He ran his tongue over his lips and looked down. "Ten years. That's a long time." He shook his head.I took a deep breath. "While I was there, a lot of things happened."He nodded. "Yeah. You hooked up with Alexis.""No. Not just that." He shoved his hands into his pocket. "What?""You know how I cry clear tears?"He reached out and gently swiped away a tear on my cheek. He looked at it and showed me the clear drop.I hadn't shaken my desire to breathe, and I took in a deep breath and held it. "I found answers down there."His posture changed and his expression grew serious. "Did you find out why this is happening to you? I thought it was…us."I shook my head slowly. "I think that helped but…no." I thought about what I was going to say to him and how it would change everything—even whether he would let me see my baby girl again. "While I was down there—while we were down there—we weren't like Vampires. We were about as close to human as one can get and not be mortal. And I wa
The next day was going to be a busy one, but I was distracted. My mind kept going back to my visit with BJ. "I want to go home!" she had cried. My heart was breaking. I would do anything for her…but not that. We needed each other, but it wasn't going to be easy saying goodbye after each visit.Alexis said he needed to return to his territory to take care of business and would be meeting with Monica.After he left, I went back to the front room where King had discovered one of the many Star Wars movies. "Let's go, son. While Papa's running errands, you and I are going to spend the day together."I took him out to a late lunch at a real restaurant. He ordered too much off the menu and felt bad about wasting it. I had to give him permission not to try to eat it all. Afterwards we looked at two houses that Kat's real estate agent had found for us.Kat knew what we needed, which was basically a house that I already had and one that Kat was now putting up for sale. Ugh, I didn't want t
Monica inclined her head to me. She stood across the table from Alexis dressed in a nude colored pair of slacks with a matching nude jacket."Welcome back," Frank said, who looked me up and down in appreciation."Thank you, Frank."In three months he hadn't changed—probably not even his clothes. His black leather pants were so tight that you could see his Vampire enhanced dick outlined from tip to root. He wore a half-buttoned, white frilly shirt, black boots, a diamond encrusted choker, and hair so long and greasy that it could have oiled the engine of a broken down hoopdy. "You're looking as delectable as ever," Frank said."As are you," I said.Frank laughed at the obvious lie.Tony, as usual, looked good. He wore suede black shoes, black trousers that fit too perfectly, and a midnight blue shirt with a thin black and blue tie. His hair was cut so short that it was almost shaved along the sides. His edges were razor sharp."How are you?" Tony asked, his dark brown eyes fill
"Kim and I created King," Alexis said. "When we were something other than what we are now. The Elders sent us to the Underworld, but you can be assured it was something more powerful that decreed it." His eyes flickered red."While we were there we learned some secrets," I said carefully. I didn't want my eyes to start bleeding. "Secrets that would upset the balance," Alexis said. "Secrets that we intend to share with you."Everyone gasped, but no one dared to speak. Neratomay secrets weren't widely known by even high-ranking Council members. They were only conjectures or tales and fables of a possibility that might have existed. I was pretty sure that none of them had ever bled from their eyes and ears trying to reveal a secret."When they sent us to the Underworld and kept us down there for ten years, they didn't realize the grave mistake that they were making," Alexis continued. "It was a perfect storm of power and opportunity. King could not have happened if everything hadn't
I couldn't find any fault with the house. When Alexis said that he had been re-modeling it for us, he must have had a twenty-man crew working day and night because everything was new and pristine. Chrome and white was the theme. The living room had three thrones instead of couches, each covered in white furs.I touched a chrome candleholder with my fingertip, half-expecting to be zapped. Nothing. Only then did I relax.We went upstairs where there were three bedroom suites. There were no windows in any of them, but King didn't seem to notice once he saw that his suite gave him his own television set, DVDs, books, and CD player.Alexis and I kissed him good night, and he was fast asleep a moment later. We lingered in the doorway."We're going to need to form a link with him," I said."We should do it now while he sleeps."Alexis took his delicate wrist, tracing the small veins visible just beneath the skin. He lowered his fangs, and a drop of saliva hit King's smooth brown skin a
"How would you get the Rectors to read your memories?" Tony asked."Once we're overseas," Alexis said, "we intend to announce King's existence to the Neratomay. The Rectors that sit in their throne rooms, content to have their essence move about in the world, will gather and want knowledge of how this was possible, knowledge of how this power can be shared with the Collective. One by one they will seek the information from our thoughts, and one by one they will be killed.""And then the Elders come for you," Tony said. "But your Golden army will take them out.""Yep, that's the plan," Ran said."No, not good." Tony said while shaking his head."Why?" I asked. "There are some holes, but that's why we're talking to you.""First, who is going to make this Golden army?" Tony asked. "You made Monica, and she is not Golden."Monica had been silently listening, surprising me that she had no input."A bite doesn't make you Golden," I said. "You're born that way. And we got a guy…and he
Paul frowned, his eyes taking in every inch of my child. "Hello," he said slowly. "How…how old are you?""Nine," King replied.Paul's teeth subtly began to clench. Ugh. Yeah, I'm sure he was thinking that I had been gone ten years and knocked up after one. He looked at me and raised his hands in a question. "What is this about?""It's about the Neratomay," I said.His frown deepened. I'm sure he wasn't expecting that response."King is here to tell you something that I can't tell you," I said. "Secrets that we learned while down in the Underworld."Paul looked at Ran, who nodded."Why would you tell me?" Paul asked."Because we want the same things," I said. "I want to live my life without fear. I want to raise my son without laws that might turn him into a slave for the Neratomay. I want to be free.""And you think any of that is what I want?" Paul asked coldly, his eyes narrowing."It used to be," I said softly.Paul stared at King. "He doesn't smell like Neratomay. But…he
"Bassma?" King called as he darted toward the house. "House" was a loose interpretation. Bassma's place resembled a treehouse, although there were three levels, the main one being on the ground.Bassma came running out of his place. He had transformed to a child again, just for our son. They hugged each other like true friends, and after so many years they truly were friends. Bassma seemed to enjoy reliving his childhood again with King."King!" Bassma shouted. "I thought you were gone for good!""I came back so that I could give everyone a proper goodbye," King said.Bassma smiled. "Thank you.""I want to tell you everything I saw," King said. "It's not like what you remember, Bassma. It's so much cooler."They talked and sat on the porch, swinging their legs as King told him about the things he had seen and the foods that he had eaten. Ran and Oni said they were going to find a fruit that only grew on Bassma's land. I suspected they were going off to make out.Alexis and I enj