10 comments/ 22991 views/ 7 favorites New Kingdom: Australian Court Ch. 01 By: MicKay Thanks to TaFace for editing grammar and spelling. Special thanks to Willie for noting the differences between American English and Australian English. I need to pay more attention to those Outback Steakhouse commercials - "how to speak Australian." smiles.... * Speeding across the dark skies, Alex glanced at the other passengers but focused intently on his special guest. He and his men were returning to Australia after assisting the leaders of the New Kingdom in battle against their greatest adversary. Although they had been victorious, the allies had learned of yet another enemy. One that had been created for the sole purpose of destroying the New Kingdom. One that had been created just like Joshua, who sat silently staring into the dark skies. When Gabriel had requested the favor, Alex readily invited Joshua to accompany them. But now, he wondered what lay behind Joshua's intentions for this trip. He had appeared genuinely distressed to leave Nola but had he agreed to the separation too quickly. Maybe he was just afraid of his old man. Hell, what person would be stupid enough to cross Gabriel Philandros? And yet, Joshua intrigued him. He had barely eaten his dinner and had declined the liquid refreshment stored on the jet for vampire guests. Joshua nervously looked up and listened intently whenever someone would exit the cockpit. He had inquired about radio contact until Alex explained that their stealth flight would not allow communication. He had appeared relieved to learn this. Strange behavior for a love sick pup. Thinking about the object of Joshua's affection summoned the image of another's face to mind. Alex looked out the window but the dark night served as a blank canvas to hold her face. She was beautiful, a fact no one could deny. But the attraction was deeper than a mere appreciation for those big dark eyes and perfect pink lips. It was something in the way her voice trembled when she said "thank you." It was the way he felt the low currents of electricity when she was near. "I've lost my mind," he reprimanded himself. "Now I'm getting a buzz from just thinking about her." Unable to relax, Alex turned in his seat to find Joshua staring at him. Quickly, the boy dropped his eyes trying to look away but not before Alex had seen his face. Although no sound had been heard, Joshua had been moving his lips as though he was talking. "Hey, man," Alex said. "You ok?" "Yeah, why?" "You've been quiet. Missing your girl?" "No. I mean yeah. Yeah, sure, I miss her." "Is something wrong?" Alex asked moving across the aisle from Josh. "What? No. Why? What makes you think something is wrong?" "Mixed signals. You seem nervous but you're the only kid I know who usually has grace under pressure." "You think I'm a kid," Joshua said quietly. "I think you look about ten years younger than me although there's more than thirty years difference between us." "It's weird, you know. One day, your mom is buying your clothes and telling you that your human body needs vegetables but then the next day ...." "You're fighting the devil himself," Alex finished. "Which I've been meaning to ask...How many times have you been in hand to hand combat?" "Counting the time I tried to protect Emma, twice. And neither was very smooth." "When was that?" Joshua thought about that day at the maze and laughed out loud. "Maybe a couple of weeks ago. I was much smaller but still ... I'm the same guy." "How does that work?" Alex asked motioning to Joshua. "You look older than when I met you just a few days ago." "I'm not sure," Joshua answered avoiding Alex gaze. "We are the first of our kind." "Do you mind if I ask about that? Cause I'm interested in ... well, it's interesting how you were made." "Test tube babies. That's what Abby calls us. She has always appreciated this life we have," Josh replied quietly. "And you?" "I appreciate the life our parents gave us. No matter how much we frustrate him, Dad has always made us his first priority. Apparently, he immediately laid claim to us when we were found at the hospital." "Does he get pissed at you?" Alex asked with a laugh. "I can't imagine surviving a battle against him." "No," Joshua answered quietly. "At least not yet." "You'll see her soon mate." "I know," he quickly answered and then turned to Alex. "What? Who? Who do you mean?" "Your girl," Alex replied and then paused as Josh squirmed in his seat. "Hey, is something going on?" "No." "You'd tell me?" "If I could. Did you have other questions about us? Not missing Joshua's swift maneuvering of the subject, Alex sat back and contemplated his next question. He liked this guy. Joshua had proved to be loyal to his family and would be a great friend. Still, Alex needed to know. "Are you a vampire?" he asked bluntly. "No. At least, not yet." "Not yet? How can you be created by seven vampires and not be one yourself?" "I was created with the egg of a human female fertilized by the DNA of six men. What they are is what I will become." "But in the maze," Alex said with confusion. "You said that you had the blood of all seven brothers." "I do. Now." When he saw the confusion on Alex face, Josh shook his head and laughed. "How convenient it must be for human children to have a mother and a father. No explanations. No extraordinary developments." "Sorry. I'm just confused." "Abby found out and tried to explain it to me. To tell the truth, I don't think my parents wanted us to know and I still didn't care enough to ask. But according to Abs, we were created and then basically existed to produce a blood that would be toxic to other vampires. When Dad found us, he and Mom were mated but something had delayed her change. He had drained her blood and fed her his but she was stuck in the transition. Not vampire but definitely not human." "Is that how you are now? In transition?" "Not exactly like her but I guess it's similar. Anyway, she had fed from Dad so she had his blood. When he brought us to the American Court, she fed us and gave us the part of him we were missing." "When you say 'we' you are referring to just you and Abigail," Alex stated. "What about this other guy? The one the Panthralges called his son?" "He must be missing the part from my dad. I wonder if that will help us..." "Help us with what? I'm sure he's none of our concern. Not with your dad on the job." Joshua looked at Alex and opened his mouth to say something. Suddenly his snapped his jaws shut and turned to look out the window. Sensing an internal conflict within his friend, Alex tried to return the conversation to their previous subject. "So your mum basically saved your life?" "Yeah," Joshua answered turning to face Alex. "The things that Panthralges said..." "Forget about it," Alex interrupted. "It's the oldest trick to get a bloke off his game. " "I miss her," Josh said quietly. "Is that weird?" "Which her are we talking about?" "My mom," he answered. "She always worries about us. She will be scared. Dad will be angry." "Why?" "Oh, nothing. We've never been separated." "But she has Abigail," Alex countered. "And why would Gabriel be pissed? He sent you on this trip." "Yeah, that's what he thinks. God, when he finds out the truth ..." Joshua stopped and added with a grin, "I hope Mom comes with him." "You really miss her." "Oh yeah but she's also the only one who can talk to him when he's angry." "Doesn't she get angry?" "You know, I never considered that," Joshua said with a nervous laugh. Alex sat back wondering why his friend was so anxious in regard to Gabriel. He had watched the father and son interact several times during his visit and had never witnessed any signs of conflict between the two. Even when Lola had been found hiding in Joshua's room, Gabriel had been quiet and somewhat disappointed. Alex could hardly disagree with the man. Bringing a human to secluded area crawling with vampires had not been a smart move on the boy's part. While Alex was a trained warrior, Lola was viewed as nothing more than a tasty morsel. Joshua will understand that one day. When his transition was complete. Closing his eyes, Alex tried to avoid the memory of that beautiful face continually haunting him. Joshua would change and so would she. And when she did, she would become that creature he hated so much. She would be a vampire. *** Antony walked around the makeshift bed never leaving his mate more than a few feet away. If he was this anxious after a few hours, he wondered if he could survive the next three days. He constantly touched her face, looked at her body and marveled at the true beauty her transformation unveiled. Each strand of hair glistened in the sun as threads of gold. Her face was calm with no signs of worry or insecurity marring her brow. Although he had mostly refrained from jostling her during her rest, he had not been able to resist those red lips. Forming a natural pout, they had begged for attention. He had not disappointed. Letting his gaze travel over her body, he gently traced the path following his eyes. The ivory skin was flawless, soft and radiant. He placed his hand between her breasts to feel the heartbeat that reassured him of their eternal love. As their hearts raced together in perfect precision, he finally understood what his brothers had always known. One heart beat for two. How he could have thought he had found this with another amazed him even now. The memory of acknowledging Elise as his mate now continually mocked him. They had found an easy understanding with each other. She had forgiven his indiscretions with the condition that he allowed hers. So many years wasted in a hedonistic life. If Gabriel could change then he could too. Thinking of his siblings reminded Antony of their sudden departure. He hesitated about communicating with them only because he had wanted to keep everything and everyone outside of this time with his mate. Walking away from the bed, he turned toward the water and opened his mind to his brothers. "Edward," he said. "Any news?" "Not yet," Edward quickly answered. "God I hope Conlaoch can find her. Gabriel is about to tear this plane apart. If we land and she's not there...." "So Conlaoch knows. What happens to Alex? He's a hell of ally and a better warrior. Better than most vampires but he won't stand a chance against Gabriel." "That's why we all came. Between the four of us, we might be able to keep him from killing the man until we know what really happened." "I doubt it," Antony replied with a silent chuckle. "My money is on the general." "Yeah," Edward finally said. "Mine too." *** "Is this a joke to you?" "No, Gabriel, it's no joke," Edward replied. "I just hope you give them a chance to explain. He may not be involved." "Then how did she get past the guards and onto the jet?" Gabriel demanded with a growl. "She could not master this plan alone?" "How do you know that?" Iona asked. "If she wants something bad enough, who's to say that she's not smart enough to manipulate the situation?" "Why would you say that?" Gabriel demanded as he stood to his feet. "Have you been sharing some of your old tricks with my daughter, Lia?" "What the fuck?" Edward exclaimed as he too stood. "Gabriel, you're crossing a line brother." "Gabe," Alena said quietly placing her hand on his arm. "Walk to the suite with me. Please? Staring at his mate for a few seconds, he dropped his head and began to follow her away from the others. Before he reached the door, he turned back and stared at Edward for a second and then cleared his throat. "Iona," he finally said. "I apologize for what I said. I'm just ...." "Being a father," she finished for him. "You're forgiven." After Gabriel had shut the door between them, she added, "God help that human if he has laid a hand on the general's daughter." *** Once they were alone, Alena pushed her mate into a large chair. Instead of crawling onto his lap, she remained standing in front of him staring into his eyes. After a few moments, she bent over and softly kissed his lips. When he failed to respond to her touch, she straightened and stared at him again. "Are you going to tell me?" she finally demanded. "Tell you what?" "Why you are so disturbed?" she explained. "I mean, I'm worried about her safety but her brother is with them. He will let us know as soon as she walks off that plane. You ..." she added pointed directly to him, "are worried about something else." "This is so difficult," he finally said. "Making mistakes. Learning from mistakes. Making the same fucking mistakes." "What mistakes, Gabriel? You've never made mistakes with her." "Not her. You," he said combing his hands through his hair in frustration. "I always fail you." Now she climbed into his lap pulling his arms around her so she could snuggle close. She reached to his mind to find the source of his frustration but was greeted with an impenetrable wall. Placing both hands on the sides of his face, she looked in his eyes. "Gabe, tell me," she gently demanded. "Explain it to me." "What are your first memories?" he asked. "What's the earliest event you remember?" "What?" "Just tell me." "Uh, ok. Being human. It gets a little fuzzy but I remember when you left," she said pausing when he dropped his head. "What else?" "Tony died. Lia left. But then you came back and everything was perfect again." "Don't you see?" he asked. "When I left, when I couldn't protect you, when you were not under my care, everything fell apart and you keep it with you now. It stays between us." "I don't mean for it to stay between us." "You shouldn't remember," he said. "It wasn't Iona that got mad when I called her Lia. It was Edward. She doesn't remember." "I'm sorry." "No. No, baby. I'm the one who should apologize. I'm sorry that I left you. You would never have this pain haunting you." "Gabe," she said with a quiver in her voice. "You couldn't have saved Tony. You couldn't have saved Lia." "Yes I could have. They would have been safe under my care." Suddenly Alena leaped off his lap. She began pacing the confined quarters and she struggled to digest the information Gabriel had just shared. "Then why didn't you?" she simply asked with no accusation in her tone. "Why didn't you save them?" "It was against their will," he answered. "I came to your house and spoke with Tony. He was ready to die and had no desire to live. Lia was living her choices." "Why didn't you force them?" "No matter how much I loved you, I couldn't do that. Now, we carry it with us." "No," she said firmly. "You respected their will and made the right decision. I think I was overcome with pain. When Lia left, it was all I had. This thing between us," she said motioning between them, "is my fault." "Then we share the burden." "What does any of this have to do with Abigail?" "She's chosen to leave my care," he answered quietly. "She can be hurt." "By who? By this boy? The Panthralges said he hadn't grown very big. How can he hurt her?" "Then he has guards or powerful caretakers but remember, he's created equal to our children." "And he would be able to find her," she said with understanding. "I'm afraid," he said standing to his feet, "that he may have already." **** "We should be landing soon," Alex announced to his young companion. "Are you sure you don't need anything? Food? Blood?" "I'm fine, thanks," Joshua answered. "You confuse me on that." "On what?" "You seem comfortable with the vampire lifestyle but then you seem to, I don't know, resent it too." "Ha! That just about sums it up. I guess you could say that I have the best of a life that I chose with a certain amount of reluctance." "You choose to live with vampires and also hunt them," Joshua stated. "It's a little more than that," Alex responded staring at the dawning skies. "I guess you could say that I really didn't have a choice. I just accepted the inevitable." Joshua remained quiet as Alex continued staring out the window. Just when he thought the conversation had died, Alex turned in his seat and leaned forward. "Life is so precious," he said. "These TV shows with Mum, Dad, and kids aren't anywhere near reality. But some of us, like you and me, have it a little different than everyone else. My life has been compromised with a vampire because he and I love the same woman. My mother." "Isn't she a vampire?" "Yeah," Alex answered. "A choice that I made for her. You see, she was just a kid when she had a kid. I never knew my dad but she was enough. She loved life and lived for fun. She followed rock bands while they were on tour and hooked up with members every now and then. About twenty-five years ago, we had hitched a ride to this huge outdoor arena." "She took you with her?" "Oh yeah," he answered with a smile, "I was about seven years old and she was twenty-two, just a kid but that kind of life makes you older. Someone told her that she could drop me off somewhere, some place that would take care of me, but she refused, said nobody would love me like she did. And she did. We might have slept in some shelters and had to steal our dinner but she was there. Always hiding me from the crowd." "I guess you didn't have friends?" "Nah, but I had her. Not a lifestyle I'd chose for a kid but ...anyway, she kept me safe. So we arrived at this arena and man there were tens of thousands of people there. Rich, poor, white, black, young, old, you name it. So she tucks me away between some band equipment and boxes where I can see everything but no one sees me. I noticed this guy, big bugger, walk in with his posse. Struth, he looked mean. Anyway, one of his blokes grabs at my mum." "What happened?" "This big arse mongrel grabs the guy around the neck with one hand and says something like, 'you know I don't allow this.' He then helps my mum up and tells her to take herself and her son home. He said something like it wasn't safe for our kind. I could tell that my mum was shocked that this guy knew about me. Anyway, she gets up and starts dragging me through the crowd. I'm thinking she's pissed at me because she's crying so I start crying." "Did people ask what happened?" "Shit, those people were either high, drunk, or just didn't care. Anyway, we get outside of the gates and there's the bastard who had grabbed my mum. Before we can run, he pushes me down and drags her away. So here I am, a little kid, crying, who has now lost his mum to this thing. For a minute I panicked," he said and then quit talking. "Alex?" "I've wondered how different everything would be if I hadn't lost that minute," he mumbled and then finally added, "but I did. So I stood there looking around and knew that I would never just luck up and find her. Then, it was just strange, I felt him. Not her. Him. So I walked toward him. Several hundred feet in the trees, he was there with my mum. What was left of her. In less than a couple of minutes, he had managed to ...." "You don't have to tell me," Joshua offered when Alex quit talking. "So I grabbed a fallen branch. Fairly pathetic but it was there. When I approached, he turned and I saw what he was." "A vampire." "Covered in my mother's blood. He hissed at me but didn't stop what he was doing to her. She opened her eyes and saw me and started crying. He began laughing. Laughing at her. She had suffered his abuse but started crying when she thought I was in danger. And he was laughing at her. Somehow, I managed to grab another branch and hit him until he fell away from my mum. He jumped up to rush me but I used those two sticks and impaled him against a tree." New Kingdom: Australian Court Ch. 01 "That wouldn't kill a vampire." "No, but it held him immobile long enough for me to grab the blade in his belt. It wasn't easy, I was just a kid but somehow, I managed to cut off his head." "Then what happened?" Joshua asked leaning close. "So my mum is lying there, barely breathing, and I'm terrified. Suddenly my weird life just escalated into a world of monsters and death. I bent over my mum and tried to lift her thinking I could carry her back to the arena. I knew she wouldn't live long enough for me to find help and bring them to her. But I couldn't budge her. The strength I had in the fight was gone. And then I heard someone." "Help?" "The only help that could save her," Alex answered. "It was the big bloke that had pulled this bastard off my mum before. So I'm there thinking, he's gonna kill me but he just stares at me. So I did the only thing I knew to do. I begged. I begged him to help my mum. He waited a few seconds and then walked to her barely looking at her and never touching her. He tells me that she is beyond this human world and the only way he can save her is to change her into the same thing I just killed." "So you had to make that choice." "I did," Alex confirmed. "Without hesitation. I watched him bend down, bite his wrist and feed his blood to my mother. The whole time, he never quit staring at me. I don't think he ever looked at her until she woke up." "Your mother is mated to the Conlaoch," Joshua said. "Is this guy ...?" "The one and the same," Alex answered. "He took us home. I went from a homeless kid on the streets to a prince. But my mum ... struth. I mean, no guy thinks his mum is a dog but when she woke up, she was the woman she had never had the chance to be." "So why do you resent it? It seems like you should be grateful." "Oh, I am. I am grateful to Conlaoch but I know this life isn't what we are supposed to be. I am human. My mother was human and would still be if a monster hadn't taken that away from her. And now, the woman I call my mother is forever ten years younger than me." "I still don't understand." "I made the choice for her to live but our life, our world was taken away and replaced with his," he explained adamantly. "Does Conlaoch know how you feel?" "Oh yes," Alex answered. "And he's never begrudged my anger. As a matter of fact, he helped me hone my skills to benefit both of us. For all practical purposes, he immediately became my father. He provided a home, clothes, food and education. He even managed to take us on vacations, introduced me to sports, and made my life about as humanly normal as he could. But the best part was the training." "Training for what?" "I'm a vampire hunter. Until this fiasco with your blood, I had managed to keep our land clean of rebels. But now, we can hardly hold our own," he explained. "Hey, we're starting our descent." The luxury jet glided through the skies in a slight downward progress until the tires connected to the runway. Without the uncomfortable pressure of standard commercial planes, the jet halted near the waiting vehicle. "Doesn't get any better than that," Alex commented as he stood and stretched. "God, it's daytime here. I'm ready for bed and everyone else will be ready for work." "What do you mean?" Joshua asked following Alex to the exit. "Oh yeah, you mean jet lag. We don't get it." "Great," Alex mumbled opening the door. "What the hell?" Before Joshua could ask any questions, he saw the large man exit the vehicle. He was very tall with broad shoulders, except for his long black hair, he favored Gabriel. This man could only be the vampire king known as Conlaoch. Seeing the grimace on the man's face, Joshua wondered if Alex had exaggerated the man's kindness toward him. "Con," Alex yelled out. "What's wrong?" Conlaoch waited until they had descended the steps before answering. He glanced at his accompanying guards and then briefly looked at Joshua. "You've brought extra cargo," he simply stated. "This is Joshua," Alex answered with surprise. "You knew he was ..." "I'm not talking about the boy," Conlaoch interrupted. "Talk to me now. Quickly. Before he arrives." "What the hell are you talking about?" Alex snapped. "Man I need about twenty hours of sleep." Conlaoch stepped away and nodded his head to the guards. The men swiftly boarded the plane and opened the cargo hold. As they began unloading storage containers and trunks, Alex watched in disbelief as his charter was being searched for some unknown contraband. He finally snapped to attention and started to approach the guards when a look on Joshua's face made him stop. "Alex, son, I'm asking you one last time to please tell me," Conlaoch said. "Tell you about what?!" he demanded turning to face the man he considered his father. "About her," Conlaoch answered looking over Alex's shoulder. "Why do you have her?" "Her who?" he asked turning and stopped when he saw her. The face that had haunted him during the flight was now approaching him with an expression of fearless resolve. He had continued feeling those currents of electricity because they had never been separated. As she drew closer, he could feel the pull grow stronger. Spinning from the excitement, Alex looked at her, to his father and then at Joshua who refused to look at him. Realizing that he had been used by the twins, he intercepted her approach. "What the hell have you done?" he demanded glaring down into her face. "What needed to be done," she snapped in return. "And you," he said turning to Joshua. "It never occurred to you how this would appear to your old man? He's going to rip me apart." "No. No he won't. I will tell him...I will think of something," Abigail stammered. "Think fast, girl," Conlaoch. "Because there he is." *** Iona sat quietly in her seat. Other than touching Edward's hand, there had been no communication in the group. Alena and Gabriel had returned to their seats and remained silent. She had watched her sister's expression for some hint of the new tension. As Alena remained quiet, she sat, turned towards the window, tapping her foot anxiously. Gloria and Tec had remained withdrawn since she had inquired about the DNA in the children. Since he had not given a satisfactory response, she had drawn her own conclusion and sat quietly apart from everyone else. Heron had regained his strength since his visit to America but he had not regained favor with his brothers. They verbally abused him and never neglected a chance to remind him of his treason. He sat alone in the last row with his head bent staring at his lap. Suddenly, a wave of friction passed through the group. Iona realized that the brothers were in communication. She watched Edward, Tec and Heron relax but Gabriel looked at Alena and relayed some information that she did not appreciate. Her sister clinched her jaw and turned her gaze back to the window as the land below came into view. Their landing was smooth and uneventful but everyone remained seated until the distraught parents had moved to the door. Edward stood and looked to the others. "Ok, we came here to keep Gabriel from killing Con's boy," he announced. "Change in plans. We now have to keep him from killing his own kids." *** Alex watched as the sleek silver plane shimmered in the sky and then almost magically appeared on the ground. He tried to imagine the next few minutes. His final few minutes. Maybe it would only be seconds. Either way, Gabriel would kill him. He'd ask for explanations and listen to the girl's story at a later time. Maybe Gabriel would then collect the pieces of Alex's dismembered body and hold a memorial for a lost soldier. Looking at each twin's face, he wondered if it were even possible for them to diffuse their father's temper before he reached Alex. Neither had proven trustworthy so Alex grabbed control of his own fate and walked toward the now parked jet. His determination faltered when the door opened and his eyes clashed with those black, angry orbs. Alex stopped dead in his tracks when both Gabriel and Alena leaped from the plane. As they were approaching him, he knew that he would never stand a chance against this team. He was the legendary warrior and she was appeared to be a suitable mate. "Gabriel, I can explain," he said when they were within ten feet of him. "I swear to God, I didn't know. I promise you....," he stopped when Gabriel's hand rested on his shoulder. "We know," Alena said. "We know you are not responsible. And we also know who is." The two continued their walk towards the group and quickly grabbed Joshua and Abigail from the guards. For a moment, Alex was tempted to intercede on behalf of the twins but decided to remain safely in the background. He looked at Conlaoch who winked at him. Apparently, the great vampire had saved his ass once again. Gabriel twisted Joshua into a simple hold that held him close. Alena wrapped her arm around Abigail's shoulders but gave a look that threatened to do bodily harm. "A car, please," Gabriel requested of Conlaoch. "Take mine," his brother offered. Everyone remained silent as the parents and their children were escorted to the car and driven away. The remaining passengers and their belongings were safely unloaded to join the group. "Brothers," Conlaoch greeted, "Welcome to my home. Help me clean up this little rebel mess and then we can celebrate." "You may not extend that offer after you've heard what's happened," Edward warned. "I'm fairly certain that we've brought the final battle to you." *** Joshua squirmed in his seat as he withered under his parents' glares. In retrospect he would have never agreed to Abby's stupid plan. At this moment he was having difficulty remembering why he had condescended in the first place. "Do you have anything to say," Gabriel asked him. "Where's Nola?" he asked and then shook his head. "I mean, I know what you meant, what you want me to say but I need to know. You wouldn't leave her there alone. Would you?" "She's safe," his mother answered. "I'll tell you everything," Joshua promised. "Please tell me where she is." "Joshua, no!" "Shut up Abs! This was a stupid plan that's caused us a lot of problems. Alex will never trust us and Nola may be gone." "We would have been here within a few days. Why couldn't you wait until then?" Gabriel asked Abigail. "Because this isn't my destination," she answered. "It was the means to an escape. I had to find him." "Find who?" Alena demanded. "Our brother. We have to find the boy the Panthralges mentioned." *** Several hours later, Conlaoch and his brothers sat in his office finishing another round of whiskey. Their mates had been escorted to the various guest suites and were now resting or exploring their new accommodations. "Well, I'll say this much," Conlaoch started, "I'm glad we couldn't father children but you have to admit, our DNA produced some attractive offspring." "That same DNA may be scattered all over a room right now," Heron added. "Gabriel was fairly pissed." "Sure he was," Edward said. "But he won't hurt those kids. Just scare the hell out of them." "He scared the hell out of me," Heron confessed. "I wished he could have scared the hell out of you before this disaster happened," Tec snapped. "Gloria has made up her mind that I've abandoned her at some point. She suggested moving in with Antony and Emma." "Antony won't allow it," Edward offered. "But Emma, well hell, you both may be out on the streets." "How did it happen?" Conlaoch asked. "I know you two and Antony weren't mated but Tec, Amen, and I were. I didn't cheat. I don't think I could." "I've tried to tell Gloria that but she's convinced that I did." "I guess I just assumed that you did," Edward said. "It is odd that they had yours and not Gabe's." "Now there is a changed man," Conlaoch said. "My god, the last time he was here, he left women pining in his wake. What happened?" "Alena," Edward answered. "She's been the key. If she hadn't been there, he would have torn through Alex without another thought." "Which would have been a shame," Conlaoch replied. "I've grown fond of that boy. Quite as fond as I imagine Gabriel is of his kids." "Oddly enough," Tec said with a smile, "I feel a certain bond to Gloria's daughter. I wish now that I had kept her closer to us but ...." he stopped merely shaking his head. "God Almighty!" Edward exclaimed. "I'm surrounded by old men." *** Alex had silently watched the guests be shown to their rooms. He now stood on the balcony at the end of the corridor holding the suites for Gabriel's family. Some had been given private rooms but the brother and sister were assigned to a suite that contained two separated bedrooms. The parents had chosen similar quarters so their young ward could be close to them with the privacy of her separate room. Separate from the parents and definitely separate from their son. He smiled as he watched their continual care for these children. He paused and considered the word children. Phillip had explained that the twins were no more than a couple of years old but they now looked like young adults easily passing for twenty. Their reckless actions reminded him that they were definitely young and still remained childlike. Shaking his head he turned to look over the balcony but was startled to find Edward's mate standing there watching him. "Are they still in there?" she asked motioning toward the twin's suite. "Yeah. Do you think someone should check on them?" "Not unless you know someone who should be offered as a sacrifice," she answered with a smile. "Look, they'll be fine. They have to understand boundaries and consequences of their actions. But I know my sister and I've seen Gabriel in action. Both would die for those kids but they need to explain the problems we now face." "Hey," Alex said as she turned to leave. "Call me Iona." "Thanks," he accepted. "Iona, why did she do it? She would have been in here in a few days and everything could have been different." "Apparently, and I'm only gathering the bits and pieces that my sister is sharing, Abigail was trying to contact the boy that the Panthralges had mentioned." With a quick wave, she left him standing alone on the balcony. Alex turned toward the gardens but never noticed the foliage. He saw the pretty face that had used him to get her way. Fool that he was for thinking she had stowed away on his plane to be with him. She had escaped to find the boy who was like her. Another freak would be her mate while Alex would only be seen as a possible meal. *** Abigail sat alone. Her parents had finally left and Joshua had disappeared soon after. She had been so confident in her plans and now she felt like a silly child. Her father had tried to reason with her in a gentle tone but her mother had unleashed her fury. She had quickly become frustrated with Gabriel's softer explanations and had blatantly told Abigail about the dangers she had created for everyone. She thought of beautiful Emma, who had been so sweet to her in Italy, now lay dormant somewhere unable to defend herself or even run from an attack. What would Antony do if he lost her? The others had to quickly leave their new homes and fly across the map because she had foolishly stepped out from under her father's cloak of protection. Once on her own, she was surely targeted by her adversary. A fact that she had known but thought she could handle. If this mysterious boy was made like her then would he not be willing to meet with her? Even as her mother told her about the threat she had brought to the people of Australia, she had refrained from mentioning his name. No one would be cruel enough to cross that line. All hope had shattered when he realized how he had been used. Her foolish plan had destroyed a friendship for Joshua and anything else that she had dared to dream. Convincing Joshua to agree to her plan had been easy. Manipulating her parents had been the trick. One that they now fully understood. When Nola had been found hiding in their suite, Abigail was the advisor who suggested sending him off to Australia. The separation would be a just punishment. They would join him soon enough and he would understand the consequences of his transgressions. When Alena had connected all of the dots, she verbally unleashed a string of threats that promised to have Abigail