Vengeance in Blood (Book 2): Tribulations (7 page)

Sheepishly looking at Besseta, Tiffany admitted, “Several weeks ago.”

“Tiffany, you can’t do that,” Besseta told her with a worried tone.

Reaching over, Tiffany patted Besseta’s cheek. “I’m still good. I’ve always been able to control the thirst. Kenneth is in no danger. I would die before I ever hurt or allow someone to hurt your beloved.”

“You always were a good friend,” Besseta replied.

Tiffany looked away at the store. “It never ceases to amaze me how far humanity has come in the last few hundred years.” She let go of Besseta’s hand. “You are the only person I’ve ever considered as a friend. I consider you what I think others would call a sister, a member of my family.”

Chuckling, Besseta admitted, “Hell, you’re the only vampire I’ve met and really liked.”

“I know, and that truly honors me,” Tiffany told her. “You aren’t mad that I know about your house on the island?”

“No, you’re the only one other than Kenneth I trust,” Besseta assured her. “How did you find it?”

“Like I told you, I try to always keep up with you. One day, I know your task will lead you to kill other edimmu, and you will become outcast. When that happens, I will stand beside you,” Tiffany told her.

“That will be a long time,” Besseta admitted. “There are still many evil humans that must be dealt with.”

Nodding, Tiffany said, “True, but that time will come, and I wanted to make sure I knew where you would run so I could help.”

Staring at the side of Tiffany’s face, Besseta noticed how tranquil her presence was. “How many of my other homes do you know about?” she asked.

“Most,” Tiffany admitted in a low voice.

Somewhat alarmed, Besseta asked, “How? I was very careful when I set them up.”

Hearing alarm in Besseta’s voice, Tiffany turned and patted her leg. “Yes you were, and to my knowledge, no others of our kind, including the Leagues, know about them. Well, the ones you seem to want hidden.” Besseta just looked at Tiffany, still alarmed. “Don’t worry; I’ve followed you off and on over the years.”

“I never smelled you or heard your thoughts,” Besseta told her.

“I never came closer than a mile, and I was always a hundred or so feet up so my scent wouldn’t stay on the ground,” Tiffany told her, smiling. “Please don’t be mad,” she begged.

“Oh, I’m not,” Besseta sighed with relief. “I was just worried others could do it,” she assured her. “Why haven’t you paid your tribute?”

Tiffany chuckled. “I refuse to pay for the right to live where I choose. If the League wants to try me, they may.”

“No, I took care of it,” Besseta told her. “Your past debt is forgiven, and neither of us owe again forever to this League.”

“You shouldn’t have done that,” Tiffany scolded.

“It had to be done,” Besseta assured her, quickly describing what she did for the League.

Thinking about it, Tiffany agreed, “Yes, that had to be done. I wish you would’ve come to me before you did it.”

“Well, I just found out where you were,” Besseta said, looking out the window and seeing Kenneth carrying several bags.

“Just how did you find me?” Tiffany asked, narrowing her eyes.

“Smelled you,” Besseta said, watching Kenneth walk toward them.

“I figured as much, but how did you know where to start?” Tiffany asked.

Looking back at Tiffany, Besseta grinned. “You wouldn’t believe me, but I will tell you in time. It’s not that I don’t trust you; when I tell you, Tiffany, you will become hunted if others find out.”

Tiffany let out a laugh. “Hah, like I’d worry,” she snickered as Kenneth opened the back door and climbed in. The smell of food flooded the car as he set the bags down and put on his seatbelt.

“I got each of you a hamburger and fries,” he said as he started digging in the bags.

“Baby,” Besseta whined and looked up in the rearview mirror to see Kenneth just giving her a blank stare. “Fine,” she huffed.

“Just a few bites,” Kenneth said, passing up the food and a bottle of water. “I know you don’t need a lot of food, but you still need food.” Tiffany smiled as Kenneth passed the food for both of them forward. Besseta started the car and pulled back on the road.

Unwrapping her burger, Tiffany looked at it in shock. It smelled really good, but the look left a lot to be desired. “This is edible?” she asked.

“Yes, they aren’t that bad,” Besseta said, taking a nibble, and looked over her shoulder at Kenneth and gave him a smile. She wasn’t really hungry but couldn’t tell him no.

