Disclaimer
The characters in the story are a product of my own imagination and hopefully have no resemblance to any living persons. But if it does it is entirely coincidental. Some of the places
Archiving : This work is copy written and should not be posted anywhere else without the writer's expressed permission.
Acknowledgement: Many thanks as always to my beta, Rose.
Notes: I wished I could spend more time with Sandra and Iramis, but like any story, good or bad, there is always an ending in sight. Thank you for everyone who followed the story. Who knows, maybe one day when I get a speech-to-text software package that can actually recognize my accent, I might consider a sequel. As always the story is dedicated to you guys.
Your biggest fan….always.
SW
Feedback: Constructive criticisms is greatly appreciated, so feel free to drop a line or two at steinwillard80@gmail.com or sent me a friend request on Facebook .
PART V
Iramis sat quietly as she stared out of the window of the limousine. Her eyes searched every shadow and corner they passed as they made their way to the hotel. She reached inside her jacket and caressed the dagger inside. She hoped they didn't pat her down at the hotel, for she had no intention whatsoever to leave her family unprotected. Her family. She turned her head and watched her family as they, completely oblivious of the danger lurking outside, engage in their usual bickering. She caught Sandra's eyes and they shared an intimate smile. Luckily the kids were too busy to notice the heated look that passed between their parents. Sandra looked surprisingly fresh for a woman who had been ravished until very close to sunrise. Iramis quickly broke the eye contact. She couldn't afford to be distracted now. Not when the Ridgewells were somewhere out there planning an ambush. As their limo drove through the rain soaked streets, Iramis send out her senses to determine the location of her bodyguards. A dark SUV followed them closely with a group of her fighters. Another group were scattered on the skyscrapers and street corners.
“Hello,” as soft voice whispered in her ear, bringing a smile to Iramis' face. She turned to meet her son's dark gaze. She didn't miss the lone hair on his chin and recalled Sandra telling her last night about Brandon's elation at finally growing a beard. She reached out a hand and squeezed his knee.
“Hello, son.”
“You're very quiet, mother.”
“I'm a bit occupied with the meeting. Where are you guys planning on shopping?”
Brandon shrugged. “Mom said something about Bahnhoff street.”
Iramis smiled. Sandra was not an extravagant woman, but on the rare occasions that she goes shopping, she appreciates beauty and quality, which translated as expensive. Zurich's Bahnhoffstrasse was one of the most expensive shopping streets in the world. Luckily she had more money than any of her children and their children's children could spend in one lifetime.
“Will you be joining us?”
Iramis nodded. There was no way she was going to leave her family unattended. Even with her bodyguards around, she refused to take the chance. The world loves to see her in the light of the doting mother and spouse, but no one realizes how she felt at the moment, putting her family's lives in jeopardy. Adomini was right, it was almost sacrilege for vampire to fight vampire, but the time has come to deal with the Ridgewells once and for all. Termination was the only alternative now. Kill off their leadership and drive the rest unground where they could be hunted and exterminated with humanity none the wiser.
“While I have my meeting you could have dinner at the hotel restaurant. If the meeting runs too late I will send out someone to make sure that the shops will be opened for us after hours.”
Brandon's eyes widened. “You can do that?”
She shrugged. “I've done it before a couple of times when I took your mom shopping.”
“That's so cool and not to mention romantic.” He glanced at Sandra and following his gaze, Iramis realized that Sandra' had been listening in on their conversation. Sandra winked at her before she returned her attention back to trying to flatten a wayward curl standing up on Oscar's head.
Iramis leaned closer to Brandon so they couldn't be overheard. “One day when you fall in love like I did, and you too, will do anything for your ladylove.”
***********************
There were a mob of bodyguards waiting for them at the entrance to the hotel, but Iramis held back until her own bodyguards had secured the area before she stepped out and led her family into the hotel. The moment they crossed the wide expanse of the hotel lobby, she was met halfway by Ismael Yokuna, the UN's Secretary-General and Felicia Eisenborn, his deputy.
The cameras flashed repeatedly as she introduced her family and followed the two world leaders to a VIP marked room. When they entered, she found at least six other people in the room. A quick glance at Ermine and Gregori and her family was stealthily herded to the other side of the room where an extensive buffet was laid out. She shook her head at Brandon and Oscar's excitement at the variety of dishes displayed before them.