confined to her rooms forever. Gabriel had finally escorted his mate to their own rooms. Sitting alone, Abigail thought of the man no one mentioned. The human who had come to their rescue as a soldier had later saved her from the grasp of the Panthralges. He had deserved to be treated better and not accused of being some monster who abducted young women. His eyes were surprised to see her when she exited his plane and for a fleeting moment, there was that burning wave of energy that she felt from just being near him. But then, he quickly understood that he had been a pawn in her game. Maybe she should have included him in her plans. No. She had included Josh and he was angry with her too. Could she ever convince anyone that her intentions had been good? Probably not. Even now, she struggled with the reasoning that had propelled this ridiculous move. Maybe her mom was right. She needed to be locked away and everyone else could make decisions for In her seclusion, she could dream about the life she really wanted. And the person with whom she wanted to share it. As though he were conjured from her thoughts, Alex suddenly appeared in the doorway. She jumped to her feet and started to approach him until she saw his expression. There were no remains of the few smiles, winks or flirtatious looks he had given her before. He was angry. "I just wanted to see that you were comfortable. I mean, as comfortable as possible before you make the next jump for a booty call." "A what?" she asked genuinely confused. "I can't believe you," Alex continued. "I can't believe me. Jesus, if you knew what I thought when I saw you come off that plane...fuck!" "No. No!" she replied. "I...I...I thought I could meet him, the one the Panthralges had told us about, and see if we..." "Please don't try to explain!" he shouted. "Do you think I need to know now?" "I should have explained it to you sooner," she whispered. "You shouldn't have explained it to me at all! Do you think I want to hear what you freaks do for fun?" "You think I'm a freak?" "I honestly don't know what the hell you are. Or care. You're supposed to be two years old; you look twenty-two but act like a child. I'm too old to be confused by a pretty face. Oh yeah, you are a pretty one but we have some homegrown beauties right here and I've been gone for too long. So excuse me while I find one right now," he stated and turned to leave. "Alex, darling," a feminine voice cooed from the hall. "I heard you were home hours ago but you never came to me." "Sorry," he answered. "We had some confusion upon arrival. I was just on my way to visit you now," he added sending a cold smile and wink to Abigail. Alex remained standing at the threshold as the woman walked into view. She wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned close for a kiss. Beautiful, long auburn hair fell in waves around the face and down the back of this woman. Her eyes were bright green with sparkles of gold reflecting throughout. She smiled at Abigail who just continued staring at the beautiful woman. "Who's your little friend?" the woman asked Alex. "No one important," he answered pulling the door close. "Just an unwelcomed guest stowed away on the plane." New Kingdom: Australian Court Ch. 01 Abigail snapped when the door was shut closed. She clinched her fist and stood glaring at the spot Alex had just vacated. "No one important" he had said. "An unwelcomed guest" he had declared her to that woman. Without realizing that she was moving, she began pacing back and forth repeating his final words. Moving to her bedroom, she flopped back onto the bed and clawed at the covering. When she lifted her hands, she was shocked to find strips of cloth in her clutches. She realized that she had shredded the silk covering on her bed. Covering her face with a pillow, she cried until her sobs rocked her to sleep. *** "Alex, why are you so quiet? Is it the girl?" "What?" he asked snapping out of his reverie. "Oh, her." "Yes, darling. Her," the beautiful woman said moving to sit beside him. "The one who is no one important but has occupied your attention since you got home." "It's ridiculous," he said with a smile. "So how have you been since I left? Anything new?" "No. Absolutely nothing. I'm so sick of this war. It's the only thing Conlaoch talks about," she complained. "But he did tell me that you had a chance to see our new home. Tell me all about it." "Uh," he started. "It's a house. A big house." "Really Alex, is that all you can tell me?" "Yeah, sorry Mum. It looked fancy." "Hmm," she responded. "So I was right. She is someone important. So tell me about her." *** Joshua followed the path surrounding the castle. He glanced at the setting sun just as she stepped into his line of vision. Hurrying his pace he held out his arms to capture her into his embrace. "Tell me if I squeeze to tight," he moaned against her hair. "Never," she giggled against his chest. "I can't believe you were able to get away." "I didn't exactly break out. Dad just felt sorry for me. But I should tell you, we are probably being watched," he looked around with exaggeration but stopped when he spotted one person standing alone on her balcony. "Hey, Nola, let's walk to the gardens. We'll have more privacy," he added looking back at the retreating figure. *** Abigail shrugged into the shadows of her room. Joshua was still angry with her. Although her parents had tried to speak with her, she had refused to leave her room. Her meal remained untouched on the tray outside of her door. She was hurting from the results of her actions that had injured others. "At least Josh is happy," she mumbled sitting on the floor. The approaching twilight cast shadows against the far wall. Abigail watched them dance eerily and then disappear as the room was thrown into sudden darkness. Looking for the source of the eclipse, she turned towards the window and screamed. New Kingdom: Australian Court Ch. 02 Thanks to Willie for her assistance w/ the geography and locals. Also, thanks to TaFace for additional editing assistance. * Gabriel suddenly tensed. He had already started moving through the estate when Abigail screamed. Plowing over guards who remained motionless, he raced towards the mansion dreading what he would find. How could he have missed an intruder? He had walked the grounds all day and nothing had changed. Unless.... He leaped the stairs using his strength to pull him closer to her cries. Only now, silence was beckoning him. As he entered the main doors, he noticed his brothers exiting Con's office. He raced on towards his daughter's room feeling them close to his heels. Alena was crossing the hall when she noticed him bounding towards her. Wisely, she stepped aside an allowed him to enter the room first. Close to his heels, she nearly plowed into him when he stopped and opened the door to Abigail's bedroom. Without moving from the door, they could smell the salt of her tears, still wet on the pillow. They could see the destruction of the bed covering. The room was in shambles. But yet they could not sense any signs of an intruder lurking inside their daughter's room. There were no signs of anyone inside the room. "Gabriel," Edward shouted from the door. "She's gone," he answered walking to the balcony. "They've taken her." "Impossible!" Conlaoch replied. "We've been watching. No one has sensed anyone entering the property." "Unless," Gabriel said turning to face his brothers. "They were already here." *** Joshua pulled away from Nola as the rush of panic passed through him. He looked around feeling the danger but not able to see anything from the ordinary. "What's wrong?" she asked quietly. "Please," he said grabbing her hand, "please let me take you inside the house." He was her holding close when he sensed the danger growing near. He realized the closeness of their proximity as the chill of fear rippled through his body. He felt a nauseating stir of the wind that reminding him of the Panthralges he had killed only days earlier. Wrapped within that foul smell was a small sweetness that tore into his heart. Looking at the tree line ahead, he knew that he and his fragile Nola would be in direct contact with this strange intrusion. "Please trust me," he said pulling Nola close. "Joshua, what's wrong?" she asked and then squealed as he leaped across the garden holding her against his chest. Joshua raced to the large fountain in the center of the garden. He jumped into the pool and dived beneath the cool water surface. Giving Nola a brief moment to fill her lungs with air, he pulled her beneath his body praying that the scent of her blood would be disguised. He felt the rush of the evil pass by and tempted a careless look. Breaking the surface of the water, he could barely distinguish more than the dark shadows racing away from the mansion. Counting five moving forms, he locked eyes on the one captured within the arms of one cloaked in black. He panicked with recognition when he saw those eyes, so similar to his, silently plead for help. Joshua quickly rose to his feet pulling Nola with him. He heard the sounds of Conlaoch's guards approaching but estimated that the fleeing party was moving at greater speed. "Go to the guards. Stay near the house," he said as he leaped from the fountain. He ran fast as his sister was moved farther from his reach. His body burned with the exertion but his spirit would not let him quit. Seeing the gates ahead, he looked for the point of exit when he felt another person approach from behind. Focusing on the mission of saving his sister, he frantically searched for the abductors' path of escape. His motion slammed to a complete stop when familiar arms circled his shoulders. "Joshua, stop," he father commanded. "Look up." Following the area where Gabriel pointed, he could see how his attempts to run down the kidnappers would be futile. The five dark figures soared to the skies carrying a small figure wrapped in pale pink. He screamed incoherently as he felt her fear pierce his heart. Soon the figures were out of sight leaving Joshua experiencing a new part of his life. Separation from his twin. *** Gabriel ran back to the mansion nearly dragging Joshua along with him. He moved into a large room that appeared to be a dining room to accommodate more than forty people. He assisted Joshua into a chair beside Nola and move to Alena's side. Whispering a few words of comfort to his mate, he held her close and addressed the others who had quickly followed him into the room. "They've taken her," he simply stated. "And there's been a change to their attack. They can fly." "You're saying there are Panthralges? Here?" Conlaoch demanded. "Impossible." "No, not Panthralges. Vampires. Vampires who have been here in your court right under your nose. And they took to wind like bats!" "Gabriel," Edward said cautiously approaching his brother "is it possible that you are mistaken?" "No. I saw them too." All eyes turned to the young man who had finally spoken. His face was pale and streaked with tears. His hands shook as he tried to gain control. "They were vampires. I could feel them and suddenly, it was cold, and very dark. They had her and were running for the gates. They ... they .... they just ...went up in the air." "Impossible!" Conlaoch replied. "If they flew then they were not vampires. Describe them to us." "I didn't see their faces," Joshua answered, "but they were like us. Well, I mean, they were more like Abby and me, maybe a few weeks ago." "What does that mean?" Conlaoch asked. "Small. Like children." "Vampire children?" Edward asked. "Con, is there something you should tell us?" "Oh my god," he answered taking a seat at the head of the table. "I thought they were innocents. They've been harmless." "Who?" Gabriel asked finally breaking his silence. "Conlaoch, what have you done?" "What have I done? How dare you Gabriel?! I've asked you for help and yet, I had to send my son and guards to help you! I had no way of knowing what they were." "Gabe," Edward said calmly, "everyone needs to sit down and listen. Conlaoch, tell us what happened." *** Abigail screamed when she felt the ground fall away below her feet. Her captor held her tightly bruising her arms in his grasp. She had tried to struggle against the hold but the person had just laughed and held tighter. The laugh was shrill, high pitched, and either effeminate or childlike. She had yet to quit crying as her fears escalated. Attempting a peek at the surroundings, she saw only the dark night. She shut her eyes and began a personal mantra and pleaded with her mother, father and brother to find her. Soon. She had seen Joshua as she was rushed through the gardens. He had been hiding in the fountain protecting Nola. He had looked at her while she begged him for help but he never moved. How could be so angry with her? And her parents, only hours after begging her to eat dinner, were now avoiding her pleas. Had she been that bad? She searched for some comforting words from her mother or a promise of rescue from her father. The silence mocked her. Could she hope that another warrior would seek her? Would he care that she had been taken right out from under his nose? Maybe his wounded pride would be enough to make him find her. *** Five brothers of the New Kingdom sat at the long table. They were joined by their mates, Joshua, and high ranking vampire guards. Nola had been escorted to her room with guards stationed nearby. Conlaoch waited until everyone was seated to begin the story of the recent events in his kingdom. "The rebels have continually grown in strength and numbers," he started. "They started attacking the rural camps first taking men leaving the women and children. We continued hunting and killing the newborns with Alex leading the raid. If we killed one, they made three more. Two weeks ago, after Alex left, we received word of an attack and so we investigated immediately. All of the homes were burned to the ground. Human skeletons were charred beyond recognition but the numbers totaled the adults living there. One home remained." Conlaoch paused as a servant brought him a large glass of dark liquid. He drank slowly but drained the glass motioning for the servant to bring him another. "Would anyone like one?" he asked but continued his story before they answered. "One home remained," he repeated. "In that home we found young people. Children really. I would estimate their ages between twelve and fifteen years old. They had been drained but not dead." "And someone changed them?" Tec asked. "I hadn't thought so," Conlaoch answered. "They were dying." "How could you not know?" Edward demanded. "How could they be in your home and you did not know?" "I had extended every courtesy for their comfort but they were dying and I had a kingdom to run. And don't forget, I had given my best man to you," he declared. "Seven died within a few hours of arriving here. Five remained." "And they turned," Tec said solemnly. "Do you know who changed them or when it happened?" "No, but you must understand, they were very well behaved. I promise you that there were just newborns living under my care. But they looked ...different." "So they were here when we arrived," Gabriel stated. "Show me their rooms. I want everyone who interacted with them gathered in a room immediately." "Wait just a minute," Conlaoch said standing to his feet, "you overstep your authority, Gabriel. This is my land." Gabriel leaped over the table and grabbed his brother by the lapels. Spinning them around, he crushed Conlaoch back to the table. The others moved to Gabriel's side but he ignored their presence. "You have lost control of your land," Gabriel hissed. "And you've brought us into a home where we are all at risk." "Gabriel," Edward said, "let him go. We need to act fast." Gabriel allowed his brother to pull him away, walking to the far end of the room. The tension in the room became unbearable as the reality of their situation became clear. "Should we send our mates home?" Tec asked ignoring the immediate protests from the women. "How can we protect them if we don't know who we are fighting?" "No," Gabriel answered. "Separation would only weaken us. It would be the easiest way to defeat us. They stay. They go with us." "No!" Tec answered. "Yes," Gloria said. "He's right. We would have to be of some assistance." "Where do we begin?" Heron asked breaking his long silence. "The children's caretakers are on their way," Conlaoch said. "Their rooms are being guarded so no one can change anything." "We need to move fast," Gabriel said calmly. "I'll question the staff and search their rooms but we need to leave while the trail is warm. Divide into groups and we'll cover the land. We leave in an hour." Gabriel left the room trusting his brothers to agree with his instructions. He sped through the house in search of the rooms recently occupied by the newborns. In his haste, he barely noticed the human crouching in the shadows. Certainly they could count on his expertise. They would just need to let him follow his own course. *** Alex slammed his head against the wall. How could his father have fallen for the Trojan Horse? He had allowed these children into his home where they laid in wait for the brothers and their families. They had literally been a time bomb waiting to detonate. Abigail's arrival had been earlier than planned but she was definitely on Conlaoch's guest list. Finding the vampire who had recently sired these children would be left to Gabriel. Finding the girl would be Alex's priority. He listened to the others plan their paths. Unfortunately, he knew they were missing the target. His senses burned with the evidence of the trail. He would pack light and go alone. He tried to imagine Abigail right now but kept seeing his own mother's last human minutes. If he could save her, really save her, then he would. Her future would be her choice. *** Gabriel and Alena stood apart with a handful of guards. They had not spoken since he had returned to the house but they appeared unified. He had reviewed the plans, had made suggestions and gave his approval. Each brother would be accompanied by their mate and guards. They agreed to speed through the night, sharing every clue they could find. When the actual path was found, they would regroup and move together. Joshua stood alone. Wishing that he could fight with his father but he had proven to be useless when his sister was taken right in front of him. Now, he would try to keep Nola safe and work with the others to find the sire. His father had found no clues in the house. Gabriel suddenly appeared in front of him moving him farther away from the others. "Joshua," his father said, "you did well tonight. They were beyond our grasp. Promise me, look at me and promise me that you will stay in the house." "It's not like I can help so yeah, I'll stay here." "You don't understand," Gabriel pleaded quietly. "They want you too. I'm just not comfortable taking you closer to them." "Want me? But the Panthralges said..." "Don't you know that he lied? Everything he said was to make you question your purpose. Stay here. Stay close to the guards." "I will. I promise." "Dawn will break soon," Conlaoch announced. "Our newborns like most changelings here cannot tolerate the sun. We have that advantage." "Then let's take it," Gabriel said walking to his mate. "No chances. Everything is shared." Alena pressed her fingers to her lips then waved them to her son. For one second, she almost lost the tight control she had on her emotions. Blinking away tears, she turned and followed Gabriel through the trees that bordered the estate. **** Abigail opened her eyes when she felt her captors touch ground. Before she was able to get her balance, she was dropped to the floor. The darkness swallowed the meager light produced by the small fire. She glanced up hoping to find the stars that would pinpoint her location but blackness hung above her head. Closing her eyes she tried to calm herself and think. The sound of water dripping echoed around her. The ground beneath her hands felt hard but smooth. Darkness surrounded her everywhere. She had been brought to a cave. How far she was hidden inside the earth she could only guess. If anyone was looking for her, would they be able to find her? She could feel the breeze blow cold against her skin as her captors rushed around the cave with their cloaks snapping like whips. Certainly she would be told why she had been taken. If it was for ransom, then she could help them with the information they would need. "Hello?" she whispered. "Who are you?" The only response was the return of shrill giggles reminding her of what her captors really were. At first glance, she had thought a young vampire had landed on her balcony but then the cloaked figure had turned to face her. She shuddered at the memory. Listening carefully, Abigail strained to hear something beyond the constant dripping of water. Her adductors suddenly fell silent and with a rush of air, they were gone. She crawled towards the fire seeking both warmth and light. The small blaze offered little of either. Huddling closer, she realized that the young vampires were completely out of sight and hearing. Whether they had moved deeper into the cave or toward the exit she could only guess. They had been fluttering around and then were gone. Thinking about their ability to take to the skies, she hesitantly looked up and froze. Where the fire had refused to light the walls of the cave, it illumined the ceiling. Hanging from their feet, the five vampires swung from the ceiling in an apparent state of rest. Abigail could only guess because their eyes remained opened but unfocused. Catching her breath, she ventured another look to learn more about them. She had known they were vampires when she first saw them. With their fangs bared, they still had the remains of their last meal dripping from their chins. But the similarity to her family ended there. Where these five kept their fangs elongated, Abigail was certain that she had never seen her mother's. The bloodstains on their faces could never happen if they had drunk blood from a glass. Even the rebel vampires had appeared civilized even if it was just a ruse to capture their human prey. But these guys ... They appeared to be walking corpses of humans but whether they had been male or female, Abigail could not guess. They were monstrous. Their skin was a sickly pale gray reflecting the flatness of their dead eyes. Mostly bald, they each had a few patches of long but thin hair. Their fangs reminded her of the Panthralges that had held her so vulgarly in the maze. But these creatures were not the same as the Panthralges. Abigail reached deep into her senses and could find nothing that distinguish these creatures from other vampires. She knew they were not family or friends but she could find nothing different from those who were members of any household staff or her father's army. The thought of her father was immediately followed by a wave of emotions. She missed him and knew, without a doubt, that he was roaming the big island looking for her. But could he find her? How deep was she hidden inside this mountain? What would he advise her to do -- besides avoid being captured? He had never taught her to fight and she doubted that she could overcome the five who had taken her. He would remind her to be wise. "Use your senses," he would say. A lot of good that advice did. Wasn't she using her senses when she sneaked into Alex's plane? With a loud mocking voice, her conscious screamed, "No!" One mistake had become many and now she was waiting for the consequences of her actions to ...what? End her life? That would really make her father proud. The daughter of General Gabriel Philandros is a quitter. "Not today," she whispered quickly looking to the ceiling for any sign of disturbance in her captors. They remained immobile from their perch. She moved and cringed when she kicked a rock against the cave wall. "Use your senses," she could hear her father say. She stood still to find her bearings. If the rock hit the wall so near, then that direction would not be an escape. Gently she moved her foot until she found another small stone at her feet. With a generous kick she sent the rock into the opposite direction and found another wall blocking her path. Two directions out of four were now eliminated. Hopefully, the cave would have one main path and not be a confusing web of tunnels. Now what? "Use your senses," she felt her father's familiar voice say inside her mind. With a shrug, Abigail turned to the left and then the right. Both directions were dark. Her sense of sight was no help. She inhaled deeply. The odors of the cave were varied. A strong, disgusting scent first assailed her nostrils. Mold? Sulfur? Her jailors? Standing still was no solution so she took three steps to her right and stopped. She waited. Nothing from Dad so she reached deep within herself and searched. Fighting panic, she closed her eyes and inhaled. "Gross," she groaned quietly. The stale air was stronger in this direction so she moved back to the fire. After a few seconds, she turned to her left and took three steps forward. Fearing that she would find nothing, she held her breath and waited. When her lungs threatened to burst, she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. The air was still stagnant but with a slight scent. Flowers? Grass? She took another step forward and noticed the ever so slight change in temperature. The air was definitely warmer this direction. She moved again and suddenly an amber color formed behind her eyelids as though she had stepped into the sun. Quickly opening her eyes, she gasped when she saw the wall of blackness. New Kingdom: Australian Court Ch. 02 She knelt to the ground wrapping her arms around herself. Searching her mind for something to control her panic, she found herself repeating those words that she could imagine her father saying. "Use your senses. Use your senses. Use your senses," she whispered. She closed her eyes and, again, felt the light behind her lids. She turned to her left and right but the light faded. Slowly she stood reaching inside until she was now able to calmly breathe. Moving slowly, she stepped forward closer to the compelling light, heat and fresh air. *** Alena stood behind Gabriel as he silently communicated with his brothers. Each party had stopped for a break not because they needed the rest but because they needed to evaluate their plan. Conlaoch's group had met resistance when they reached the Bush. While the locals had known of Conlaoch and appreciated the control he had once reigned over his people, they were not about to allow them access into their town. He had talked with their officials until he was confident that Abigail had not crossed their boundary line. "How can you be certain?" Gabriel asked. "The newborns in the land cannot tolerate the day so these people guard their land at night. They had requested help from me but I hadn't understood what they needed. These newborns....they're unlike anything I've ever seen." "Monsters," Edward interjected. "I've seen them crawl out of the ground like worms." "I wish it was just that," Conlaoch answered. "The officials told me that these newborns take to the skies like birds of night. Bats. And they feast on humans. Jesus, Gabriel, they've been taking children." "Killing?" "No. Worse. They are changed and then return to the community to take more children. One man had to kill a newborn that had once been his son." "Do you think any have passed through without their knowledge?" Gabriel asked. "No, I can't feel any vampires. Including Abigail. But I'm leaving some of my men behind to guard the line until I can send Alex back. He can help them. They will let him help them. We'll move back and meet with you." "Sounds good. We've reached the mountains but I can't feel her here." "Gabe," Alena said when she could tell her mate had broken connection with the others. "Do they know anything?" "Only by process of elimination," he answered without turning to her. "Edward and Tec will continue their path. Conlaoch will meet with us. She's here but I can't feel her." "Then we'll find her," Alena stated. "She's smart and you're smarter." "If that were the truth, she wouldn't have been taken. We take one step forward and get thrown ten backwards." "It happened," she said walking around to face him. "We'll find her and it will never happen again." "Remember when I joked about a convent? Well, it's no joke now," he replied with a grin. "I didn't realize how fast she would grow. She should have been trained but she became an adult within days." "That was easy to miss," Alena argued. "She was hardly acting like an adult yesterday evening, sulking, refusing to eat ..." "And that worries me. She will need to feed soon." "You don't think she will ....? Gabe, she won't." "You don't know. She's young. Untrained. And hungry. I keep hoping that she will use her senses." "But?" "But that will push her to seek relief for her hunger." *** Alex had kept a steady pace through the morning. As the afternoon quickly approached, he had moved within the cover of the tress slowing his progress but saving him from the scorching sun. The comforts of coastal communities were far behind him and he was quickly moving through sparsely populated towns. He had met friends along the way who would have gladly joined him in a hunt but quickly refused to assist in this rescue. Conlaoch's people were losing their hold quickly. Too many humans were dying or being turned into monsters. He sympathized with the dilemma because he had experienced their pain not too long ago. He continued moving as the sun burned across the sky. As the Blue Mountains came into view, he circled the base to avoid the highly populated tourist attractions. Certainly she would not have been taken at night to be hidden away in some resort. With a smirk, Alex remembered the reason she was in his country. Maybe she was here, holed up in some honeymoon suite with the other freak. As soon as he had formed the thought, he regretted it. She was hardly a freak. Neither was her brother. He knew that whatever had led her to this place, no matter how foolish, had been for a reason important to her. Alex glanced at the sky and cringed when he realized how quickly the hours had passed. The sun had started its decent casting its final rays on the clouds above. The effect created a fiery image of orange, red, and yellow flames in the sky. He had never failed to appreciate the majestic scene before him but today, the scene reminded him that she was alone. And the protection of daylight was about to abandon her. *** Abigail continued to move slowly through the darkness. Several times she had questioned the sanity of moving down a path based on heat, smell and a false sense of light. Just when she was ready to quit, she could hear her father encouraging her to use her senses. And she moved on. She stepped softly knowing that her captors would not be able to resist the allure of fresh blood if she should cut her foot. After her first several steps, she had lost count of distant and time. She just kept moving. The light behind her lids suddenly grew brighter tempting her to open her eyes but she hesitated fearing the darkness that might greet her. She slowly moved ahead following the light, fresh air, heat and ..... him. That sensation, that she felt only when he was near, started tingling in her fingertips. She took another step debating whether or not she had lost her mind but felt the jolt move through her arms. Losing control, her eyes flew open and she sought that source of excitement. The darkness was no long a black wall imprisoning her but was now a gray room lit by a small hole in the distance ahead. It took Abigail a few seconds to realize that she was staring at the source of light. It was the darkening sky. Had she really been taken from her room twenty-four hours ago? She moved quickly running for the exit that promised freedom. In an instant, she dropped those skills that had led her this far and relied on her baser more human qualities. Racing to the light, she failed to hear the scuffle of someone approaching. Feet pounded on the rock and wings fluttered through the air. She was only two feet from the mouth of the cave when she finally heard her captors closing in behind her. Stepping into the light, she stopped. Her bare toes dangled over the edge of a drop that seemed to have no bottom. Abigail quickly grabbed at the rocks behind her steadying her stance. The vampires rushing her had stopped at the line separating darkness from light. That line continued moving toward her as the sun lowered in the horizon. She searched for an escaped but found only the very steep and rocky terrain surrounding her. With her captors' restraint lasting only a few more minutes, she quickly decided to take her chances. Before she started her daredevil escape, she grabbed the jagged rocks and screamed, "Alex!" *** He jumped at the sound of his name. Instantly recognizing the voice, he raced forward looking at the steep incline before him. He knew it was foolish for him, a human, to be so close to these caves. But the sound of her voice and the panic that he heard in it, forced him to move on. He had already climbed the base of the mountain when she screamed but now, as the electric currents of her nearness moved through his body, he climbed forward like a madman. Darkness had claimed the valley and was reaching him quickly. He glanced over his shoulder to verify that his faithful sword was sheathed and within easy reach. He would not be able to climb and hold it because both hands were needed to get up this damn mountain. The slope was only slightly less challenging than a wall. When gravel fell into his path, he looked up to find Abigail two hundred feet above him. She was sliding down the hill on her backside clawing at the rocks with her hands and feet. Her pale pink robe was not protecting her against the rough terrain nor was it providing any cover for her modesty. He grabbed the rocks and moved faster feeling the burn in his muscles and lungs. They were less than fifty feet apart when the mountain was suddenly cast into the eerie gray of twilight. The sun had abandoned them leaving them to defend for themselves against the night's predators. Alex knew that Abigail and he were no longer alone. The sounds had started several yards away but quickly moved closer. He knew the attack was coming and had less than a second to prepare. Quickly unsheathing his blade, he impaled the first attacker but was unable to kill him instantly. The monster's claws slashed at him ripping a gash in his arm and chest. Alex withdrew the blade quickly and cut horizontally cleanly slicing through the flesh and bones of his attacker's neck. He kicked the headless body away and moved to another. The remaining four were of the same ghostly color. One grabbed Abigail and three charged at him. Fortunately his injured arm was not the same that wielded his lethal blade. But it still hurt like hell. Once again he moved like the demon that had fought with Gabriel's army. The vampires' strength was immensely greater than his but his skill could only be compared to Gabriel himself. Alex turned to thwart an attack while twisting his blade into the gut of another. He had killed all three when he turned to the one holding Abigail. "Let the girl go," Alex ordered. "As you wish," the vampire replied in a childish voice. "As you wish." Before he could move, the vampire had leaped into the air with Abigail in his arms. Alex stared up helplessly and then screamed when he saw the girl released in mid air. The drop was about twenty feet but her landing would be