Dedication
To Esther and Anna.
This book would never have come to life without you.
Let men tremble to win the hand of woman, unless they win along with it the utmost passion of her heart!
Nathaniel Hawthrone
A brief history of the world
Many centuries ago, vampires decided to reveal their existence to mortals. Humans shivered as they became aware of the hunter among them. Out of shadows, vampires had been guiding the fate of different peoples for a long time. It was necessary for their survival to enter into a symbiosis with humans. They were used by the vampires as food. During the centuries many people fell victim of the bloodlust of the vampires. But that didn’t stop many of them offering themselves as bloodwhores at an early age.
Dealing with mortals was also not safe for the beings of the night. Sometimes a strong spiritual bond developed between human and vampire. If this happened, the immortal had only the choice to make the human being one of their own or to perish as soon as his soulmate died. Over time, both species learned to live together.
But human or vampire, neither fate nor life care about any of these species ...
First Part
Victim
Age
6
Miranda
She had been waiting for quite a while. When was the slut gonna leave? She had to get to her stupid job now, didn’t she? She had always left at this time in the last few weeks.
The babysitter shouldn’t be a problem. If she said who she was, the kid already would confirm that. Once she’s in the apartment, it’d be easy to get rid of the babysitter. She’d be alone with the kid. There was no reason why her plan shouldn’t work.
It had to work! Then her problems would be gone. Not only that. If everything worked out as she planned, she’d be able to beat the old slut. This was the much greater incentive behind her plan.
Finally she saw the light going on in the hallway. The time was right. And who else would sneak through the dilapidated house at this hour? The apartments were not only small, but rancid. For Miranda it had been a reason to escape from home as soon as possible. One of a number. It was her goal to find her luck elsewhere. And it looked like she had succeeded.
Providing her plan worked out...
The front door opened and a tall, tired looking middle-aged woman stepped onto the street. She wrapped the brown coat around the skinny body to protect herself from the wind. Slowly she walked along the sidewalk, while some strands of red-brown hair came loose from her plait and fluttered back and forth in the wind.
Miranda pulled her lips and turned up her nose when she saw how old her mother had grown. She avoided them consciously. The only contact she kept in secret was with her sister. The girl was the key to her success.
In the last weeks Miranda had visited the little one again and again at school. Every time she pretended it felt like the worst thing in the world for her to leave her. And the little one? Of course, she jumped straight at it. The only thing that didn’t work as planned was the effort to pass the buck to her mother. The little girl always remained stubborn and explained how much her mother missed her.
Miranda, of course, didn’t believe a word the little brat said. She wasn’t stupid. Her mother was to blame for all the problems she was now threatening to crush. And she was not a bit better than her. That’s what Miranda told her when she packed her things and ran away. Well, she had no choice anyway. If she hadn’t left voluntarily, her mother would have kicked her out. However, Miranda did not want to give this satisfaction to her. Neither then nor now.
Her sister had just turned five at the time. Certainly her mother had succeeded in distorting the circumstances and portraying Miranda as the evil one. But she didn’t care. Okay, at least it didn’t until she realized how useful her little sister could be.
Finally her mother turned the corner and disappeared from Miranda’s field of vision. She took a quick look at her watch. She had a few more minutes before she had to be at the meeting point with her sister. What a happy coincidence that her mother worked at night.
She waited another five minutes in anticipation. She needed to be sure. If her mother returned unexpectedly, her plan was dead. Then she jumped up and walked to the front door. Right next to the door there were countless bells, but Miranda did not have to search for long. She unerringly pressed the button to the apartment where she had once lived herself.
»Theresa? Have you forgotten something«, a unknown voice rang out.
»Um, no, it’s Miranda. I am Theresa’s daughter«, she explained quickly and waited. It remained silent for a while at the other end of the intercom.
»Daughter? She didn’t tell me about another daughter«, the voice declared suspiciously.
»I haven’t been there for a while because I’m very enthusiastic about my studies. But now I have a few days off and wanted to visit my family. You can call my mother if you want, or you can just ask Penelope«, Miranda replied. Hopefully the babysitter chose the second option. After all, her mother didn’t know about the contact she had with her small sister. She certainly wouldn’t be happy about that.
A click sounded in the intercom and Miranda waited. She had to be patient. Anything else wouldn’t get her any further. She wasn’t supposed to let on. It took a little while until it clicked again. »Mira?«, her little sister’s excited voice asked.
»Yes, Penny. Can you open the door for me? It’s really cold down here«, Miranda replied.
»Yes«, Penelope said and right afterwards the buzzer sounded. With a wildly beating heart Miranda stepped into the house and hurried up the stairs.