“Ah…boys everywhere are the same,” Ismael said in his heavy North African accent. “My sons would have reacted in the same manner to food.”
Iramis chuckled. “From the look on their mother's face, I think they will be chastised thoroughly.” She turned back to Yokuna. “Not to lessen the importance of the meeting, but I was hoping to take the family for an outing afterwards. Do you think we could start immediately?”
Yoken threw up his hands. “We can surely do so. Let me introduce you to the rest of the members.”
With one look at her family, she followed Yokuna to where Eisenborn and the other six UN officials waited.
*******************************
“Slow down, honey,” Sandra cautioned Oscar as the boy tried to cram a rather large of roasted duck in his mouth. “Here, let me.” She leaned over to cut the piece smaller. “Don't forget to chew first before you swallow.” She sat back and took a sip from her water. “And refrain from making it look as if we don't feed you.”
Except for the curt nod, the boys didn't lift their eyes from their plates. Sighing, she turned to Jenny, who like her, sported a modest selection of delicacies on her plate. She rolled her eyes at Sandra.
“I suggest that next time we simply take them to McDonalds. No one there would look at them funny were they to act like this.”
“Noted, baby,” Sandra murmured as she daintily picked at her prawn salad.
She shifted her gaze between the children and Iramis. From the almost dour expressions around the table, the topic of discussion seemed to be a hefty one. The doors open letting in a server, rolling a tray of coffee to the table. Had she not been looking at Iramis she would've missed the slight stiffening in her spouse's shoulders and the flash of rage that crossed Iramis' features. Gregori, who stood behind Iramis, took an immediate step closer to Iramis. The humans around the table looked bewildered when Iramis surged to her feet. Both she and Gregori moved as one towards the server. She didn't see they next move, for Ermine stepped before her, blocking her view.
“Get down, milady,” Ermine said in deadly quiet voice as she reached inside her ankle-length leather jacket. She's been around vampires long enough to know that they never panic nor overreact. She grabbed Oscar, who was the closest to her, and pulled him under the table with her.
“Jenny! Brandon! Get down under the table. NOW!”
The room suddenly exploded in a cacophony of uproar. There were loud voices, furniture being over turned and then the scariest, gunfire. She pulled her children closer and curled her body around them. Hearing Oscar whimper softly, she pressed her lips to his ear and whispered gentle assurance to him. Over Oscar's head, she could see bodies dropping to the carpet and she closed her eyes tightly, as she caught the sightless gaze of Felicia Eisenborn.
***************************
Iramis sidestepped the bullet and dove for the gunman. The gunman had been followed into the room by six other men with automatic weapons and rightly, he was the first to fall. Her claw dripped with blood as she sought out her next target. A bullet pierced her side, the unexpected pain making her growl in anger.
“Iramis!”
At the sound of Sandra's voice, she burst into action. Her whole body vibrated with anger when she saw the man lifting his gun, aiming at her wife. At that moment she was more beast than human. The man's finger twitched, but before he could follow through, she was on top of him. His body exploded in a shower of blood as she tore through him. She watched dispassionately as his body hit the floor, split in half.
“Milady…”
She jerked back to the present, to find both Sandra and Ermine looking at her with wide eyes. Behind them, she caught the horror-filled eyes of her children. Shame and fear filled her being as she saw Oscar crawling over to Sandra to hide behind her. Knowing that she must look like a spectre from a horror film with her body covered in blood, Iramis quickly turned away from her family.
“Milady, it's over. We need to move your family, before they send backup.”
Iramis blinked; her eyelashes heavy with her latest victim's blood. “Take care of them,” she said curtly before she walked away.
Scanning the room, she found the Council members cowering in the corner of the room behind a protective wall of her warriors. With bloodlust drumming through her, she walked past them to look down at the moaning man at her feet.
“You will not die quickly unless you tell me exactly what I need to know,” she rasped, not bothering to hide her fangs.
Tonight all this would end.
