around Iramis’ lips. “I thought I had warned you.” She sighed when Iramis looked away guiltily. “How much did you have?”
“Not much,” came the quick reply.
Brushing her hair out of her face, Sandra leaned back against the bed rest and reached for Iramis. “Come here. Let me hold you for a moment.” She tenderly enfolded the taller woman in her arms. “You couldn’t just say ‘no’?”
“Yes,” Iramis groaned against Sandra’s chest. “I wanted them to have a normal night out with their mother.”
Utterly charmed, Sandra brushed her lips over the blonde hair. “They know what you are and they understand.”
“I know that,” Iramis lifted her head and Sandra kissed her tenderly. “They enjoyed themselves tonight and it made me happy to see them like that.”
“I probably don’t say it enough, but I love you,” Sandra said softly, fighting off the tears threatening to overcome her. She tightened her arms around her wife. Iramis was feared by both her own kind and humans alike, yet she was also the most loving when it came to her family.
A century ago when vampires first made their existence known, humans were sceptical of having supernatural beings living amongst them. It had caused the Vampire Senate to appoint one of their own leaders to facilitate a pact between the two species. When the all-powerful Countess Iramis Rubina de Leeuw entered the spotlight, humans and vampires alike were quickly drawn to her charm, magnificence and power. But none were stupid enough to engage the deadly Countess. In three thousand years of existence, Iramis had left a trail of corpses, annihilated massive enemy forces and repossessed kingdoms. It was clear in the deadly way she carried herself that all that was not myth nor had she accomplished her goals through charm alone. Vampires lived peacefully amongst humans. Their Creed of Existence bound them to live as pacifists as long as no direct threats were made to them and theirs. But that Creed did not necessarily count where Iramis was concerned. As one of only three ancients in existence, she was Ruler and Executioner and that was the only creed she lived by. That was the norm until she met Sandra and fell in love. What she had asked was unheard of and she had known that, but Iramis’ love for her had made the vampire strive to practice more restraint when it came to violence.
“Your thoughts are far and deep, my darling,” Iramis said suddenly, bringing Sandra out of her reverie.
“I’m still stunned by how someone like you would want to be with me.”
Iramis slowly sat up. Sandra grinned at the disbelief on her wife’s face. “Shouldn’t it be the other way around, my heart?”
Sandra shook her head slowly as she combed her fingers through the short blonde locks. “You had and could still have anyone you want, yet you chose me.”
“But there has never been anyone like you in my life before. You are the only person I want to be with,” Iramis said quietly. Sandra was thrilled at the genuine emotion in her wife’s voice. “No one compares to you.”
Sandra replied by offering a deep, lingering kiss. “Come, I believe you have a date with the porcelain goddess.”
***
The door swung open even before she had the chance to knock. She entered and walked past the hallway closet, not caring about taking off her coat. That was the least of her worries now.
“Welcome, Lady Sandra. I hope your flight was uneventful.” A man with youthful features said as he fell into step next to her. Sandra gave him a curt nod as she rushed down the long hallway. When they were halfway down the gleaming walkway, the man spoke again.
“I must tell you that Lady Iramis is truly the greatest warrior in existence.”
Sandra spared him a quick look, but did not respond. All she wanted was to see Iramis. Ignoring the man, she continued walking until they reached the large double doors. The man quickly stepped past her to open the doors. Sandra did not need to be shown the way. As Iramis’ wife, this castle belonged to their family. She immediately moved to the door to her immediate right.
“She singlehandedly took on a hundred assassins of the Ridgewell clan and destroyed them all,” the man said as he came up next to her. Usually, Sandra was proud to hear of her wife’s exploits and prowess, but not today. She prayed Killian would take note and shut up. They made their way down a spiral staircase which led them deep underground. As she made her way into what were the dungeons before they had been remodelled, Sandra was trying to reign in her temper. When she had kissed Iramis goodbye three nights ago, she had not expected to get a call this morning telling her to get to Switzerland as soon as she could. Not much was said, but the call itself spoke volumes. She had arranged for the kids’ nanny to stay in, doubled the vampire guards and called for their jet to be ready.
