One Thousand Years to Forever (16 page)

“
Reminds me of the crusades...
when they just kept climbing over the wall of the city like a
wave... that was when I died... if it hadn’t been for Cormac here.
I would be no longer... ” he stood. An older fellow who looked to
be about in his late sixties when, in fact, he was well over a
thousand years old. “Whatever you need us to do, we will
follow.”

Colum smiled. Spreading out a map
of the area of the two towns. “We are going to need an army, if we
are to keep our future Queen safe. There are men in town right now
trying to find her, but with her children this makes things tricky.
Her son John, the oldest boy, knows of what I am but the two other
children don’t, yet. In order for them to continue to have as much
of a normal life as possible we must become invisible. No one is to
know that we exist. Our movements are to be covert. At this moment
we are at a level red. All suspicious activity is to be reported
and checked. The security here on the compound is on the highest
level it has ever been in the States. That’s why Katherine and the
children are in the bunker till we are sure the danger passes or
ends. The activity in this area not only affects Katherine and her
family but it poses a threat to all that live in this sleepy
community. We are here to protect all. Your orders and that of your
men will be posted within the hour. Be ready to report to your
stations and areas of concern.”

Travis stood. “Sir, may I
speak?”

Colum bowed to him. “You are my
equal here, Travis.”

“
Sir, I wish to be attached to the
children. My nephews and myself... ”

“
Travis, I have your assignment
already. I anticipated your request.”

Travis bowed low. “Thank you, Sir.
I owe you both my life. My nephews feel the same way. They count it
an honor to protect your family.” He looked from father to
son.

“
You have paid that back, time and
time again, with faithful service to our family. You don’t have to
pay or prove anything any longer.”

Cormac was up and walking over to
Travis who stood still. He took a sword off the mantle and told
Travis to kneel. All sat or stood in awed silence as Cormac
knighted Travis. “You are now a Knight as you once were. May you go
in peace and know you may stay or serve but never are you to call
me or my son “Sir” again.”

Travis with his head bowed looked
up. One red tear was on his cheek. “Thank you S- Sire. I will do my
upmost to protect your family as I have all these
years.”

* * * * * * *

Katherine walked around the home of
Colum’s parents, as Elsabet showed her each room. The mansion was
large with many levels like that of Colum’s. Just like a museum
with priceless treasures, she was sure that some their things were
hundreds, if not thousands, of years old. Aubusson carpets covered
the floors, she was sure that’s what they were, even though she had
never seen any, well, at least in this lifetime. “Can I ask you
something Elsabet?”

Elsabet turned. “Anything, my
dear.”

“
These... ” Katherine let her hand
circle the room. “These things all seem strangely
familiar.”

Elsabet came up to her. “They
should my dear. Many of these things were yours, in your home that
you shared with Colum. He couldn’t look at them on a daily basis
and so I took them. When you two are married you can take back what
you wish.”

“
Oh no, I couldn’t do that...
”

Elsabet came to stand next to
Katherine. “Then they will be a present from Cormac and myself. We
will decorate while you two are away on your honeymoon…”

“
Honeymoon? But we haven’t spoken
about getting married.”

“
It’s just a matter of time. Colum
will not waste time.”

Katherine studied the older woman
who stood in front of her. She smelled of jasmine and looked like
she was only fifty, at most. Her skin was milky white, like cream;
so soft, and cool to the touch, and her eyes, a vibrant blue, clear
and strong. When Elsabet looked into her eyes she felt like she
could see through her soul.

“
May I ask another
question?”

Elsabet nodded a yes.

“
What’s it like to be as old as
you?”

“
I’ve seen a lot, sometimes too
much. I’m glad for such a good husband and great King. He is tired
and we want a quieter life. It is Colum’s turn, he should have
taken the throne a long time ago but wouldn’t till he had
you.”

Katherine found her days starting
to get organized despite the fact that she and the children lived
at Colum’s. After the initial night in the bunker house they moved
back up to his regular home. The whole compound was like a
fortified army base. Cameras scanned every inch of the home and
grounds. Men, but Katherine knew they were really vampires,
silently patrolled at night. Men, who Katherine guessed were
humans, covered the day shift. It wasn’t like Colum’s men couldn’t
be outside. They just covered their eyes. Colum explained the
differences between vampires like themselves and Hollywood
versions. They could be outside, they just needed to wear contacts
to protect their eyes.

Katherine sat at the desk that
Colum had brought up to their room that now faced the ocean. She
couldn’t ask for a better workstation. He was designing a room next
to the dining room just for her. She could hear carpenters
hammering away. Walls were being ripped out and an addition was
being put onto his home so they would have her new office and a
game room for the kids.

Katherine picked up a charcoal
stick and started sketching. She got visions like this and as soon
as she did, she would draw. A woman with flowing gowns took shape.
A man in the distance was on horseback. She worked with the clouds
and didn’t even hear Colum come up behind her.

“
You are drawing us.” He laid a
light kiss on her collarbone, taking in her unique scent. He could
tell she was concentrating but that something was bothering her. He
kissed her cheek then sat on the stool next to her. She continued
to sketch, not looking at him.

“
What’s the matter,
Kat?”

Katherine tried not to let a smile
escape her lips but it was hard to do when she was in his presence.
“What makes you think something is wrong?” She kept
drawing.

Colum took the charcoal pencil from
her and turned her chair. He had her facing him. Tilting her chin
up he smiled. “Because I can smell it. You are working on
something, something is worrying you or bothering you.”

