Longest Days (The Firsts) (21 page)

“This is my home?  Are you serious?  You can’t keep me here.”  She said this calmly. “You’ll see.  I’m hungry.  Are you planning to starve me too?”

Eillia sighed.  Well, it was done.   They had the homicidal vampire contained, at least for the moment, and they could get out of there for a little while.   Tamesine wouldn’t know, but they planned to use a few powerful tranquilizers in her food and blood meals to keep her calm.  

Park shook her head.  “Let’s go get some dinner.  Tamesine, your meal will be dispensed with paper dishes through that opening over there.  All of your facilities here are self-explanatory.  The lavatory is quite nice and private.   We’ve left you no good choices for weapons, although I know your talents are the most dangerous weapon you have.  Please, think about this.  You’ve wanted to return to your people for a long time now.  We want you to have a normal life.  If we can help you, we will.  Is there a chance you will let us try without fighting us?”

Tamesine paced back and forth at the front of the cell.   Her eyes were glowing, which meant she was pissed and her power was very active.

“Sure.  You can mind-fuck me all you want.  Doesn’t mean I’m going to break.  Just makes it sweeter when I get out of here and kill you all.”

Park stepped closer to the cell, Bas’s hand on her to keep her back enough for safety.

“I think it’s your spirit amulet.  I think something’s wrong.  That’s where we’re going to start.  Tamesine, think about it.  I want you to surrender it to me.  Let me see what’s going on with it.  Please.  You have to know we aren’t here to hurt you.  We could have killed you by now,  but we haven’t.  Think about it.  You have plenty of time.  Your dinner will be here within the hour.”

They all left, the outer door also triple locked, a first blood waiting at the entrance so no one at all could try to enter.

The shopping trip was a great success.  Eillia felt better than she had in a long time.  Just being with these wonderful women and doing something so mundane and enjoyable as shopping and having lunch had gone a long way toward letting her relax into her life again. 

Packages in every color covered davenports in the parlor where Park, Burne, and Eillia were pulling their items out and showing them off to each other.  

“I’m so happy you got that nightgown.  It’s perfect with your coloring.   And sexy,” Burne said to Eillia.

“Yes, I needed something of my own.  Park’s been a doll, but I should have my own clothes again.”

Park was holding up a little sundress when she stopped and laid it down on a chair.

“Eillia, there’s someone here to see you,” she said.

Turning, expecting someone from the household, she was surprised to see a face from the past.

“Cherise, oh, my goodness.  How nice to see you.”

A petite woman with enormous eyes and full brunette hair came forward and hugged Eillia, then Park, then Burne.

“I am so happy to see you all, too,” she said in a voice with a soft French accent.  Her eyes landed on Park, and she nodded carefully.  Park lowered her head and smiled.

Eillia could feel a change in the air.

“What’s happening?” she asked.

“Eillia, I told you Cherise is an empath.  And she’s one of the most powerful I’ve ever known.  She’s married to David.  Now that she’s vampire, her talent is even stronger.   She’s the one who knew, before I had any clue, that I was pregnant.”

Eillia shook her head.   “No, you did not bring her all this way for that.  It’s a crazy illusion in your mind, honey.  I am just recovering from very painful life events.  By next month, I’ll be back to normal.”

But her eyes went to Cherise.  The question in them was almost desperate.

Cherise stepped forward and put her hands on Eillia’s belly.   When she looked up at Eillia, her eyes sparkled.

“You
are
with child.  It is a boy, and he will be with you by end of summer.”

Eillia dropped on the chair beside her, crushing boxes and tissue paper.

She kept shaking her head.  “How…I mean, I’m ancient.  I’ve never even…”   She couldn’t form thoughts.  Other than the idea that, of all the surprises in her life, that she herself, over a thousand years on this planet, was going to have a baby.  The one miracle she always knew would never happen for her.  

“But, I would feel him, wouldn’t I?”

“Not yet,” Cherise said.  “You are still traumatized, and he is still very young.  I think your spirit amulet is protecting him and you at this time.  Now, it will let you know him.  Now, you will both be well together.   He will help you heal.  It is true, Eillia.  The boy sleeps and grows inside you and cannot wait to see the world.  You are to be a mother.  I am so happy for you.”