on the rugged slope of the mountain. He watched in fear as she fell and hit the earth. Alex moved to her but was suddenly imprisoned in small cold binds. He looked down to see the blue gray skin of the arms holding his own arms close to his chest. Trapped in a rookie hold, he cursed himself for being so careless and waited for the crushing hold that would end his life. He was not anticipating his attacker's ploy. Careless again. With resignation, he looked to Abigail as he felt the fangs pierce his neck. *** Abigail had turned into the stones that surrounded her. She was unable to move when she saw the three vampires attack Alex. Although they had torn at his flesh, he had quickly killed them. After the last one had lifted her in the air and dropped her to the ground, she had hit so hard that the air had rushed from her lungs. Crawling to her hands and knees she looked up to find Alex trapped in the arms of the last vampire. He was staring straight at her as the monster feasted on his blood. She could feel his fury and humiliation at this attack. He was a proud human who had never shared his blood with anyone. He had come to save her. How could she let him die in shame? Her fury ignited in her veins. With a menacing hiss, she crouched on her toes in an attack stance. Both Alex and his attacker froze as she leaped through the air pushing the vampire down the hill. She gracefully jumped down the rocks and landing on his chest. The monster that had held her tightly in her abduction and had pinned Alex's arms in a death hold was now pressed between her and the hard earth. He started to wail but was quickly silenced when she grabbed his shoulder and head. Twisting in opposite directions, Abigail beheaded the vampire in one move. She crawled away from the corpse collapsing a few feet away. "Move," Alex commanded nudging her with the toe of his boot. "We can't stay here. Move." "I can't," she groaned. "I can't." "Move!" he repeated jerking her up to her feet. "We won't last five minutes out here." Only then did Abigail sense of smell realize that he was bleeding enough to attract more vampires very quickly. She accepted his offered hand and slowly attempted to descend the mountain. They froze when gravel slid to their feet from somewhere above. Without looking back, they knew that more vampires were quickly approaching. "Go," Alex said quietly releasing her hand. "You're quicker than me. I will ... delay them... chasing you." "No." "Damn it, go girl!" he said slightly shoving her away. Abigail watched as he turned to the incline. The darkness hid the approaching attackers but their shrill giggles echoed through the evening. Alex dropped his shoulders never reaching for his blade. "Alex?" Abigail whispered. "Hmm?" "I'm sorry." "For what?" "A lot. But mostly this." Alex turned just as the large rock smashed against the back of his head. He instantly felt the pain, then the overwhelming darkness. As he submitted to the impending unconsciousness, he felt gravity pull his body to the earth and then small arms lift him from the ground. *** More than twenty-four hours had passed since Abigail had been taken from her room. Gabriel knew that humans regarded the first forty eight hours as the most important in finding a missing person but his world moved a hell of lot faster. In a life where time barely had meaning, he knew that his daughter could have been killed or tortured beyond repair. Once again he fought the despair that kept nagging at him. His loss of control in this world was almost suffocating him now. Edward had reached a dead end and joined Tec's group as they continued moving across the big island. His own party now waited for Conlaoch to arrive. His brother knew the geography and people better than he. Every advantage was needed now. Darkness had enveloped the land but posed no hindrance for Gabriel and the others in the search party. A vampire's eyes could adjust but they had to look beyond human perception of sight. "Use your senses, Abigail," he thought quietly. He regretted never teaching the children how to use their natural gifts. It was an error that would be corrected as soon as he had his family together again. Much like his brothers, he was more than happy to hand over his responsibilities of this world. He just wanted his children to inherit the best possible world absent of the Third Creation's mistakes. "Gabe," Alena said breaking the silence. "Is there anything I need to know?" "Not yet," he answered. "I'll share it with you." "Sometimes, in the past, you've just known how things would be. What do you know now?" He hesitated and then pulled her into his arms. Without saying a word, he placed his cheek against her hair and held her quietly. To any observer, Gabriel appeared to be consoling his mate in a time of tragedy. But her expression, widening eyes and a small smile, would have explained how he was just dealing with the unknown. "How the hell do human fathers ever let go?" he asked with a groan. *** Alex woke to the immediate sense of pain. Groaning, screaming, cursing, or crying would have been his first choice of reaction but he remained still. Not knowing where he was or who he was with, he reminded himself to be cautious before alerting anyone. "Alex," Abigail whispered close to his ear. "It's ok. We're safe. Try to drink some water." "Safe? I'm pretty sure I'm dead." His lids barely slit open when he groaned and turned his head. Nausea immediately claimed his stomach and he turned to his side to heave. He felt worse than he could ever remember feeling until something cool pressed against his head. "I might have damaged something with that rock," she said quietly, moving her hands across his face and neck. He might still feel like he had wrestled with the devil but damn those hands felt better than any medicine. He could barely breath and totally unable to speak when he felt the euphoria seep through his veins. "I know you wouldn't want me to heal you the, uh, normal way we would," she explained. "But I had to stop the bleeding somehow." "What the hell is she talking about? The normal way?" Suddenly his eyes flew open and he shrugged away for the comfort of her hands. "What..." he started with a horse voice. "What have you done to me?" "Nothing. I just stopped the bleeding." "How? What did you do?" he demanded. "I don't want to be like you." He immediately regretted his words as he watched her expression crumble. She quickly nodded, blinked away the tears that had suddenly appeared and gave him a brave smile. One that did not reach her eyes. "I know," she agreed a little too quickly. "No worries there. No biting or feeding involved." "Then how ....?" "If you must know," she answered. "I spit in my hand and pressed the saliva to your wounds. Of course you would have healed quicker if I had, you know, fed from you but god forbid that you would be associated with me. Filthy mongrel that I am." "That's not what I meant," he groaned trying to sit up. "Sorry," she snapped. "Wouldn't want to offend the mongrels. Freak, was it? Wasn't that what you called me?" "No. Yes. Damn it Abigail, give me a minute. I said it and I'm sorry. Ok? I was mad as hell that you had hitched a ride to be with him. But what the hell? I still ran to your rescue. Not that I was much of a hero since you had it under control." "I didn't have anything under control," she replied. "It was running for my life. It wasn't until I saw that thing killing you that I was able to do anything. And thank you. And you're forgiven." "So what's the next move?" he asked obviously uncomfortable. "Please say home." "I need to see him," she answered and then added when he groaned. "Please let me try to explain. We, Josh and I, we're just like him." "You don't know that," Alex interrupted. "I do. Or we would have been. It's the reason why Josh agreed to help me. He now sees that it was stupid to try anything without our father's help." "And you? Do you see that it was stupid?" "Maybe," she answered and then responded to his glare, "Yes, I was stupid to do it." "You weren't stupid. Just the plan." "Thanks for that," she added with a smile. "Anyway, I wanted to give him the same chance I was given. Not, what did you call it, have a booty call." "Ah, yeah, damn. Sorry. What makes you think he is here?" "I really didn't know. I was just trying to get away from the parents. And I thought that it would make sense that the land with the newest but worst problems were under some kind of attack. Actually I don't know that he was here, but..." "But?" "He knows that I'm here," she answered quietly. "My dad was right. Once I was out from his protection, I immediately appeared on the radar." "So he's here. He tried to snatch you. Let's go home and talk with Gabriel." "Do you think my dad is willing to have peace talks with someone who took me right out of my bedroom? Right out from under his nose?" "A lot of us have wounded pride where you're concerned," Alex answered with a grin, "but he's reasonable." "Alex," she said twisting to face him, "I have to find him. I will go alone." "Fuck!" he roared. "Fuck, fuck, fuck. I just knew this wasn't the end of it. He's going kill me you know?" "Then go home and you won't have to meet him." "I'm not talking about this mysterious brother," he said standing to his feet. "I'm talking about Gabriel." "Why are you such a fatalist?" she asked accepting his hand for assistance. "I'm usually not," he answered. "But I've never had my arse kicked by a girl before either." New Kingdom: Australian Court Ch. 02 "How did you know they were girls?" "I was talking about you! What the hell did you hit me with? And why?" "A rock," she answered quietly. "You seemed convinced to stay and ... and... and die so I had to do something." "Next time," Alex said throwing his arm over her shoulders, "just tell me and I promise to listen. Next question, how did we get here?" "I carried you and ran." "Down the mountain?!" "Yeah. I seemed to have discovered new abilities," she answered quietly. "It always comes back to that," he said removing his arm. "The differences will always be there." "If it repulses you so much," she said after a few minutes walking behind him, "then how can you stand the woman that you were with yesterday?" "Easy," he answered without looking back. "Her name is Arianna. And she's my mother." *** Gabriel and Conlaoch approach the base of the mountain before the rest of the party. Both mates were close behind but the brothers had decided to move alone to assess the situation. As soon as they starting climbing, the scent of blood became overwhelming. "Smells fresh," Gabriel commented. "Less than twelve hours old." "Smells familiar," Conlaoch murmured. "I think it's from someone I may ... Oh god, I have to stop Arianna from..." "Conlaoch!" his mate screamed. "His blood. Oh god, Alex's blood. It's everywhere." Arianna ran pass the men searching for some sign of her son while the others stood by helplessly. She chased every drop of blood until she had established the path of his movement. "It started higher up the mountain," she said. Receiving a look from Gabriel, two guards ran up the hill to investigate. "He moved this direction," Arianna continued. "But something is not right." "He was carried," Gabriel added kneeling by the footprints. "By Abigail." *** "We should stop," Abigail said. "You need rest." "For the last time, I'm fine. Of course a nice thick steak would be nice. That's nothing you would know about though, right?" he asked over his shoulder. Abigail was tempted to remain silent until he finally faced her but under the circumstances she supposed that he had every right to be upset. "I can eat food. I enjoy steak." "Let me guess. Medium rare?" That was it. Upset was understandable but rude was inexcusable. Searching the ground for the perfect rock to toss as his noggin, she stopped when he added, "Cause it would be too good to find a girl that actually enjoyed a decent steak instead of ashen charcoal or plate of vegetables. God can you understand how anyone can eat a salad as a meal?" Finally, he turned to look at her. The smile on his face dropped when he saw her skin, pale with dark circles under her eyes. "We'll stop here," he said walking to her. *** "So Alex found her," Alena said quietly to Gabriel. "You've known this would happen." "I had hoped he cared enough to bring her home." "He was obviously injured and she's leading the way." "If his injuries were severe then she would have brought him home." "Maybe she took him to a neighboring village?" Alena asked. "No," Gabriel answered shaking his head. "She's managed to do it again." "Do what?" "Convince someone to follow her ideas." "And that's bad." "Not really," Gabriel said wrapping his arm around his mate. "That's a sign of a great leader. Now, if she will just learn to seek some counsel before she jumps into action." *** "Sit down, love," Alex said gently. "Tell me what you need." "I'm fine," she answered weakly. Alex moved closer causing electric waves to move through her body. She felt her blood racing through her veins only to discover another feeling lurking beneath the surface. The closer Alex moved to her the more she felt her control slip. Suddenly her mouth felt full and she moved her hand over her lips to cover the elongating fangs. She turned away to hide the signs of the monsters he hated so much. "Abby, what's wrong?" "Please go on without me," she cried with a muffle. "Please leave me alone." "Abby? Are you sick?" "No," she said with a sob. "I'm fine. I'm just hungry. And I don't want steak." As the truth of the matter sunk in, Alex remained silent staring at Abigail's back. The girl had needs just like he did. Could he leave her alone? He surveyed the sky to find the sun in the early afternoon location. They would need to find shelter before dark. Dropping his gaze back to his companion's back he reminded himself that they had an immediate problem. The pain would be tolerable. Offering himself as a donor would be intolerable. He had lived his life with a very thick line of demarcation between humans and vampires. Sure, had Conlaoch saved his life and had been better than most fathers were to their kids. But that was Conlaoch. The typical vampire was driven by lust that was barely sated through brute force. He had trained hard at killing those monsters. Not all vampires were created equal. His mother had never needed to feed from him. But she had needed blood and somehow had managed to find it. Now, this girl was standing in front of him needing the sustenance to continue living. "Abigail," he said firmly, "we will need to find shelter soon so try to make this fast." He moved behind her and presented his bare arm before her eyes. She fleetingly wondered about the tattoo on his forearm but focused on the blue vein at his wrist. "Well go on girl," he whispered in her ear. "Thanks to that bastard on the mountain, I'm no longer a donor virgin so have at ...Ow! Oh, wow. Oh, Abigail." New Kingdom: Australian Court Ch. 03 Once again, special thanks to Willie for correcting my Aussie references. Thanks to TaFace for editing spelling, grammar and content and returning the chapter so quickly. * Nola sat in her room. Alone. Joshua was a gentleman and she was not sure if that was a good thing or not. She was accustomed to being alone. Although Lord Melchiorre had treated her as well as he had all of his employees, Nola knew that she was a second class citizen in his world. The New Kingdom had admirable rules regarding humans. No human was to be assaulted by a vampire and blood could only be taken by a willing donor over the age of twenty-one years old. Because she was only eighteen, she had never been asked to share her personal stock of O-Negative. Once again, she had been reminded that she was not quite up to the vampires' skills. When Abigail was taken, Nola had been escorted to her rooms and placed under guarded watch. Not to be ungrateful, she appreciated the protection but she resented the fact that she was not able to assist the others in finding Abigail. There was something to be said for immortality and inhuman strength. Since the others had left, Joshua had only visited her once to make sure that she had everything she needed. He had instructed her to call the staff for food or anything else she desired. "So, should I call the staff if I desire you?" she smiled at the thought. Immediately she scolded herself. Joshua had been so distraught when he had seen his sister taken. Now he was angry because he was not able to join the search parties. When he had checked on Nola earlier, he had barely contained the worry evident on his face. His eyes were dark with deep circles beneath. She had wanted to comfort him but he had immediately withdrawn returning to his room. More than twenty four hours had passed since Abigail had been taken. Nola could only imagine how worried Joshua would be. Maybe he just needed a friend right now. Wrapping her robe close to her body, she stepped from her room and told the guards where she was going. Since Joshua's room was just across the hall, they would still be able to guard her. She opened the door to the suite he shared with his sister and stopped. The room was in shambles. Cushions that had once graced the sofa and chairs were now shredded throughout the living room. Several empty bottles and glasses were discarded as though left from a wild party. She had worked for Lord Melchiorre long enough to recognize the scarlet liquid as blood. Had Joshua drank this much since she had seen him? "Josh?" she asked hesitantly. "It's Nola. Are you ok?" "Nola, please go to your room," his horse voice replied from another room. She slowly walked towards the sound of his voice and found a door separating them. "Please let me in," she said. "You don't sound well." "Please," he said breaking into a sob, "please leave. I don't want to hurt you." "Hurt me?" she asked with a nervous laugh and reached for the door knob. "You would never hurt me." "Not intentionally," he said from the dark room. "But I'm losing control." Nola barely suppressed her shriek when he stepped toward her. She had witnessed his radical growth spurt but had always felt safe with the guy who had quickly grown from boy to man. Sometime during the last few hours, he had changed again. "J...Josh," she stammered, "What happened?" "I broke a promise to my father," he answered quietly. "I thought it would help. It had made me stronger but now I thought it might numb the pain." "What pain?" "Abby. It feels different when she's gone. We've never been separated." "Come to my room. Stay with me," she offered and then stopped when he stepped into the lit room. The last time she had seen him, he was the average height of an adult man. But now he stood as tall as his father and his hair and eyes were darker. He resembled the boy she knew. He was just an older version of him. "What do you need, Josh?" "You," he answered and pulled her close. *** She was either dreaming or remembering. Emma had no way of knowing. She could see things that she thought were true but were impossible for an infant to remember. Nevertheless, throughout her dreams one thing remained constant. She felt the care given to her at birth; the blood that had nurtured her in those first days; and the special delivery to her aunt's home. Questions from her past were finally answered as she felt her direction being steered towards classical arts even as a young girl. There was a piano. Where did that come from? She became agitated with her blurred memories but calmed when she felt the gentle stroke of familiar fingers. Her one constant had always been Antony. "Quiet, love," he whispered near her temple. "You have so much to understand and a lifetime to do that." *** Alex put the final touches to his makeshift shelter and crawled beneath the barricade to join Abigail. She was still sleeping. He had lost consciousness sometime while she fed from his wrist but not due to blood loss. He was more than a little uncomfortable with the reaction he had felt when her lips touched his skin. He had woken to find her sleeping snuggled against his body. Her eyes were no longer shadowed by blue circles but she had drastically changed. Her body was slightly longer with more curves. Softer curves he reminded himself. The sun was moving fast across the sky and he knew they would be easy prey. When he had lifted her body, determined to struggle with her weight, he was surprised to find he was mostly healed. It was better than healed. It was renewed. Old scars were gone and his muscles were strong. For a fleeting moment, Alex feared that he had been changed. Lifting Abigail in his arms, he was able to carry her and search for a suitable shelter for them. The lean-to was hardly comfortable but it was dry and easy to exit. He had managed to build an area secluded behind small saplings obscuring them as easy targets. His next move had not been enjoyable but had proven to have a dual purpose. The carcass of the animal lay outside of their shelter decomposing in the afternoon sun. The stench would evade the hunters and the meat that had been roasted in a distance would serve as their dinner. Alex stretch out beside Abigail and waited. He alternated his glance between the temporary structure and her sleeping face. His body might feel great but his mind was struggling with everything. When Abigail moaned, he turned to watch her face. He prayed his girl was ok. Groaning, Alex wondered when she had become his girl. *** "Gabriel," Edward said, "I've given Antony an update. Everyone is here waiting for your orders." Gabriel turned to look at his brother and the others that had joined his search team to find Abigail. They were tired, frustrated and growing weak from hunger. Showing his hand would not be a wise tactic because everyone expected him to be in control and have all the answers. All the correct answers. Before Edward could continue, Gabriel asked, "How is Emma?" "Good. Progressing as normal which is almost abnormal for any of our mates, but what the hell, it's good news." "Did you tell him that he doesn't need to join us?" "Yes," Edward answered and waited silently. "I don't know." "What?" "I don't know what the hell is happening. Isn't that the question you were about to ask?" Edward laughed and shook his head. Turning toward the growing number of vampires in the search party, he quickly sought his mate and willed her to turn to him. With a suggestive wink, he sent her a smile and then turned back to Gabriel. "We are beyond that, Gabe. I just want this to be over. It's amazing how well we've adjusted to our lot. I only want to know if we pursue them and drag her back against her will or move ahead with her crazy plan." "I'm sorry. I just don't know. I honestly don't understand her motives and why she's so passionate while Josh seems to not care." "I have no advice so I'll support your decision." "Then we camp here tonight," Gabriel stated flatly. "Tell the others to spread out around the base of the mountain but be on guard. Can you feel them?" "Oh yeah. I wonder if they have any clue who is waiting for them when they wake. Taking prisoners?" "No." "How about any who surrender?" "Definitely not," Gabriel answered and added, "Abigail will just need to deal with it later." "Somehow, I don't think she would disagree with you," Edward said before walking to the others. Gabriel closed his eyes and reached out with his mind searching for anything he could find. The vampires hiding in the caves were obvious to everyone in his group. Alex's blood left a trail to Abigail that disappeared several miles to the east. Joshua's emotions had surged through him momentarily screaming for help but now were silence in sated bliss. Gabriel contemplated the reasons for his children's erratic behavior and the people who had satisfied their cravings. Once again, he regretted that he had never trained them properly. He knew Alena had approached him before she wrapped her arms around his waist. Pulling her close, he rested his cheek against her hair and savored the fact that she was his mate. He could feel her love for their children and the trust she had in his judgment. Her strength strengthened him. "Have you found this other child?" she mumbled against his chest. "No and I'm not sure he's a child. Remember that he was raised by the Panthralges so he may be young but not a child." "Gabe, are you sure that everyone has shared everything they know about this?" "Yes, Conlaoch was honest and, now that Alex is out here, he is extremely anxious that we succeed." "I, uh, wasn't talking about Conlaoch," she said hesitating. "Who?" "I'm sorry, Gabe, but Heron knew about Abigail and Joshua and how they were being used. I thought maybe he would know something about ...." She stopped when he abruptly pulled away and approached the brother in question. Heron had deceived them once and although he had repented of that deception, Alena had no confidence that he had been completely honest with his brothers. **** Emma moaned in her sleep. She had been restless for the past several hours causing Anthony concern over his mate's change. He could hear her heart, smell her blood, and feel their link. Certainly she would be healthy. If so, then why was he worried? He had witnessed many changes but he had never known one to occur like Emma's. There were no signs of failure. Her human body had died and her vampire body had rapidly grabbed on to its new life. Her heart raced to the unique rhythm of his own. Her face, body and hair had altered to a magnificent form of perfection. Emma's perfection. He stretched out beside her and watched closely. Her eyelids continued fluttering as she apparently dreamed. When she moaned again, Antony wondered what thoughts or memories were holding on to his mate during her change. *** "Hey," Abigail murmured. "Hey," Alex returned. "How long have I been asleep?" she asked sitting up from the makeshift pallet. "Where are we? Oh my god, Alex, are you ok?" "About ten hours. It will be dark soon. In a cave where I hope we will be safe for the night. And I'm fine. Better than fine, actually." "I mean...did I, uh, when I....why are you laughing?" "You're cute when you're nervous." "Then I must be cute the entire time I'm with you!" she snapped. "I'm only trying to find out if I hurt you." "You didn't," he answered seriously. "Actually, I hope we can talk about it sometime." "Talk about it? Alex, it's simple. I am what you hate most and the first time I feed from a person, you were the only one available. I can't begin to explain how sorry I ..." "The first time?" he asked staring at her. "Yes. I'm so sorry." "Don't worry about it." "Thanks for that but I know how much you hate us and I really don't want...." "What?" "I don't want you to hate me," she said as her eyes filled with tears. "First of all," he said as he moved close, "I do not hate all vampires. Remember that my mother is one and a vampire saved her. At my request. " "Your request?" "Long story but second thing is, I don't hate you. Seriously doubt I ever could." Abigail wiped at the tears that had escaped her eyes and looked away. Her confidence had wavered so many times in the last few days and now she could find nothing sensible to say. "Abby," Alex finally said, "Tell me why I was the first." "I haven't had the urge to feed other than the times we drink blood. From a glass. From a donor. A willing ..." "I know. I understand," he interrupted. "I was just wondering ...never mind." "I've only felt the ... need...the ability to feed in the last few days with my, uh, fangs." "Ah! Our little girl is all grown up," he teased playfully tugging at her hair. "Funny," she complained swatting his hand away. "Do you think of me as a little girl?" "Hell no! Phillip told me that you were young but, no, you look very, uh..." "Old?" He burst out laughing and shook his head. "Man, this is fucked up." "Alex," she said quietly. "I'm sorry. Wait, let me finish. I'm sorry that I deceived everyone and especially sorry that I manipulated Josh to deceive you. But most of all, I'm sorry for what I am. I've always felt fortunate that my parents saved me but now, when I see the difference, maybe ..." "What? We're different. We'll adjust." "We will? We, as in you and I, will adjust?" she asked hopefully. "Man, this is fucked up," was all he could say. *** "Nola," Joshua murmured against the soft skin of her shoulder. "Are you ok?" "Yeah. Why?" "I thought I might have scared you." "Why? Because you've changed in the last three hours? Because I had no idea what you meant when you said you needed me?" "Sorry. I just need to be near you," he explained. "I drank some of my father's whiskey because, well, I'll explain later, and then I forgot how I would appear to you. Sorry." After a few seconds, he chuckled and asked, "Did you think I was going to eat you alive?" "No," she answered quickly. "Josh, I understand what you are. I know what you need to live. I was scared because I had heard your voice but wasn't expecting the, uh, physical changes." "But you're ok with them now?" "Yeah. Oh, yeah." Joshua twisted in the bed until he was braced on his arms hovering over Nola. He stared at her eyes until he thought his emotions would overwhelm him. Gently kissing her lips, he then traced a path across her jaw and to her neck. When he had first seen Nola, her Italian features had appealed to his eyes. When he had built the nerve to speak to her, his blood had raced through his veins. Soon, after tasting her lips, he had become addicted to her. He kissed her neck tenderly wondering how he should continue their conversation. If she accepted him, he was concerned about her future. If she rejected him, then he could care less about any future. "Nola," he said bracing himself to see her face, "I understand how my people have valued their relationship with humans and not just for blood. But we also have a different type of relationship. More personal. One on one." "Are you talking about mates?" "Yeah, I am," he answered encouraged by her response. "The only mated couples I know have started from a vampire male and a human female, like my parents." After a few moment of silence, Nola asked, "Was a question in there somewhere?" "Have you ever considered changing?" "Only recently. Since I met you." "I can't imagine a life without you in it," he confessed quickly kissing her lips. "I'd hoped that was why you kept me with you but can you do it?" "Do what?" "You know, change me?" she asked with confusion. "I didn't think you had, your, uh, fangs yet." "Why would you say that?" "Because Abby has fangs and you don't. Don't worry, Josh, she was upset at Lord Melchiorre's house and just needed to talk with someone. So we tried to find anything that explained her changes and found that, uh..." "What?" "Girls mature quicker than guys," she answered quickly. "So you think she matured before me?" "Well, yeah." "Hmmm...I wonder," he said lowering himself to rest on top of her, "Have you ever heard that guys are a bit deceiving?" Joshua smiled revealing his elongated fangs. Nola inhaled sharply. "Josh, does this mean I'm getting more than a kiss?" *** Scenes flashed behind Emma's closed eyes. Struggling to see and remember every scene, she watched memories swim past at lightning speed. She held on to that one constant that had been her silent guide for so long. As the memories raced to their current secluded retreat, Emma moaned reliving her last human hours with Antony. She had been surprised, excited, aroused, and then satisfied. Finally, after so many years of wandering through life, she was now exactly where she should be. When the scenes faded to black, she instantly felt the warmth of his nearness. Even now, she was aware of the changes that had occurred to her body and the new craving that was burning in her throat. Inhaling deeply, she found the only source that could satisfy her. So close. "Emma, love, I 'm here," she heard his voice whisper. "You are so beautiful. Soon, we will begin the rest of our lives together." Happiness surged through her. She could hear him, feel him and know that he was there waiting. Her mind snuggled close to her mate's. Tentatively, she listened for his words and then tried to form her own. "Soon," she responded silently to him. "Forever." She smiled as his joy surged through her. *** "Alena," Gabriel called to his mate. "Why have you moved so far from the others?" "Privacy," "This is hardly the time, woman," he answered walking close to her. "But I love your new uninhibited passion." "You're in a good mood." "I could say the same for you," he added and caught her hand before she could playfully swat at his shoulder. "Seriously, I need to be alone with you too." "Does this mean Heron knows nothing about the boy?" she asked. "No, but I don't think he knows much. He is weak but not necessarily deceitful, and the Panthralges probably knew that, so he wasn't given any crucial secrets only used as a weapon against us." "I found a spot where we can rest," Alena said motioning to a flat stone under the shade trees. "The shade will cool us." "And hide us," he commented with a wink. "You found this?" "Well, I found the trees and the rock was a few yards over so I moved it to my satisfaction," she explained as she directed him to sit so she could straddle his lap. "And your satisfaction is so important to me," he murmured against her neck. "Which is why you insisted that I and the other mates join the search team" she replied with a calculated grin. "Apparently I can hide nothing from you," he answered. "While your safety is always my number one priority, I did think we would need our mates to survive this fight." "I know. And you still block me fairly often," Alena responded pulling her black t-shirt over her head. "Like if you ever think of other women, I'm totally clueless." "Baby, I lost you once. I'm not planning on losing you again," he replied while unbuttoning his own shirt. "You go first." Instead of pouncing on her mate, she just watched him. Large and powerful, Gabriel evoked fear in all humans and most vampires. But with her, he had never treated her with less than absolute tenderness and respect. Alena raised her hips from his lap until her face was level with his. She leaned close and gently pressed her lips against his mouth loving the feel and taste of him. Passion was always near whenever she heard his voice or caught a glimpse of him. It soared when she touched him. But when she was able to taste him, Alena lost control. Unlike humans who could only sate their passion through sex, vampires were gifted with another venue. New Kingdom: Australian Court Ch. 03 Their kiss deepened as he adjusted his position and pulled her close. Slipping his fingers beneath her bra, Gabriel found the soft flesh waiting for his touch. Teasing her soft skin, he groaned against her mouth when she grinded her hips closer to his. He pulled away and cradled her face in his palm. Stroking her cheek with his thumb, he smiled when she revealed the white teeth elongated by her passion. Angling his neck for her advance, he felt the hot passion surge from her bite into his body. The blood she took was compensation for the passion she returned. For a moment Gabriel considered that they were not just another couple in love. Nor were they just another pair of mated vampires. What they had belong to them alone. *** "Thanks for the food," Abigail said wiping her hands on the tail of her filthy pink robe. "I don't suppose you have a change of clothes with you." "Nah didn't think I'd need them," he answered fingering the slashes in his shirt. "How are your injuries?" "Gone," he answered lifting the tattered shirt over his flat abdomen. "Not a scar or a bruise. See?" When she remained