Katherine shrugged her shoulders.
“Not really.” She tried to get up but was held firm.

“
You aren’t going anywhere until
you tell me. Remember, I am older than you and have lots of
practice and patience.”

Katherine felt her worries and
problems were miniscule compared to the whole wide picture of
things. She felt justified one minute and then a complete
baby.

“
OK, I’m having a hard time
getting used to all this security. Just to go to the store, which I
don’t have to do any more because Travis shops, or taking the kids
to school or them not getting on the bus or, what the hell am I
going to do with Thanksgiving coming up next week, and I don’t know
how you and the guys are going to manage being around a bunch of
humans without wanting to make a meal out of them... ”

Colum could see she was very
serious so he didn’t laugh, though he wanted to. “Is that all?” He
took her hands and felt her tremble.

“
Kat your family, any of your
family, is my family, they are welcome here anytime and you never
have to worry about us being so hungry that we would want to make a
meal out of them. Maybe we can go over security a bit, but at this
point your safety is my highest priority.” He pulled her into his
arms. He felt her relax.” The world wouldn’t be a safe place if
something happened to you again.” He kissed her upturned lips. He
savored her lips, tasting her fear, anger, arousal.

He swept her up and made his way to
the staircase. When he arrived at their room’s threshold he let his
eyes sweep over his Kat. “I need to make love to you... ” He felt
her arms encircle his neck as she brought his face down towards
hers.

She let her lips take his. In
between kisses she whispered. “Is making love your solution to
every problem?”

Colum let out one of his thunderous
laughs, “As the bumper stickers used to say in the 70s, “Make love,
Not war”.”

He brought her in and closed the
door.

* * * * * * *

Later, Katherine sat at the kitchen
bar going over a list of food that they would need to buy for the
following week for Thanksgiving.

“
Miss Katherine, I would be very
honored to have you work in the kitchen with me on this holiday. I
feel this is something very important to you... ”

Katherine laughed and felt her
face go red. “Did Colum say anything to you?” She glanced at
Travis, hoping to see if she could tell.

“
On my honor, Miss Katherine, he
hasn’t talked to me, but I know enough of these human holidays to
know that it’s important, as important as the meal
itself.”

Katherine added a few more items
and then got up to start looking through the cupboards. She made a
mental note that even though this was a household of vampires, they
had everything she would need to cook and bake with. She felt
Travis studying her.

“
How is it that everything I would
need is here?”

Travis found his eyes locking with
Katherine. “How do you mean?”

Katherine straightened up. “Did
Colum go shopping just before we met? Did he stalk me and then go
shopping in hopes... ”

Colum stood off in the shadows and
smiled at Katherine’s questions. She was the same Katherine, full
of questions and fairness that must play into running everything,
that knowing how to disarm the strongest of warriors. Travis and
all the men were going to be putty in her hands. He’d already found
Travis’s twin nephews starting to fight over who would watch Sally.
She had only just turned sixteen but her beauty, like her mother’s,
was fast emerging. She would be a stunner. Sally had a sweet
innocence about her still, which was refreshing. But she ran around
his home like she owned it already. All she had to do is mention
she wanted something and it appeared.

He came out this morning after she
had been brought to school and saw Thor and Odin erecting the frame
of a small barn at their uncle’s home. When he questioned them they
just shrugged their shoulders and said it was for a horse that they
had purchased for Sally as an early Christmas gift.

He smiled. Once Sally got to a
certain age, the friendship between the two brothers would turn
deadly when they started competing for her hand. He was glad he had
a few years before he had to worry about that.

Law and the code of honor within
vampire circles of their kind was that warm bloods were off limits.
They were to be protected. That’s why his kind was here in the
first place, as protectors of mankind. There had been unions in
days and years past of the different races such as vampires, the
Fallen Ones and the Fae. Fairies had come to his father for extra
protection during the times of the invasion of Mil. That was when
he had first laid eyes on Katherine.

The brothers, Odin and Thor, now
followed Sally around like big goofy puppies. But puppies they were
not, they would defend and protect her and her brothers to the very
end.

He had explained
to Kat about their kind and how mates were chosen. The warriors may
fall hard for one female, whether it was of their own kind, or from
the warm bloods, but it had to be the females choosing or it never
happened. Those two brothers would stand by and protect Sally and
wait for
her
to
signal who she had decided on. Until then, she had the best
bodyguards. Better then Secret Service Agents by
far.

He smiled as he listened to Travis
and Katherine pull baking pans out of cupboards. He would go spend
time with his parents to give Katherine this chance to become more
comfortable.

* * * * * * *

Colum was sitting with his parents
when one of their servants came in with a message.

Cormac looked at it and handed it
to Colum.

Colum read it and smiled a grim
smile. “I don’t think this is going to make any difference with
them. They don’t care. They will keep finding martyrs for this
jihad they have declared on Katherine. Once she was put on the
list, only death will take her off.”

Cormac looked at his son. “We have
that one who doesn’t care if he goes back. He just asked that we
get his family out somehow.”

Colum got up and pushed the chair
away from the table. He walked to the fireplace. “He is a smart
man. Also a nice touch in the film is making the leader of that
cell think we killed him also. We can use him in our ranks. It will
give us that edge to know what they are thinking.”

“
Well, let’s hope that after they
see the video, more of them will have second thoughts.”