Tentatively, Tiffany tested the burger and gave a nod. It was alright even though there was no way she could eat the whole thing. “Yes, it is good.” She smiled and noticed Besseta eating a French fry. Looking down at her box of fries, Tiffany grabbed one and admitted she liked that as well.

“Tiffany, do you have any identification?” Besseta asked.

“Like what?” she asked, confused. Besseta knew who she was.

“Like passport, license, credit card, any of those?” Besseta asked.

“No, why would I need them?”

“To get across the border,” Besseta told her.

Tiffany took another nibble. “I’ve never needed them before,” she admitted.

After four small bites, Besseta folded her burger up. “If you move around close to humans, you must have had some,” she said, looking over.

“No, though I rarely stay close to the human world unless I need something,” Tiffany responded.

“We’ll have to get you some,” Besseta told her. “When we get to the border, you’ll have to cross and wait for us.”

“It’s not like they can stop us,” Tiffany pointed out.

“True, but we don’t want attention,” Besseta said. “The others after us will know we were here.”

Tiffany thought about that and liked the reasoning. “You are a natural tactician.”

“Fight in enough wars, and it just rubs off,” Besseta told her as Kenneth sat back, listening.

“Never knew you to really fight in the wars, just punished those that were fighting who hurt the civilians. Well, with the exception of joining Jeanne’s army,” Tiffany said and took another bite.

Just staring as she drove, Besseta had small smile on her face. “Jeanne was nice and a good person. I really liked her,” Besseta admitted.

“Are you still mad about me agreeing with the League for not allowing you to rescue her?” Tiffany asked but turned to look away.

Shaking her head, Besseta said in a low voice, “No, you were right. If I would’ve tried, they would’ve killed me, and even if I managed to get her out, the church would have condemned her and her family,” Besseta said.

Leaning forward, Kenneth asked, “Jeanne’s army?”

“Jeanne d’Arc,” Besseta said over her shoulder.

“JOAN OF ARC!” Kenneth shouted, making both startle.

“Baby, please don’t shout,” Besseta said over her shoulder.

“Sorry,” Kenneth said, feeling bad. “But
the
Joan of Arc?”

Besseta nodded. “Yes.”

Blowing out a huff, Kenneth dropped back against his seat. “My history is a little rough, but wasn’t she fighting the English?”

“Yes and their allies,” Besseta answered.

Grabbing his bottle of water, Kenneth drained it then shook his head. “I think anyone who fought the English, you joined them,” he pointed out, and Tiffany giggled.

“You can say that and be very close to accurate,” Besseta said with a hint of steel in her voice.

Holding his hands up, Kenneth pleaded, “Hey, don’t get mad at me. I was just making an observation.”

“A good one,” Tiffany chuckled.

Besseta looked over her shoulder at both of them. “I’ve fought with the English once, and that was fighting the Nazis.”

“Hey, you didn’t like the Spanish or Moors much better,” Tiffany snickered. “Let’s not forget the Holy Roman Empire.”

Hearing that, Kenneth turned to look at the side of Besseta’s face. She just looked ahead with the instrument panel lighting her face. He stared at her for over an hour as they rode in silence. Hoping she would clarify in time, Kenneth finished eating, never looking away.

“I don’t like rulers who control through fear and murder,” she finally said. “They have different rules that apply to them. That is why I fell in love with America.”

“What about America now?” Kenneth asked.

“It’s not what it was a hundred years ago,” she answered. “The powerful families have once again taken power and do as they wish.”

Nodding, Kenneth cleaned up his wrappers and put them in a bag. “You do know if they crack the code of how to infect the ruling class with the vampire virus, the world is theirs,” he said.

“Yes,” Besseta mumbled. “That is why I will fight this war.”

Chapter 5

Late the next morning, Besseta pulled up to the dock. They climbed out, and Kenneth went to the trunk and tried to grab Tiffany’s bags. “Shit,” he mumbled, struggling to lift them. Finally giving up, he struggled with one at a time to get them out. Sweating, he looked up to see both women staring at him.

“I’ll get them,” he said, wiping the sweat off his brow.

“Kenneth,” Tiffany said as she stepped forward, “each one weighs more than you do.”

He took a step back. “Damn, no wonder,” he mumbled. “It’ll just take me a little longer,” he replied with a grin.