“I doubt the Ridgewells will ever try to question our authority again,” Killian noted and this time Sandra turned to look at him. He might be hundreds of years old and possess superior strength, but if he did not shut up, she would find someone to shut him up for her. Killian must have read the threat in her eyes, for he quickly lowered her gaze. “My apologies, milady.”
The rest of their walk was made in silence until they reached a steel door fitted with an electronic keypad. Eager to get to her wife, Sandra pressed on the keypad. A small panel with a protruding needle slid out. Pricking her finger on the needle, Sandra released a small drop onto the glass panel. It slid back in and after a few moments, the steel door glided open. Looking over her shoulder, she noticed that Killian was standing at a respectable distance.
“I will make arrangements for your stay, milady,” he said with a deep bow.
“Thank you, Killian.”
The door slid shut behind her as she entered the large candle-lit room. The room was spartan with only a bed and a small dresser. Her heels sounded loud in the quiet room as she walked over to the large four-poster bed. She shrugged out of her coat which she threw on the bed. Taking a deep steadying breath, she went to stand in the middle of the room.
“I want to see you.” Her voice bounced off the bare walls, slamming back at her.
The panel in the floor at her feet slid away to reveal a dark earthy patch. Sandra took in the deep, rich smell of the earth as she waited patiently. The earth shifted slightly and a hand shot out. The rest of Iramis followed gradually until her wife sat up in the soil. Sandra’s heart clenched at the sight of her. Covered in dirt and with her deep-set eyes blazing blood red, Iramis barely looked human. Even the way Iramis eyed her would have made many humans run screaming for their lives. Sandra was no ordinary human. She was the wife of a vampire. Anyway, it was not that much different from the look Iramis gave her when the vampire was in the mood for serious love play. She held out her hand.
“Come and let me take a look at you,” she said gently. She was not in the least surprised when Iramis hissed at her in anger. When in this state, her wife became all-vampire, complete with their infuriating arrogance. At times like these, Iramis did not like being ordered around by a puny human. Sandra ignored the look of pure disgust in the red eyes. Judging from the deep scratches on her upper body, Iramis must be in terrible pain and needed fresh blood to speed the healing process. “Come now, love, let me help you. I promise I’ll take away the pain.”
Iramis hoisted herself out of the earthy grave and came to tower over her. Sandra’s eyes quickly ran over the naked frame. Except for the deep claw marks, there were a few slashes on her legs that were in different stages of healing. A gash on her thigh was particularly deep and was bleeding sluggishly. It must have been made by a sliver tipped weapon. With her inspection done, she sought out Iramis’ eyes. They were fixed on the pulse in her neck. Nothing new there either. Flipping her hair to one side, she reached out for her wife only to have the vampire hiss at h
er. Shrugging, she tilted her neck to give Iramis a clear view of her throat.
She shuddered slightly when Iramis’ cold hands clutched her shoulders and pulled her closer. Not in the least scared of what was to come, she closed her eyes and waited. At the feel of Iramis breath on her neck, Sandra had to suppress a small moan. It was not advisable to invoke the vampire’s lust at a time like this. Even though she trusted Iramis completely, her wife was still hidden under layers of pain and if the predator in Iramis sensed both a meal and sex, she might go overboard and take too much blood. It had happened once before and it had taken Sandra months to get Iramis to shed her guilt and to drink from her again.
Iramis bit down hard, causing Sandra to shiver slightly. As Iramis drank greedily, Sandra reached out and caressed the brittle hair and began her customary litany.
“I love you, my darling. I love you with all my heart. Drink and heal so I can hold you in my arms again.” She repeated the litany over and over to coax Iramis to the surface. She knew exactly when her wife was with her. The painful hold on her shoulders gentled. “I love you so much, my dark angel.”
Iramis’ tongue lapped at her neck before the vampire lifted her head. Sandra smiled broadly when she encountered bright blue eyes.