»Will you stay here forever?«, Penelope asked her again. Miranda suppressed a groaning and instead forced herself to take a loving look at her sister. »Just for a while.« Out of the corner of her eye, she watched the babysitter. That old scaredy-cat had to go. Ideally quickly, because time was running out.
»I think it’s great that you’re here«, Penelope kept babbling. Miranda looked at her little sister. She had the same reddish brown hair as her mother. Miranda had had it too before she decided to bleach it. Now blond hair cut to a fashionable short hairstyle adorned her head.
»Me too, little one«, Miranda vowed with a dripping sweetness in her voice. Then she looked at the babysitter. It was time to give it a try. »If you want, you’re welcome to go home. I’m here now and I can watch Penelope.«
»I don’t know. I promised your mother I’d take care of her until she got back«, the woman replied and looked doubtfully back and forth between them and the front door. Apparently, Miranda’s offer didn’t come at a bad time.
Miranda gave the stupid cow her sweetest smile and drew Penelope to herself. She willingly let it be done and replied the embrace.
»Oh, please, can’t Mira take care of me? I want her to take me to bed«, Penelope explained and unexpectedly helped Miranda. The babysitter could not oppose the child’s pleading gaze.
»All right. I’ll call your mother in the morning so we can figure out how to do this the next few nights. And Penelope has to go to bed in half an hour«, the woman finally stepped in.
»Don’t worry, I’ll do it«, Miranda promised and made a symbol of innocence. »Have a nice evening and enjoy your free time.«
»I’ll probably do that«, the woman replied while she was already slipping into her coat. Miranda watched with great satisfaction as the woman left the apartment with a final greeting. Now it was finally time. Their plan has been turned into reality. She was waiting a few minutes for the babysitter to disappear.
»Can we play something before I go to bed?«, Penelope asked. Miranda’s heart began to beat faster. The little girl offered her the perfect model. »I have a better idea. What do you say we take a little walk? I really want to show you something.«
»Oh, yeah, I’d love that«, Penelope explained immediately and jumped up. She ran into her room to put on her coat and shoes. Miranda picked up her cell phone and dialed her contact man’s number. »It’s me, Miranda«, she just said and listened with one ear to the sounds her little sister made while dressing. »We’ll be there in half an hour. Get the car ready.«
Jonathan
He looked out the window and was enjoying the quiet night. In the last few minutes he had been busy watching the woman who had come to sell her child to them tonight while she happily walked off the property.
He didn’t really care about these mothers. Well, let them do it. The children were often even better off here. His cousin Sara took care of the newcomers. Besides, there were other things that kept Jonathan busy. Major things.
For some years now they have been taking in children. It all started with a clan of friends and was a great success. Zacharias‹ clan helped them with tips on dealing with the children and their education. Jonathan’s family, in turn, had shown them how to bind warriors and day guards to themselves without binding their souls.
This exchange brought many advantages for both clans. And in the meantime a good friendship had developed from it. It began as an alliance. As a pact to work together against a clan that had caused them all difficulties.
Jonathan sighed deeply. If the situation didn’t improve soon, he had to fall back on this alliance.
There was a knock. Before Jonathan could say anything, the door opened. Sara stepped inside. Long blonde hair with wild curls lay around her head and on her lips, usually surrounded by a mischievous smile, was a serious move now.
»What’s so important to make you forget the rules of politeness, dearest cousin?«, Jonathan asked. He wasn’t angry. Even if she hadn’t waited for his »Come in«. He just loved to tease his cousin. Contrary to her habits, however, she did not respond to it, but stayed close to him.
»I’m afraid there’s a problem with the new kid. And it’s my fault. I wasn’t paying enough attention«, Sara explained.
Jonathan frowned. What problem could a six-year-old ever create? Children were innocent and easy to manipulate. Although, there was one thing he could think of.
»SinTex?«, he asked.
He watched his cousin shake her head. »No. The mother was clearly dependent on SinTex, but I can’t smell anything like that on the kid.« Jonathan nodded. Well, if that wasn’t it, the problem couldn’t be that worse. SinTex was what they had to worry about. This new drug had appeared a few months ago. They didn’t know exactly what it was yet. However, it quickly became clear how dangerous this drug was. The consumer was already irrevocably dependent on it after the first intake. And not only that. Whatever was in it, it seemed to sharpen all senses for a short period of time, which quickly made the consumer boisterous. If the effect faded, however, this drug seemed to paralyze its victims. In addition, stories have been coming up for several weeks about how many of the dependent life-threateningly hypothermic as soon as the effect subsided. The news kept saying that the victims had spent a night outdoors in sub-zero temperatures.