silent, he looked at her face and caught her staring at his torso. Apparently her mother had never told her that staring at man so openly was not a good thing. Her eyes were wide open as her gaze roved over his pectoral and abdominal muscles. He had maintained his physic through training as a hunter and women had always shown appreciation for his body but he was speechless with Abigail's assessment. He braced himself when he noticed her hand inching close. Did she have any idea what touching him would do? Her fingers, soft and warm, gently traced a path down his sternum and over his belly. He held his breath as she flattened her palm near his navel. No vampire should have this effect on him. Abigail rose to her knees moving closer to him. She clutched the hem of his shirt and pushed it up and over his head. Tossing the shirt aside, she returned her fingers to his body now exploring the tattoos on his biceps and chest. Alex inhaled a deep breath and waited. Unable to speak, he wondered at how a simple touch, so innocent, could be so devastating to his resolve. The sound of his heartbeat pounded in his ears accompanied by another rhythm, fast paced but steady. He realized that it was her heartbeat and his was racing to match it. "Abigail," he whispered having no other words to share but wanting to ... what? Stop? Hell no. Give her a chance to stop? Not really. Her eyes flickered to his just as the remains of twilight faded to black. Alex slowly reached for her while rising to his knees. With his hands at her waist, he waited for her to make the next move. He could barely see her head tilt as she moved closer clutching his shoulders. "Bad idea," he told himself. "Gabriel will definitely kill you. Rouge vampires are hunting you. And why couldn't we have a place with a hot shower and comfortable bed?" When her mouth made contact with his, he lost all hold of his sanity. At some point, he took control of the kiss pressing her body against him. Her soft skin, beckoning to be stroked, was hidden beneath the thin robe. He reached between their bodies and tugged at the sash at her waist. Her soft flesh contrasted with his hard body but the merging of the two created a perfect blend. She shivered against the friction of his calloused hands stroking her untouched skin. When she surrendered a small moan, he felt his passion soar. Slipping the robe from her shoulders, Alex stopped when something penetrated his senses. A sound had broken their silence. Was it her? Was she having second thoughts? Breaking the kiss, he searched the dark for a sign from her. Then he heard the sound again. A snap of twig underfoot, a flutter of a breeze on a windless night, and the essence of someone near moved him into action. He pulled Abigail's robe over her shoulders and reached for his sheathed blade. Without a word, he tried to let her know the danger lurking nearby. A shrill giggle pierced the night. They had been found. Alex had tried to cover their tracks and hide them the best he could. Then he remembered the blood stains on his torn shirt. Certainly the scent of his blood had been an easy road map for their hunters. He shook his head in self disgust. Before he could move, Abigail leaped to her feet. Quietly, she moved to the edge of the makeshift door and peered into the night. Without making a sound, she returned to Alex and pulled his head close to her mouth. "Three," she whispered in a hurried rush. "Two in the trees and one on the ground. We fight together," she finished with a quick kiss to his lips. With no more discussion, they moved out of hiding and into the open night. Abigail leaped into the air grabbing a tree branch and swinging close to the vampire in her sights. Only the movement in the shadows alerted Alex to the one on the ground. He withdrew his blade and prayed his hunter's skills had not been put to sleep during a moment of passion. The dark figure rushed at him. His pulse raced as the form moved closer. This one had not been a young adult when changed but rather a full grown man. Apparently, stronger hunters had been released to find Abigail. The shadow leaped and tackled Alex to the hard ground. His blade was knocked out of his grasp. As he blindly searched for the weapon, the vampire chose to follow the critical mistake of playing with his food. A razor sharp claw grasped Alex by the head without breaking skin. Turning Alex face toward his own, he waited for the human to beg for his life. With pale eyes shining in the night, the vampire bared his fangs and hissed at his prey. The mockery was his fatal error. Grasping the blade, Alex twisted his wrist and quickly swiped the lethal metal through the air. The vampire's head rolled to the left as its useless body fell to the right. Jumping to his feet, Alex futilely searched for Abigail in the dark night. A dull thump hit the ground at his feet. He acknowledged the lifeless form as one of the enemies and looked up when Abigail dropped from the air to land in front of him. "I lost one," she whispered in the night. "He may have returned to their camp to...." She stopped when a large figure moved out of the night and right into Alex. He groaned from the impact but remained on his feet. Unable to swing his arm, he looked to the area where Abigail had been standing. He felt her rush through the air and tackle his captor. Momentarily losing the hold on his prey, the large vampire struggled to grasp onto Alex while he was falling. He managed to claw into the flesh of the human's thigh but unable to regain his hold. The small bitch had proven to be fighter. He ached to crush her small body within his claws. But his orders had been clear. She was not to be harmed. Tossing her to the side, he sat up from the ground in time to see the glint of the steal swinging toward his neck. His last thought consisted of one word. Freedom. "Oh, god, you've been hurt," Abigail cried crawling to him. "Let me see." "No time now," he answered helping her from the ground. "They found us. We need to run." Together they ran through the trees, silently praying for safety but listening for the next attack. *** Joshua sat on the bed snapping his cell phone shut. He had taken a risk but knew it was the only choice his people had. Small arms wrapped around his neck as he leaned into the welcomed warmth of the soft body. "He's making arrangements now," he explained. "Should be here tomorrow by late afternoon." "Are you having second thoughts?" Nola asked. "Not at all. Even Phillip thinks it's a good idea but then he will agree with anything to get out of babysitting and see some action." "It's a very good plan. Why are you so quiet?" "I don't know. It is wise to use like versus like but in this case Abigail won't be happy that I'm using her new citizens to fight." "You don't seem so worried about her now." "She's with Alex," he replied. "He's the best person to keep her safe right now." "How do you know? Can you communicate with her?" "I feel her emotions again. She's not afraid. I can tell you that much," he said with a laugh. "I will let the household staff know that they should prepare for more guests," Nola said rising from the bed and squealed when Joshua flipped her back to the mattress. She bounced against the soft bedding as he mounted over her. "What are you doing?" she demanded with a laugh. "Trying to explain what Abigail feels right now," he answered and descended his mouth onto hers. *** Gabriel cradled his sleeping mate as he watched the night fall onto their camp. He gazed at Alena's peaceful face and wondered how many days remained until they could retreat away from this world. Stroking his fingers through her hair, he suddenly stopped when his senses went on alert. There was no sound or sight of intruders but he could feel their presence. It felt as though the mountain had come alive. He gently nudged Alena and silently let her know what was happening. He quickly regretted bringing her to the front line but felt the power of her blood strengthen his body. She rose from his lap and let him know that she was strong, alert and willing to follow his orders. Together they moved toward the others and waited for the invasion. *** Alex grasped Abigail's hand as she continued to guide them through the dark night. There was no moon to give him the faintest glimpse of their surroundings. He trusted her to lead them safely through the trees and vegetation. She would tug on his arm when he needed to climb over a fallen tree or move to the left or right. His thigh hurt like hell. He had tied off the wound with her sash and wondered how she managed to protect herself with an unsecured robe. They had been moving for hours hoping to increase the distance between them and the vampires. He knew they had not been followed but his wound and her presence would be a beacon to those that wanted her. He had to convince her that they needed to return home. They could not win alone. Alex was about to call it quits when Abigail suddenly stopped. He looked around but could barely see more than her figure in the darkness. She slowly moved forward never releasing his hand. "Do you think it's safe?" she asked with a whisper. "I don't know. What the hell is it?" he asked in frustration. "A house. Quiet. Empty. No one has been here for awhile." "How can you tell?" "Smell. I'm getting good with these senses. My father would be proud." The reminder of Gabriel made Alex groan with dread. He knew they needed to return to the others but seeing the girl's father was not going to be a pleasant experience. "There's a sign," Abigail answered releasing his hand. "It says 'For Sale' but it's fallen on the ground and covered in mud. Shall we take a look?" "Planning on buying something soon Abby?" Alex asked following her voice up the driveway. "Only if it has a lovely garden," she responded. "Or a place to put one. And a pool." "Well I have to insist enough property for a proper training field. And a basketball court. And acres of yard for the kids," he added and then cringed. The kids? Where the hell did that come from? Abigail only laughed and reached for his hand. Contrasting against the darkness, the white house appeared to have two stories that were surrounding by covered porches. The grass was tall and unkempt assuring them that no one had taken care of the property for some time. "Probably a summer home," Alex commented. "Too expensive to maintain and no interest due to the economy." "Lucky for us," Abigail murmured. "Now if only the wonderful owners left some food, clothes, and a bed. Would it be too crazy to hope for hot water?" "Maybe not. Most homes on the market have electricity and water for a better showing. Let's just hope we're lucky." Abigail guided him to the porch and let him reach for the door. He twisted the handle but was not able to open the door. He tried again but had no success. "It is locked?" she asked over his shoulder. "Yeah. There's a key cabinet here but without the code...." He stopped when she reached around to jerk the cabinet from the door. "I'll leave a note with an apology and directions to contact my father for payment," she said and then peeled apart the small metal casing. A key instantly appeared in her hand which she handed to Alex. He opened the door but waited for any signs of occupancy. Although the owners had abandoned the upkeep, he was not sure that other squatters had not used the back door or various windows to breach the house. When only stale air greeted him, he moved into the foyer reaching for a light switch. The interior of the house appeared to have been well maintained until recently. A thin covering of dust rested on the few pieces of dark furniture and hardwood floors. Abigail stepped around Alex and inspected the home with appreciation. "This is actually quite lovely," she said moving into the living room. "Isn't this a bit of a downgrade compared to what you're used to?" "Ha! What I'm used to is a bedroom which I shared with my brother until recently and a television in the next room. Joshua was attacked once in the maze and I'm a prisoner for life!" "I remember you being a prisoner recently because of your own actions." "Whatever," she mumbled and proceeded into the next room. Flipping the light switch, she discovered another room, empty, but apparently designed as a music room. "Couldn't you imagine having a normal, peaceful life in a place like this?" Alex remained silent as he watched her move from room to room. She acted like a child on Christmas morning but looked like a filthy little orphan dreaming of having her own home. He let her enthusiasm seduce him for only a moment until he could see them, together, sharing their lives in this neglected house. He shook his head and sought some form of reason. He returned to the door, with key in hand, verified that no neighboring lights could be seen in the distance and shut the door between them and the world. He looked at the house and the neglect suddenly disappeared as lights were turned on throughout the place. As charming as it was, he knew that too many lights could betray their location so he followed Abigail turning off the lights in her path. "We need to find some supplies," he reminded her. "They've left very little furniture and the cupboards are bare. Do you think we'll find any food or clothing?" "Maybe they have boxes that will be moved or given to charity after the house sells. Let's look in the garage." From the kitchen, they tried a door that appeared to lead into the garage and found a room full of cardboard boxes. Alex hit the light switch and illuminated the room from overhead fluorescents. Boxes of all shapes and sizes were marked in large letters identifying the contents by room or names. "I found the bathroom," Abigail announced. "Now if they left us a bar of soap." "We don't know if we have water," he said as he ripped into a box labeled with a man's name. "Water is necessary for drinking, bathing and ...." "Yes we do," she interrupted. "I checked in the kitchen. We even have hot water. And soap," she added displaying a plastic bottle. "Keep looking," he said after reading the bottle's label. "I'm not leaving this house smelling like cucumber melon." "Apparently beggars can be choosers," she responded but kept searching the box. "Ok, I have a bar of something that certainly contains lye." "Perfect." "And a bottle of shampoo, razors, a package of children's toothbrushes and one sample size tube of toothpaste. I love these people." "You probably should have reserved judgment until after you saw these clothes," he said snapping a multicolored cloth that appeared to be men's slacks. "And that's just the beginning. Check out our lovely women's collection." The underwear he held was large enough to wrap around Abigail's frame several times. There would be no way Abigail's hips would hold these up. "Apparently the lady of the house was big and beautiful," Alex commented with a grin. "No deal? I'll keep looking." "I can just wash my own," she offered carrying her load towards him. "Unlike you, my panties don't have a problem smelling like cucumber melon." Laughing as they searched, they were able to find bath towels and bedding of which they took extra just in case they would not find mattresses in the bedrooms. Another box from the kitchen contained a few plastic containers of fruit and vegetables which they agreed would carry them through the next day. Alex found a basket to carry their bounty and resumed their search for clothes. "Didn't you say they had children's toothbrushes? Maybe they have some children's clothes that you can wear." "I can look," Abigail offered."Have you found something for you?" "Not yet. Apparently the man of the house is as small as his lady is large. I am not wearing tight jeans." "But you want me to wear children's clothes?" "My anatomy can be damaged," he playfully complained. "You could always borrow the underwear that you found earlier." "Do I look like I need a parachute?" "Alex! Be nice!" she said and then returned to the box holding the woman's clothing. "What do you care? They're strangers," he said watching her. "We may meet them one day," she explained while tucking the garment deep into the box. "I don't want them to know how we invaded their privacy. Hey, I might have found something," she said pulling out a large shirt. "At least for a cover." They continued through their pursuit until Alex had found a t-shirt and a pair of cargo pants, covered in paint, but posing no threat to his anatomy. Abigail now had a pair of black leggings and a small t-shirt that would serve better as a bra than a top but she was happy to lose the filthy robe. Although she had protested, she finally accepted the shoes that Alex insisted she wear. Her feet had adjusted to the rough terrain but precaution against glass and insect or animal bites would be smart. They returned the room the same order they had found it, minus a few items, and left the garage in search of showers and beds. Alex insisted on checking the doors and windows on the first floor and then continued their trek in the dark house. They reached the second floor and found two bedrooms which shared a bath and the master bedroom with an en suite bath. "You take the master," Alex offered and moved down the hall before she could complain. "I can shower in here." "More rooms to clean," she countered. "Besides we only have one bottle of shampoo and one tube of toothpaste. We can share." Alex nodded in agreement wondering if she had noticed that only the master suite had a bed. He followed her into the room appreciating the simple décor along with the furniture that had been left for display. The danger that they had escaped still lurked in the darkness outside the walls of this home but for now they were safe. He motioned for her to use the facilities first as he collapsed in the chair. He listened to the sound of water beat against the tiles as Abigail prepared for her bath. Since arriving in Australia, neither had enjoyed one decent night of sleep. Maybe they would collapse in the big bed, respect each other's territory and return to their normal lives tomorrow. Why did that plan sound so unappealing? Abigail quickly washed and rinsed her hair deciding to not repeat as advised on the shampoo bottle's directions. She poured the shower gel into her hand and scrubbed the dirt from her body. She hurried through the routine so Alex could have the facilities as soon as possible. At the thought of the man sitting in the next room, her skin prickled under her own touch. Suddenly it felt odd to bathe herself as she had so many times before. She continued in a rush and rinsed herself free from soap and grime. Stepping from the shower, she realized that she had only brought a towel with her. Her clothes were in the bedroom with Alex. Snarling at her tattered robe, she wrapped the towel around her body and stepped out of the bathroom. New Kingdom: Australian Court Ch. 03 Alex looked up when he heard the door open and almost had a heart attack. She was beautiful as a child, in her daring escape, and cover with grime searching for food and clothes. There were no words to describe the woman standing in front of him. Her dark hair hung down her back in wet ringlets. Her face, shoulders and arms were scrubbed to a soft pink glow. As her aroma reached him, he vowed to modify his earlier opinion of cucumber melon. Without saying a word, he merely nodded and walked to the bathroom shutting the door behind him. Alex turned the water to full heat and decided that he should refrain from adding injury to his current condition. He considered the benefits of a cold shower but refused to condescend. He grabbed the shampoo and quickly washed his short hair. Shaking his head, he realized that he had left the bar of lye in the bedroom and would end up smelling like a cucumber melon anyway. Abigail sat quietly on the bed wondering why Alex had appeared so perturbed with her. Maybe he was just tired. She knew his injury had been mostly superficial but the gash, although not very long, had continued to bleed. She looked at the clothes folded in the basket and decided to stay in her towel for a few minutes longer. Stretching on the bed, she told herself that she needed to get dress soon so she could take a look at Alex's injury. Avoiding the wound on his thigh, Alex rubbed the towel across his body soon realizing that he had made the same mistake as Abigail. His clothes were in the next room. Knotting the towel at his waist, he opened the door and stopped. She was spread out on the bed obviously unaware of her state of undress. The towel, although quite large against her small frame, had parted and revealed the pale skin of her hip. Her breasts were barely covered by the loose folder layers. Contemplating whether he should try to right the towel or cover her with a blanket, Alex was surprised to find her eyes wide open with no signs of sleep in them. "Hey," she whispered. "Hey," he merely replied. "Let me see your injury." "It's nothing really. Just a ..." "Alex. We're beyond that. We both know it," she said climbing from the bed. He held his breath as she knelt before him reaching toward his injured leg. He watched her move the towel aside and touch the wound. The cut was small but deep requiring closure to stop the bleeding. He had forgotten to search to the storage boxes for a first aid kit. Now he wondered if that had been a convenient slip of memory. Abigail looked up into his eyes waiting. When he remained quiet, she nodded her head and leaned close. The touch of her tongue sent shivers through his body. He moaned aloud and almost lost his balance. She never broke contact. Gently lapping at the blood, she allowed the liquid to pool in her mouth. When she swallowed, her lips pursed at his flesh pulling the skin together. He wondered if she had any idea the effect her ministrations were having on him. Every time she sucked on his flesh, he wished she would move her mouth a few inches to the left. Did she understand what was happening to his body? With a final sweep of her tongue she closed the gash and gently placed a kiss to the healing tissue. She sat back on her heels and looked up waiting for him to make the next move. Moving in nearly non-human speed, Alex lifted her to her feet and ripped the duvet from the bed. He pulled her close letting her towel hit the floor. She stretched her arms around his neck and pulled his head down to hers. Quickly capturing her lips, he moved them onto the bed. As he braced himself over her, she kept her hands clasped around his neck kneading the muscles below the skin. Forcing himself to stop, Alex caught his breath. He knew this would be her first time with a man. Check that. This would be her first time with him. No other man would ever touch her. He wanted to make it perfect but his hands were shaking and his heart was racing. Too many years' experience should have prepared him to be a better lover instead of the clumsy man that he was right now. "Alex?" she whispered. "I don't know what I need. But I know that you're the only one who can give it to me." "To hell with technique," he quickly decided. "I'll make it up to her later." Abigail rolled her hips up seeking relief from the sensations between her thighs. The electrical currents she could feel from Alex's presence were now rolling through her body threatening to consume her. She felt the friction of the towel scratch against the sensitive folds of her flesh and hissed at the barrier. Ripping the towel away from his hips she marveled at the perfect specimen of man hovering over her. Suddenly she understood. His body was made to connect with hers. Like snapping the correct pieces of a puzzle together, once they were joined they would become something else. Something that she could only be with him. Their lives were very different when they were apart but would soon evolve into another form when they were united. She bucked her hips seeking the satisfaction that only he could give. When her moist flesh made contact with the tip of his hardened body, Alex jumped. It was bad form to rush foreplay. It was unforgiveable to lose control before he had entered her body. With a growl, he got on his knees and flipped her over. He pressed his body against her back and prayed for her to be reasonable. Apparently the gods hearing his prayers refused to deter the passion of the young female vampire as she continued bucking beneath him. Abigail managed to spread her legs enough to capture his length between the folds of her flesh. Although he was nowhere near penetrating her entrance, Alex groaned as he felt her heat surge through him. "Abigail," he said through clinched teeth, "God, baby, please stop." "Stop?!" she demanded. "Not stop. Just slow down. Please." "I can't Alex. It's burning inside me. Please don't stop." He held her to the mattress hoping she would not buck him off the bed but soon realized that he was at her complete mercy. He leaned close to her face and kissed her cheek. "Baby. I will take care of you. But you need to trust me. I can't give you what you need, what we need, if I lose it right here on the sheets." The desperation in his voice broke through to her. She instantly calmed and turned her face offering her lips to him. He kissed her deeply while trying to catch his breath. Slowly he turned her over and moved his lips over her jaw and down her neck. Her moans echoed through the room but she managed to keep her body still. Alex descended on her body kissing and licking at her flesh until he reached her breasts. Handfuls of flesh that had been hidden beneath baggy shirts and the pink robe now beckoned to him for a slow exploration. He wondered how she would react. Wrapping his lips around the pink tip, he gently tugged her flesh into his mouth. Alternating between lapping with his tongue and gentle sucking he could hear her heart increase its tempo. He moved to the twin peak and offered the same gentle worship. Abigail shivered when his mouth touched her breasts. No one had ever touched her there and until this moment, she had thought they were merely a visual display of differentiation between man and woman. She doubted that she would ever be able to touch her breasts again without needing Alex's tender touch to sooth her. She gasped when his hand moved to her abdomen. He had nearly begged her to let him set the tempo but the warmth of his hand was nearing the aching throb at the apex of her thighs. His fingers traced over her navel and slipped lower to her thigh. She parted her legs in a silent plea for him to ease her longing. Alex could feel her desire which could only be matched to his own. He appreciated her control more now than ever. Soon, they would find that relief together. He dipped his fingers to the moist folds and slowly slipped inside her warmth. She moaned as he touched her gently rocking her hips toward his hand. He felt the tight flesh that greeted his finger and knew that he had to be careful. Gently he added another finger and paused when she inhaled sharply. "Alex?" she whispered. "You have to be ready," he explained kissing her lips. "We have to be careful." He moved his fingers slowly watching her face for any signs of discomfort. She moaned and moved against his hand. He was tempted to rush on but reminded himself that the first time could only happen once. And he was not going to forfeit this moment. Moving down her body, he kissed the valley between her breasts, the flesh separating her ribs, and the small freckle below her navel. He paused for a moment removing his fingers from her body. Abigail nearly leaped of the bed when she felt his mouth touch her most intimate flesh. She clutched the sheets and faintly heard the fabric shred as the vibrations raced through her body. One after another, waves of pleasure racked through her until she felt one grab her and hold her in an unbreakable clutch. She could only stare at the ceiling as her lungs refused to function. Suddenly a small vibration began in the pit of stomach and quickly moved through her body. Bright colors burst in her sights as she screamed his name. Alex crawled back up the bed knowing that he wore a grin of male pride. He looked at Abigail as she laid beneath him with her eyes closed gasping for breath. He kissed her eyes, cheeks and lips waiting for her to respond. "Alex," she said with a horse voice, "that was amazing." "Yeah, and, uh, we're not finished." "What? How?" "Just watch," he answered moving between her legs. He positioned himself at her entrance and slowly moved his hips forward. He felt her tightness and inwardly cringed at the pain he would certainly cause her. Hoping she would recover soon, he moved again meeting the natural barrier inside her body. "Abigail. It only hurts the first time," he whispered. "I'm sorry." With a quick thrust, he was inside her. He felt her body tense as he moved again. Willing himself to remain still, Alex kissed her lips and touched her body to reassure her. When she relaxed he moved again. Her body was small and he was not willing to hurt her more than necessary so he set a rhythm that was slow and shallow until he felt her open to him. He increased the pace of his thrusts until he was touching inside her body. Lifting her knees he tried to angle her hips to accept more of his length but refrained from slamming against her. Abigail felt her body rocking as Alex moved in and out of her. She felt him hesitate when he touched her cervix and used caution even after he angled her hips upward. The familiar buzz of electricity started to bloom inside her body craving that release only he could give her. She felt a moment of frustration with his cautious pace and reacted the only way she could. Alex nearly lost control when he felt her hips move into his. She was returning his passion and demanding more. He increased the pace again listening for signs of her discomfort. He only heard her moan. The bed shook under them as they moved together. Once more they increased their tempo as Abigail pulled her knees close to her chest and Alex alternated his balance between his arms and knees. She shuddered as the waves of passion rolled through her body again. Alex stilled and tensed as he felt the evidence of his passion release into her warm body. He collapsed on top of her barely able to roll to his side. He pulled her close as they both succumbed to exhaustion. A fleeing thought irritated his peace. He had forgotten something important. What was it? Had he secured the house? Yes. Had he shut off all lights downstairs? Yes. What had he forgotten? "Oh yeah," he thought as he snuggled closer to Abigail, "Gabriel is going to kill me." New Kingdom: Australian Court Ch. 04 Unedited. I will post a better version as soon as I receive from editor. Thanks to those who have helped! Gabriel stood waiting for the attack. Listening to the approaching sounds, he ascertained the locations of the enemy and waited. He evaluated the threat as a notable enemy but had no concern for the night's outcome. Five brothers of the Third Creation would have no difficulty overcoming this attack. With the additional troops, he knew their victory would once again be swift. Each brother led a small group to intercept the enemy vampires. With the exception of Heron, each also had a mate who remained close to his side. Gabriel knew exactly where Alena stood but reached back to feel the soft skin of her hand. He was once again amazed at the strength he derived from her. He looked up at the noise and cringed when he saw the attackers. The pitiful creatures were hideous in appearance but had even more disturbing spirits. As slaves to a higher power, they were merciless hunters that existed for blood. Gabriel could see evidence of their abuse from the various scars and amputations. Assessing them once more, he informed his brothers that these men and women were truly living corpses who needed to be permanently laid to rest. He received four votes of agreement when the first struck. **** Joshua allowed Nola to pin him to the bed as she made her playful demands on their future. He had notified the guards that she would be staying with him and were not to be disturbed. For the last several hours, they had taken advantage of being alone, not knowing when this would happen again. "No," he repeated with a laugh. "Tell me," she demanded as she clasped his hands above his head. "I'm not some cave woman who will be knocked over the head, dragged around the world blindly following you to the ends of the earth." "A cave? No. But blindly follow me? Yes." "You're just a little arrogant," she complained sitting back on her heels. "I prefer to think that I'm confident," he answered flipping her swiftly beneath him. "But the truth is that I don't know when I will change you. I know Antony must be with Emma now and I can't swear that I will have that I will have that freedom." "So," she said wiggling beneath him, "you promise that it will be soon. Promise that you won't forget or find another girl or move on with your family or..." "Nola that could never happen. It's not the way of my people. If there's something I could give you to prove..." "Just your promise. I trust you," she added stroking her fingertips down his chest." I just don't want to lose you." "Can't happen. Losing you would kill me," he explained in a serious tone. He captured her hand and kissed each fingertip and added, "When the others return, they will know that you are mine. Our ways are permanent." "How will they know?" "I wonder if any human has ever asked," he responded with a laugh. "You know that my people have intense, uh, senses." "What will they sense?" His smile faltered as he stared into her eyes. With a gentle touch, he traced the curve of her jaw and savored the texture of her porcelain skin. He watched her frown in frustration waiting for his explanation. "It shouldn't be like this?" he whispered. "Like what? With a human? I told you that I want to change, Josh, I want to be with you forever." "I know. And you will. I meant that I wish we could have more time and not rushed in one night." "I have a feeling," she replied snuggling closer to his big frame, "that we will need to appreciate every minute we can have alone. We may have forever but I'll be sharing you most of the time. So let's start making the best of it." Joshua moved over Nola quickly and removed their remaining clothes. He may have recently been considered a boy but no one could deny that he was now a man. As nature ruled his actions, he started to claim the only woman who had ever caught his attention. Inexperience was overridden by love as the two eagerly sought their relief. While tempted to release his control, Joshua remained consciously aware of his superior strength and held himself in check as he explored her body. Tenderly he kissed and nipped at her fleshed savoring the shudders and sighs he earned for his effort. Nola moved her hands over his shoulders, arms and back admiring this man who now belong to her. A small voice asked her why she was not afraid of this person that had so quickly developed from a young person into the grown man he was now. She quickly answered that only his physical body had changed. His soul was still the person whom she would have forever. Their joining was slow and mutually decided. He would touch and she would respond. She reciprocated the pleasure when she touched him. When he finally broke through the last flimsy barrier of her flesh, Joshua waited letting her set the pace that would continue their mating. Nola hesitated for only a moment shutting her eyes and taking a deep breath. Her body quickly adjusted to his invasion and begged for more. In a timeless gesture, she rolled her hips forward inviting him to continue. She was quickly granted