Bouncing over, Besseta kissed his cheek. “We’ll get them, baby. Why don’t you get the boat ready?” she offered.

Feeling down, he mumbled, “Okay,” gave her a kiss, and trotted away.

“He is truly remarkable. You made a good choice on him,” Tiffany said when Kenneth reached the boat. She bent down and grabbed the bags with seemingly no effort.

“Yes I did.” Besseta smiled, taking one of the bags from Tiffany, and they headed down to the boat.

They climbed on as Kenneth started the motor and backed out. Besseta and Tiffany just looked around as Kenneth drove them to the island. When he pulled up to the dock, Kenneth shut down the motor. “Tiffany, let us go in the house first,” Kenneth said, tying the boat off.

“Kenneth, I assure you along with Besseta no one is here,” Tiffany said, picking up her bags. “Even if they were, I could handle them easier than Besseta could.”

Hearing that, Kenneth raised his eyebrows. “No, I don’t want the babies freaking out,” he told her, and Besseta gasped.

“Oh my gosh, you’re right,” she cried out.

“Babies?” Tiffany stopped in shock.

Besseta bounced on her toes. “You won’t believe it,” she cried out and took off. Kenneth smiled and followed. A thousand questions flooded Tiffany’s mind as the two headed for the house.

“Babies,” Tiffany mumbled as she stood rooted to the dock while Kenneth and Besseta walked into the house. Then she heard barks not of alarm but of joy. “No,” she gasped and took off at a run.

Stopping at the front door, Tiffany saw Besseta lying on the floor as the two pugs crawled over her, kissing her. Dropping her bags, Tiffany fell to her knees with tears in her eyes, watching the dogs love all over Besseta, and Kenneth laid on the floor, and they loved on him. “How?” she mumbled in a broken voice with tears on her face.

The dogs suddenly froze and spun around. They jumped away from Besseta and Kenneth with Bonnie standing in front of Besseta and Clyde in front of Kenneth, and they started growling and barking at Tiffany. The hair on their backs was standing up as they viscously barked at her, even darting forward then bouncing back, trying to scare the predator they smelled away.

This was the barking Tiffany always heard as she looked at the two dogs with tears running down her face with a longing that really hit Kenneth in the gut. He jumped up. “Bonnie, Clyde, that’s enough!” he snapped. The dogs ignored him and kept barking. Besseta got up and reached for Bonnie, but Kenneth stopped her. “Don’t,” he said. “They think Tiffany’s here to hurt us.”

Besseta looked at the door and saw the tears and longing on Tiffany’s face. “She won’t hurt us,” Besseta said.

“I know that, baby, but they are dogs, not people,” Kenneth told her. “Let me handle this, and you follow my lead. If you pick them up, you are taking away their means of attack and ability to run.” He looked at Besseta to make sure she understood, and she finally nodded. “BONNIE, CLYDE!” Kenneth bellowed, stomping his foot. The dogs jumped, shutting up, and even Besseta jumped back. Tiffany never moved, looking at the two dogs.

Walking in front of the dogs, Kenneth put his hands on his hips and looked down at them. “Be nice!” he snapped, and they looked up at him in what Kenneth took to be shock. The dogs smelled danger, but Daddy wanted them to be nice. “Sit,” Kenneth snapped, and both dogs sat down, giving off low growls. “I’m not kidding!” Kenneth shouted, and the growling stopped, but the hair on their backs was still standing up.

“Besseta,” Kenneth said in a low voice. “Go over and kneel beside Tiffany, and put your arm over her shoulder, then I’ll do the same on the other side.”

Smiling, Besseta walked over to Tiffany, and the dogs jumped up, growling. “Sit!” Kenneth barked, and they both slowly sat as Momma kneeled beside the predator.  When Besseta put her arm over Tiffany, both dogs jumped up, growling, ready to defend Momma. “Easy,” Kenneth told them in a low, calm voice.

Bonnie and Clyde both calmed down, not understanding why the predator wasn’t attacking Momma. Together, they both sat back down, not looking away from Besseta. “Good boy, good girl,” Kenneth said, bending down to give both some love. As he rubbed them, Kenneth could feel their muscles were tensed and hard as a rock. “Stay,” he said, standing up, and slowly walked toward Tiffany and Besseta.