»Then what is it?«, he asked after he and Sara had been quiet for a while. »Well ... it looks like ... I’m afraid the mother of the child wasn’t the mother at all. At least not if you believe the child«, Sara explained hesitantly. Jonathan took a sharp breath. That was truly a problem. Or it could at least become a problem if they didn’t do the right thing. »How could this happen?« he asked.
»I don’t know either. Like I said, it was my fault. They looked so alike. And even though I found her a little young to be a mother ... she had all the papers with her - birth certificate and similar. I haven’t done any more asking. The kid himself didn’t say anything until the woman left. When she asked me where her sister had gone, I naturally became sensitive. But the sister was no longer to be found. I don’t know how she got out so quickly.«
»Do you know who the mother is?«
»That’s what we’re trying to find out right now. What shall we do now?«
»The first thing we must do is try to contact the mother. Everything else will be clarified when we have found her«, Jonathan decided.
»All right.« Sara waited a moment before turning around to leave the room. Jonathan wanted to let her go first, but then he thought about it. »Sara, wait. Bring me the child. Maybe I’ll find out what’s behind it. »If the sister smelled of SinTex, maybe the kid knows something about it.«
Sara turned slowly and Jonathan could feel her gaze clearly in his back. »This stuff keeps spreading. Is anything more precise known by now«, she muttered.
»No. I sent Kevin to get us a sample. Maybe we can find out what components make this stuff that dangerous.« He shook his head. »If it spreads at this speed, it will soon no longer be available only here on the coast. I think it’s time to invite our friends from the city to prepare them. Maybe we can get information faster if we work together. We can also do a lot better from two locations.«
»Do you trust Kevin? What if he takes some? After all, he is a mortal«, Sara pointed out.
»But he is one of our warriors. I totally trust him. We do not bind them to us for nothing in order to assure us of their loyalty.«
»You’re probably right. I hope he succeeds.« Sara turned around again and walked towards the door. »I’ll send the child«, she said before she left the room.
Theresa
She sat in the back seat of the taxi and picked a tissue nervously with her hands. Since the call, she felt helpless and overwhelmed. She didn’t know what to do.
Why had she been so careless? How could this have happened? Her little daughter with vampires. Sold!
How had Miranda managed to get to her? How did she manage to convince the babysitter? What would she do now? Surely Miranda had received money from the vampires to keep Penelope with them. Money she didn’t have to redeem her daughter.
They couldn’t just take her away. What options did she have? The woman she had called at work seemed nice and quiet, but what did that mean? No one knew what was really going on in those vampires. No one but the vampires themselves.
The taxi driver drove towards the coast. Theresa had just been able to give him the address she had received on the phone. She didn’t even know where her little girl was right now.
The taxi driver, an elderly man in his mid-fifties and bald, looked into the rear-view mirror with his forehead wrinkled.
»Ma’am, are you all right?«, he asked and looked closely at her. Theresa breathed deeply and tightened her shoulders. She had to stay strong and keep her nerve. If she went mad, she couldn’t help Penelope.
»Yes, I’m fine«, she whispered and wiped the tears off her cheeks with the remains of the tissue in her hand.
»You know, you don’t look like you’re doing well. And I know the area you want me to drive you to. This is the vampire area.« The taxi driver seemed seriously concerned about her. For a split second, Theresa thought about telling him everything. But that was probably not a good idea.
»I just had a fight with my husband«, she lied and smiled in the rearview mirror. »This has nothing to do with the vampires.«
»May I ask what you have to do with the bloodsuckers?« He obviously didn’t like vampires much.
»You may, but I will not answer it.« Theresa knew how rude she seemed, but she couldn’t tell him. No one was allowed to know what had happened to Penelope tonight. Otherwise they might have taken her away. Provided she got her back from the vampires.
What would she do if they wanted to keep Penelope? What options did she have? None against vampires at all. No mortal had ever managed to do anything about them. And God knows there were enough organizations that tried to diminish the influence of the vampires.
Some did so in public, with demonstrations and stuff like that. Theresa knew - like everyone else - how many organizations were acting out of the underground. But she had nothing to do with it. Nothing. All she wanted was her daughter.
The car turned into one of the villa districts that were right on the beach and slowed down. Theresa’s gaze wandered over the many houses. She would never be able to afford an apartment in this locality. She could barely keep even the small apartment in the poorest part of the city with her sparse salary. Only sometimes there was still some money at her disposal at the end of the month. She used these special opportunities to do something for Penelope.
How did it all get so out of control? She had only been a few hours away from home and sure to leave Penelope in safe hands. How did Miranda manage to kidnap her little daughter? She didn’t even have to ask why. She was looking for the money. The caller had clearly emphasized that Penelope had been sold to her vampire clan.