****************************
Sandra smiled encouraging at Oscar, trying to coax her baby out from where he lay sobbing under his bed. They had returned to the compound an hour ago and since then, Oscar had immediately sought refuge under his bed.
“It's okay, darling, you're safe now,” she murmured softly as she reached under the bed. The boy quickly crawled out of reach and Sandra eyes shooting full of tears. Her heart ached for her son, but it did so too for Iramis. Iramis hadn't returned with them and it hurt for Sandra to realise, that for now, it was a good thing. Oscar had cowered in her arms as they made the trip back to the compound.
“No,” came the teary voice. “Is mama here?”
Sandra's heart broke at hearing that. If ever there was a child of theirs who adored Iramis, it was Oscar. To hear the boy's voice grow thin with fear as he asked the question, was almost too much for her to stop the tears threatening to fall.
“No, my baby. Mama won't be back for a while.” As she said, it couldn't believe that she wished it was so. It would be extremely damaging for Iramis to come back tonight when her whole family was in a state of anxiety. Brandon and Jenny were also quiet on their way to the compound, but at least they had expressed concern for Iramis before they went to bed. A small hand reached out from the bed and with a sigh of relief, Sandra reached out to run her finger over the pale hand. “You're safe, baby. I won't let anyone hurt you.”
The boy's face slid out from under the bed. “Even mama?”
Sandra's eyes welled up with tears. Not once in the twenty years with Iramis, had she ever censured her wife. She never thought such an opportunity would ever arise. How mistaken she had been. She locked eyes with the shivering boy and prayed for Iramis to forgive her. “Yes, Oscar, not even mama.”
The boy crawled out from under the bed and into her lap. As she held his trembling body, her face buried in his hair, Sandra was dying inside.
She was so overwrought by her son's pain and her own, that she missed the quiet shadow standing in the dark corridor outside Oscar's room.
*************************
Iramis closed her eyes as the words echoed loud in her ears, seeping into her blood and settled in her heart. She turned away from the door, as if the act would lessen the pain of abandonment somehow, only to collide in a soft obstacle. Her eyes shot open and tears spilled over. She allowed herself to be led down the dark hallway, into a room and like a robot followed the soft, silent encouragements until she lay stretched out on the bed. The pain lessened a little as a small warm body curled up against hers. They lay like that in long silence until the silence began to hurt a little too.
“We love you, mama. Don't ever forget that.”
Iramis sighed deeply as she allowed the words to settle in the silence. A soft kiss against her cheek caused more tears to fall which were wiped away almost immediately. She angled her head until she met concerned hazel eyes. How strange life turned out to be. Fifteen years ago, she had cradled a crying hazel eyed baby against her chest, trying her best to reassure the infant of her love. Today, she was on the receiving end of that same mercy and love she had offered.
“I love you too,” she croaked and pressed her lips against a smooth forehead. “And I'm so sorry that you had to see all that.”
Jenny hoisted herself on her elbow and looked down at Iramis. “Why should you be sorry for protecting your family? We know what you are.”
Iramis looked away. “Oscar?”
“He'll get over it.”
Sighing deeply, Iramis pulled her daughter closer to her heart. If only things were as easy as Jenny made them out to be. She knew better. There were only two ways she could fix this and only one she knew she could live with.
*************************
Sandra carefully lifted Oscar onto his bed and stretched to relax the muscles in her back. Oscar was sleeping fitfully and she knew she couldn't leave him alone tonight. At the same time, she was aching for Iramis. Just as her children needed Iramis tonight, so did Sandra. After millennia of despondency, Sandra had awakened what little human emotions were left in the vampire. In doing so, she had made it her responsibility to help Iramis plot her way through this miasma of human emotions. Brushing a soft kiss across Oscar's brow, she slowly, feeling like an old woman, made her way down the hallway to check up on her other two children. Brandon's nightlight was still on and she stepped into the room to switch it off.
“How's Oscar?”
Startled, she looked at her son, to find his eyes wide open, studying her sombrely.
“He's asleep now.” She combed her fingers through his hair. “You should try to sleep too.”
He turned onto his back, his chin jutted out stubbornly. “I'm waiting for mother.”