her silent request. She moaned as he moved in a steady rhythm against her body. Sneaking a glance at his face, she watched him strain against the temptation to release his control. She watched him as his breaths became more labored. Suddenly she realized what he needed. "Joshua. Drink. Please." Suddenly, his dark eyes were staring into hers. In a flash, she saw him open his mouth full with elongated fangs. Sharp pain was quickly replaced by unsurpassed euphoria as he fed from her neck. **** Abigail gradually woke from her comfortable slumber. The inviting warmth of her surroundings beckoned her to snuggle in for more sleep but her bladder demanded immediate relief. Slowly she moved away from the heat source and cringed when her sore muscles rebelled. Instantly her eyes flashed opened finding the source for her comfort and pain. Alex had formed a cocoon around her smaller frame with his arms and legs. In the dark, Abigail could see the smug grin on his sleeping face. A wave of emotions flashed through her mind as she tried to determine the reason for his pride. Carefully she untangled his limbs from her body and rose from the bed. Her body ached like nothing she had ever felt before but yet she knew that she was not injured. She tenderly probed the flesh inside her thighs and realized that her muscles were tight and sore. She refused to investigate further. Taking a deep breath, she paused as various aromas filled her nostrils. There was definitely blood in the mix. Her rising panic only falter a little when she realized that it was her own blood and not Alex's that she smelled. Her injuries could be hidden and would heal quickly. She would never forgive herself if she had hurt him. The other scent confused her. It was a musk similar to one she had often noticed in her mother's room. Yet, it was different. It was a unique bouquet consisting of interesting ingredients. She inhaled deeply trying to identify the sources and paused when reality answered her questions. The simple recipe consisted of two ingredients: Alex and Abigail. She closed her eyes as images of their union flashed through her mind. Her heart raced as every touch and taste was quickly remembered. Opening her eyes, she realized that her aches had quickly changed from the result of sore muscles to that of a physical need only this man could satisfy. Resisting the urge to wake Alex, she leaned over the bed to place a kiss to his lips but paused. She realized that his smug grin was a reflection of own expression. With a feather light touch, she pressed her lips to his and then quickly raced to the bathroom. *** Alex's mind was moving through a fog. Unlike the scenes of horror movies, this fog was the bright and inviting effects displayed in ethereal scenes. He would find his angel here. He could feel her near but could not see her or touch her. Just when he was getting impatient, he felt a movement in the white cloud pressing close. He felt just a little arrogant when his angel gently kissed his lips. Too quickly, his angel was gone. She took the bright scene with her leaving him alone in the darkness. "To hell with this," he complained in his dream state. Alex woke with a start reaching across the bed to find a warm but empty space next to him. Listening for evidence of her location, he soon heard the sounds of water spraying against the shower tiles. He wondered if she would consider him rude for joining her in the stall. "There's only one way to know for sure, mate," he said quietly as he leaped from the bed. *** Antony watched his mate carefully. Her change was complete. During the last hour, he had watched her connect the links in their lives and happily embrace her new destiny. Tenderly, he shifted her body until she was cradled in his arms. Ignoring the various intrusions in his mind, he watched. His waiting had come to an end. Emma's eyes snapped open. The once gray irises were now threaded with silver. Her hair glistened with streaks of gold. And her skin would reveal flawless perfection under the most intense scrutiny. Her mate smiled at the realization of her new cravings. She wanted him, blood, and, something else. "What the fuck?" he demanded as she leaped from the bed. "We need to go and help the others," Emma answered searching for her clothes. "They need our help. Abby needs our help." Too late, Antony realized that he had only ignored his brothers' voices beckoning to him. He had failed to block them; therefore, he had failed to block them from his mate. *** Gabriel gathered his group together and quickly assessed their damage. Other than minimal blood splatter, which had once belonged to their enemy, everyone appeared unscathed. One of the enemy vampires had been captured but was growing more restless as dawn approached. Although he hated their opposition, Gabriel was unable to be cruel and watch the creature suffer. He had swiftly ended the vampire's life and decided against future prisoners. He would need to send trackers to find the leader of these pitiful beings. As he faced the eastern sky, he reviewed his decisions and felt confident that he had made the right choices. The dread in his gut kept nagging at him. His brothers would soon begin their new assignments in whatever services they could provide to the New Kingdom. He too would become an advisor to the new leaders of his people. Dropping his gaze, he stared into the dark grove that separated him from one of those leaders. His daughter was safe from those who had captured her but she was now alone with that human male. The nagging in his gut confirmed that this issue would torment him forever. "Wait here," he called to the group. "I will return with Abigail in a few hours." *** Abigail was not sure how she knew but she was not surprised when Alex suddenly joined her in the shower. After soaking under the spray of hot water for a few minutes, her muscles had relaxed considerably. Waiting for him to make the first move, she remained still with her hands pressed against the wall letting the water pour over her back. Alex's stroked one finger down her spine tracing the ridges under her skin. He stopped at her lower back and waited for her response. He smiled when she turned to look over her shoulder. Her face was even more beautiful than he remembered. Before he could move, rational thought screamed in his mind. What was he doing? If they could only have these few moments, why not enjoy them? Did she understand that they could not be together? If not, then was it fair to continue this short lived affair with her? None of the answers mattered. He was a dead man the minute Gabriel Philandros found them. "Please stop," Abigail whispered. Alex quickly pulled away his hand wondering if he had hurt her. "Not that," she added with a giggle. "Please stop thinking about my dad when we are, you know, here, like this." "I, uh, was, well, I wasn't....damn," he stuttered before finally stopping to catch his breath. "How the hell did you know what I was thinking?" "Your heartbeat and breathing change when you think about him," she answered. "And no I can't read your mind. But you shouldn't worry. He's not going to harm you. He's just dealing with these changes like my mother had to deal with them earlier." "So it's possible that he might not hate me?" "Oh I wouldn't say that," she answered turning to face him. "He definitely does not like you. And that was before, well, this." "Thanks," he said pulling her into his arms. "I feel much better." "No love lost." "What?" "You've made it clear that you could never love me," she answered pulling away. "No love lost." Alex watched in silence expecting her to reach for a towel and exit the shower stall. He was shocked when she merely wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his head close to hers. Before their lips touched, he wondered how he had managed to find the girl of his dreams. She was beautiful, independent and accepted his rules for this affair. He should be rejoicing at his luck. So why wasn't he? *** "Emma," Antony called from the door, "Phillip has transportation scheduled to leave in a few hours. We have sunlight issues with the new ...what the hell are you doing?" His mate surfaced from a mountain of clothes, shoes and luggage. A frown was settled on her brow as she continued searching from something in particular. Without answering his question, she reached into the closet and withdrew another box quickly dumping its contents onto the growing pile. "Whatever you need, I'm sure we can buy." "No," she finally said. "You can't." "Why?" "Because, oh thank god, it's the sentiment of the item and not the item itself," she explained standing to her feet. Antony looked at the box in her hand and shook his head in confusion. The first few hours with his mate had yet to be anything that he had anticipated. She held a child's toy, protected in the manufacturer's packaging, close to her chest as though it were her greatest possession. "It's not the gift," she explained. "It's the giver." Placing the doll on the nearest flat surface, she turned to Antony and smiled. "So, we have a few hours? Great." He smiled as she jumped into his arms. Now this was what he had anticipated. *** The rising sun announced the dawning of a new day to most people. Joshua realized that this day would be the first of his new life. His sister had embraced their destiny with conservative enthusiasm. If he had to be honest, he had avoided it. Now, with Nola cuddled to his chest, he realized that today he would begin his life as a leader of New Kingdom. For a brief moment, he envied his father's decision to drop the burden he had carried for so many years in exchange for time alone with his mate. Of course, his father had paid his dues and Joshua's responsibilities started today. When Nola shifted and murmured in her sleep, he thought about the life they would have together. Once he could arrange some time for them, they would begin the process that would ensure they would have forever. He listened to the noticeable differences between their heartbeats and for a brief second wondered why hers echoed in a rhythm faster than usual. *** Alex smiled as he watched Abigail ready the room to its former condition. As the sky lightened to a pale gray, she had removed the bed linen, cleaned the bathroom and retraced their steps several times. Except for replacing the disturbed dust, she had returned the house to its previous state of abandonment. "Ok, I think we're ready," she said turning to him. "What? Are you laughing at me?" "No. No. Not at all. Well, ok, maybe just a little." "If it was your home, you would appreciate the extra work," she explained walking toward the door. "And it's best that we not leave a trail." Alex followed her through the door and paused to check the locks. They decided to take the key and contact the owner once they had returned to the mansion. He looked at the large porch that wrapped around the house and noted that a few repairs would have the home in premium condition. Moving along the path, he watched Abigail pick up the realtor's sign that had fallen in the unkempt lawn. "It's such a lovely home," she said staring at the sign. "You were right. It has a perfect yard for kids but a family might not know it's on the market." "I'm sorry about that," he finally said. "About what?" "The comment about kids. It doesn't need kids to be a nice place to live," he explained nodding towards the large house. "No," she said shaking her head. "It definitely does. " "I just mean that it would still be a great place for someone without kids," he tried to explain. "It would be a great for you." He felt uncomfortable as she continued starting at him in confusion. "Abby, I meant you like the home and you should have it because you like it and not leave it because I made some thoughtless comment about a big yard for children. Just because you can't have children..." "What?" Alex stared in silence trying to gather his thoughts so he could better explain his apology. The longer he considered the situation the more confused he started to become. "I've never heard of a female vampire having children," he finally said. "But then, you're not exactly a normal vampire are you?" "Alex, what are you talking about? Where are you going? Are you ok?" "I don't know," he mumbled. "And that's my answer to all three questions." As they walked away from their temporary shelter, Alex was vaguely aware of her small hand reaching for his. *** Several miles away, the sunlight announced the end to another day. As the household staff scurried away for their unnatural sleep one person remained awake in the house. He moved through the rooms quietly neither searching nor finding anything particular. Passing through the foyer, he stopped to gaze at his reflection in the large mirror. His fathers had died before witnessing his strength and stature as a full grown man. With little concern for modesty, he opened his robe and viewed the new musculature of his lean body. He smiled in arrogant approval. The child was gone, replaced by a man who would soon rule the world. "My lord," a voice said behind him. "I have distressful news." "Of course you do, Matthias," he responded without looking at the messenger. "Well go on. Remind me how I can never depend on any of you to complete a task." "But my lord, they were attacked. All were killed." "All?" he asked finally facing the man. "All?" "Well, not everyone but certainly all who were guarding the first point." "At the mountain," the young man stated. "You have an annoying habit of dramatically exaggerating the situation." "But my lord, so many of your loyal servants are dead." "Loyal?" the man asked with amusement. "In a deranged way I suppose they were but still, they were hardly more than expendable resources." "Forgive me, lord. We've lost so many in the last few weeks that I fear for your safety and for our future." "Once again, you are failing to see the accomplishments we've made. Yes, we have lost many but we will make twice more. If one competent vampire could accomplish this final task, we would have everything." "They almost succeeded. Certainly the next attack will bring her to you." "No," the young man corrected. "No more attacks. Change of plans." "Excuse me? What changes?" Matthias demanded. "Ah, and I now have the answer to my first question," the young man responded walking into the closest sitting room. "My fathers failed with you Matthias." New Kingdom: Australian Court Ch. 04 "No my lord. Your fathers were always gracious to me as you have been since their deaths." The young started chuckling as he turned to face the servant. His laughter was accompanied with a vicious sneer that only partially revealed the evil of his heart. Falling into the nearest chair he motioned for the man to take a seat. "Cut!" the young man announced. "Isn't that the theatrical term used to announce the end of a scene? The point when the actors quit acting? Or have you been a liar for so long that you can't stop?" "My lord?" "As I was saying, we change our strategy. Do you think I sound like the great general? Ironic that I would resemble the one with whom I have no genetic bond." The young man fell into quiet contemplation staring at the wall but seeing something else. "My lord?" "Impatient are we?" "Excited, sir. I am very excited to hear your plans." "Are you? Or are you just curious to know how much I understand about you? Don't answer. The truth is that I see you now and I see how you've manipulated the situation and my fathers." "My lord, no, I have been faithful to you and your fathers but if I have failed you in my weakness...." "Is that how you controlled Heron? Edward? Gabriel? God, I can't wait for the moment he discovers your deception." Matthias corrected his posture and watched the young man. The guise of the humble servant was no longer needed. The shrewd advisor now picked at invisible lint on his slacks. "Tell me Gregorii. Why would he ever need to know?" "Because your treason knows no loyalty. How many centuries have you plotted against the New Kingdom? Tell me how you managed to control the Panthralges?" "Control?" Mathias asked with a laugh. "My dear boy, I created them! Just as I created you along with the little bitch and her brother that you seem impotent against." "I will prove you wrong on that last item," the young man countered. "You can only see how I've changed physically." "You have developed just as the other male offspring. I was glad to see that the problems during gestation did not hamper your development." "Male offspring. Gestation. Development. Impersonal words to describe your king." "My king?" Matthias asked with a laugh. "Gregorii, you are a means to an end." He moved across the room so fast that the young man was surprised to find the man in his face. "Now, let's start from the beginning. Answer my questions," he emphasized with a slap to the young man's face, "and I may just let you live." "You need me." "No, I need a male offspring. I have created two and I can create another." "It would take time." "It would take less than three years. And when you are my age, three years are barely a few grains of sand in the hour glass of time." Matthias wrapped his hand around the boy's neck. "Now with the questions. How did you know?" "I have the blood of the Third Creation," the young man answered looking away. "I know they have yet to find the source of their opposition." Matthias watched the young man's face searching for signs of deception. He squeezed his hold and said, "If I find that you are lying, then I will not hesitate to destroy you. Now tell me your new strategy." "Weaknesses," the man gasped. "We find their weaknesses." Tossing Gregorii to the floor, Matthias shook his head in disgust and walked to the bar. "That's not a new plan. Your fathers tried. And they failed, I should add." The young man watched as Mathias lifted each bottle checking the labels carefully. He cringed when his former servant reached for a black bottle with no label. "But they failed because they focused on one," he said quickly. "Listen to me!" Setting the bottle down, Matthias turned and raised his brow, "Watch your tone." "They had found Gabriel Philandros' weakness. I have found every man's weakness. We attack every one of them at the same time and their defense is destroyed." "Interesting. Maybe you truly are the product of the Third Creation and not just the Panthralges' foster child. By the way, your meal is waiting in the dining room. Naked and unbound. Just as you prefer." The young man watched his mentor and nemesis leave the room. Walking to the bar, he quickly poured a glass of amber liquid from the black bottle. He silently cursed himself for forgetting to hide his prize possession. Yes, his minions had failed to bring his sister to him. But they had redeemed themselves with this drink they had witnessed the Australian king enjoy so much. A woman's tearful sobs interrupted his reverie. Taking a deep breath, he reminded himself that he would face opposition throughout his life. But he would always overcome. Prophecy dictated it. He smiled to himself and he walked to the dining room. The young woman was hardly a beauty but her fear aroused him beyond measure. *** Gabriel had walked for hours. Detouring several times, he had easily located his daughter and had circled her several times. He called himself a coward again but could not brace himself to face her and her companion. Knowing that every father had to deal with this did not help. He could feel her emotions and sense her confusion. The scent of their mating was barely deterred by their soap. Gabriel moved in front of their location telling himself that he should end the delay now. With a grin, he wondered how he had led armies for centuries but was afraid of meeting his daughter. "Be gentle," Alena's voice said to him alone. "I'm not going to do anything," he responded to her. "Hell, I have no idea if I can say anything." "A father has a look. Everything you feel will be in your eyes and that's what she will see. Your disappointment will speak louder than words." "I'm disappointed with myself." "She won't know that. Please be careful, Gabriel. They are so young to have so much responsibility. Maybe they are meant to be together." "They? Baby, the love I have for her is the exact opposite of what I feel for that little...." "Gabe, maybe you should circle them again. You need to find some control." *** Abigail looked over her shoulder and smiled at Alex. Under the blazing sun, they were safe from their attackers but not entirely safe. She wondered if Alex understood the danger that had been circling them for the last hour. Trying to assess her emotions, she decided that there were too many to identify but two fought for first place: embarrassment and uncertainty. The moment she laid eyes on her father, he would know. Who was she kidding? He already knew or he would have greeted them by now. According to the television shows, she should be proud of her sexuality. Modern women would commend her for choosing such a desirable partner in last night's rite of passage. Of course, no other modern woman had General Gabriel Philandros for a father. Resisting the urge to look at him again, Abigail moved ahead attempting to compartmentalize her feelings. Alex had never deceived her about his feelings for her people. And while she may not be like her mother, and certainly not like her captors, she was still counted as his enemy. Remembering the words he had spoken to her, she tried to find comfort in the fact that he had vowed to never hate her. Little comfort there. Could she hope that he now considered her one of the few he liked? Like his mother? That comparison provided little comfort. If she could only have him as a friend, then she would take that much. What had she seen that relationship called? Oh yeah, friends with benefits. She would take whatever he would give no matter how pathetic that may be. And then, the future possibilities loomed before her. What happened when he met the woman whom he would share his life? Once again, she rapidly blinked her eyes willing the tears to wait until she was alone. She vowed to wish Alex and his woman well in their future. A future that would consists of love, laughter, children and growing old. She pictured this happy family in the yard of the house left behind them. Her house. Again, she blinked her eyes before her tears threatened to fall. *** Still snuggled in the warm bed, Nola slowly stretched her muscles. Her former life had required her to be up, dressed and performing her duties. Now, she followed Joshua's orders and stayed in bed while he prepared for Phillip and others to arrive. Trying to remember the last several days, she smiled when she could only think about him. Her parents had died leaving her homeless and broke. Lord Melchiorre had been a generous employer but had never noticed her as a person. When Joshua had arrived with his parents, he had immediately stared at her. Even now, she laughed at the thought of that little boy growing so quickly into the man he was now. But what a man. With very few words in a simple promise, he had vowed everything to her. Forever. That was all he had said. She never considered how or where but only that it would be with him. And he was all she would ever need or want. Deciding to take a quick shower, she threw her legs over the side of the bed and started to rise. Before she could get her balance, the room started spinning. She reached behind her for the bed but the floor lurched up and slammed into her body. What was happening? Maybe she had been a little too generous in sharing her blood with Joshua. "I'm sure that's all it is," she thought before surrendering to the darkness. *** Alex proceeded behind Abigail contemplating the next series of events. If he survived the day, he needed to tell her ...something. When he considered the previous night they had spent together, he wanted to promise her the world. Then he would remember who she was and what she was. He considered the possibility that her nature had made the experience more than what it should have been. He had heard that the bite of a vampire could be as erotic as it was deadly. Providing blood to her yesterday had proven that claim was no exaggeration but she had refrained from biting him last night. Was she sharing that intimate act only when she needed to feed? As soon as he sighed out loud, he instantly regretted it. Smiling like a fool, he winked at Abigail when she turned to look at him. He shrugged his shoulders in an attempt to appear weary when he actually felt like a new man. The few hours of sleep in a stranger's bed had provided more rest than he had had in weeks. When Abigail turned away, Alex stared at the womanly curves nearly bursting the seams of her tight clothes. The large shirt was bulky around Abigail's upper torso but was not long enough to cover the curves beneath the black leggings. Alex grinned as he watched her hips sway with each step. The black knit fabric appeared to be painted on her skin. Just when he declared black as his favorite color, he caught a movement behind the beautiful girl. Staring into the black twin orbs, he rescinded his decision. Gabriel suddenly appeared as though magically materializing before them. Although his expression was unreadable, Alex and Abigail stopped dead in their tracks. The seconds were few but tormenting in the uncomfortable silence. Momentarily, Alex wondered if dying at this man's hands would be excruciatingly painful or torturously slow as these moments were. The fierceness evaporated when the ancient warrior's gaze moved from Alex to Abigail. The murderous glare was suddenly replaced by tenderness that made Alex repent his actions to this man's daughter. Admitting to his failure in treating her with respect would not save him now. "When I realized Alex was searching for you, I knew you would be safe," Gabriel finally said. "But there are no words to express the relief I feel seeing you alive and unharmed." As he finished his last word, he opened his arms and welcomed her small frame into his fatherly embrace. Sighing with relief, Abigail made no hesitation in accepting her father's welcome. She wrapped her arms around his waist and cherished the familiar scent and feel of his big body. Alex may have found her first but her father always made sure was safe. Thinking of Alex brought a flash of guilt through her mind. Hesitantly, she pulled away and looked at the man who silently waited for his punishment. Taking a deep breath, she prepared herself to take her share of the blame and disappoint her father. "Dad, I have, uh ...." She stammered looking from her father, to Alex and back to her father. "I have..." A tender touch to her lips silenced her next words. Watching her father's jaw clinched and relax, she knew that no explanation was needed. He knew. He may not agree with her choices but he still loved her. Somehow, she knew that his love for her would keep Alex alive. For now. "Your mother has been remarkably calm. Let's not push her limits any longer," Gabriel said turning to lead their group toward the others. Looking at Alex, Abigail shrugged her shoulders and smiled. She was happy for any reprieve but her joy faltered when she realized that Alex remained motionless. The reality of the situation slammed into her: he was still a vampire hunter. And she was a vampire. Taking a deep breath, she followed her father's lead increasing her pace to match his. As she neared him, she tried to think of any conversation that would break the silence but her mind returned to the forbidden hours she had shared with Alex. Hearing her father mumbling, she changed the course of her thought and decided to share her other experiences. "Dad, you wouldn't believe the vampires that took me. They can fly." "I noticed." "And they were, well, ugly and smelled bad." "Dead flesh." "They wouldn't come into the sun. I know changelings are affected by the time zones of their sires but they acted as though they would...." "Die," her father interrupted. "I'm trying to find out why. It's like our people have contracted a virus or maybe the sire was ill. I'm not sure yet." "Maybe they're mutants," Alex offered. "No offense but there's been so much genetic altering with your species lately that, I don't know, maybe these are exactly what they were designed to be. As soon as his two companions turned to him, Alex instantly regretted speaking. Her eyes opened wide just before a frown furrowed between her brows. Of course she would think he had included her in the evaluation. Before he could speak, she abruptly turned and continued her journey at an increased pace. Alex started to follow until he caught the smirk on Gabriel's face. "You will find," her father whispered to the younger man, "that she can be quite emotional." *** Alena started pacing in anticipation. Gabriel had promised to refrain from killing Alex and then he let her know that he was now with Abigail. So she waited. When search parties had returned with information on the enemy lairs, she had moved away from the briefing and allowed the brothers and their mates to ask questions. She looked into the grove of trees waiting for her mate and daughter to appear. Telling herself to remain calm had become a constant mantra. Standing alone, she allowed herself a moment to worry. She worried about Gabriel, Abigail, Joshua, Nola, Alex, Iona....the list was growing longer every day. Her children's maturity was inevitable but their expedited growth had left her emotionally drained. Anticipating a day when she could exist like her mate and sister, Alena wondered again why she held onto the emotions of her human self. She sneaked a glance at the others and admired how they listened to the evidence of the threat and started making plans. They just rationally dealt with issues while she worried, cried, and stressed over anything that seemed abnormal to her. Deep inside, she feared that Gabriel would grow tired of her obsessing. Gabriel's silence confirmed her fears about Abigail's time alone with Alex. Her daughter had once again advanced to a new level in her life. And like the other vampires of their acquaintance, Abigail would rationally deal with the effects of her actions while Alena felt compelled to do ...something. A movement caught her attention. Running to the tree line, she first fell into Gabriel's arms because he would always be the first. A few hours separation may be healthy for a relationship but it was hazardous to her health. Sharing a quick kiss, they turned to face the two young people. Alena froze. Alex appeared thoroughly remorseful while Abigail began chattering about her terrifying abduction and equally frightening escape. The young woman continued rambling oblivious to her parents' concern. "You hear it too," Gabriel said to Alena alone. "Her heartbeat has been erratic since I found her but it seems to get louder. Stronger. Do you think she's ill? Shaking her head, Alena's gaze moved from her daughter's animated expressions to Alex's questioning look. *** A servant had discovered an unconscious Nola and had immediately found Joshua. He had spent the past several hours pacing the floor pleading with her to see a doctor. Standing her ground while ironically confined to a bed, Nola tried to blame the fainting on her frail human system. "So you see why I need to be changed," she argued playfully. "I can't manage a simple change of scenery." "You are trying to spare my feelings," he stated simply. "Yes, you were uprooted from your home but only because the Panthralges had destroyed everything. You conveniently avoided the fact that I have neglected to feed you although I have been fed well. Thanks to you." "I'm fine." "I know something is wrong. I can hear it." "Hear what, Joshua?" she asked but looked to the ceiling when an airplane moved overhead. "Your friends must be here. Since everyone else is gone, we should go meet them." "Since everyone on that plane is a vampire, and all but one is a very young changeling, you should stay here. They can find their way around." "So you will stay with me?" "Someone has to protect you from the monsters," he answered moving into the bed with her. "My hero." *** As the last rays of the day's sunlight glimmered over the trees, Abigail's search party approached the Australian king's mansion. Lights flickered in every window creating an inviting beacon to the vampires. While each man would have chosen to spend the next few hours alone or alone with his mate, each understood that there was much work to be done. The night was approaching quickly and with it would be the possibility of attacks. Conlaoch had shared safeguards for his home that would be put into effect as soon as everyone had entered. Not knowing how many of their enemies slept in the earth, they all agreed to strengthen their line of defense for the night. Alex moved with the group appreciating the collective concern for their kingdom. The fewer questions he had to answer gave him more time to think. His mother had shared her relief over his safety and gave a wink when Abigail passed by them. He had taken a young woman's innocence and his mother was ready to give him a high five. He could sense that everyone knew about his time alone with Abigail and he seriously doubted that Gabriel was sharing that information. Understanding their preternatural abilities only elevated Alex's current level of frustration. Still, he had noticed a difference. Everyone had focused on the issue of their enemy discussing a possible retaliation this very night. Almost everyone. Alena had watched her daughter closely telling the girl several times to watch her step or stay close to her. He supposed that, as the girl's mother, she was curious as to his character. He had witnessed her love for her daughter the first moment he had met them. And yet, he remained unsure. He had caught her watching him several times and thought her expression had alternated from assessing to accepting. Just now, she had finally shared a small smile. If he had to explain it, he knew he would sound foolish but with her smile he felt her mother's love stretch out to include him. Once again, he was struck with the irony of his life with vampires. New Kingdom: Australian Court Ch. 04 Feeling his hunter's sense suddenly thrown into high gear, he quickly searched their group for signs of abnormality. Everyone appeared to be engrossed in their plans as they neared the mansion. Everyone except Gabriel. He seemed to be silently questioning someone or something. Alex suddenly understood. Vampires were near. Unsheathing his blade, he moved closer to Gabriel searching for the newcomers. "Where are they?" he asked. "At the house," Gabriel answered. "Joshua?" "Is fine. I can't smell blood or death but they are not one of us." "What can I do? Move ahead?" "No," Gabriel answered. "Stay with Alena. And Abigail. Keep them safe." "I will," he answered moving to the warrior's mate. He noticed that she had a similar expression of concern. Apparently she was receiving inside information on the possible danger ahead. She nodded to Alex and pushed Abigail closer to him. "What's wrong?" Abigail whispered. "Are they here?" "Who?" "Phillip and the others. Do you sense them?" Before Alex could respond, he noticed Gabriel and his brothers move into the front line. Their stature appeared to be cautious but not worried. If Phillip was here, was he bringing bad news? Their path led to a large clearing that provided an unobstructed view of Conlaoch's property. Although he could see nothing out of the usual, Alex could sense the new presence of vampires. His hunter's instinct told him that more than one hundred vampires had recently arrived. His