Finally the car stopped and Theresa started digging in her handbag. In the rush, she completely forgot to have to pay the taxi driver. She took a nervous look at the taximeter and swallowed. She never carried that much money. How could she have known the trip would cost her almost a week’s pay? She bit herself on the lower lip and thought desperately about what she could do.
Just as she was about to confess to the taxi driver how impossible it was for her to pay the required price, there was a knock on the driver’s window. Frightened, Theresa looked up as the taxi driver rolled down the window and the woman, looking at Theresa with a friendly look, gazed suspiciously at her.
With a skilful movement, the woman stroked the blond curls off her face and urgently eyed Theresa out of her grey eyes.
»I suppose we spoke on the phone?«, the vampire asked. Theresa nodded frightened. How was she gonna convince that woman to give her little girl back? The vampire also nodded and handed the taxi driver some bills. » Keep the change«, she said to him and then looked back at Theresa. »Would you get out? I think it’ll be more comfortable to discuss everything else inside.«
Theresa nodded silently and then opened the door. She held the small handbag tightly while clutching it with both hands. She didn’t know what to say. So she just followed the vampire while she heard the cab drive away.
Again Theresa pressed her lips together. I guess it wasn’t that serious about the taxi driver’s worries. He couldn’t get out of here fast enough.
»You seem uneasy. There’s no need for that. We have no intention of harming you. Your daughter is well, too«, the vampire who seemed to feel her stress promised. They walked towards the huge villa, the back of which was directly adjacent to the beach. The wall of the house was painted white and blue shutters hung on each window. How many times had she dreamed of raising Penelope in an area like this? But these were just dreams. Unreachable.
»Please come in«, the vampire asked her and Theresa noticed that she had stopped to admire the house. Nervously, she took the last few steps separating her from the front door and then entered the large entry hall of the house.
»Where ...?«, Theresa started, but immediately fell silent again. Could she dare just ask about Penelope?
»Your daughter’s asleep right now. She’s obviously not used to being awake at this hour«, the vampire explained. »Follow me, please.«
She left without assuring herself Theresa was following her. She didn’t think of resisting the vampire’s request anyway. After all, this was all about Penelope’s safety.
They entered the room that could have been described as a huge living room. The whole room seemed to serve only to accommodate a seating group. Nothing else. Walls and floor were covered with light wood and the ceiling was decorated with elaborate stucco. The furniture seemed heavy, yet inviting.
»Have a seat«, the vampire told her. »Do you want a drink while we wait for the others?«
»The others?« Theresa looked up in shock. Being around one vampire made her uncomfortable. And now there should be more?
»My brothers and sisters«, the vampire explained reassuringly while pointing at an armchair. »Please sit down. I promised you that nothing would happen to you. So why are you so scared?«
»My daughter ...« Theresa’s voice broke off and tears came to her eyes.
»Your daughter is well and you will be able to take her back with you. We only have some questions«, the vampire explained.
»Really? I can take her?« Relief flooded Theresa. They wouldn’t take away her Penelope.
»Of course. She’s your daughter, isn’t she? What happened was our fault, not yours.«
»I still don’t understand how everything got this far«, Theresa confessed. Now that she knew they wouldn’t take Penelope away, she felt much more relaxed. Maybe the vampires weren’t as bad as it was told.
»This is something we want to find out. That’s why we want to talk to you«, the vampire explained. »But I forget the rules of courtesy. First of all, I think I should introduce myself. My name is Sara. I live here with my family.«
»It... it’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Sara«, Theresa stuttered. She was familiar with the rules of dealing with vampires. Every mortal was. »Well, I doubt that under the circumstances, Theresa«, Sara replied. Before Theresa could respond, the door opened and more vampires entered. Tense and as unobtrusive as possible, Theresa looked at her. She always thought the vampires were threatening. But they did not. One vampire had his short, blond hair lying around his head in wild strands and his gaze seemed amused. He was wearing tight jeans and a checkered shirt.
Sara walked up to him. »This is my brother Clay«, she introduced him. Then she pointed to the vampire woman standing right next to him. »Violet, our little sister. She beats a little out of line, but we love her anyway.«
Violet hissed at Sara and then grinned. She was much smaller than the other vampires and could not have been older than fifteen when she died. Her hair had a strange color. It looked like the failed attempt to dye it.
»This is Marius. His transformation wasn’t long ago and he just recently joined our clan«, Sara continued. Theresa wondered why she was introduced to all the vampires in the house. Marius was more like the kind of vampire Theresa was afraid of. He was completely dressed in black and looked daringly at her. There was no emotion to suggest that he was alive. If she hadn’t known better, she would have sworn to see a sculpture there.