With a deep, heart wrenching sigh, Sandra took a seat on the bed and closed her eyes tightly. In the absence of Iramis, Brandon had always been her refuge, her confidant. They spoke openly and truthfully and she wasn't going to change that tonight.
“After tonight…I…I don't…Oscar is scared of her.” She swallowed hard. “I don't know what to do.”
Brandon sat up, even as his eyes bored into hers. “As long as you don't do what I think you're planning to do.”
Sandra didn't hide her surprise as she looked at her son. “What do you mean?”
Brandon's eyes were hard as they studied her face. “Don't push mother away. Not even because of Oscar.”
Stunned by hearing her own thoughts spoken out loud, Sandra dropped her face in her hands and for the first time that night, allowed tears to fall. She felt a tentative touch on her shoulder. “What else can I do? I'm in the middle of all this and I…” she wiped at the tears. “I have to make a choice between being a mother and wife.”
Brandon scooted closer and pulled her into his arms. Sandra went willingly as she nestled in the arms of her son. “There is no choice to make, mom. Oscar needs to find a way to understand what happened and he needs to find a way to deal with it, no matter how scary all this is.”
Sandra pulled out of Brandon's arms. “That's a bit harsh, don't you think? He's just a boy.”
“And mother is a freaking vampire,” Brandon snapped. “We know that. The whole world knows that.” He shook his head. “We'd all be dead if she hadn't done what she did. Next time ask Oscar if he'd rather be dead.”
“Brandon!”
Sandra was shocked by her eldest's outburst. Somehow she had thought he would understand her dilemma and maybe try to accept that things would have to change. But she didn't expect this from him.
“I'm not losing my mother over this.” His eyes shot full of tears. “You should be ashamed for even considering this, mom. She…mother…” His voice broke. “…She's being measured according to human standards, which is not fair. She's NOT human, yet she tried to live and love like one.” Brandon turned on his side, his back to Sandra. “I'm not losing my mother.”
Sandra sat in stunned silence, staring at the tense shoulders of her son. She only took a shuddering breath again after she'd rolled Brandon's words through her mind again. This was the second time in a very short time that another of her children had, not in so many words, branded her a hypocrite. A mere twenty-four hours ago, she had stood before her wife, in a smelly alley, and apologised for doing just that. Warm tears streaked down her cheeks as she stared through a veil of tears at Brandon. She slowly came to her feet and quietly left the room. Outside in the hallway, she leaned against the wall and covering her mouth, stifled the moan of pain rising from deep inside her being.
************************
Iramis' eyes snapped open and she carefully sat up, making sure not to disturb the sleeping girl lying next to her. She had heard Brandon and Sandra's voices in the room next door, but as was her habit to afford her family privacy, had blocked out the conversation. It was only when a sharp stab of pain had sliced through her, had she known that it was time to step in.
Sandra needed her.
Her heart jerked at the sight of her wife; bent over at the waist and her hands covering her mouth as she tried to choke back tears. She quickly walked over and startled by her sudden appearance, a soft squeak left Sandra's lips. Iramis swung her distraught wife in her arms and with long purposeful strides, carried her to their bedroom. She gently laid Sandra on the bed and curling her body around the woman, allowed Sandra to cry. Feeling helpless as she listened to the heart-breaking sobs of her wife, Iramis cursed herself for not having listened in on the conversation. What did Brandon say that could've caused Sandra to be in this state?
She pressed closer to Sandra, the act causing more of Sandra's pain to cleave through her being. She knew Sandra would hate her for this, but all this crying surely wasn't good for her. Throwing her arms around her wife, Iramis turned Sandra until she could see her eyes. The red-rimmed eyes widened in instant comprehension.
“Don't!” Sandra murmured.
Iramis pursed her lips, before she nodded and pressed a kiss to Sandra's cheek. “It's been a difficult day for all of you.”
“Yes, but don't put me to sleep.” She turned in Iramis' arms. “Tomorrow could be much worse, if I don't deal with all this tonight.”
Iramis sighed as she lay back, staring at the ceiling. “I can't help but think I'm the cause of all this. My being what I am finally caught up with me.” She turned her head to look at Sandra. “Maybe I should just disappear. Give them time to get use to all this before…”
Sandra sat up quickly. “You will do no such thing.”