Eillia still couldn’t move, but Park came over and knelt in front of her to give her a gentle hug.  Tears slipped down her cheeks, too.

“Oh, the way the universe works!  It takes sometimes, but it gives back, too.  I know how much you love my little Cairine.  I cannot wait to meet your son!”

Koen and Bas came into the room to the group of teary eyed women.

“What the hell?  Cherise, when did you get here?  Is something wrong?   Did something happen to David?”

“No, my friend.  Something wonderful is happening here, though.”

Eillia came forward and held Koen tightly.  She whispered into his ear.  “I’m having a first blood child.”

Koen pulled back to look at her face.  It was wet and radiant.   He dropped to his knees and encircled her waist with his hands.

“This is true?”

Cherise and Park nodded while Eillia brushed his hair back with her hands.

“I don’t know how long it will take me to believe it myself.”

“Tonight,” Cherise said.  “I think your spirit amulet is ready to unmask his presence.  You will feel him tonight.  I think a celebration must be prepared.”

“Absolutely!”

Everyone gathered around Eillia and gave her heartfelt congratulations. 

They had a wonderful dinner and impromptu celebration that went most of the night.

But later that night, just before sunrise, sitting on a reclining chair on the sand, Eillia sat alone as she felt the little baby inside her moving around.  An alien feeling that was the most beautiful moment of her life.  A child.  Hers.  Daniels. 

A miracle at a time when it seemed there was none left in this world.  Cherise said he was healthy and that he would look just like his father, with clearwater blue eyes.  Eillia couldn’t imagine how she could know this, but Park had told her that everything Cherise had prophesized for her baby had been true.

Soon she would have to go back inside, the rising sun would make her seek shelter. 

And there was a decision to make about her child’s father. 

Well, enough for one day.  She’d consider the future tomorrow night when it arrived after a deeply needed rest.  For now, it was enough to know that she would be a mother before this year ended. 
Thank you, karma
, she whispered to the sky.

Surveillance showed that Bas’s woman and the beautiful Asian woman were often in a large warehouse-type building about five minutes from the villa where all the vampires lived.   He had stayed at the airport and followed them home from Alaska.  And watched and waited.  His plan was simple and he was ready to proceed.  First, the love of Bas’s life would die.  It was convenient that she was in this building with the other woman who should have died last year along with everyone else.

And Tamesine.  That crazy bitch was there too.  He’d laughed his ass off at his fortune when he saw them bring her in a few days ago. 
Easier and easier
, he thought.

Alvin wanted to get Bas and the child.  But that would be impossible if he went after Park first.  He would die in that attempt.  But if he could kill her, he would at least accomplish the goal of robbing Bas of the love of his life.  The same fate he brought to Alvin over fifty years ago when he’d changed Alvin, but would not change Lucille at her request.  He’d said he must honor her decision not to be changed.  
Like vampires had any honor!
  They were monsters.  Superhuman monsters who were no longer human at all.  Honestly, he just wanted it over.  But on his terms.  Park, the Asian, and Tamesine would die.  That was a good way to go out.  Taking three powerful original vampires with him. 

He carefully placed the bomb he’d built in a heavy-duty backpack with a smile.  A good days work.  One last final good days work.

He knew security would be tight.  If they had the nutcase trapped here, it had to be nearly impenetrable.   First blood talents would not be able to gain access.  Or egress.  Sometimes, though, smart people over-think things.  An old-fashioned bomb would work.  All he had to do was get it inside, detonate it, go in, slice off some heads, and let nature take its course.  If he survived, and that was very unlikely, he’d scatter, fast, and try to find a way someday to finish his mission.

Tomorrow, if the women came to the building together, he would do it.  Ka-boom.  And Alvin’s life as a vampire would, finally, be over.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Eillia walked slowly, like any human, as she strolled beside Park to check on Tamesine.   Her holding cell had been constructed inside Park’s research lab Koen had built for his daughter, a geneticist, to continue her work on the vampire genome.   Park had been awed with the virus that completely changed the DNA of humans to vampire and considered it to be the holy grail for a genetic researcher.  It was strictly for the vampires, never to be known outside the first blood community.