»And lastly, my cousin Jonathan. He’s usually a little stubborn.« Sara and Jonathan looked at each other with love. Theresa could see how close they were.
Jonathan seemed least of all present as a vampire. He was wearing jeans, just like Clay. But instead of a shirt he wore a sweatshirt. His brown hair was a little longer than Clay’s, but his eyes seemed more closed. He seemed thoughtful and a little melancholic to her.
Theresa managed a formal greeting and then waited for what happened.
Sara
Sara felt how stressed her guest still was. The mortal was obviously not used to dealing with vampires. However, she made an effort.
Most of the tension had gone away when Sara told her that she could take her daughter with her. Sara made only limited accusations about it. But maybe it would have been better to let her know it sooner.
After introducing them all, they sat down. Each of them had a preferred place. The armchair on which Theresa was now sitting was usually intended for visitors. Violet completely ignored the living-room landscape and took a seat on the windowsill instead. She loved to look out the window. Jonathan sat down in the outermost chair. Sara knew why he kept choosing that spot. From there he could observe the whole room. Clay took up the huge couch and Sara sat down there, too. Marius, on the other hand, seemed not to have found his place yet. But he, too, developed certain preferences over the years.
» Relax, Theresa. Your daughter’s asleep, as I said. We only have a few questions«, Sara explained to her again. Theresa nodded strained and waited in silence. Sara gave Jonathan a meaningful look. It had been his wish to talk to the mother, so now he should also ask the questions that occupied him.
Jonathan understood the hint and bent forward with interest as he now closely examined the human. »Why did your daughter want to sell her sister to us«, he asked without hesitation and they all saw the mortals flinch.
»It’s my fault«, Theresa whispered. »I should have seen it coming.«
»What do you mean?«, Jonathan hooked and frowned.
»Miranda, my older daughter ... she’s a drug addict. I can’t even blame her, because I was once myself a long time ago«, Theresa confessed. Sara could see how hard she had to admit that. » I was, until seven years ago. So Miranda has heard a lot of it, she’s practically been exemplified by me. So it’s my fault.«
»You’ve been clean for seven years?« Jonathan suddenly seemed not only busy, but seriously interested. Theresa nodded. »Penelope’s father, he was also from the scene. I loved him very much. Then he died of an overdose. That was when I realized that the drugs would kill me sooner or later. I wanted to get clean, but I couldn’t. Not until I realized I was pregnant. That was the trigger to go to one of the drug centers to get help. I haven’t touched the stuff since. It didn’t seem fair to me. After all, they gave me Penelope to give me a chance to make things better.« Theresa herself seemed surprised to talk so frankly about her past. Sara took a side look at her twin brother. His self-satisfied expression clearly indicated who was responsible for the openness of the woman.
»And your daughter? Your older daughter, I mean.«
»Miranda? She was actually always a very sweet child. Only after Penelope was born did she change. She probably felt neglected. That was my fault for giving all my love and time to Penelope. She was my hope, after all. Miranda was on the road a lot anyway and, to be honest, I didn’t care where she was either. At that time she made her first experiences with drugs, but I didn’t know that. And this with my old ...« Theresa stopped and frowned. »...friends. They introduced Miranda to the drugs and gave her the attention that she wanted from me. By the time I realized it, it was already too late. Miranda cared more about drugs than my affection. She stayed away for nights and only came home to steal money from me or take something she could sell. I tried everything, but nothing helped. At some point, I gave her a choice: Either she’d get help or she couldn’t come back.«
»And she never came back?«, Jonathan suspected, and his voice now had a soft undertone. Sara knew it didn’t really touch him. Too many stories of this kind had already been heard. Many of the children who lived with them had experienced similar experiences. Theresa shook her head. »No. She just disappeared and never came back. From time to time I heard from the people she spent time with how she was doing. Until six months ago, anyway.«
»What happened there?«
»She must have tried a new drug. Suddenly her old friends weren’t good enough for her. I guess she wanted more.«
»SinTex«, Jonathan assumed and looked disgusted.
»I didn’t know about it then. But yes. A few weeks ago someone told me that he saw her with some people who are known in his circles to deal with SinTex. But what must have confused him very much was that Miranda didn’t look like a buyer. He suspected she was going to deal now. But not in some shabby alley. She must have pulled the big boys ashore.«
»And that’s for sure?« Jonathan’s body tensed up. Sara knew SinTex had been causing him headaches for a while now.