“Hello there, lover,” she whispered as she wiped at the blood on her wife’s chin. Iramis was a messy drinker when in a pain-fuelled state.
“Sandra,” Iramis croaked, her voice infinitely tender. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay, my love. You’ll be healing faster now.” She gave Iramis a quick full-body inspection and marvelled at the sight of the wounds healing right before her eyes. She looked up into the eyes of Iramis to find them looking at her with fierce concern.
“It’s not safe to be around me when I’m like this. You should be more careful, Sandra.” Iramis’ voice broke. “I would never forgive myself if I were to hurt you.”
Sandra leaned into the strong body and ran her hands down the powerful back. “You would never hurt me.”
“How can you be so sure? I’m barely aware of what’s happening around me when I’m like this.”
Sandra took the soft lips in a deep kiss. “I know exactly how to deal with you, don’t you worry.”
Blonde eyebrows shot up. “And how’s that?” Iramis sounded vaguely amused.
Pressing up against her vampire, Sandra’s hand slowly slid down Iramis’ back until it rested on her firm butt. “I take everything that is you – danger, power, age, strength, beauty, and sexual prowess–” She gave the tight globe a squeeze. “– and I just add love. That is how I know how to deal with you.”
Iramis blinked. “You make it sound so…so easy. Like an instant meal recipe.”
“Well, loving you is probably the easiest thing for me to do, Ira,” Sandra whispered against Iramis’ lips. “Raising three kids with you is an entirely different story.” She yelped when she was suddenly airborne. When she looked into Iramis’ eyes, she knew instantly what was on the vampire’s mind. “Naughty vampire.”
PART II
Iramis had to keep herself from grimacing as the cheap wine brutally assaulted her taste buds. She did not expect them to serve a thousand dollar bottle of wine, but they could seriously have done better than this. She paid a fortune in school fees for her children only to have herself poisoned at a school function. She felt a small hand slip into hers and smiled down at her son. Oscar, like her, was dressed in a black suit and just like her she knew he was itching to get home so he could lounge around in his boxers. Sandra had tried to get the two of them to break the habit, but there was nothing more comfortable than watching TV or playing games in their boxers.
“Hey, buddy. You bored already?”
Oscar scrunched up his face, causing her to grin. “Mommy is still talking to the parents of that boy who said all those nasty things to Jenny.”
At hearing that, Iramis felt her anger bubble to the surface. She felt Oscar’s hold tighten on her hand then that anger quickly dissipated.
“Mommy also made me promise that I would keep you away until she’s done talking to them.”
Damn.
She focussed her attention on Sandra’s voice and searched the room until she found her wife talking quietly to a blonde couple. The man was tall and thin whereas the wife was shorter with an athletic build. Fresh anger surfaced as she watched the woman’s eyes rake over Sandra with a bit more interest than was appropriate.
“What did mommy threaten you with if you didn’t keep your promise?” she asked Oscar as her eyes were still riveted on the couple… especially the woman.
“No TV for three days,” Oscar answered quickly. “But there’s nothing interesting playing on weekdays anyway.”
Iramis gave her son a broad grin. “For Jenny, then?”
“Yes, for Jenny,” the boy answered as he grabbed his mother’s arm and led her to where Sandra was standing.
Coming up from behind Sandra, her wife did not see her approach, but the couple did. Unleashing her beast, she gave the couple a malevolent red-eyed stare and watched with satisfaction as they both turned pale with fear. Sandra, having noticed the change of expression on the couple’s faces, turned to look over her shoulder. Iramis quickly schooled her features into an expression of joviality.
“I thought I lost you amongst the crowd,” she said lightly as she placed her hand on Sandra’s shoulder. Feigning interest, she pointedly looked at the now-visibly shaken couple. “Good evening, I’m Countess de Leeuw.” She held out her hand. The man looked at his wife before taking her hand, which Iramis squeezed for good measure. The man turned even paler with pain, but admirably, managed to give her a polite smile. When it was the woman’s turn, Iramis glared at the blonde with blazing red eyes. She stepped back and gave a glaring Sandra a charming smile. Sandra was going to skin her alive for this, but these people had failed to turn up at the disciplinary hearing for Brandon nor did they issue an apology for their son’s scathing remarks against her daughter.
