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After eating and having further discussion on training procedures, Jack and Malachy made their way up to the bedrooms. Malachy noticed that the door to Claire’s room was ajar. He closed it over when a hand to his chest stopped him. “She prefers to keep it open at night. I’ll check on her while you finish getting settled in.” Jack walked towards Claire’s bed, where she was sound asleep. Her phone, book, and laptop surrounded her. Malachy couldn’t help but stand in the doorway, watching how Jack interacted with his daughter. He lifted her things from her bed and set them on the desk. He then covered her with a gray blanket and brushed the hair from her face to kiss her forehead. He truly cares for her. Maybe the Council got it right letting him adopt her. Envy filled Malachy’s chest. Jack made his way back to Malachy, and headed towards his room, when he noticed Malachy staring. He was looking at Jack with a slight grin. “You’re a lucky man. Only thing you're missing is a woman t
“Sorry Pops. I gotta go. Rehearsals for the Christmas program have started and our group is preparing an a cappella song. I have to be there early. And then softball starts conditioning this week as well.” Claire rushed into the kitchen, grabbed a muffin, an orange juice, kissed Jack on the cheek, and darted out the door to the waiting car of her friend, Trevor. All before Jack could wish her a good day. Trevor, a human boy who was a year older than Claire, was one member of their choral group. He has been picking her up early in the mornings for the past two weeks for their rehearsals. And Jack had suspicions that the boy had his eyes on Claire. Claire’s phone vibrated in her bag as she slid into the blue pickup truck. Jack: “I need to meet this Trevor, you know.” Claire: “ugh….fiiiiiine…. I can ask him what he is doing after the football game Friday. Satisfied?” Jack: “Deal. Love you.” Claire: “Love you. Now go do whatever retired old folks do :)” She couldn’t believe her
She was awestruck and froze in place; there was nothing else she could do. Mal was back, and her heart pounded in her chest at the sight of him standing next to the black SUV, a hand holding the passenger door open. “Hey you! Welcome back.” Without thinking, she dropped her bags, jumped up to wrap her arms around his neck, and gave him a hug. They were both shocked by her boldness, though neither said anything and neither moved. His arms instinctively wrapped around her waist to bring her closer. Before Malachy could think of a more appropriate response, Jack walked out of the front door. “What a great surprise. I didn’t know you were back in town. Claire let the man go. You smell of grass and sweat. Go upstairs and wash up before supper.” “Sure thing Pops. It’s good to see you again, Mal.” She hopped down from his embrace and headed into the house. Malachy stood still in shock while Jack gave him a teasing look. “I think someone has a crush on you. I can’t remember the last ti
20 minutes later, Trevor pulled the truck up to the bowling alley. “You bowl? Why didn’t I know you bowl?” Claire asked eagerly as they got out of the truck. “Well, technically, I just roll it down there and pray. But it’s fun, athletic, and they have food here too. And based on how loud your stomach was growling, we can eat first.” “Thank you!” Trevor walked up to her and offered out his right hand. She timidly grasped it as they walked into the bowling alley. They walked up to the counter to reserve their lane and rent some shoes. But when Claire tried to grab her wallet, Trevor held his hand up. “Tonight is on me.” Slightly impressed with his chivalrous move, Claire replied, “Suit yourself.” They managed to get a lane far away from the other bowlers, but no one really seemed to pay them much attention. “So, what kind of food do we want? Drinks?” She turned towards Trevor as he set their names up on the scoreboard. He glanced over his shoulder. “I figured pizza and sodas.
Trevor: “HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! I can’t wait to see you tonight!!” Claire: “Happy Anniversary! I can’t wait either.” Claire set her phone down to look out her nook window overlooking the neighborhood and small retention pond. The cool autumn wind blew the colored leaves across the surface of the calm water. She wanted to let in the crisp air by cracking the window slightly. Autumn was her favorite time of year with the colors, the smells, the cool weather. She loved it all. Her fingers drummed out a beat on the back of her phone, all the while her feet tapped on her bedroom floor. Quinn pushed Claire’s legs together, stopping her nervous twitching. “Stop! You’re going to make me poke you in the eye if you don’t hold still.” Claire shook her head, “sorry. Just nerves coming out, I guess.” Tilting her head, Quinn finished the last of Claire’s makeup. “Why are you so nervous? You guys are adorable together, been together forever. Just sleep with him already and give me the details!!!”