Tamesine had been with them for five days now, and just last night, Eillia thought she might have seen the slightest glimmer of response from the sullen, angry first blood detainee.    While sitting outside the unit in comfortable chairs that matched the ones in the cell, Eillia and Park had joked about how lame the male of the species could be sometimes when it came to romantic details.  Tamesine had smiled.  Slightly, but it was there.  It was a start.  A connection.  Finding a common ground to bond on a simple human level woman to woman.  Beginning to understand that they really wanted to help her get well.  It was going to be a long hard process, but Park really believed they would do it.   Once Tamesine accepted that they might be able to help her, they were going to bring Cherise back and the three of them were going to enter Tamesine’s mind and begin to search for the catalyst that began it all.

Tonight was warmer, spring was coming, and the air smelled of freshness and saltwater.  A waning moon peeked at them through some trees.  Park was texting Bas with a soft smile, so Eillia thought it was something either sweet and loving, or naughty.  Those two were so good together.  The three made such a lovely family with that darling baby girl.  Until maturity around thirty years old, Cairine would be mostly human.  First blood talents would manifest, but not be fully realized until mature.  But just holding the baby, Eillia could feel the latent power.  The child might give her powerful mother a run for it someday.  All she knew was that when she held Cairine, there was a peace in her that she had not felt in centuries since she was young.  Eillia knew the child was “impressing” her.  The “impressing” talent usually didn’t work on first bloods.   It showed Eillia, incontrovertibly, that Cairine would be a vampire one day with extraordinary talents.  Even for a first blood.

Park dropped her mobile phone into a pocket.  

“Bas reminded me, for the fiftieth time, to be careful.  I know he’s worried.  But you saw her, last night, didn’t you?   She smiled.”

“I did.  We won’t give up.  I really think we can help her.”

Park paused and looked at Eillia, then said, “Bas says she’s done some pretty horrible things.  Not just to David.”

“I’m sure.  But if we can help her, she’ll be the one who has to live with the consequences of her actions.   If we can’t help her, then I agree with the council that she’s too dangerous to be left alive.  We’ll have to euthanize her.  I hope it doesn’t come to that.”

Park threaded her arm around Eillia’s.

“Good thing we’re brilliant!  So, how are you feeling tonight?   How did you and the little vampire-to-be sleep?”

“If there’s anyone who understands how I feel, it’s you.  Ah, Park.  Once Cherise gave me the news and my spirit amulet unmasked his presence, he overwhelmed me.  I know him already.  Of course I love him like nothing else in all of my life.  I was certain you couldn’t possibly be right.  Daniel’s human.”

“So was my mother.  It’s one of the things I’m doing right now.  My pet project is to discover what makes anyone, vampire or human, biologically compatible with a first blood and capable of breeding with one.   I’ve already taken samples of Bas and myself.  Jake, Bas’s right hand

man, dispatched two blood-bonds to bring back a sample of my mother’s.   They’re still tracking her down.  And I’d like one from you.”

“Of course.”

“And Daniel.”

Eillia stopped.

“Oh, sweetie, I swear we’ll get it properly.  He’ll never know.  A quick compulsion, a fast stab, and he won’t even remember we’ve been there.  It’s important, Eillia.  I know you understand.”

“I do.  Um, yeah, of course.  It’s okay.”

“So, are you going to tell him?”

“I don’t think so.  My son is vampire, and he’ll grow up in our world.  Daniel doesn’t belong here.”

“He could.”

“Well.  I haven’t made any final decisions.  We’ll see.  Oh, look.  An early bloom.”

Park smiled and leaned down. 
Distraction.
  It was all too new for Eillia.

“It’s pretty.  Let’s get inside.”

They entered through a side door after working through a series of locks, and then said hi to a first blood from Scotland who held daytime security now that Tamesine was in residence.  

“Get some rest, Logan.  We’ll watch her now.”

He nodded to Park.  He’d go to Koen’s villa where they had a room set aside for the sentry, then return before sunrise.