“Oscar, why don’t you go find Jenny while your mommy and I talk to our new friends?” She waited until the boy was out of hearing distance, before she dropped the fake civility and she turned her attention back to the terrified couple. “I was hoping we could’ve settled this at the disciplinary hearing, but your absence at the event, made it impossible.” She fixed them with a cold stare. “What your son said to my daughter was hurtful. The least you two could do was have the decency to come to the disciplinary hearing you were invited to attend. Persuading your son to offer an apology is also expected.”
The man’s mouth opened and closed as he did a great imitation on a fish. Iramis held up her hand.
“You had an opportunity to speak, but you squandered it. Now, I’ll be doing the talking and you will live to rue the day you were born, if you think of interrupting me. You hear me?”
The two nodded quickly.
“Good. Now here is what’s going to happen. Your son will make an earnest apology to my daughter tomorrow. If I don’t hear back from my daughter, I will personally pay your home a visit to extract an apology from him and from you both for not following my instruction.”
She plastered a brilliant smile on her face as she looked around. “Maybe you should mingle a little, I heard the hors d’ oeuvres are divine. Steer clear of the wine, though.” She leaned closer; her eyes hypnotic as she spoke. “That swill is quite potent and can cause hallucinations.”
The couple sputtered out a goodbye and quickly made their way to the exit. Iramis slowly turned to face Sandra. As expected, the brunette was livid.
“Not everything is solved by issuing threats and violence, you now,” Sandra snapped before she walked away.
***
Sandra punched the pillow as she turned around for the hundredth time. She glanced at the alarm clock and sighed. Three hours had passed since she came to bed and as of this moment, sleep still eluded her. She glanced at the empty place next to her and groaned. She missed Iramis. It was
such bad timing that Iramis had been called away as soon as they got home from the school function. She was angry, maybe still a little, at Iramis but they had always managed to resolve their problems before they went to bed.
“Mom?”
Sandra quickly sat up. “Yes, honey. Is everything okay?”
Jenny walked over to the bed and crawled in next to her mother. They lay in each other’s arms for a moment before Jenny spoke.
“Oscar told me what happened?”
Sandra sighed. She would have to add his video game console to the items which were off limits for the duration of his punishment. She admired the fact that the little man loved his sister enough to give up his TV rights, but still she had wanted to resolve the issue without having Jenny relive the moment.
“I’m sorry.” She pressed a kiss to the soft hair.
Jenny lifted her head. “Are you sorry he told me or are you sorry you got angry at Mother?”
Sandra swallowed hard. It was completely impossible, but sometimes she could not help but wonder if Ira had not given birth to Jenny herself. The girl was so like Ira in many aspects. She was brave and bold and not scared of bringing up topics that the other kids would rather skirt around.
“I think, both. I didn’t want you to get hurt again.”
“And Mother?”
Sandra bit down on her lower lip. “I wished she could’ve been more subtle in her dealings with the boy’s parents.”
Jenny cocked her head to the side, a movement which reminded her of Ira. “She’s a vampire, Mom. Sometimes we need to respect that about her and allow her to be herself just as she allows us to be and act human.”
Sandra felt her heart jerk at hearing that. She blinked rapidly to stem the tears welling up in her eyes. Was that what she was doing? When she found out that the woman who had courted her with so much respect and love was a vampire, she had loved her even more for that fact. Had she become so hypocritical over the years that she expected Ira to be something that she was not? Was it fair for Ira? She knew that they were all safe because of who Ira was. The world knew who and what Ira was and what she was capable of doing. Yet, they still respected her, sought her counsel and tried to accommodate her. Jenny was right. She was a hypocrite for expecting Ira to fight her true nature so she could fit into this domesticated mould Sandra had created for them.
Blood Oaths Page 2