»No. Nothing is for sure. Miranda has built herself a whole new life in which I no longer play a role. And so far I didn’t think Penelope would play a role either. I never thought she could ...«, the mortal stagnated and sobbed.
»She might want to contact your younger daughter to sell her to us«, Clay finished the sentence for her. Theresa nodded and sobbed again.
»That throws a completely different light on the whole situation«, Jonathan muttered. He spoke softly so that the mortal could not hear him. Sara wondered what was going on in her cousin. He looked at Theresa. »Why is your daughter all alone at night?«
» She isn’t!«, Theresa replied sharply, bleaching out right after. »I mean, she’s never alone. I... nobody wants to hire me because of my former drug addiction. The only job I could find was in a run-down bar on the night shift. But our neighbor usually looks after Penelope when I’m at work at night.«
»Tonight too?«
»Yeah. I don’t know what Miranda told her to leave her alone with Penelope. Probably should have told Gwen about Miranda. and I didn’t want to risk being despised for my former behavior.«
»And this job?«
Sara frowned as she looked at Jonathan. What was he getting at?
»I don’t have it anymore«, Theresa whispered and a bitter undertone lay in her voice. »I’ve only worked there a few weeks. My boss wouldn’t let me go today. But I had to go! So I quit.«
Jonathan nodded and now Sara felt real compassion for the mortals for the first time. They had met many mothers over the years who didn’t care about their children. They had forgotten that there were others. Those who did everything for their children.
»That’s a problem, of course«, Jonathan muttered and then took a long look at Sara. When she looked into his eyes, she knew what was going on inside him. There was compassion in him too. She barely nodded noticeably and then they both looked back at Theresa.
»Well, Theresa, your older daughter sold Penelope to us tonight«, Jonathan started slowly and Theresa flinched violently. »Don’t worry, we have no claim on your child. Miranda had no right to sell her to us. However, your older daughter is our first real lead when it comes to the mystery of SinTex. This drug is very dangerous and we don’t like how quickly it spreads. I’m sure when your daughter realizes Penelope’s back with you, she’ll try to get to her again. This, in turn, is our chance to get to her. That’s why I have a proposition for you.«
Theresa looked at him with big eyes. Sara felt the panic of the human, but she just waited. She tried not to let her fear show. And that was truly impressive, since her little daughter was still in the care of the vampires. Jonathan seemed relaxed.
»We’re offering you a job. You can work for us. We’ll hire you as our day messenger, which means you’ll be home at night. We’ll pay you like any other of our employees. In return, you will notify us as soon as you hear or see something from your older daughter. And even if Penelope mentions something like that.«
»You ... You’re offering me a job?«, Theresa asked in astonishment. Sara wasn’t particularly surprised. It suited Jonathan to turn grievances in his favor.
»We do. Of course you’re gonna sign a non-disclosure agreement. We must be sure of your loyalty. You will see or hear many things here that must stay in this house.«
»Of course.« Theresa’s voice trembled excitedly. But all the fear and tension had suddenly disappeared from her. Sara nodded to her cousin, impressed. You couldn’t have come up with a better solution to this misery. This was the best way for them all and they could keep an eye on the child.
Jonathan was right. This little girl was her connection to the people behind SinTex. But it remains to be seen how far the older daughter’s relationships have gone.
Jonathan
»You’re very busy with the drugs thing, aren’t you?« The voice of Zacharias tore Jonathan out of his thoughts. You got here as soon as you could. Zacharias and his companion were with them to represent the entire clan. Jonathan nodded and looked further into the ocean where the moonlight was reflected. »This is one of the things that occupies me«, he replied after a while and then turned to his friend’s vampire. He leaned against the wooden railing that surrounded the entire roof terrace.
»What’s on your mind?« Zacharias seemed seriously interested. He shared Jonathan’s opinion about SinTex.
»You. And your mate«, Jonathan confessed. When Zacharias bared his teeth and his eyes briefly lit red, Jonathan noticed how wrong his choice of words must have gone to Zacharias. Soothingly, he raised his hands. »I didn’t mean it like that. Calm down.«
»I haven’t forgotten what you said back then«, Zacharias returned growling.
»Really? After over a hundred years, how can you still hold that little joke against me?«
»Joleen is mine!« Now Zacharias almost hissed.
»I’m aware of that. And I never had any serious interest in her. I was just teasing you a little then. But I admit I envy you and your brother a little. And Fayn, too. You seem to have found what we are all unconsciously looking for.«
Zacharias frowned as the last red glow disappeared from his eyes. »What do you mean?«
»Someone to love and be loved by. Someone who makes eternity not only bearable but worth living.«
»Is that what you’re looking for?« Zacharias seemed completely calm again. Jonathan nodded and then shrugged his shoulders. Was that what he longed for? Was he really looking for it? He didn’t know. He had been missing something for a long time - his existence tired him increasingly. When he saw Zacharias and Joleen together tonight ...