survival instinct advised him to trust Gabriel who was now almost smiling. "I just don't care anymore," Edward said. "I left my people, on your advice Gabriel, in Phillip's hands. Has he taken the responsibility seriously? Hell no! He's travelled the damn world. Who's taking care of business in the States?" "Was he always such a whiner?" Conlaoch asked Tec. "Damn it Edward, there won't be any business in the States if we don't annihilate this enemy." "Whiner? For your information, we had some stability and not the shit that's occurring here." "Of course not," Tec interrupted. "Only because it started there and moved into our lands." As the brothers erupted into verbal insults, Alena returned and pulled her daughter close. If her children were going to reign in the New Kingdom, they may need to consider separating the brothers. Looking at the other mates, she found them to be distressed over the bickering. "It's nothing new," Gabriel whispered in her mind. "We get along better with a few oceans separating us." "How will they adjust now?" She asked watching Edward go nose to nose with Conlaoch "It gets worse." "Not really. When Amen and Antony arrive, then we'll have some fireworks. It's our natural pecking order. Antony will torment Heron, Edward will focus on Antony's failures, Conlaoch has issues with Edward, Amen versus Conlaoch...." He explained but suddenly paused. "Promise that you'll stay out of any room where Amen and Tec are together. They actually get physical." "Are you saying this is normal?" "It would be the reason why I never introduced you to anyone until we were practically mated," he explained. "It also explains why we rarely have family reunions." "You must be overflowing with family pride." "Actually," he added with a nod toward the mansion, "I am." She followed his gaze toward the men approaching their group. Her maternal instinct told her who he was but her eyes hardly believed it. Two nights away and he had grown even more. Joshua walked with the predatory grace of a male lion. Although he stood taller and his chest was broader, he still appeared slightly insecure as he approached his father. "I called in the cavalry," he explained. "We needed numbers and Phillip agreed that they were ready." "I'll confess that I had not considered them," Gabriel responded. "Good work." He hugged his son and then turned to face his brothers. "I hope your leadership skills can fix them." Without waiting for an answer, he walked to the arguing men and said something that suddenly quieted them. Josh turned to his mother and sister but hesitated before approaching them. Sensing a change in his sister, he looked from her, to Alex and then to his mother. Seeing the slight shake of her head, he shifted his gaze away and inhaled deeply. Even he had to admit that their lives were moving too fast. Before the soft hand touched him, he knew his mother had moved next to him. Looking into her brown eyes, he realized that seeing her face was his earliest memory. He had always considered it odd that she had given him a name that meant their salvation. When all along, she had been his. "I'm so proud of you," she whispered just before placing a kiss on his cheek. Feeling more than a little childish, he smiled at her but barely managed to refrain from giggling like a fool. *** Adjusting the lapels of his robe, Gregorii viewed his appearance with great admiration. The stupid pig had bled all over him but he thought the stains added a certain menacing look to his attire. Backing away from the mirror, he frowned as he stepped over the remains of his dinner. The pathetic creature had died before he had finished his dinner. Kicking the body aside, he wondered if he would find ever find women who could tolerate his insatiable appetite. Of course his sister could withstand the abuse but she would take as much as she gave. His life might have been foretold in the stupid prophecy but he had no intention of remaining monogamous. To tell the truth, taking his sister would only be amusing as long as he could torment her. Gregorii stepped into the quiet foyer as boredom started to torment him. Powers such as his should not be hidden and dictated by the likes of Mathias. Unlike his advisor, he was no common vampire who had been sired and left to exist for centuries. Nor was he one of his owns minions created as expendable resources during this war. His existence was like no other. Standing before the full length mirror, he opened his robe. Beyond the rapid development, he had learned certain skills that were inherent from his DNA. His mind was sharp, cunning, and quick. Dropping the robe to the floor, he knew that limits of his strength had yet to be tested. All of these traits could be compared to those of the Third Creation. Then the flexed his shoulders stretching the folds of skin down the length of his back. Closing his eyes, he slowly breathed in and out while the bones snapped and arched pulling his skin away from his flesh. When the transition was complete, he opened his eyes and exhaled. He would never grow bored of the sight of his body in its natural state. Opening the front door, he stretched his wingspan to the full breadth. With a leap to the skies, he savored this newly found freedom. He laughed as he remembered the sickly almost human boy that he had been only days ago. Now, he could target and attack his prey before they were aware of his existence. He was now a perfect combination of the Third Creation's power and the genetic advantages of his fathers, the Panthralges. He moved swiftly through the darkening skies searching for anything of interest. Having just eaten, he had no need for food. And scaring the locals had quickly become boring. He needed something to amuse him. Something that would inspire his next move to greatness. Gregorii felt a rush of excitement course through his body. Distracted by the evidence of his arousal, he failed to notice his close proximity until he was almost on top of the crowd. With a quick turn in his navigation, he dipped into the nearest trees to watch the people. Seeing them for the first time meant nothing to him. How could it? They had foolishly allowed their genetic makeup to be transferred into a laboratory. He scanned the crowd barely registering the various faces all the while searching for the cause of his interest. The brothers argued like fools. Their mates stood obediently nearby like loyal but stupid pets. The guards were no challenge for him. Focusing on his sister, he watched her sneak glances to the human male nearby. Gregorii inhaled and stopped almost choking when he picked up the human's scent on the girl. While he was not ready for her to become his constant companion, he felt his fury rise at her betrayal. With a human? Of course he had enjoyed the nonconsensual company of many humans. But the fact that this human remained alive meant that his sister enjoyed his companionship too. He was not jealous but disappointed at her weakness. His erection rubbed uncomfortably against the bark of the tree reminding him to search for its cause. Looking to a man, who appeared younger than the others, Gregorii realized that he was now facing the boy thought to take that which would belong to him. He watched the exchange between him and the man who could only be Gabriel Philandros. After a few moments, the boy moved and stopped. A woman approached him and Gregorii found his answer. Dark hair flowed behind her as she walked to the young man. Although she was quite small compared to her companions, she moved with graceful steps and demeanor that distinguished her as a person of authority. She smiled and Gregorii thought he would die from the pain in his groin. To say she was beautiful was an understatement. No language contained the words to describe her but it was not the beauty of her skin, hair or eyes that captivated him. It was everything that made this woman the person standing there. And then he heard her speak.... "I'm so proud of you." Gregorii shook with a desire that he could not explain. His chest hurt from a pain that he had never before felt. Too late, he realized that his emotions had caused him to snap the branch within his grasp alerting the others to his presence. He soared to the skies escaping the crowd below him. When he dropped to the earth, he stood at the entrance of his home with no memory of why he chose to return there. He paced the ground frustrated with himself, the New Kingdom and his fathers. Oh yes, he had finally found his fathers' failure. They had perfected their creation of an offspring but they had failed to provide one necessity. He had no mother. With a sinister smile, he quickly decided on his next plan. He wanted a mother like her. So he would take her from them. New Kingdom: Australian Court Ch. 05 Thanks to TaFace for volunteering her time to edit this part of the NK series. And always, special thanks to Willie for keeping me in line and sticking w/ me through the entire saga. The noise barely registered with the mates and guards. But Joshua and the brothers of the New Kingdom paused. Acting nonchalant was not an easy task for them, so each man dropped his gaze and focused their senses. "We should pursue," Gabriel said to the men. "Someone powerful is close. We could take him." "How can you be certain?" Conlaoch snapped. "How can you know that our mates and children would not die instead?" "Whoever it was has gathered information about us," Gabriel explained. "You know that it would be poor strategy to allow him to return with a report. It's a chance we have to take." "Sorry Gabriel," Tec added quietly, "but I'm tired of taking chances. Let's get our mates home and then we can return..." "It will be too late." "Let the other return to the house with our mates," Edward offered. "I'll go with you." "It was just the boy," Heron finally offered. "I can feel him. But he was so weak that he could hardly be a threat." "Great, Tec said looking toward Conlaoch, "we have Heron on our side." "As disappointing as that may be, he mentioned something interesting. If this kid is weak then he's camped nearby. Gabe, we can take our mates home and return to hunt. Please, let's not be foolish." After a few moments, Gabriel nodded but remained still. When the others had moved, he looked into the trees and searched. He felt Edward hesitate and then turn back to him. "We should never let an enemy escape," Gabriel whispered. "We will regret this decision." "Then let's move quickly," Edward said clasping his brother's shoulder. "We'll return and get this kid ..." "Do you really think that I'm afraid of a child?" Edward paused staring at his brother's face before turning toward the trees. He inhaled searching for a trace of whatever else was waiting for them. He finally shook his head. "What's out there, Gabriel?" "The truth," he simply stated. "And we've erred by not chasing it." The brothers turned and walked silently behind the others. Although they had not rescued the abducted Abigail, they were returning home with her safely in tow. Gabriel purposely avoided considering the cost of that rescue. He looked forward to verify that his daughter remained close to her mother. "Look who's now joined the party," Edward commented when another man stepped into sight. "This will be fun." "Would it kill you to leave him alone?" After a few seconds pause, Edward replied, "Yes it would. Sorry Gabe. Hey Antony! Was that the shortest honeymoon in history?" "Fuck you," Antony responded. "Maybe that's your problem. Misplaced frustration. I'm honored but not interested...."Edward started but stopped when he felt the impact of Antony's fist against his jaw. "I'm not joking Edward." "That's obvious." "We shouldn't be here and wouldn't be here if you had kept your damn mouth shut." Edward laughed as he rubbed his jaw. "Did you hear that, Gabriel? Antony can't block his mate so he wants us to be quiet. " "You're retaliating because I teased Iona and it's in bad taste." "You're right on both accounts." "So you'll stop." "Hell no," Edward answered with a laugh. "I've been looking forward to this. A little payback." "Are you serious? Ok, maybe I teased your mates and took a few glances..." "Mates?" Edward interrupted. "Gabe, did you hear that? He used the word 'mates.' Plural." "Now wait a minute," Antony interrupted. "Gabe knows I enjoyed the view Alena offered....What the hell?" he demanded as he was suddenly pressed against the exterior wall with his feet dangling in the air. "I'm not part of your childish games," Gabriel hissed. "Edward, I asked you to let this drop." "Sorry." "What the hell was that about?" Antony asked after his feet hit the ground. "Jeez, he knows I wouldn't touch her. Hell, I didn't look after the first day." "He's not happy." "Tell me something I don't know." "The girl was taken." "I know that too." "And returned as a woman." "What the hell does that mean?" "Do I need to draw you a fucking picture?" Edward growled. "Her innocence was compromised." "Her what .... Oh god. By who? The human. Is he dead? No which is why Gabriel is so angry." "Have you lost your mind or have you always been schizophrenic?" "What?" "The conversation that you're having with yourself," Edward answered. "But then that could be caused by blue balls." "Hey get off my balls!" "Excuse me," Iona said suddenly appearing beside them. "I won't apologize for interrupting this conversation but are you leaving again?" "Leaving?" Antony asked his brother. "Someone followed us through the trees. Gabriel wanted to pursue but the others voted to bring the mates to safety first. I told him that we could return but he's gone inside with the others." "Disagreeing with Gabriel," Antony murmured. "First reaction but always the wrong choice." "Well if you leave," Iona said to her mate, "please let me know. In person. I need a shower. And quit tormenting your brother." "See, your mate is on my side," Antony said. "Remember Edward," Iona continued, "Even we had some difficulties with my change." "That's right," Antony quickly agreed. "You were just lucky enough to still get laid every half hour," Iona added. "Antony, I'll see you later. Good luck to you and your balls." "There's nothing wrong with my balls!" he exclaimed to her retreating back. "There's nothing wrong ...." He tried to repeat but was cut off by the sound of Edward's amused laughter as he followed his mate to her shower. *** Gabriel found his family in his suite silently waiting for his return. He wondered if he should ask Alena for direction but decided that they needed to move quickly. With a nod and silent message to his mate, he turned to his children and addressed them. "We need to talk," he said. "Now?" Abigail asked. "Dad what do you want me to say? Josh doesn't need to be here and I'm an adult so what I did with Alex...." Gabriel's growl silenced her. He resisted the urge to place his hands over his ears but settled for silently pleading for his mate to intervene. Seeing the small tremor at the corner of her mouth, he realized that she was struggling to hold her laughter. "Alena." "Uh, sorry?" she offered and turned to face her daughter. In that moment she saw the adult that her daughter declared herself to be. But her heart quickly reminded her of the helpless infant this same child had been only a few short years ago. Then she remembered the laughing child that played in the river with her father and brother only last year. In her heart, she knew that was the child Gabriel still saw. "Your father is concerned about your skills," she explained. "There are certain abilities that you should have because of what you are but they should be superior to others because of who you are." "What we are," Abigail repeated and then blinked her eyes quickly. Gabriel watched the pain reflecting in his daughter's express and reaffirmed his dislike of the Australian human. "Time has moved quickly," he finally said. "There are many things that I should have taught you both but unfortunately, you matured rapidly." After a few seconds of silence, he continued, "The whiskey has been a key factor. Joshua, I assume that you have recently disobeyed my request regarding that." "Whisky?" Alena asked her mate. "Whisky?!" she turned to her children and demanded. "Don't be angry," Gabriel explained. "It may have saved them. In addition to physical growth, there are others abilities you should have. We may use senses similar to humans but we do not rely on them." "Oh I understand," Abigail said. "When I was in the cave, I thought I heard you tell me to use my senses and I was able to find my way out." "You heard me?" "Yeah, but I thought I was hallucinating. Anyway, I couldn't see anything with my eyes open but when they were closed I could ... I don't know ... it sounds strange." "Tell me," "It was very dark even with the fire." "They had a fire?" Gabriel asked. "For you or them?" "I couldn't say. But I heard your voice so I closed my eyes and could feel warmth and see light behind my eyes when I turned toward the exit." "Very good," he said with pride. "What else?" "Uh. I think that was it. Yeah, that was it." "You can't see other's minds?" "I can hear Josh but that's nothing new." "Come on Abs," he brother said silently, "He's not asking about any new super sex skills you developed." "Shut up!" she snapped at her brother. "Can we figure out how to turn that off?" "Of course," her father said. "You should learn to use a wall considering ..... Well, let's just say that my brothers are not aware of my private life." As Joshua and Abigail considered their father's words, they inhaled, looked at each other and then turned away blushing. Joshua cleared his throat as Abigail opened and closed her mouth silently. Apparently both had something to say but neither could form the words. "Ok," Gabriel said, "Let's work on using the wall." "Yes!" they both agreed loudly. "Listen to each other," their father instructed. "Don't choose this moment to be silent. Talk. Now block it." "How?" Joshua asked. "Pull your thoughts within you. Push a barrier around them." "How can I tell if it's working? Maybe she's just being quiet." "This is Abigail we're talking about," Gabriel answered with a smile. "Hey! Can you both hear what I'm thinking now?" "I'm still your father and if you want to challenge that, I'm still the general of the New Kingdom." "Sorry," she mumbled. "Ok," Gabriel said, "Pull your thoughts in and protect them. Alena, hand me that book." Flipping through the pages, he stopped at one page. "Abigail, look at this picture, say it in your mind but hide it from Joshua." "It's a dog," Joshua said. "Damn," his sister grumbled. "Try again," Gabriel ordered turning the page. "Something black. And white," Josh said. "It's the words," Abigail complained. "I didn't read them but I focused on the colors." "Try again," her father repeated. "Again? How long do we have to do this?" "Until you get it right. Now try again." After several moments of silence, Joshua said, "I can't hear anything." Gabriel turned to Alena and said, "Apparently the secret to your daughter's strength is to make her pissed at me. Ok Joshua, your turn." "I already know how." "How do you know?" Abigail asked. "I've heard you since we got home. "Because I knew the moment you were safe with Alex," he said to her. "And I knew the moment you decided to be reckless with him. But you never knew when I ....." "When you what?" "See, I finished my thought but cut you off." Gabriel silently watched his children as they communicated. He knew they were finished when Joshua smiled and Abigail grimaced. He remained silent as she stormed off in a dramatic exit. "That'll teach her," Joshua said with a laugh. "She told Nola that I didn't have fangs yet. Now they both know that I'm stronger than her." Joshua yelped in surprise when he suddenly flew backwards. He landed on the couch and looked up to find his father leaning over him. "You, son, are not stronger than me," Gabriel said. "Nor can your wall be a barrier to me. And you've acted foolishly by putting a human at risk. Twice. We vow to protect humans and a real man protects his woman. Even if I have failed in everything else as a father, I know that I have been a better example of how to treat your mate." "What? Nothing will happen to her. I would risk my life for her." "You have risked everyone's life for her. You will need to guard her every minute to protect her and be able to save her from any attack." "I will!" "You can't! You couldn't save your sister. Now you will need to let the army that you brought here, protect her and fight in your place." Joshua stared in silence as his father straightened and walked away. For a fleeting moment, he wondered what his mother thought but knew that her silence signified her support of Gabriel's words. She may have used gentle words but she would have had the same message. And knowing that she agreed made Joshua consider the consequences of his actions. "What do I need to do?" he asked his father. "Change her," Gabriel answered returning to the couch with two glasses. Handing one to his son, he paused before drinking and asked, "Has she agreed to change?" "Absolutely. She's impatient for it to happen but I didn't think now would be a good time." "Now is the only time. It may not be the intimate experience that you'd prefer but her safety needs to be your top priority." "It is. Dad, I've screwed up. Ok. I admit it. But she is everything to me." "No," Gabriel corrected. "She is the most important part of your life but she is not everything. Concern for her can distract your attention. Love for her can cloud your judgment. Either of these weaknesses could cost you everything. Including her." "This is too much," Joshua declared leaning back. "How do you deal with all of this responsibility?" "Give everything proper attention. She," he said looking at Alena, "is the single most important part of my life. I would die to protect her. But I can't protect her if I do something foolish and get distracted or die. And I can't protect her if I fail to protect the New Kingdom." "I understand," Joshua finally said. "I lost her once while I was saving you. Because of her delay in changing, I wasn't sure that I would save her. Joshua, I will never choose another before her again." "I understand," his son repeated. "I had hoped to spare you that pain." Joshua merely nodded, sat the glass on the table and quietly left the room. Moving to the couch, Alena sat in the now vacant seat and lifted the glass. Before she could taste the liquid, Gabriel pulled her close and moved the glass to his own lips. She watched him drain the contents in one easy gulp. "Will he suffer?" she asked quietly. "For a time. I can't eliminate the inevitable." "We could move her closer to us. I'm sure the other mates would help me protect her." "There is only one way to protect her." "But Gabe, maybe she's not ready. Maybe she needs to remain human for just a little longer." "Maybe you need to tell me what you're hiding. Your wall is only as strong as my respect for your privacy." "Was that a threat?" she said playfully punching her elbow into his side. "Alena." "Ok. Did you hear a different heartbeat when you entered the house?" "Yes but I found that it was Nola and it's the same as Abigail's," he answered and then he turned to his mate. "Are they unwell?" "No. Well...." She started and then let her thoughts flow to him. With a growl, Gabriel leaned forward and dropped his head into his hands. She gently rubbed his back as the shock lessened and the impact of the information settled in his mind. "Gabe? Are you ok?" "I will be. As soon as I can kill someone, I will be just fine," he answered as he laid his head on her lap. *** Conlaoch had just completed his tasks as king, mate and host. Now, he needed a few minutes alone in his office to quietly contemplate the changes in his life and land. Stepping through the doors, he paused, shrugged his shoulders and looked at the back of the occupied chair. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you would eventually come to see me," he said. "I need your advice." "I'm honored. But I can't get between you and Gabriel. Remember, I have an obligation to live so suicidal tendencies are not an option for me. Did you put this key on my desk?" "Yes," Alex said standing so he could look at his step father. "And I'm not asking for advice regarding Gabriel. Call me a fool, but I'm taking the fact that he hasn't killed me yet as a good sign." "You're a fool. When he realizes what you've done..." "How could he not know?" "Right now, it's just words. You've taken a girl's innocence. He's not happy about it but it's something we've all done." "So when will it be a problem?" Conlaoch sat behind his desk twirling the key between his fingers. He finally looked up and smiled at the human he regarded as his son. "When he touches his mate, he will realize what you have done. And you alone will bear the weight of his condemnation. Not his daughter. He will see her as some innocent child, much younger than she really is. Or should I say, much younger than she appears. At that point, an intimate moment with his greatest treasure will be interrupted with the full understanding that you molested his little girl." "That bad, huh?" "Possibly worse." "Should I leave the country?" "You could leave the planet and he would find you," Conlaoch said with a smile. "You could try talking with him." "And tell him what?" "Whatever it is you want with me concerning this key." "Do I have any secrets from you?" "No. I'll take care of the formalities," Conlaoch said placing the key in a drawer. "And Alex? Consider it a gift from your mother and me." "Thank you," Alex said quietly looking away. After a few moments, he shrugged his shoulders and walked toward the door. "I'll leave you alone now." "I'm happy for you." "Thanks but I'm staying human." "Excellent! She can have breakfast in bed every morning." Alex shut the door behind him but Conlaoch's laugh followed him through the house. *** Discreetly hidden in the shadows, Abigail watched her brother escort Nola through the gardens. The two lovers smiled as they whispered emphasizing their words with gentle touches. The whispers were merely for Nola's modestly because every vampire, especially Abigail, could hear their words. Eternal plans were being formed with Nola wanting more now countered with Josh's hesitancy. Abigail clinched her fist and held it to the phantom pain in her chest. Conflicting emotions held her paralyzed in the shadows. She felt joy for her brother's happiness but an unbearable pain for her own emptiness. The sound of Nola's giggle brought her focus back to the couple as Josh spun his mate in his arms and pressed her back against his chest. As his fingers gently explored the face, neck and shoulders of the young human girl, Joshua finally cradled her in his arms with his palms resting flat against her abdomen. Listening intently, Abigail found the same odd sound in Nola that had been echoing in her own ears all day. She had considered asking her mother about it but now thought that the sensation might be exclusively human. Placing her hands across her abdomen she smiled as the accelerated pulse raced through her veins. Was this just a lingering sensation from her night with Alex? As she turned to leave, she caught glimpses of words from her brother. Realizing that his thoughts were not meant for her, Abigail quickly moved through the shadows toward the safety of the house. With her hands still resting across her stomach, she slid into the first chair she found and soaked in the truth of her condition. While their vampire traits had appeared predominated, she and her twin had still retained their humanity that started with a human egg. Because she had been surrounded by vampires, she had let their lifestyles dictate her own. Now, that choice had been taken away from her. Human traits. Human mates. Human children. She decided to tip the scales and start feeding the human in her. Well, both humans now in her. Quickly standing to her feet, she paused as the room momentarily swayed. Shaking her head, Abigail moved through the hall with renewed enthusiasm. New Kingdom: Australian Court Ch. 05 Where should she start? Food. Nutrition must be an important process for a human life. The thought of feeding immediately caused a burning sensation in her throat. "There will be none of that," she told herself as she searched for the guest dining area. Ignoring her normal craving, she overlooked the electrical sensation that had almost become normal. Finding the buffet was quite easy. The aromas of the finely prepared delicacies had Abigail's stomach roaring in anticipation. When she entered the room, she paused for a second to appreciate the selection of meats, vegetables, and breads displayed under glass or atop flaming warmers. Starting at the roasted beef, she placed a small piece on her plate and moved to the next. Curiosity beckoned to her so she popped a tempting piece into her mouth. Moaning in appreciation she grabbed another. And another. She quickly moved down the buffet grabbing, biting and chewing. She had forgotten all about the abandoned plate with the one small slice of meat until she felt the electrical sensation moved through her body. Turning slowly she faced the source of that sensation. Alex stood in the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest and resting his shoulder casually against the frame. His eyes were opened wide while his lips were pressed together. For a moment, Abigail wondered if he was terrified of the scene in front of him until she caught sight of the dimple in his cheek. "What?" she demanded through a mouthful of food and then turned her back to chew quickly. "What?" he repeated in feigned innocence. "As much as I enjoyed your feast of wild game, that was yesterday and I'm starving today." "I'm sure you are but the main dining room has the stuff you're probably looking for." "Blood?" she asked and waited for his nod. "I'm fine here." "But you need ...." "You don't know everything about me," she snapped popping another prawn into her mouth. "Right now, I need real food. Oh god." "What?" he asked moving into the room. "Abs, what's wrong?" "I think that shrimp was bad. Now that I think about it, maybe they all were," she added with a helpless smile. "I was eating too fast to notice." "Here," Alex said moving beside her. "Sit down." "No. I, uh.... I need to...oh no." Following the direction he pointed, Abigail fled the room and crossed the hall quickly finding the bathroom. Within seconds, her gluttony was rejected and flushed down the drain. She remained on the floor until she heard the soft knock on the door. "Abs. Are you ok?" "No. I'm dying," she answered crawling to the sink to rinse her mouth. Looking in the mirror, she cringed at the sight of her face. Her eyes were watery and dark against her very pale skin. Being human sucked. With a snarl at her reflection, Abigail grabbed the handle and opened the door to walk right into a very familiar chest. Hesitating for only a minute, she surrendered to the warm embrace as his arms wrapped around her body. "Come on baby," he whispered against her hair. "Let's get you what you need." Disgusted with herself for a hundred reasons, Abigail let him guide her through the corridor and into another room. The elegant décor of the dining room seemed almost comical when only one thing was served in this room. Alex gently led her to a chair and then moved to the large buffet arrayed with a variety of crystal. She cringed when he hesitated before grabbing a bottle and glass. Alex turned and stopped when he saw the tears silently falling over her cheeks. Moving quickly into the chair next to her, he pulled her close. "Should I get your mother?" "No." "Ok then drink up. You'll feel better." Nodding her head, Abigail kept her eyes down and reached for the glass. "You, uh, you don't have to stay for this." "It's ok." "It's not ok," she snapped pulling away but keeping her eyes down. "This is what I am. I didn't choose it but there's nothing I can do to change." "Maybe I don't want you to change," he said grabbing the bottle and filling her glass with the dark liquid. "Maybe I like who you are." "You don't know everything about me," she whispered looking at him. "So you've said," he said lifting the glass to her lips. "But I'm willing to learn." He watched her accept the glass and drink slowly. Hoping the nourishment and meaning of his words would instantly improve her spirits, he was speechless when she immediately grimaced and started crying. Her silent tears quickly changed to loud sobs. Alex wondered what the hell was wrong with her. Then he wondered why the hell he remained motionless. Just as he lifted his hand, he felt the force of freight train plow into his body. Flying across the room, he crashed against the wall barely missing the crystal bearing buffet. He opened his eyes prepared for the sight of his attacker. Black eyes boring into his revealed the anger of the man before him. No words could explain his innocence. No time would be allowed for explanation. Then Alex reminded himself, he was not innocent. He had been warned and he had still acted. And he had no regrets. Finally admitting the truth to himself, he acknowledged that he had no regrets because he would do it again. Staring at the face of his executioner, he knew that he would die with only one regret. He would never be able to tell her. Fighting panic, Alex held out his hand and started to speak when an angel intervene. "Gabe," Alena said moving between the two men. "Gabe, look at me. You can't do this," she said softly placing her palm to her mate's face. "This is beyond us." "Then why is she crying?" he yelled. "She's not feeling well," Alena quickly answered. With a look at her daughter, she then turned to Alex. "Only he can help her now. " Gabriel turned away from his mate and moved to Abigail's side. Without a word, he simply touched his daughter's wet cheek and nodded. He reached for Alena's hand and together they moved out of the room. "Oh god, Alex," Abigail said moving to his side. "I'm so sorry. Are you ok?" "Yeah," he answered with a grin. "I guess you could say that I got some sense knocked into me." "What are you talking about? Do you have a brain injury?" "No, I'm fine. I just realized that I shouldn't take chances and delays." "What?" "I shouldn't wait to tell you how I feel," he explained trying to sit up straight. "But I will confess, I'd rather not had your father whipped my ass the minute before I tell you that I love you." *** The brothers of the New Kingdom had paused when the confrontation had begun. Thankful that a wise mate had been able to reason with Gabriel, the brothers silently chuckled at their brother's plight and continued their previous activities. Antony sighed as he moved his hands beneath his head and stretched in the bed. The slight weight of his mate resting against his chest made him smile. He wondered how he had found comfort and happiness when everything he had known was changing. Freeing his hand, he trailed his fingers down her bare back and chuckled when she shivered. "Don't you believe in giving a girl a rest?" Emma asked. "No," he answered pulling her up to straddle his body. "But if you insist, I'll count the miserable years that I waited for you as a rest and not demand payment for them." "So," she said as she rose on her knees, "I get twenty four years' mercy." "No love," he explained aligning his body beneath hers, "more like thousands of years. I can feel every minute of them now that I have you. I can't believe that I never understood this before now." Emma kissed him gently as she slowly sank her hips down to meet his. Feeling him within her caused