The dogs started to vibrate on the floor, growling as Daddy walked over to the predator. When Kenneth kneeled on the other side of Tiffany and put his arm around her, the dogs jumped up and growled again. “Be nice,” Kenneth snapped, and they stopped growling but didn’t sit down. Through all of this, Tiffany just looked at the dogs with tears pouring down her face. She barely registered Kenneth and Besseta beside her.

“Besseta, slowly put your head on Tiffany’s shoulder,” Kenneth told her. “They need to see we aren’t afraid of her and trust her.” Slowly, Besseta laid her head on Tiffany’s shoulder, and both dogs cocked their heads to the side, almost making Kenneth laugh.

“Tiffany,” Kenneth said, and she didn’t acknowledge him. “Tiffany,” he sang out louder, smiling at the dogs.

“Yes.” She shook her head, and the dogs started growling, uncocking their heads. Kenneth just watched the dogs, impressed they knew what Tiffany was.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but the dogs think you’re going to hurt us, so Besseta and I are going to slowly love on you. Don’t make sudden moves,” Kenneth told her.

“I won’t. I promise,” she said, blinking tears out of her eyes. “Will they let me touch them?”

Kenneth chuckled. “Yes, when they see you aren’t a threat to us and are a friend.”

“I can chop one of my hands off if that will help,” she offered, and Kenneth jumped, making both dogs growl again.

“That won’t be necessary,” Kenneth assured her. “Besseta, I’m going to lay my head on Tiffany’s head, and you need to sweet talk them.”

As Kenneth lowered his head, resting his cheek on Tiffany’s head, Besseta smiled at the dogs. “This is Momma’s friend, babies. You have to be nice so she can love on you so much,” she almost sang out. The growling stopped as the dogs watched and were clearly confused.

“Tiffany, slowly put your arms around us, and Besseta and I are going to love on you,” Kenneth said in a low voice, slowly turning to Tiffany. The dogs jerked upon seeing Tiffany’s arms move. “Don’t!” Kenneth snapped at them.

Bonnie and Clyde curled their lips, growling as Kenneth and Besseta hugged Tiffany. “You had to do this for Besseta?” Tiffany asked, still looking at the dogs with tears running down her face.

“No,” Kenneth said, wrapping his arms around her with his hands on Besseta. He hugged them both to him tight. “I think they knew she loved me, and I loved her at first sight,” Kenneth admitted, and Besseta giggled.

“Boy are they smart,” she said, wrapping her arms around Tiffany’s waist. “See, don’t you two want some love?” she sang out, looking at the dogs. The snarls left Bonnie and Clyde’s faces as they watched.

Raising one arm, Kenneth started stroking Tiffany’s head. “Tiffany, they will be coming over soon. Don’t move toward them, or we have to start over, and it will take longer,” Kenneth instructed.

“I won’t; I promise,” Tiffany said with a longing. “I can wait forever.”

“Well I can’t,” Kenneth told her. “I have to pee,” he said, making them both chuckle.

Hearing that, Bonnie and Clyde both relaxed and cocked their heads again. With trepidation, Bonnie eased forward, sniffing the air, and Clyde moved beside her. Kenneth could tell they were both ready to bite or run but wanted to check this weird predator out that Momma and Daddy loved.

It took almost ten minutes, but they both eased up close, sniffing Tiffany’s dress. Clyde was the first to touch Tiffany with his nose, and Tiffany started to sob, and tears hit the floor as she looked down at him. Clyde jumped back, thinking he hurt this dangerous predator. Clyde looked at Bonnie, and Bonnie looked at him, neither understanding. Bonnie moved closer and looked up at Tiffany.

Bonnie hung out her tongue and started panting at Tiffany, and Tiffany’s body shook more as she cried, fighting not to reach out. Kenneth unwrapped his arms from around the two girls. “I guess you two want some love?” he asked, looking down. Bonnie and Clyde both barked happily and bounced around and moved over, rubbing their heads on Tiffany’s thighs.

Besseta reached down, loving on them. “Can Tiffany pet them now?” she asked.

“Yes,” Kenneth said. “Let me go, Tiffany, and very slowly reach down with the hand around me and just hold it out. Don’t let go of Besseta though.”