“But…” She was giving Sandra a way out. Why was the woman not taking it? She wouldn't have considered this, if it wasn't something Sandra would've appreciated. In her long existence she'd learned that when faced with a tough decision, humans, at least the ones she was in contact with, always chose to wipe the issue under the carpet once and for all.
“ Your children will not forgive me if you did.”
Iramis sighed. “Then what should I do? I can't stick around when my youngest is scared of me, Sandra.”
A soft hand cradled Iramis' cheek. “You're a vampire and Oscar knows that. He simply forgot…for a moment.”
A sad smile pulled at Iramis' lips. “I've evolved, my love.” Saying it, she felt the beast in her shook itself, its claws piercing her insides as it stretched like a lazy cat. “I'm more than a beast now. I'm a wife and a mother.” Sandra's face blanched as she reached out to her, her eyes dark with regret. “No, you didn't offend me in any way. Just like any mother, human or beast, my children are my priorities now.” The beast reared its head, as if in acknowledgement, and Iramis knew instinctively that her eyes were glowing red. “I feel more now. I love more and I hurt so much more. All that thanks to you.” She braced herself for the impact when Sandra threw herself in her arms. Her heart broke as the wrecked sobs of her wife filled the quiet room.
Carefully, she rolled over until Sandra was cradled deep in her arms. Her mind sorted through millennia of memories until it found the one she'd buried deep, so deep that even she, at that time, had thought it wouldn't surface easily again.
The room was dark, cigarette smoke and air fighting for what little space was left unoccupied in the area. Loud music assaulted her ears as her eyes wandered over the writhing mass on the dancefloor. It finally settled on her companion and she had to fight hard to keep her amusement in check. Adomini looked so uncomfortable sitting next to her. She leaned over to draw his attention only to have him almost jump out of his skin at the touch.
“It's called a nightclub and the whole idea is to look relaxed,” she said loudly over the music. Red eyes met hers and she cocked her head. “Now, we don't want to scare the patrons, do we?”
Adomini shrugged under her touch and sat up even straighter. “Why would they do this to themselves?” He held up the glass in his hand. “This tastes like poison.” He pointed at the lines of heroin before him. “That white powder is so vile and yet they keep on snorting it.”
“That's being human, my friend. Their lives skim past in the blink of an eye and they want to cram as much experiences as they can into as short a time as they can.”
“But instead they're shortening it.” Adomini took a sip of his gin and tonic and grimaced. “If this demon spit won't kill them then it's the powder or that sexually transmitted malady.”
Iramis once again made a quick sweep of the dancefloor. Whatever demon had won the lotto for supervising the 1980's surely had the cruellest streak of all. Humans were dying left right and centre. The stench was sometimes too much to bear; and not only the smell from the houses she passed which housed dying humans. So many were decaying inside and they were not even aware. Her eyes touched on a man only few feet away surrounded by what seems to be his admirers. Media outlets touted him as the next best thing to hit the fashion world. If only they had her supernatural sense of smell. He had but a few measly months left before he joined the countless number on the obituary page. Aids was a much more vicious killer than the worse Ridgewell assassin.
“He's making a move,” Adomini's voice cut in on her contemplation. She threw one last look at the fashion designer and was surprised to meet his eye. He knew. She gave him a sad smile and watched as he returned an even sadder one. Iramis made a point to visit him in the hospital, but first she needed to find the Ridgewell coven. She gave the man a short nod before she followed Adomini out of the crammed nightclub. Outside, they waited in a dark alley for the young vampire to finish feeding.
“I simply cannot see myself living amongst these humans. They're not even fit for feeding off,” Adomini muttered as he waved cigarette smoke away. He was staring murderously at a group of youngsters smoking nearby. “It's good that they're killing themselves.”
Iramis sniffed the air delicately. The scent made her sigh. At least three of the five young men were afflicted. Her mind conjured up the sad look in the man's eyes, the one she'd met in the club. They, humans, were weak and easily wrecked, but very resilient. Only a few vampires would be brave enough to face their demise head-on. Unlike Adomini, she could see herself living amongst them, with them and maybe for them. She could even see herself loving them…even unconditionally.