her to pause and close her eyes. She remained still for a second and then said, "Antony, please demand payment. I think after twenty four years of loneliness, I will enjoy paying restitution." She giggled when he bucked beneath her and then shrieked when he flipped her beneath him. In the privacy of their room, they felt secluded from the world. But in that world, evil had realigned its forces and moved closer to their temporary seclusion. *** Gregorii sat quietly waiting for Matthias' verdict. He mentally scolded himself for desiring the approval of the wicked advisor but he knew that he could not accomplish his goal alone. Watching the older man, Gregorii cringed at the expressions that ranged from nonchalance to pity. "Your goal is, well, interesting," Matthias began. "And while the initial attack has its merit, the plan of execution is deplorable." "Why?" Gregorii demanded. "Do you have a better plan?" "Consider the results of every step, dear boy. You will lose many. Expendable servants, I know," he added before Gregorii could interrupt. "But will they be able to complete the task? I don't think so. No, especially with your new target, they would certainly not succeed." "I will not change my mind about her." "Of course not. No, no, I would never suggest such a thing. Actually, I admire your taste even if it is suicidal." "You think I will fail?" "Only if you pursue your desire like a spoiled child crying for a sweet," the advisor explained. "Let's consider the threat, and yes, he is definitely a threat. Now, how can we remove that threat?" "Is there a way?" "Absolutely! We need to confuse his focus." "How?" "Deceit, of course. How else could any of this exist?" "So you have a plan." "Unlike the Trojan Horse, we will invade their camp as a friend amongst enemies. But before we continue, you and I need to amend our agreement." "What did you have in mind?" "One that will be eternally profitable for both of us. Since you have changed the object of your affection, I now want what you no longer desire." *** Remembering his father's warnings, Joshua escorted Nola into the house and safely to their rooms. Too many vampires now roamed the property for him to take chances on his mate's life. When she excused herself to take a shower, he sat on the couch and contemplated the changes in his life. He could no longer remember the boyish interest he had only days ago. But for the life of him, he had no idea where his future was leading him. Resting against the back of the couch, he listened to the water massaging against the skin of his love. He wondered if she would object if he accompanied her. Their lives had taken a different path than either of them had planned and soon they would need to discuss it. It. What a strange word to give a treasure. He focused beyond the sound of water, the simple tune that she hummed and listened to the little life within her. For a moment, he considered what her reaction would be. Had he incorrectly assumed that her love for him would make her happy with the news? Or would her desire to change make her regret this delay in being with him eternally? With a smile, he knew that she would happy. Probably be all girly and get into an unyielding huddle with Abigail as they compared their experiences. So why not tell Nola now? He listened to the rapid heartbeat and admitted the truth. He enjoyed solely possessing the knowledge for now. It belonged to him alone and not shared with a twin, all other vampires or even a mate. Confessing that he was being selfish, he stood to go to her and stopped when she walked into the room. Wrapped in a simple white robe, Nola held a towel to her head as she squeezed water from her hair. She looked at him with her large dark eyes and smiled. Joshua stared at her face and forgot why he was so enthralled with a tiny heartbeat. It was hers that made his quicken pace. He opened his mouth to speak when a scream pierced the night. "Stay here," he commanded moving to the door. "Stay away from the windows and lock the door." Joshua ran through the house following the sounds of a woman's shriek. The house had come alive and guards were moving everywhere but all were finding an exit to the outside. Following others, he stepped into the night and stopped when he saw the winged creatures dipped from the dark sky. Searching for the source of the scream, he realized that the flying monsters were making the noise. He looked around and realized that he was now standing with the guards and brothers of the New Kingdom leaving the women alone in the house. "What the hell?" Alex said joining the group. "The women," Joshua said as he turned to re-enter the house. A terrified scream stopped him. The female cry for help that pierced his heart could not have been made by the creatures. Just when he turned, he felt his core shaken with another scream of pain as his twin silently fought her attackers. "Abigail," he said to Alex pointing to the left as he fled to the right. "Where are you going?" Alex demanded. "They have Nola." Joshua ran as fast as he could though he felt like he was barely moving. A sense of relief swept through him when Edward and Conlaoch sped past him toward the sound of his mate crying. Rounding the side of the house, he stopped at the sight before him. *** Alex quickly followed the direction Joshua had pointed wondering if he was making a mistake. Then he felt them. Her electric jolt nearly took his breath away but the overpowering sense of vampires made his heart sink. She was in trouble. And he was unarmed. Running faster, Alex turned the corner and nearly slammed into Abigail as she fought against her attackers. "Alex?" she asked and then screamed. The arrival of human blood was too much temptation for the creatures to resist. They quickly moved away from Abigail and leaped toward Alex. He felt the impact of the first as he was knocked to the ground. "Abigail, run," he commanded and then screamed in pain as one tore into the flesh of his arm. He bit his tongue as another gouged into his thigh and then laughed with its childlike shrill. Praying that he would die quickly, he felt a wave a nausea overtake him after he heard the bones in his left arm snap. As quick as they struck, they were immediately gone. Alex struggled against the darkness listening for signs of the next attack. He wondered how he could hear bones breaking and yet feel no pain. To his surprise, a small hand tapped his cheek as a small body straddled his hips. "Wake up love." "This is really becoming embarrassing," he groaned. "Well let's see if I can heal your damaged male ego," Abigail replied as she moved down his body. Ripping his jeans, she found the wound on his thigh, gave him a wink and moved her mouth close to his skin. She quickly swept her tongue over the bloody gash releasing the healing venom into the wound. The flow instantly staunched as the skin puckered around the tear. When she was sure that his worst injury was healed, she placed a gentle kiss on his thigh and moved back to straddle his body. "You know you could change and we wouldn't have to keep doing this," she said. "Ah, but you would have to experience it from my perspective to appreciate just how much I like playing doctor with you." "Playing doctor?" "I'll explain later," he said. Abigail quickly leaped to her feet and offered her hand to Alex for assistance. He waved her off until the first stab of pain made him wince. "I thought you healed me." "No, just closed the wound." "Is this your way of benching me? Keeping me out of the fight?" "No. It's my way of showing others that you came to my rescue. Unarmed therefore, not unscathed. Remember, I was healing your male ego. Apparently I did an outstanding job," she replied and walked away. "Wait," he said limping after her. "Wait a damn minute." When she turned to him, he stopped and shrugged. "You're welcome," she said with a smile. When he joined her, they slowly walked back to the entrance of the house and stopped at the sound of a scream. *** Joshua was paralyzed in terror as he watched the scene before him. Two winged creatures held Nola high off the ground laughing as they took turns torturing the young girl. "Where the hell is Gabriel?" Conlaoch demanded. "Protecting our mates," Edward answered quietly. "I don't know what to do." "We can't get her," Conlaoch said. "Maybe... if we could hit them..." "No," Joshua said. "She could die." "She would be injured but she could be changed," Conlaoch answered. "Decide boy before they leave nothing for you to save." A sound from the trees forced them to turn and see the army of vampires flying towards them. With a groan, Edward moved to face the attackers while commanding Philip and his guards to destroy every creature. Conlaoch grasped Joshua by the shoulder to get his attention. "They are killing her boy," he yelled. "Decide." Joshua nodded as Conlaoch unsheathed a sword. Reading himself to catch Nola's falling body, he cringed when her attackers twisted her torso certainly damaging her spine and other internal organs. Watching Conlaoch preparing to throw his blade, Joshua was startled when his mother was suddenly thrown into his arms. "Protect her with your life," Gabriel demanded and then ran towards Nola and her assailants. "Conlaoch, now!" he commanded as he leaped into the air. With quick reflexes, he pulled one of the creatures away and tossed the beast into the stone wall of the house. The impact shattered every bone of the winged monster. After releasing his hold on the attacker, Gabriel pulled Nola close to body as he gently fell to the ground. He cradled her close knowing that she would not survive another injury. When he felt the ground beneath his feet, he placed the girl in the soft grass and turned to his son. Shock had paralyzed the boy but now was not the time to remain immobile. "Joshua, turn her. Now!" he said reaching out and pulling his son close. "She will not last another minute." Joshua dropped to his knees and lifted the lifeless body against his chest. Her face, grimaced with pain, barely resembled the peaceful beauty she had been only a few moments ago. He leaned close and whispered, "I'm sorry," and quickly sank his teeth into her neck. After one swallow, he felt her heart's rhythm falter. Sealing the wound, he bit his wrist and held the open vein over her lips. Watching the liquid disappear down Nola's throat, Joshua suddenly panicked and searched for his father. Only then did he become aware of the battle being fought around him. He searched again for his father and quickly found the warrior destroying anything that venture into his path. A small bundle beneath Gabriel's left arm assured Joshua that his mother was in the safest place possible. Gently, he lifted his small mate and raced through the courtyard hoping to find safety in their rooms. Entering their apartment, he stepped into their bedroom and quickly exited when he saw the glass and blood as evidence of Nola's attack. He moved to the room formerly occupied by Abigail and tenderly laid Nola on the bed. A small voice scolded him for abandoning the others fighting in the night but common sense reminded him that nothing matter if his Nola died. He waited listening for the end of human life and hoping that he had not failed her. Again. As always, the battle ended soon enough with his father leading his brothers to another quick victory. Joshua could sense the return of order as some of his people returned to the house. And then he felt the calm and knew he was not alone. Turning towards the door, he faced the only person who could help him now. And yet, he had no idea what his mother could possibly say or do to help. *** "Damn it! How many of these little fuckers are there?" Edward demanded. "Am I finally getting old or are they getting stronger?" "Yes and yes," Antony teased walking to them. "But we had some help. Isn't he yours?" New Kingdom: Australian Court Ch. 05 Edward looked in the direction where his brother pointed and groaned. "What the hell? Doesn't anybody follow orders?" "Don't be too critical, Edward," Tec said. "He took out as many as you did. Besides, it's not your kingdom anymore." "Doesn't mean I want everything there to collapse," Edward mumbled. "Hey," he called to the newcomer, "welcome to the party. When did you arrive?" "Just now," the man answered standing to his feet. "And what a greeting I received." "Thanks for your help. How is everything in the States?" "Good. Regaining our strength. Better than what I found here." "Only because you didn't contain it in the States," Conlaoch snapped. "Who the hell is this anyway?" "Forgive me, sire, for intruding unannounced." "No apology necessary. Brothers," Edward announced, "meet a member of my Council and my first changeling. Thank you for coming to our aid, Matthias." *** Alena recoiled when she saw the pain in her son's face. Simply offering her condolences was not an option. Helplessly she watched as he turned back to his mate gently touching the broken body where the little heartbeat no longer existed. He choked on a sob and collapse next to dying girl in the bed. Stepping away from the door, Alena leaned against the wall and wept silently with her son. If she could give her life to end his sorrow, she would do it without a second thought. And then she thought of her mate. How would he continue without her? Anger ignited within her as she struggled to understand the reason for all of this pain. Her life had been filled with suffering and then she had managed to share that pain with her mate who now carried the burden of guilt for her loss. And suddenly she understood. Wiping her eyes she moved to the door and braced herself for possibly the most difficult task she had as a mother. Because they had never been human, the brothers would not be able to help. Because they had quickly surrendered their humanity, the mates would not remember how to help. She alone had unknowingly refused to relinquish her last clutch of those moments in her human life. Her parents' fatal car accident, her brother's debilitating illness and her sister's wild life that led to her human demise all flashed before her. Taking a deep breath, Alena stepped into the room. "Joshua, let it go. Now. She will not survive if you hold onto the pain." "What? No. Mom, you don't understand," he said between sobs. "I do. You know that I do. Your father told you and you know how my pain hurts him. It hurts Gabriel Philandros! Can you imagine what it's doing to her?" "No. She never knew." "And she never will," his mother answered moving closer to him. "Nor would she understand but her life is merging with yours and she's not strong enough to bear this pain. It's your pain, Josh, not hers. Don't do this to her." "I can't!" he said jumping to his feet. "How can I just ignore it? It was part of my life living inside of her. And now it's dead. It's dead because I couldn't protect her." Alena grabbed her son stopping him mid-pace, "No. Listen to me. The child died because of an evil that has attacked our world. It defeated us tonight but it will defeat us eternally if you allow it. You cannot survive without her. She cannot survive the pain she feels from you." "What do I do?" "You have grieved. Now accept eternity with her. Sit beside her and help her through the change." Moving to Nola's side, Joshua gently lifted the girl's small hand to his lips and kissed the soft skin. Leaning forward he placed a kiss on the hollow stomach and then lifted the girl into his arms. Cradling her against his chest, he kissed her face as he murmured words of comfort to her. When her heart stopped, he looked at his mother who simply smiled in assurance. Within seconds the room was filled with the sound of a racing rhythm that matched his own. Alena quietly moved from the room smiling as she heard her son talk to his mate, "Well, Nola, it seems you got your way after all. Apparently, you're a sneaky little girl so I guess I'll just need to keep an eye on you for the next several thousand years." Moving to the bedroom next door, Alena looked at the destruction that had taken place. As she turned to leave, strong arms grabbed her from behind her back. Too startled to scream, she turned towards a face that she did not recognize. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Alena," Matthias whispered in her ear. "This was almost too easy." They both turned their heads at the sound of the door slamming in the next room. "Ah, it's time to leave, my dear." Alena was held tightly as her captor leaped through the broken window to the ground below. Several hideous creatures fell from the sky and grabbed her arms. As she was pull up from the ground, she watched as Gabriel attempting to pursue her abductors but quickly disappeared into the fading distance of the night. New Kingdom: Australian Court Ch. 06 This is it! The final chapter of the New Kingdom series. Many thanks to everyone who emailed, voted and left comments. Special thanks to Willie for sticking w/me til the end and proofreading this last chapter. Take Care! Gabriel ran to the edge of the property watching helplessly as his mate was taken from him. Resisting the urge to panic, he surveyed the scene before him and digested the information. Two sets of creatures had flown through the air carrying passengers with them. One was his mate. The other he had once called friend. Answers to several questions now became clear. "Gabriel?" Edward called racing behind him. "Oh god, they took Alena and Matthias?" "They took Alena," he answered with a growl. "And Matthias helped. He is no friend and hasn't been for a long time." "What? That can't be right. He's fought with us." "For appearance sake," Gabriel answered turning to the house. "Bring your mate to me." "Why?" Gabriel turned to his brother pinning him with an angry glare, "I do not have time to answer your questions. Bring her to me." Edward watched as Gabriel moved to the house. With a sigh, he quietly called to his mate telling her the news of her sister and relaying Gabriel's request. He could feel her fear as he moved closer to the house and realized that he echoed her sentiment. Killing Alena would be the quickest way to the destruction of the New Kingdom. *** Gabriel stormed through the house mentally noting everyone that he would need. Finding his daughter at the door, he pulled her along silently ignoring her tearful questions. When Antony opened the door to his rooms, Gabriel pushed him aside and searched for Emma. "Alena has been taken," he said while leaning close to Antony's newborn mate. "I need you to come with me." "Wait just a damn minute ...." Antony started but quit when Gabriel was suddenly gone. "Emma, no. You are not ready to do this." "Apparently he thinks I am," she said moving to the door. "And you know that I don't have a choice." Antony hesitated for a moment before following his mate. As they proceeded through the house, Alex approached Gabriel and stared at the man. With a nod, Gabriel relinquished the hold on his daughter and offered her hand to Alex. The group continued through the house until they met Iona standing in the foyer. She approached Gabriel and put her arms around his neck. Pulling his head close to her, she whispered, "She's safe. Alone in a room." Leaning close to her ear, he sighed and ordered, "Break your connection to Edward." "Gabriel, wait," his brother argued. "Now!" Gabriel snapped. "Why?" Edward asked quietly. "Because your mate is gone, you're taking ours away too?" "No because the connection is not from a tryst with a woman. It's from your sires. All of you! You sired others and they betrayed you," Gabriel explained looking at his brothers. "Iona, can you still communicate with her?" "Yes." "I can feel her fear but it's safer for me to break our link. Talk to her. Tell her that I'm coming for her now." "He's coming Alena. We're coming for you," she said out loud and then looked at Gabriel. "She hears voices coming near her. Two men arguing." "Ask her to describe everything around her and anything she saw when she arrived." "Tell me where you are," she asked her sister. "Describe it to me." After a few seconds, Iona relayed, "It's a large house. Dark with no exterior lighting. Windows are broken. Smells bad like death is surrounding her. She can smell blood and decaying flesh." Iona inhaled and said, "They're here." "Where is she?" Gabriel demanded turning to Conlaoch. "Think about the place she described." "I...I don't know," Conlaoch stammered. "Alex?" "Ask her if she noticed any stables?" "Alex wants to know if you noticed any stables," Iona repeated. "She's quiet. Someone is in the room with her. Oh, yes. She said yes." "They're at the caretaker's place," Alex explained. "The stables were built next to Con's old house. My mother considered herself an equestrian champion until the horses arrived. So he had to abandon his former home and build this one away from the smell." "Show me the way," Gabriel demanded. "Emma, I need you to stay close and separate your thoughts from Antony." "Oh god, Gabriel, please don't do this," Antony begged. "I'll go with you and we'll bring her back." "Wait," Conlaoch interrupted. "I can show you a better way. It's been sealed for years but shouldn't be difficult to access." The group followed Conlaoch to his office and stopped at the large bookshelf. "Help me move this," he instructed. After removing the furniture and drywall, Gabriel stared into the darkness before him. "Let's go," Edward said and then stopped when Gabriel's hand landed on his chest. "You can't. He reads you and you read the others. I can't take that risk. " "Dad," Joshua said from the doorway. "I'll come too." "It's not safe for you now. You'll be especially easy for the boy to read." "Then why are you taking Abigail?" Gabriel looked at his daughter and knew that she understood, "Bait," he answered. "Iona will communicate with her sister and Emma can move around them without being seen." "And Alex?" Conlaoch asked quietly. "Damn it Gabe, he's my son." Gabriel looked at the human man standing close to his group, "He'll fight." "He's injured." "He's standing right here," Alex added. "Gabriel, a moment please," Conlaoch requested pulling his brother away from the group. "He cares for her and he will speak to you about his intentions." "And you're telling me this because you think I'm leading your little lamb to the slaughter?" "He's bought a home for her!" "I hope it's big. They'll need the room." Conlaoch's eyes widen as the meaning of Gabriel's words registered. "We must respect his choice to remain human." "It's a good choice," Gabriel said turning away, "until it's taken away from him." *** Alena remained quiet as the two men entered the room. One, whom she recognized as her abductor, was average build and appeared too dignified to be associated with these monsters. The other, whom she assumed was the boy created by the Panthralges, appeared to be less human than monster. Ignoring her sister's questions, she listened to the two men argue searching for some information that would help her escape. "Alena!" the young man announced. "Welcome to my home. Oh, may I call you Alena?" She quickly answered out loud hoping her sister would understand the answer, "Yes." "If only you had found me, then I could call you Mother," he continued kneeling beside her chair. "Why didn't you look for me?" "I...I didn't know..." she hesitated when his lips snarled. "I came looking as soon as I heard. They hid you so well." "I know. I know. I know," he said rising to his feet. "My fathers were so protective that I sometimes thought they were more of a hindrance. But that's in the past. And you're here now." "What do you want from me?" "Oh, no!" he said returning to her side. "I'm not just taking from you but giving too. As a matter of fact I will give more than I take." Alena tensed as the young man's fingers stroked over her face. Forcing a smile, she asked, "What could you do for me?" "I will give you the world!" he added threading his fingers through her hair. "As you probably know, I will be the ruler of the New Kingdom very soon. Prophecy dictates it." "You? Alone?" "You know that's not how the prophecy is written," he responded tugging her hair. "My sister and I will rule together but I expect she will be otherwise occupied." "Oh," she mumbled. "Oh, so it's not Joshua?" "No. I know you thought you were raising the two heirs, and I don't blame you for the mistake, but he was a mistake. I will make sure you feel no pain from the loss." "What loss?" "That's what I will give you," he said resting his head on her breast. "Comfort. Companionship. I will be son and mate to you." "I have a son and mate," she whispered. "Not for long, mother. That sounds too formal, doesn't it? We'll have to work on something special but we have forever to do it." "What...what do you mean that I won't have them for long?" "Oh, don't be sad but they will die soon. Look at this from my point of view. Joshua has been trying to usurp me since birth. Gabriel...well, he thinks he's so damn smart, that he is ...oh, oh, shhh," he said placing two fingers to her lips. "Don't ruin the surprise." "No, of course not...uh, I'm sorry. What is your name?" "My apologies. My fathers named me Gregorii. What should you call me?" "Gregorii, what surprise?" she asked ignoring his question. "I know you can communicate with your mate so I can't tell you everything. Although he has tried to break the bond with his brothers, he missed something." "Gabriel missed something?" "Yes but let's not talk about that. It will be over soon. So, you should know that I have some gifts you've probably never seen before," Gregorii said moving from her side. He walked to the center of the room and removed his robe. "No, no. You must look at me." "I, uh, I don't see my son undressed now that he's grown," she explained keeping her gaze down. "Look at me Alena." When she was staring him in the eye, he flexed his shoulders allowing his wings to stretch full span. His pale skin reflected an iridescent glow in the dimly lit room. The slim body which had appeared malnourished while covered was now lean and muscular. Standing at full height, Gregorii demonstrated a body honed as an athlete's. Avoiding the area below his waist, Alena looked up to the young man's face and gasped. "Don't be afraid," he whispered. "My true nature should not scare you." "No. I...I'm not scared. You are amazing," Alena said out loud. "The, uh, the ones that took Abigail...you made them? "I did!" he exclaimed. "You saw them. Joshua can only call for an army but I can make one." He moved to her side and asked, "Are you proud of me?" "What?" "You told Joshua that you were proud of him," he explained with a slight tone of irritation. "I made my army." "Of course," she finally said nodding her head. "But that is hardly the word that describes how I feel. You have wings like a dragon and can sire hundreds just like you. Everyone fears you but I see that you are truly great." "Fear me? Really?" he asked with a smile. "Am I as feared as Gabriel?" "I suppose you may be more feared than Gabriel. His family trusts him." "A foolish mistake. He allowed too many to get close and it made him weak." "Why would loving his family make him weak?" she asked fighting panic. Gregorii knelt before her and wrapped his hands around her waist. Leaning close to her ear, he whispered, "Because he's leading them to their deaths." "How is Gabriel leading his family to their deaths?" she asked stopping when he growled. "What's wrong Gregorii?" "Why are you doing that? Repeating everything I say as a question?" he asked looking around. "Ah. You can't hear him. He's blocking you. Oh poor baby. I would never lock you out of my life like he has. But who are you talking to? Hmmm. Ah, yes I see her now. Iona." "You...you see her?" she asked with a tremble in her voice. "How?" "How?" he asked with a grin. Whispering in her ear, he added, "Because my sister's mind in screaming in my head." "Abigail? You can hear..."she stopped when he slapped her hard across the face. "There will be no more of that," he snarled. "Avoiding my guards at the gates was a brilliant idea but bringing that silly girl was incredibly stupid. We've managed to move...well Matthias actually moved everyone in place to greet them at the tunnel." "What tun..." "Don't! Now, be quiet and I just may be a little compassionate when I punish you later," he said placing a kiss on her cheek. "But then, why should I deny myself that pleasure when you have done nothing to please me." "How can I please you?" she whispered. "Give me another reason to slap you, Mother. I like that sound." "He will kill you," she whispered immediately feeling the pain of his blow. Tasting the blood in her mouth, she added, "Especially when he finds out that you've hit me." They stared at each other waiting. One, expecting an attack. The other, expecting a rescue. Both, expecting something. Anything. And as the silence dragged before them, they continued to stare. The sound of something falling in the hall was anticlimactic but still broke the silence. Gregorii turned and looked toward the door. "Matthias?" He questioned moving to the door. "Who is there?" Focused on her captor's movement, Alena was startled when a blur suddenly moved in front of her. A beautiful blond gently touched her cheek and leaned close to whisper. In a panic, Alena listened while watching Gregorii. With a nod, the blond moved almost vanishing into thin air just as he turned around. "What was that?" "Mmm?" she moaned. "Was someone here?" he asked turning when a lamp fell from an end table. "Who is here? I knew you were coming. Show yourself and maybe I'll spare you." A feminine giggle responded from another corner of the room causing Gregorii to spin in a circle. Another lamp was turned on and off while a book fell from a shelf. Moving across the room, Gregorii growled and stopped. "The new born," he said suddenly. "Of course. You were invisible as a human so certainly you would be more agile now. But tricks like this? Gabriel!" he shouted. "Is this the best you can do?!" "It is," Alena whispered. "What?" "I was answering you that it is the best he can do," she repeated. "Actually, that's a lie. I was telling them that the tricks were pissing you off." "Do you have any idea what will happen? They will be destroyed! I will have each of them carried in here and torn apart right before your eyes. Except for the girl. Matthias has plans for her. He's such a sick bastard that she will regret not dying with the others." Grabbing Alena by the hair, he lifted her from the chair and dragged her toward the door. "He thinks he's so smart," he growled. "I'll save him for last of course. He can watch until I'm finished with you." "You can't beat them," she cried struggling against his hold. "Not one of them and certainly not all of them." "Oh, my dear, he left them. Why? Because I have their blood and I can hear them. And he alone is no match for my guards. Oh yes, love, they will hurt him and then hold him while I feast from your body." He pulled her against his naked skin chuckling as she continued to struggle against him. "He may even die from just watching me fuck you," he whispered against her cheek. Moving his mouth closer to her lips, Gregorii cried out when a man's hand wrapped around his throat. "You were correct," a deep voice growled. "Emma is an impressive newborn. She can now hide another person under her cloak. And yes, it probably would kill me to see anyone touch her." Emphasizing his next words, he slowly broke each of Gregorii's fingers clutching Alena's arm. "But that will never happen." As the winged creature's body was tossed across the room, Gabriel pulled Alena into his arms searching for any signs of injury. Grabbing his sleeve, she tried to pull him towards the door. "Gabriel, we have to go now. It's a trap. Didn't Iona tell you?" "Baby, it's ok. I need to finish this," he said gently touching her face. "Stay with Emma." "No!" she cried "He has guards waiting to kill Abigail." "She's with Alex and your sister. Trust me. They'll be fine." "How do you know?" "I know my brothers," he added with a smile. "We wouldn't be in this mess if they had ever listened to me." *** Waiting in the tunnel, Alex paced between the two possible points of entry. In the dark, his eyes were of no service but his hunter's instinct was on full alert. Tensing, he felt a vampire moving near so he quietly unsheathed his weapon of choice. When he could sense the approach of the newcomer, he twisted in the direction they had just taken from Conlaoch's house. "Hello sweetheart," Iona chimed moving around Alex. "Will you let me explain?" "I can't believe I let you break away from me!" Edward growled. "I can't believe I stood there like some helpless fool while Gabriel dragged you away." "He didn't exactly drag me love. And you should know that I would have never agreed to his plan if he didn't promise that you would be minutes behind us." "He knew?" "Of course but he needed Emma to get him in there." "What?" Antony roared from the darkness. "I can't believe that fucker took her in there." *** "They're coming?" Alena and Gregorii asked in harmony just before Antony crashed into the room. "You can't win!" Gregorii exclaimed rising to his feet. "Don't you understand? You can't kill me because I am the ruler of the New Kingdom." "What the fuck is he talking about?" Antony said pulling Emma behind him. "Why are you just standing there, Gabriel?" "He knows that I'm telling the truth!" the young man said clapping his hands. "So the Third Creation surrenders. Matthias was right. Who needs weapons when you can defeat kingdoms with fear?" "I'm not afraid of a little fucking mutant," Antony said stepping forward. "No? Why? Because you've killed my fathers? Because I'm just one man? Because until this very minute, you've always had the control? When will you learn that there is more than what you see?" "What?" "It's not this abandoned old house but the world that I have taken," "Gabriel, what the hell is he talking about?" Antony demanded moving near his brother. "The prophecy. He thinks he is the heir." "And I can prove it," Gregorii added walking to the window. "Of course you know the words but I have already proven to be better than Joshua. He calls but I create. Did you know that I am even superior to you, Gabriel?" "Because you kidnap women?" Antony snapped. "Or that you've taken a gift and sired these pathetic creatures?" "No, because I've deployed my army all over the world," the young man replied with a laugh. "You think your lands are safe but you only prepared a home for my children. You'll never win." "You've taken a gift and used it as a weapon," Antony whispered. "Your gift created me, yes," the young man responded quickly leaping across the room. "You sired hundreds but failed to care for them as you were ordered. My fathers took them. Cared for them." "You mean deceived them." "And created me and I have created a new race that will bring order to this world." "Who exactly did your fathers take?" "Those first sired by the Third Creation," Gabriel explained. "When I saw Matthias take Alena, I finally understood. We knew that we had been compromised and had assumed that a woman had betrayed us. Unfortunately, we neglected our first newborns and they were taken from us. In this house alone, they found Conlaoch's first changeling." "But you never sired one before Alena." "He hoped to complete the package by taking her," Gabriel answered and quickly grabbed Gregorii. "A fatal error." "You can't kill me. I am the heir." "I don't believe that." "But do you know, with absolute certainty that I am not? Because, if you are wrong, then the New Kingdom will collapse with my death." "You will