“Why shouldn’t she let go of me?” Besseta asked in a calm voice, rubbing the dogs as Tiffany slowly moved her arm from around Kenneth.

“They love you and see you as the alpha female to be protected,” he said, watching Tiffany slowly hold out her hand. Bonnie moved over and Tiffany stopped holding out her hand. Sniffing Tiffany’s fingertips, Bonnie moved her head up to the palm. The sobs stayed with Tiffany but were now sobs of a long-held joy as she slowly caressed Bonnie.

Seeing this, Clyde couldn’t take it and ran over, pushing Bonnie out of the way to get some love. “You can let Besseta go now and pet both of them,” Kenneth said, standing up. Besseta sat down, crossing her legs, and Tiffany followed suit as the dogs climbed up in her lap. Besseta smiled, reaching over to love on the dogs with Tiffany. Smiling, Kenneth turned and headed to the closest bathroom.

“I’ve wanted this for almost four thousand years,” Tiffany sobbed, and Kenneth and Besseta froze.

“What did you say?” Besseta asked with wide eyes.

“I’ve tried hundreds of times, but no dog would ever come to me,” Tiffany said as her sobs slowly left, but tears of joy were still in her eyes. “I’ve paid other humans to try this, and it never worked.”

“How long?” Besseta asked.

“Almost four thousand years,” Tiffany said as Bonnie laid down on her lap and rolled over, exposing her belly. Tiffany slowly caressed her belly, and Clyde followed, just lying on the floor, rolling on his back.

“Ahm,” Kenneth cleared his throat. “Ah Tiffany,” he said. “You mean to tell me you were around in the Bronze Age?”

“That is what modern scientists call it, but there was more than bronze,” Tiffany said, smiling down at the dogs.

Kenneth turned to Besseta. “I thought the oldest you met was only two thousand years old?”

“I never asked Tiffany,” Besseta said, looking at Tiffany with wide eyes.

For the first time, Tiffany took her eyes off the dogs as she looked up to Kenneth with a splotchy face. “I don’t know why, but Besseta never asked, and I never told her. I didn’t think she wanted to know, and I didn’t want to bore her.” She smiled and looked back down at the dogs.

Feeling lightheaded, Kenneth just sank to his knees and dropped to his butt. “Whoa,” he mumbled.

Tiffany looked up at Besseta. “Thank you for this more than you will ever know,” she smiled.

“He did it. I didn’t.” Besseta smiled but was still in shock.

“Did the dogs really just come up to you?” Tiffany asked, looking back down and loving on the dogs.

“Pretty much,” Besseta admitted. “I was really worried about them. I could tell Kenneth really trusted and loved them. I didn’t know how I was going to get close to him, but Bonnie came over, and the rest is history. They never even barked at me.”

Kenneth scoffed. “That was a first for them for anyone, much less a hot, sexy vampire,” he chuckled.

“You loved Kenneth the first time you saw him, didn’t you?” Tiffany asked, picking up Bonnie and hugging her. Bonnie turned and licked the tears off Tiffany’s face.

“Yes I did. I saw him weeks before he saw me, and I just didn’t admit it to myself,” Besseta answered, making Kenneth blush. Besseta saw it and asked, “Would you have let me stay with you if the dogs didn’t like me?” she asked.

“Ah, truthfully,” he cringed, “no.”

Besseta smiled. “I figured.”

“Hey, that’s why I didn’t date much. Bonnie and Clyde didn’t like any women,” Kenneth said, getting up.

Besseta moved closer to Tiffany and loved on the dogs. “They knew who their momma was, didn’t they?” she said, and the dogs lunged at her, licking her face. Kenneth laughed and trotted to the bathroom before he wet the floor. 

“Come on; let’s go to the kitchen and make sure they have some food,” Besseta said, getting up and holding out her hand for Tiffany. Reluctantly, Tiffany stood, grasped Besseta’s hand, and held it, following her into the kitchen.

“I smell a human in your basement,” Tiffany said, walking into the kitchen.

Besseta saw the empty dog bowls. “Aw, Momma’s babies ate all their food,” Besseta said and pointed over at the dog food. “Fill their bowls for them, Tiffany,” she said, letting her hand go. “Kenneth told me that was the fastest way to get the dogs to listen to me.”