Iramis stiffened suddenly. She'd been so lost in thought that she failed to pick up the soft footsteps coming down the hallway to their room. It was only when the door swished open that she was alerted of the presence of the newcomer. Slowly, extra slowly, not to startle the newcomer, she rose from the bed and made her way to the bathroom. She listened as the soft treat came into the room and stopped at the bed.
Her sudden movement must've jostled Sandra out of her lethargic state, for she heard the rustling of bedding as her wife sitting up.
“Baby, come here.”
For a moment all she heard was the breathing in the other room. Her heart began to thud wildly as she heard the same soft footsteps coming towards the bathroom. She knew she had to teleport, but something held her back. And then she heard it.
“Mother?” The voice was soft and broken.
Her eyes shot full of tears, blurring her sight of the door. Oscar was on the other side of the door.
“Mother?” The soft call caused an avalanche of tears to cascade down her face. Even if she wanted to see him, she couldn't make him witness the blood tears, not after what he'd seen today.
“I know you're in there, mother.”
Soft sniffling sounds reached her ears and Iramis knew she couldn't for the life of her not respond.
“Yes.”
A soft exhale met her ears and she froze when the door was pushed open and a small hand reached in. Iramis fell to her knees and leaned forward to place a gentle kiss on the pale, shaking hand. The hand opened and cradled her cheek and more tears came as a small thumb aimlessly began to wipe at them.
“I'm sorry, mother.”
She swallowed hard. “I'm so sorry too, my son.”
The door opened further and a small pajama-clad body crawled in and straight into her arms. Iramis held onto her son as he settled deep in her arms, his face pressed into her breasts. She was right. Humans were so much more resilient than they gave them credit.
She didn't know how long she'd been sitting there cradling her son. By the time that the door pushed open to allow Sandra in, Oscar was fast asleep in her arms, his hair damp with Iramis' tears. As if it was an everyday occurrence to spend the night on a cold bathroom floor, Sandra settled behind Iramis, pressing against Iramis' back.
Epilogue
Adomini walked around Sandra, his eyes sharp and critical. Finally he came to stand next to Iramis, his eyes bright with approval.
“She is a masterpiece.”
“I can hear you,” Sandra muttered softly. She smiled as she met Iramis' eyes. Iramis grinned even as her eyes darkened with desire.
“I know you can, my heart,” Iramis admitted as she walked over to tower over Sandra. Sandra couldn't help as her eyes took in the specimen that was her wife. Things…everything…emotions, touch, taste and sight was so amplified. She's only been vampire for three days and already she loved her new abilities. For one, she could hear the children from anywhere in the house. Her best discovery, however, was that she could sense her wife's thoughts. She was stunned by how many times Iramis fantasized about pushing her up against a wall and ravishing her. To think that that was what the vampire had thought about almost ten times a day, every day, for the past twenty years was too much to comprehend. It helped to realize that Iramis kept on forgetting that Sandra was now vampire and that she had free access to Iramis' thoughts.
“How are you doing?” Iramis smiled tenderly as she cradled Sandra's cheek. “You've always been beautiful, but as an immortal; you take my breath away.”
Sandra leaned into the touch. “Imagine how it must be for me. It's like I'm seeing you for the first time; your power, your allure. I struggle to keep my thoughts guarded around you.”
Iramis' eyes darkened with dangerous desire.
“Ok. I think it's a sign that I should find something to occupy myself with,” Adomini whispered and hastily left the room.
Iramis chuckled, even as her eyes shaded to red. “Are you thinking what I'm thinking?”
Sandra bit down on her lower lip, drawing blood. Iramis' eyes grew an even darker shade of red as her gaze settled on Sandra's lips.
“Yes, I can read your mind. But first…”
“Yes,” Iramis interrupted even as she reluctantly pulled her gaze from Sandra's lips. “It's my turn to help with the homework.”
Sandra nodded and pushed passed Iramis, licking her lips. “I'll be waiting for you in bed. Oscar's teachers expect an A from him; make sure he doesn't disappoint them. “As she strolled out of the room, she could feel Iramis' eyes on her and it made her chuckle softly knowing that they had the whole night…as well as the stamina to explore each other thoroughly.
THE END