Yeah, maybe that’s what he wished for.
»I don’t know. But yes. Don’t we all wish for what you found in Joleen?«
»I think so. At least I can’t imagine my life without her.« The confession astonished Jonathan. Zacharias had always been very secretive. The time he spent with Joleen seemed to make him gentler. More accessible.
»Well, whatever you’re looking for, I hope you find it,« Zacharias explained, patting him on the shoulder amicably. »And as long as you keep your hands off my mate, we will continue to get along wonderfully, my friend.«
Now Jonathan had to smile. Joleen wasn’t his type anyway. She was too gentle, too delicate. He always picked the bloodwhores who were a little prickly. He wouldn’t really enjoy Joleen.
»Don’t worry. As I said before, I have never taken a serious interest in her.« The two vampires looked at each other for a long time before they both began to grin at the same moment and then went back into the house together.
While the members of his clan were still enjoying the company of friendly vampires, Jonathan already retired. He didn’t feel the need for company.
For a moment he thought about calling in one of the bloodwhores. But even after that he was not. He already knew that feeling. In recent years this restlessness has plagued him many times.
He left the house through the back door and went straight to the beach. Only here, when he looked at the infinity of the sea, did he find few moments of perfect peace.
»Hello.« A soft voice made him pull together. He had been fascinated by the sight of the sea, which is why he had not noticed anyone approaching him. Astonished, he turned around.
A child stood in front of him and looked at him happily. He knew the girl. A few days ago, he had explored her thoughts for clues about Miranda’s whereabouts.
»Penelope, what are you doing out here?«
The girl giggled and then quickly put her finger on her lips. »But you mustn’t tell anyone. Mom brought me today because she has to work. I’m supposed to be asleep, but I love the water.«
»And you snuck out?«, Jonathan suspected and smiled against his will. Since he could see and live through all of Penelope’s thoughts, he knew her quite well. She wasn’t a disobedient child. But she loved to keep little secrets from her mother.
»Yes«, she confessed quietly. »Will you betray me?«
»No, probably not. But you should still go to sleep«, he replied. He sat in the sand and let his gaze wander across the ocean again. From the corners of his eyes he saw Penelope sitting next to him trying to imitate his posture.
»The moon looks great«, said the child after a while. »It’s nice when it’s reflected on the water. This looks like magic.«
»There is no such thing as magic«, Jonathan explained calmly. But there was one point on which she was right: the picture that presented itself to them was beautiful.
»But maybe there is. And we just can’t see them because we don’t want to see it«, Penelope mused. Jonathan looked at the girl in surprise. She was only six, but when you heard her talk, you could think she was many times older. »Why would you think that?«
Penelope shrugged his shoulders and then looked at him as well. She reached out to him. »Have you ever eavesdropped on a shell?« she asked. When he looked at the palm of her hand, there was a spiral mussel. It wasn’t very big and there was sand all over it, just like Penelope’s fingers. But that didn’t seem to bother her when she held the shell to her ear and closed her eyes. »When you listen to a shell, you can hear the sea rustle. My mama once told me that. And that’s right. I think clams are a spell, too. They store the sound that the sea makes. So people who can’t go to the sea can hear that.«
She opened her eyes again and held out the shell to Jonathan. Her eyes were full of expectation and it was clear what she wanted: He too should now listen to the sea.
He sighed, but then did her a favor. Penelope waited a while while holding the conch to his ear.
»Can you hear it?« she asked excitedly and then took the shell out of his hand again. Jonathan nodded. It would not be fair to deprive the child of his illusion by explaining to her how this hissing really came about. »Yes, I can.«
»When I was little...« Jonathan laughed because that statement from the mouth of a six-year-old sounded a little strange. Penelope looked at him angrily and pinched her blue eyes together. »When I was even smaller than I am now«, she rectified, »I always wanted to go to the sea. But my mama never had enough money. On my birthday she gave me a shell and said that we can’t go to the sea, but I can always hear it with the shell if I want.«
»That was very nice by her.«
»Yes, my mama always does nice things for me. And she promised me that we could really go to the sea now and then. Because she works for you«, Penelope kept babbling.
»Well, that’s nice. Then why do you sneak out of the house at night to go to the sea?«
Penelope giggled again and then looked at the water washing around her naked feet.