****Contains Violent/Mature Themes**** Now that she had some distance, Claire could assess her situation more clearly, and she was stunned. Her car door was gone, multiple trees were down around her, and two more figures were standing behind the man who grabbed her. Vampires. The three figures were all facing her with their fangs bared, and the latter two huddled into crouching stances, ready to pounce. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Deep breaths. Keep calm. This is what you’ve trained for. If you don’t fight, you’re gonna die. That thought raced through her head. Claire knew she could handle two vampires in a fight, but three would push her limits to the max. Trying not to panic, Claire gripped her bat harder. As the two crouching vampires ran straight for her, she didn’t have time to think, only react. She swung her bat to hit one on his head while she kicked behind her to land a blow to the other. Using her size to her advantage, she was ducking and dodging the punches from
“FUUUUUUUUUCK. Why does it still hurt so much?” Claire struggled to sit up in her bed. It’s been over a week since the random rogue attack and she still hasn't healed as fast as she would’ve liked. “You had two cracked ribs, countless bruises, claw marks on your neck, and you lost quite a bit of blood. You’re lucky you got away with that.” Marian helped her sit up while Malachy sat on the corner of her bed. He hasn’t left her side since they arrived home and Claire didn’t mind in the least. “Now shut up, eat, and take the medication to help prevent any infection. You still need to rest,” Marian chastised, then walked out of the bedroom and shut the door behind her. Claire looked to Malachy, “you know I’m ok right? I know you’re busy and sitting with me can’t be fun. So you can leave…If you want...” Her head slowly lowered; she didn’t want him to leave, but she didn’t want to seem clingy. She didn’t have any claim on him. He wasn’t hers and she wasn’t his. “I’m not going anywhere,
Cheeky asshole. Claire ran to her closet and threw on her favorite dark skinny jeans and her white zip up hoodie. She also grabbed her favorite earrings and, of course, her opal necklace. She darted down the stairs to find Mal had changed from his usual black suit and tie to a tight-knit black sweater and jeans. Oh shit. Claire’s eyes all but popped out of her skull at the sultry sight and stopped her in her tracks. Frozen to the spot, she thanked The Goddess he seemed too focused on his phone to notice her staring. After a few seconds, he looked up at her with a slight smile, then he grabbed her hand and led her to his SUV. With a tremble to her voice and a hand held to her heart, she feigned panic. “Are you kidnapping me? This feels an awful lot like kidnapping… Does Pops know we’re leaving together?” He opened the door for her and offered his hand to help her get in. “You are a bit of a smartass, you know that? You are more than welcome to leave, but there is something you
Everyone gathered next to the fireplace, watching the orange embers glow, enjoying their jovial conversation. Mal and Marian were sitting on opposite ends of the couch, with Jack and Claire sitting at their feet.“So, kiddo, what are your plans now that you’ve graduated? Trips around the world, working right away, nothing?” Jack leaned back against Marian’s legs, swirling his whiskey in its glass, intently watching his daughter as she quickly took a sip of her water.She shifted a bit to better focus her attention on Jack. “I’m not really sure what I’m going to do. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love working at the foundation. My coworkers are amazing and the kids are wonderful and so talented. I just feel like maybe there is something more I could do…”Mal turned in his seat to better look at Claire. “What do you mean? You love working with kids, you always have.” “Well, my actual plan kinda went to shit the second I left you all…”Piquing his interest, Mal leaned forward and tilt
“I’m going to go upstairs to prepare for my meeting. Will you all be ok for a few hours?” Malachy and Jack placed all twelve shopping bags on the kitchen counter. He looked back at the girls as they followed behind with bottles of wine, whisky, and beer that Marian insisted they needed for the remaining few days in the cabin. “We should be good to go! I don’t think I’ve ever brought so much alcohol in one trip. And that’s even counting my twenty-first birthday!!” Claire collapsed onto the nearest bar stool dramatically and threw her head back. “I’m exhausted. What’s for dinner?” Mal kissed her forehead. “Always food with you. There is plenty for you to whip something up in the pantry and fridge. I won’t be long.” He glanced at his watch before heading up the stairs. Claire watched his backside as he disappeared into the stairwell, biting her bottom lip.“I’ve got this chickie. Head on up there, put your shit up and jump that man in his office. I’ll keep your dad busy with the grill o
Gray clouds rolled in; a storm was brewing. The overcast skies and slight breeze caused a slight chill in the air. The steam from her coffee mug billowed into the air as she held it in her hands.“Storm’s coming. Should be a good one. It’s beautiful watching the clouds roll over the mountains, listening to the rain hitting the leaves, smelling the fresh rain. It’s a sight to see…” Jack stared off into the distance.“Cut the crap, Pops. I can’t believe you guys were just beating the shit out of each other. Do you have any idea how awful it was to witness that? To see my father, the man I look up to the most, pummeling his fists into the face of the man that I lo…” She stopped herself just in time. Jack rubbed a hand over his face. “You still love him. Even after all this time. After everything he’s done to you...to us. Claire, I can’t make you feel anything different for him. Just be careful. Malachy is a great man. I’ll admit that, but he has a past that may come back to haunt him. He