die tonight," Gabriel replied. "You keep saying that," Gregorii snapped. "But you can't kill me because you have no assurance that I am not the rightful heir." "But I do," Joshua said stepping out of the shadows. *** "Alex?" Abigail whispered. "What are you doing?" "Watching. Are you ok?" New Kingdom: Australian Court Ch. 06 "Yeah. Edward is waiting for a signal to move out." "Ok, we'll move close to them." "Wait," she said grabbing his arm. "We should wait here. My father thinks I may be in danger so he wants me to stay hidden and have you close to guard me." "Who will try to hurt you?" "The brother I came here to save," she said shaking her head. "How's that for a smack in the face?" "Baby, I'm not letting anybody touch your face," he said gently tracing her jaw. "Is there something I need to know?" "Yes but could we wait to discuss it?" "What, you don't find this musty, underground tunnel to be romantically cozy?" "The answer was in the question but no, I'd like to be above ground." "I think I know just the place," he whispered nuzzling against her neck. "A nice big house with some privacy to spare." "And a big yard that would be perfect for kids?" "Damn Abs. How many times do I need to apologize?" "None," she answered with a nervous laugh. Leaning back, Alex strained to see the outline of her face so he was unable to read her expression. His suspicions were beginning to form when the hairs on his neck prickled. "Ah damn," he whispered tightening the hold of his blade. "Where the hell is Edward?" "Gone," replied the voice next to the two lovers. Taken by surprise, Alex lost the grip on his blade as he was forcefully thrown across the tunnel. He leaped to his feet, cursing himself, and stopped at the scene before him. A vampire, who appeared too dignified for this environment, was holding Abigail as a shield. Paralyzed for a second, Alex prayed for miracle. "Oh Abigail, please don't do anything stupid, girl. Please be careful." He stopped when she nodded. "What the hell was that?" the man asked. "Are you communicating with a human? Nice trick but a gross waste of talent. But don't worry love. You'll soon learn some new tricks." "Let her go, Matthias," Edward ordered in the darkness. "Now." "Ah, master, you remember me," the man responded in exaggerated meekness. "I thought you had forgotten your loyal servant." "I gave you life." "You gave me eternal slavery," Matthias snapped. "Serving the American kingdom every day for a million years is hardly rewarding." "You were a Councilor. Do you know how many desired that position of authority?" "Authority?" Matthias asked swinging Abigail around so he could face his sire. "We were your pawns. Whenever you left, that bastard Philandros was appointed your sub." "He's a brother of the Third Creation. He covered for each brother," Edward explained keeping his eyes focused on his changeling and away from the human crawling across the floor. "Yes? Then why was that military goon put in charge when you left this last time?" "We are in a war! We needed a warrior to continue fighting the rebellion. You were part of the judicial division in that." "Too little too late," Matthias whispered. "The plan was already in action," he added pulling Abigail hard against his body. "Don't hurt her." "Oh, I will hurt her but I promise to not damage hurt," he said emphasizing his words by pulling the girl's hair. "And there's nothing you can do. Law forbids you to kill me." "Unless I'm executing a judgment of the death penalty." "Duty above all else, eh Edward?" the man asked with a chuckle. "Well above everything except your lust. Oh yeah, your insatiable appetite made you the best target. Throw you in cell, add a whore that we grabbed off the street and wait." "You..." Edward said stopping when the truth became clear. "It was always you." "It was," Matthias confirmed snapping his fingers. "I took her. I changed her." All heads turned to the tunnel entrance when four guards walked in holding Iona by each limb. Struggles against the hold would only hurt her so she shook her head instead. "Oh how precious!" Matthias exclaimed. "She's telling you to let her go. Kill me instead. Ah, the wisdom of a woman. Foolish. Letting her heart, or some other body part, rule her head. You two were really a perfect match. Silly bitch, don't you know that if you die then he dies?" "Then she won't die," Alex said quickly swinging his weapon through the air. As two of Iona's captors fell headless to the ground, Edward jumped Matthias and gently pulled the young woman from his startled grasp. "You betrayed me," Edward stated tightening his hold on the man. "You betrayed the New Kingdom. But the crimes that I could never forgive include kidnapping the human girl, Lia," he emphasized by crushing the man's arms. "Killing her as a human and poisoning her with that blood," he added with a flick against the man's spine. When Matthias fell to the ground, paralyzed and screaming, Edward finished with, "And for touching her tonight." Lifting his foot, he crushed the man's skull under the heel of his boot. Hurrying to his mate, Edward was relieved to see Iona free and unharmed. His debt to the human was now immense. Pulling his mate close, he shared words only meant for her and turned to their companions. "We need to get out of here," Edward advised. "There are many more waiting for us," Alex answered. "I can feel them near the door. I hope you brought reinforcements." Edward smiled when a crash echoed through the house. "That would be the cavalry." *** "How did you get here?" Gregorii demanded. "I should have known. I should feel you like I felt her." "An example of how you are not superior to my father," Joshua answered approaching the winged creature. "In the midst of everything, he actually took the time to teach us about mental walls. Can you imagine? We're in the middle of a war and he's teaching me how to block my sister from reading my mind." Gregorii stepped back as the young man closed the distance between them. He shook his head as though answering a question. "I will admit, I have not embraced this life with the enthusiasm that others have," Joshua continued stopping when the other man backed into a desk. "Call me slow. But when Dad chose Abigail instead of me to rescue Mom, I was .... Well, distressed. You had taken my mother. My father and sister were going to get her. And you had taken a life." "Ah, you didn't get to your bitch in time to change her," Gregorii interrupted with mock sympathy. "Then it started making sense," Joshua continued. "Dad wasn't teaching me how to block a sister." Clutching Gregorii's arm, he spun the other man around and grabbed both wings. "He was teaching me how to block a sibling." Screams pierced through the house as Joshua flicked his wrist and ripped the wings from the other man's back. Several of Gregorii's guards rushed into the room but were quickly eliminated by Antony and Gabriel. Keeping their mates close, the two brothers kept an eye on their protégé while guarding the door. "Shouldn't you help him?" Alena whispered to her mate. "Only he can finish this," Gabriel answered. With a kick, Joshua sent Gregorii sailing across the room. Moving to the crumpled heap on the floor, he placed his foot on the other man's back keeping him down. "And then I thought of his last words to me. 'It's not safe for you now.' And 'you're especially easy for the boy to read,' "Joshua said emphasizing his final words with a kick to the man's ribcage. "And then, he called Abigail 'bait.' Not a term of endearment from a typical father but then nothing about us is typical." Helping Gregorii to his feet, Joshua continued, "But bait for what exactly? You? No. He wouldn't need to dangle his precious daughter on a hook for you or any of your kind. So the obvious answer is ...me. When he left her in the tunnel, her thoughts were screaming in my head until I heard him say, 'Now'." "I know who I am and I know what you are," Joshua continued pounding his fist into Gregorii's face. "You can't defeat me," the man spat through blood. "There are millions of us. Do you hear me? Millions!" "Minus one," Joshua replied crossing his arms to grab Gregorii's jaw in one hand and shoulder in another. With a jerk of his arms, he easily separated the man's head from his torso and let the two drop to the floor. *** The fight continued as the few demented beasts brave enough to face the rulers of the New Kingdom were quickly eliminated. Phillip led a team after those who attempted to retreat throughout the various rooms of the house. Keeping Abigail close to his side, Alex moved from room to room cutting down the enemy in search of his parents. He knew they were here because he had felt a familiar calm in the midst of the fight. Searching every room, he helped his friends as he progressed through the house. When he topped the stairs, he stopped at the sight before him. Conlaoch was on his knees with his head bowed while Arianna stood quietly behind him gently stroking his hair. Alex could guess at the scene they were facing in the room before them but knew he needed to join his parents. Walking slowly he hesitated when he mother turned and motioned for him to come no further. "I sired him first," Conlaoch said with a gravelly tone. "He had been injured as a child and was physically handicapped. When he changed, he was like a dumb animal so grateful for his new life." "This isn't your fault," Arianna offered. "I left him!" Conlaoch snapped. "He needed me and I left him. I can't even remember the last time I saw him. It's been years. When he needed me, when they were torturing him, I should have known. I was only a few miles away and I didn't know." Taking a deep breath, Alex moved to the doorway and stared in horror. Chained to a wall, the remains of the caretaker's body hung as a reminder of his struggles and suffering. Decaying bodies of all sizes, shapes and ages lay at his rotting feet. His sire's DNA had not been taken easily. "He didn't betray you," Alex whispered. "Is that supposed to make me feel better? To know that in the end, he was faithful while I was careless?" "Con," Arianna whispered, "you were here and only left because of me. It's my fault." "No," he answered shaking his head. "It's proof that the prophecy is right. Because I failed, others need to rule." Rising to his feet, he kissed both Abigail and Alex on the cheek and led Arianna down the stairs. *** As the demented vampires were quickly destroyed, the brothers and their mates found Gabriel to ensure that Alena had been safely rescued. When Alex escorted Abigail into the room, she was immediately pulled into her mother's arms where Joshua had been since killing Gregorii. "I think we're clear," Tec announced walking in with Gloria, "but Phillip is sweeping the house looking for others....and survivors." "There are none upstairs," Conlaoch responded as he and his mate joined the group. "We just returned from there. Unfortunately it is where my first changeling had been held and fed several humans. They didn't make his sacrifice of my blood easy." "What do you mean?" Gloria asked. "It's how they were able to get our DNA," Edward explained to the group. "From those we sired first. Unfortunately, mine committed treason with a smile." "So you didn't cheat?" Gloria asked turning to Tec. "No. I told you that it would be impossible," he said with exasperation. "Although I didn't understand until only a few minutes ago how this could have happened." "Sorry," Gloria admitted with her eyes down. "I shouldn't have doubted you." "Oh don't be too forgiving yet, my dear," a voice said from the doorway. "Wait until you hear who he did sire first. If memory serves me correctly, the whore was from Russia? No, the Ukraine." "Amen," Tec groaned. "You fucking bastard. How long have you been here? And how is it you're never around for a fight." As the brother argued, explained, and teased, Phillip silently entered the room and approached Gabriel. "How many?" his general asked quietly. "Several. This is never easy." "Where are they?" "They are being brought in now," he answered turning towards the door. Several guards entered the room either carrying or escorting several children. Some were too young to walk while others helplessly followed along. All were under the age of ten years old. The room fell silent as everyone assessed the new group. Human. Unharmed. Orphaned. "Great," Antony groaned. "What the hell are we supposed to do with...? Shit!" he exclaimed when he noticed his mate kneeling on the floor greeting the toddlers and older children. "Congratulations, Antony!" Tec said slapping his back. "It's a boy! And a girl, and another girl, and another girl and another boy..." "Yeah. Yeah. Thanks a lot, Grandpa!" *** Time passed quickly as the group reassembled and quickly planned their next journey. Amen introduced his mate, Serenda, to the others and explained how Gregorii's offspring had arrived in Africa forcing him to seek his brothers' help. As they discussed the changes in their lives, Joshua and Abigail looked at each other and smiled. "We can discuss it tomorrow," she offered. "When we've rested and can plan better." Kissing her parents and brother, she accepted Alex's hand and left the house. "I need to go," Joshua said hugging his mother. "She may not wake today but I need to be there through the change." "Of course," Alena answered. "I know how difficult it was for you to leave her but thank you." "You know, Mom, I've thought a lot about what you told me. You're right. While I can't say that I will forget the loss, I can't let it define who I am. Apparently, I have too many people counting on me. But I will say that there is something medicinal about revenge. I'm sorry that you couldn't get justice for losing Tony." "Who?" "Your brother," he explained with a smile and then left. "My what? Gabriel, who was he talking about?" "Old memories," he explained with a smile. "Old human memories." "I think I may have forgotten them." "Good." *** EIGHTEEN YEARS LATER The New Kingdom, once established as the ruling power over the Third Creation, had survived a lethal attack and had successfully reorganized to counter the effects of that attack. While headquarters had been established near Heron's kingdom, Abigail and Joshua had chosen to live in their world instead of blindly ruling from seclusion. Establishing a government for their people had become top priority. With the brothers relinquishing their kingdoms, the universal laws established order on every continent through an election process that allowed all of their people equal representation and participation. And while they no longer held their previous positions, the brothers' current status was no less grand. Amen had moved his mate into Heron's house and focused on helping his weaker brother. The time for forgiveness had come, so no one, not even Heron, was allowed to mention any past failures. In between official duties, Amen hosted parties and formal meetings inviting their people from all over the world to stay as their guests. Gradually, Heron was able to stand with his brothers unhindered by his past and participate in their discussions and sibling bantering. The brothers and their mates rejoiced when he introduced the young woman, an assistant from Amen's court, who had agreed to become his mate. Conlaoch had readily agreed to release his reign in Australia but he and Arianna had adamantly refused to leave the land. They tried to reason that Gregorii had created his offspring here so the country would certainly need more attention than any others. Abigail just smiled and agreed to their request, thankful for their assistance in unofficial capacities. Tec and Gloria traveled wherever they were needed assisting the new government through its growing pains. When they found time for a break, they would return home. Much to Antony's chagrin, they consider his home to be theirs. Since becoming a foster parent had required the majority of his time, he had been excused from the tasks of restructuring the government. Agreeing to provide exceptional care for his little wards, he had started this new life eager to finally be with Emma. How difficult could it be to feed, clothe, and bathe human children? Within the first week, he had mastered an understanding of food allergies, sleepless nights and removing foreign objects from tiny orifices. The years passed introducing him to horrors such as adolescence, first loves, first heartbreaks, and separation anxiety as each child left for college. When his oldest daughter introduced the boy she would eventually marry, Antony silently wondered how Gabriel had refrained from killing Alex. But the young adults were never too far from home and returned to visit with children of their own. Tec humbly accepted his role as the youngest and most attractive great-grandfather in the history of the world. Just when Antony planned to sell their empty nest and treat his mate to a cruise around the world, Joshua walked in with a new group of wards who needed more than food and shelter. With a laugh, the once renowned vampire playboy, showered the children with love and wondered where he had stored the extraction tool created for removing marbles stuck inside of small nostrils. Moving from land to land, Joshua was always seen with one constant. Nola. She had awakened as a child on Christmas morning. With no knowledge of her miscarriage, she had embraced her eternal life with more enthusiasm than any other mate. His rapid changes halted and he now moved through life with his mate in perfect health, never aging. With the weight of the vampire world partially resting on his shoulders, Joshua found strength in her love for life and greater love for him. When he found a group of orphans hidden in a vampire coven, he had considered bringing them to his own home to foster. Nola had agreed but then questioned how they would ever have time for each other. He immediately rescinded the request and took the children to Antony. The man made it look too easy. Edward and Iona had briefly returned to the States to assist his people through the transition. Introducing the new system was countered with typical resistance but was soon accepted when the first of Gregorii's vampires surfaced in the land. Stepping aside, Edward watched Phillip train an army to defend the country he had grown to love. Alex and Joshua worked together in teaching the former council members the potential threat of carelessness and introduced an election system to ensure fresh faces bringing fresh ideas. Iona silently observed her mate as he dropped his former responsibilities and assisted as an advisor in the new system. She had anticipated an injured male ego until he announced that it was time for them to be them. She had questioned his odd comment and he explained that he would now be able to devote more time to her alone. There was no argument. Promises of traveling the world, attending the best concerts and parties were followed with the extravagant purchases of new gowns and jewelry. All of which never made it out the door. Seeing her body wrapped in the finest cloths known to man would spark that dark twinkle in Edward's eyes. Within minutes her new clothes would be abandoned on the floor. As the years passed, they continued to grow in love and appreciation for each other. When they were called to duty, they would smile at the chaos surrounding the others' lives and secretly give thanks that they had been spared the extra responsibilities. With no reign to relinquish, Gabriel had assisted his children as promised, happily walking away from his former duties with unspeakable joy. Knowing that they no longer needed his constant assistance had been a gift beyond compare. Finally having the time to fulfill his promise to Alena, he had taken her to every house he owned. And then he built her a few more. New Kingdom: Australian Court Ch. 06 Even now, they were visiting one of their favorite homes nestled high on the unchartered mountains of the north region. The rustic cabin was protected by a canopy of clouds and treacherous terrain. Flowing through the canyon, the breeze caught the sheer drapes wrapped across the balcony and reveal the two lovers locked in their eternal embrace. Gabriel sat on the low bed tenderly holding his mate as she straddled his lap. In the aftermath of their passion, they both required time to recover from the exertion and allow their mutual feeding to rejuvenate their bodies. It was those precious minutes when nothing existed except them. "We need to leave soon," Alena whispered against his neck. When he merely groaned in response, she lifted her head and added, "They were expected us days ago. And if I don't get their before Arianna...." "You will no longer be the favorite grandmother?" he asked with a chuckle. "It's not like that." "Of course it isn't," he agreed stroking his fingers down her back. "We'll leave tomorrow." "Gabe?" "It's ... difficult," he answered. "She's your daughter." "And I'd rather discuss this when we're dressed." "We haven't been dressed for three days," she responded leaning to look at eyes. "She knows how you feel. Don't hurt her like this." "Hurt her? I have to watch her get older every day. She's been sick every year." "With a cold." "And then I get to look forward to watching her die. Oh, and if that's not cruel enough, that fucking human had to multiply this misery by five." "They are your grandchildren not multiplied miseries." "Bastard," he declared and then added, "It's not supposed to be like this. Josh immediately quit aging when Nola changed. Why does Alex have the choice to kill my family like this?" "It's Abigail's choice too," she responded rising from his lap. "And every day we stay away is a day that we lose with them." The next several hours passed in silence as they closed their home and descended the mountain. Alena understood her mate's pain. While the fear of death lingered in the distant future, they had already experienced several scares typical with human families. Abigail's last pregnancy had been difficult from conception requiring bed rest during the last trimester. One of the girls had fallen from a horse suffering a concussion. Little Andrew had received his human's share of stitches and casts. When the flu invaded their house, the entire family was at the mercy of Alena's interpretation of TLC. It was no wonder that they all survived, thrived and declared her the better of the two grandmothers. But time became their worst enemy. With each passing year, Alex's hair would become grayer and new little lines would appear around Abigail's eyes. The children were healthy and normal by human standards but, in eighteen years, Samantha was now a young woman. Despite the changes in their family, Gabriel and Alena remained the same; therefore, they could no longer be introduced as Abigail's parents. When their plane touched ground, Alena reached for Gabriel's hand and paused. She sensed more than his dread. She felt his fear. Although he was no longer leading armies to battle, his nature had not changed. He knew something was wrong. "Humans deal with loss every day," she whispered. "But we should not." "Would you rather we not have them at all and miss every joy we've shared just because of the inevitable?" "I don't understand why it has to be inevitable when he has the choice," he murmured. Moving from the plan to the car, Alena stopped when she heard Gabriel laughing. She turned to find him surveying the cargo being unloaded from the hold. "How do you expect to transport this to their house?" he asked shaking his head. "I, uh, didn't realize how much had accumulated," she explained as the handlers continued to produce packages from the aircraft's belly. "I saw things at shops or online and had them delivered here. They'll fit in the car....if you hold some things." "My life as a pack mule," he grumbled as the car was stuff with toys, clothes and gifts. "The chauffeur stays and I'll drive. I thought Alex asked us to quit bringing so many things to the children?" "Oh please," she said arranging the bags around her feet. "I'm not obligated to honor ridiculous requests." "But I am? "Gabe there's a slight difference between spoiling one's grandchildren with the newest toys and altering their species." As they traveled out of the city, their conversation was light hearted and teasing focusing on the time they would spend with family. Gabriel commented on the progress of new construction while Alena begged to stop at the new little shop they had just passed. They fell quiet when they passed the remains of a small house. Still smoldering from the fire, the little building appeared to have recently caught fire. But Gabriel and Alena could sense the truth. Under their children's leadership, their people had progressed in this world but they had never succeeded in eliminating the bad seed that had been spread through every country. The smell of blood and burnt flesh saturated the air. "Alex will need to send a team to investigate," Gabriel murmured. "It's so close to home. I thought we had chased them into the mountains. What does this mean Gabriel?" Shaking his head, he reached for her hand and continued driving to their destination. When the familiar bend of the road appeared ahead, Alena clapped her hands in anticipation. "To be fair, we've only been gone a month," Gabriel commented. "But we should never leave." "Never? If we never left...do you remember the last time Andrew walked in on us?" "He's a little guy. Surely he won't remember that. Will he? We should build a house of our own." "Another one? Right here in their yard? Please don't make me start sounding like Alex," he answered pulling into the drive. As they climbed from the car, the front door burst open and a small boy ran as fast as he little legs could manage. "Andrew!" Gabriel said lifting the boy in his arms and swinging him high in the air. "Again?" "Again!" the child answered giggling in delight. When Gabriel had spun him a few more times the child said, "Wait wait wait. Watch this." Alena moved close to her mate as the child climbed down and turned his back. Fumbling in his pocket, the child found what he wanted and lifted it to his face. Spinning around, he growled through the piece of plastic and giggled at the horrified expression on his grandfather's face. Gabriel stared at the artificial fangs protruding from the child's mouth. "Does this answer your question?" "What?" Lisping through the plastic, Andrew explained, "They're like yours Grandpa. I saw them when you bit Grandma." "Oh god!" Alena shrieked. "What else did you see? Did you tell your mom?" "Tell his mom what?"Abigail said walking down the porch. "Oh did Drew show you his new treasure? He said they are like Grandpa's. When did he see....? Oh. Oh! Uh...." She turned toward the house blushing and said, "Girls. Grandparents are here." When the next three oldest children ran out, Alena took a deep breath to regain some control and greeted her granddaughters. Standing by the car, she began distributing gifts which were received with squeals of delight. "And this is for you," she added handing a bag to her daughter. "You don't think I'm too old for gifts? Never mind. I'm not." "The house looks good," Gabriel commented nodding to the additions to the building. "They appear authentic." "Yeah well nothing like a little grease fire to get some new bedrooms added," Abigail replied. "But I think being banished from my own kitchen is a bit extreme especially with everything happening now." "We saw the house outside of city limits," Gabriel commented. "What's happened?" "Last week, we found another coven. Stronger. Organized." "Just as we feared." "Josh and Nola are arriving later today. We plan to call a meeting this week." Gabriel watched his daughter closely noticing every change in her face since he saw her last. She was worried. Whether it was concern for their people or something else, he could not guess. He needed to find the human to learn the truth. "Is Alex here?" he asked looking around. "He's been with the construction crew. Supervising cleanup." When sound of the door caught their attention, they turned to see Alex approaching. Seeing the changes in his daughter was unbearable but the sight of Alex nearly startled him. The usual boyish charm slightly marred with graying temples appeared to be from another person. He slowly descended the front stairs and grinned when he saw children with their gifts. "Mom will be disappointed," he said walking to Alena first. "They will be here soon and she'd hoped to arrive before you." "That will never happen," Alena said hugging her son. "I guess there are worse things than having spoiled children," he responded turning to Gabriel. Offering his hand to shake, he grimaced when he noticed Gabriel's surveillance. The slight moan had caught Gabriel's attention first; followed by the hesitation at the stairs; and finally the scent that could only mean one thing. Glancing at his daughter, Gabriel watched Abigail's expression as she looked at her mate. Love overcome with grief. This visit would be the one he had dreaded. "Let me show you the changes," Alex said to Gabriel. Walking around the house, Gabriel assessed everything surrounding him. Contractors were loading trucks with the debris piled in the yard. "Who are they?" Gabriel asked point to the tree line. "Who?" Alex asked looking around. Cursing when he saw the two young men talking to his daughter, he said, "Samantha is only seventeen but she thinks she's thirty. Have any suggestions?" "You mock me," Gabriel growled. "As though I was able to keep you away from Abigail." "Yes but you and I disagreed on that. I think we agree on this," Alex explained motioning to the group. "Help me please." "For her, I would suggest deception." "Deception, huh," Alex repeated with a grin. "Sammy! Your mother needs you." When the girl looked up, she saw her grandfather and ran to meet him. Jumping into his arms, she hugged the big man as hard as she could. "When did you get here? Where's Grandma? Did Daddy tell you about the fire? Mom's not allowed to cook anymore. Truth be told, she couldn't cook anyway but now we might hire a real chef. I wish we could have a housekeeper. It's dreadful how they make me clean my room, take out the trash and work in the yard. They call it 'chores' which is only a nice word for slavery. Just because I'm a kid, doesn't mean....." Placing two fingers gently on the girls lips, Gabriel whispered, "Your Grandmother will think you don't love her anymore if you don't hurry and see the presents she brought you." "Presents?" the girl squealed. "As though she doesn't always bring you some," Alex mumbled. "Yes," Gabriel answered. "And if you want to talk about being sorely used, you should see how I'm expected to carry those packages from her to you." "That's different Grandpa," she explained with a smile walking to the house. "Love you." "So deception works with her. What about them?" Alex asked pointing to the young men. "Fear? It would be my pleasure to scare the hell out of them." "Maybe next time," he son answered with a laugh. "I'm sure there will be a next time." "You have news to share," Gabriel simply stated. "Tell me." "Where to start. We found a new coven that concerns us." "Not that. You." Alex smiled sadly knowing he would need to share the diagnosis, fears and plans that he could not avoid. Walking to a large pile of debris, he shuffled some pieces around and said, "I wish they would remove this garbage. The children could get hurt." He found a stud with several rusted nails hanging on the edge. Pitching the piece into the center of the pile, he added, "Pancreatic cancer. Two months. No options available." "It will break her heart," Gabriel said quietly. "It's killing her now." "No," Alex answered shaking his head. "She doesn't know." "She knows," Gabriel snapped. "You can see it her face. You've denied her from feeding haven't you?" "No, not from feeding, just not from me. I didn't know if it would hurt her," he explained and then turned around. "God, I feel like a coward but I can't stand this. I'm not afraid of dying. And the pain can't get any worse. But leaving her seems unbearable." Gabriel turned away wishing he had been better prepared for this moment. "I've dreaded this since I met you," he finally said. "You've done well but there is much left unfinished." "She's never tried to change my mind. Everything has been based on a normal human life. I just thought we would grow old together. I know you will take care of things. Everything. Her. The kids. God, Andrew won't even remember me." "If that's your choice." "I don't choose to leave my family now. Young and in the middle of another damn war with these monsters." Gabriel narrowed his gaze and replied, "Very well." His motions were quick and efficient when he added, "Let's return to the house." Alex nodded and spun around. The impact caught him by surprise until he recognized the board with the rusted nails. How it had moved from the top of the garbage pile to block his path would never be repeated by him. With a look to Gabriel, he nodded and moved the board. He stared in horror at the rusted nail which had gouged his thigh tore away from his flesh. Nothing could have prepared him for the shock of seeing his life's blood spray from the damaged femoral artery. Falling to his knees, he stared at Gabriel in fear wondering if anyone could save him in time. "Abigail!" he heard his father roar. "Come quick! Alex has been injured!" Alex struggled to stay conscience as his heart pounded in his ears. He heard his children and mother arrive within seconds but it was the small familiar hands that gave him hope. "Oh, god, Alex! Oh, god, no!" Abigail screamed. "See if you can seal the wound," Gabriel said from the sidelines. "Maybe it's not too late." Arianna and Alena pulled the children away as Abigail closed the gash on her mate's thigh. She sat up to cradle his head in her lap. With tears flowing down her face, she listened to his heart struggle from the excessive loss of blood. "Baby," he whispered. "Don't let me die." Abigail paused and then glanced at her father. With a smile, she leaned close to Alex's ear and whispered, "Forever." Her bite to his neck, quick and efficient, was soon followed by a small slit to her own wrist. She fed him with the care a mother would have for a small child. When her father touched her shoulder, she closed her wound and held Alex close. In an irony that amused Gabriel, Alex's life as a human quickly altered to that he had once despised. His new heart started immediately after the death of his mortal life. The children were ushered into the house with explanations that their father would be fine... in a few days. Gabriel helped his daughter to her feet while Conlaoch lifted his son in his arms. Watching the family move into the house, Gabriel turned to find his son standing to the side. "So Alex has joined us," Joshua declared. "Good. We will need him. How are you, Dad?" "Good." "Glad to hear it," Joshua said walking beside his father to the house. "Because you're about to come out of retirement." They walked to the house together in silence. Gabriel decided that they could discuss strategy later. Reeling from this recent victory, he needed a few hours to appreciate the family that was with him now and would be forever. The sight of his grandson stopped him in his tracks. The young boy was sitting on the steps with his head in hands, pouting. "It's not fair," he declared. "Even Mommy has teeth like Grandpa. Real ones!" "Someday, you'll have real ones too. I promise," Gabriel replied lifting the boy to his shoulders. "And I have a pretty good record of keeping promises." *** THE END ***