She woke the next morning to the sun slowly rising along the mountains, shining its beautiful light through the windows of the bedroom. Looking to her left, she found the other side of the bed still made, untouched.She stood and opened the door to the balcony, letting in the cool early morning breeze. There were a couple of wooden chairs set up and she happily made herself comfortable as the sun painted its brilliance among the skies. Closing her eyes to let the atmosphere envelope her, she didn’t realize the door opened further as Mal walked out. “How are you feeling?” He handed her a cup of steaming coffee, which she greedily accepted. She brought the mug close to her face, inhaling the sweet aroma. “Thanks. I’m fine. Embarrassed but fine. I’m sorry for last night.” She tucked her legs under her, making herself as small as possible. “Obviously I wasn’t in the right state of mind and you got a front-row seat to the shit show.”Mal held a hand out to her, pulled her from her seat
She flung herself into Jack’s embrace, sobbing uncontrollably. “What...is...going...on? How are you guys here?” She asked Jack and Marian between cries.Jack kept her held tight to him as tears fell silently down his face. He had his baby girl back for a little while. Claire moved away slightly and looked to Marian, extending an arm, and the three of them shared a group hug.After a few moments, everyone calmed down and wiped the tears from their smiling faces. Mal stepped up, placing a hand on Claire’s lower back, and addressed Jack and Marian. “Thank you both for coming and securing the area. I know that you all have lots of catching up to do, but we should get settled in and I can give you all the breakdown of the last few days.” He motioned toward the door as they all walked through.The ladies entered first when Jack placed an unmoving hand on Mal’s chest, stopping him in his tracks.Jack’s eyes bore daggers into Mal. “I don’t want to know the details... But you should know that p
His cool fingers felt amazing on her sun kissed legs. The sun’s rays were beating down on her thighs, making it a perfect contrast to Mal’s fingers. Slowly, his fingers brushed her skirt further up her legs, his eyes never leaving the road. Claire rested her head backwards, enjoying her body’s reaction to Mal’s touch. Her breathing became heavy, her chest began to rise and fall rapidly. His fingers sought her heat. When finding their target, Claire gasped out as he pressed his fingers against her panties. He could feel her wetness through the thin material and he wanted-no, needed to feel her. He let out a low growl as Claire moved her hips against his hand. “Mal…”He yanked his hand away and instantly steered the truck to the nearest exit. “Little One...you need to calm down. This is a small space, and the smell of your arousal is going to be the death of me.” He knew a little of this area and found what he was looking for after a few minutes.Claire had to squeeze her thighs toget
“Are you really not going to tell me where you are taking me? What if I didn’t pack the right clothes or shoes?” The secrecy was driving her mad and gave her a sense of déjà vu. She didn’t like not knowing what exactly was happening. “You’re kidnapping me again, Mal.”Mal shut her car door, effectively ending their conversation for a few seconds. His eyes scoured their surroundings as cars raced by on the street. Nothing seemed out of place. However, the silver sedan that was parked out front hadn’t moved since Mal dropped Claire off from their coffee date. He hopped into the black SUV and drove further into the city. “It’s not kidnapping because you are willing in the car. But I need to make a small stop at my place before we start our road trip. So you might as well relax and just let me handle this.” Mal grabbed her hand and kissed her knuckles. Claire bit her bottom lip, a habit that Mal had learned she had when she was deep in thought or feeling extremely turned on. He really h
Everyone congregated in the living room when Mal and Ramona returned. Claire’s eyes met Mal’s, and they both smiled. “The foundation gave me the ‘all clear’ to take a few days off. My boss, Robyn, was pretty excited to hear I was needing time away. So, Mal, what’s your plan exactly?” Claire expected Mal to come up with some elaborate plan, but he shocked her when he lifted her from her spot, then sat her in his lap.Her arms instinctively wrapped around his neck when he spoke. “My plan is to get you out of the city, the state, actually, and have two guards come with us. They will meet us at the safe-house and will have already scanned the area for threats. So as long as everyone agrees, we will have about a week of hiding out while I have some other Enforcers keep eyes here in Chicago.” He nodded at Lex. "It’s pretty straightforward, so hopefully we are all jumping to conclusions and you aren’t being watched by some third party waiting to attack again.”Claire bit her bottom lip, noddi
Claire had shoved her chair away from the table, and stomped towards her room, with Mal hot on her heels. “Wait a goddamn min..” She slammed the bedroom door in his face.Mal gritted his teeth and took a deep breath before entering the room. A bed pillow slapped him in the face as soon as he stepped in. He rolled his eyes at Claire’s childish antics. “Really? A pillow?”Seething in the opposite corner, Claire couldn’t hide the sarcasm and discontent dripping in her voice. “Sorry. I don’t have a wooden stake to chuck at your face.”Mal calmly tossed the pillow onto the bed before he walked to stand in front of her. He grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to look at him. “We both know a stake won’t do any harm to me. Now, care to tell me why I deserved a pillow to the face and why you stormed out of the discussion like a child?”Claire’s eyes burned in anger. “Really?! I can’t just skip out of town, Mal. There are people who depend on me; A job that I love. I can’t just leave with little