»Because Mama’s always so scared. She thinks I can get hurt. If she’s not there, I can do things that are fun and a little dangerous. And Mama won’t have to worry because she doesn’t know I’m doing these things.«
Again Jonathan had to laugh. He liked Penelope’s view of things, even if she would probably lose them at some point.
»Still, we should go back in«, he decided, »When your mama finds your orphaned bed, it doesn’t make sense to sneak out secretly anymore. Because then she’ll know.«
Penelope looked for a moment as if she wanted to contradict him, but then she sighed and nodded.
»All right«, she said and jumped up. Jonathan had to grin again and then followed her back into the house. His restlessness had disappeared for the moment.
Theresa
She silently opened the door to avoid waking Penelope. She immediately turned her eyes to the bed in which her sleeping daughter was lying. Since she was kidnapped by Miranda, it has been very difficult for her to let her out of her sight. She was always plagued by the fear that now that everything finally seemed to be going well, something could happen that took Penelope away from her.
Her daughter sat up and looked radiantly at her. How much she loved that little girl. Her baby girl.
»Can’t you sleep, sweetie?« Theresa stepped into the room and went over to the bed. She hasn’t been working for the vampires long, only a few weeks, but she’s already enjoyed being here. Her work allowed her to be home when Penelope left school. And when she had to work at different times like today, the vampires allowed her to bring Penelope.
» I have. But I waited for you to come say good night to me«, Penelope explained and stretched out her arms to her mother. Theresa took her daughter into her arms. »But it’s late, Penny. You should be asleep. I have some work to do and then I’ll come to you.« She kissed Penelope on the forehead and then covered her carefully. Her daughter closed her eyes. »I love you, mum«, she whispered and snuggled deeper into the pillow.
»Me too, Penny Mouse«, Theresa replied and then stood up to leave the room.
She closed the door quietly and a warm feeling flooded through her. In recent weeks her relationship with Penelope had become even closer. Actually, she had to be grateful to Miranda for trying to sell her little sister to the vampires. Because her life was now much better. Not only financially.
She walked down the aisle and decided to go into the kitchen to see if there was anything else to do. She never had to cook for the vampires, but there were many bloodwhores and children living in this house. Since Theresa has always been a passionate cook, she was quickly transferred to the kitchen. There she prepared the meals in the morning, which only had to be warmed up once in the evening.
Suddenly someone grabbed her and pulled her into one of the rooms. A hand lay over her mouth to dampen her outcry while an arm wrapped around her waist. After she had got over the first shock, Theresa freed herself from the grip and turned around.
»You«, she said laughing and toed to kiss her attacker while she put her arms around his strong neck.
Kevin. The other reason why her life has been so much better lately. He was also in the service of the vampires, but as a warrior and protector. He was one of the best. Kevin was a little younger than her, but Theresa didn’t care.
Once she had given in to his advances, it was only a matter of time before she fell seriously in love with him. And he seemed to return those feelings.
Kevin’s hands drove under her top and skilfully loosened the closure of her bra. As he stroked her nipples with his fingers, they deepened their kiss. It took Theresa a long time to find the strength to break away from him.
»We can’t do this. So not now and not here. I have to work«, she gasped breathlessly.
»No one will notice«, Kevin gave back in a dark voice and immediately drew her back to himself. Theresa moaned and replied the kiss again. Her hands stroked his muscular chest until they reached the waistband of his pants. She opened the upper two buttons and drove her fingers along his already stiff penis.
Kevin grumbled happily and pushed Theresa’s skirt up. She grabbed his shirt and pulled him back a few paces by walking backwards. It wasn’t until she hit the wall that she stopped and whispered Kevin’s name.
His rough hands drove into her panties and before Theresa knew how it happened to two of his fingers penetrated her. She groaned and opened his pants completely. It slipped to the ground unnoticed.
This seemed to be entirely in Kevin’s mind, for now he pulled back his hands and embraced her thighs.
With one jerk he lifted her up and with a gentle handshake made her wrap her legs around his hips. She clung to him while he pushed her panties aside with one hand to penetrate her completely.
»Oh, my God«, Theresa took it and she clenched her fingers in his back while her mouth was close to his ear. »We really shouldn’t do this.«
»No, shouldn’t we?« Kevin grinned and struck. Theresa sighed again and Kevin sealed her lips with a long and passionate kiss.
»Maybe only for a moment«, Theresa gave back when they separated a little from each other. Kevin pushed her harder against the wall and hit her harder. Theresa moaned again and pulled her legs closer around his hips.
His hands pushed her T-shirt up while she let her fingers slide through his hair. She felt his bumps increase in speed and a pleasant tingling spread in her stomach.
When he came, Kevin held her close enough to make it difficult for her to breathe. Theresa didn’t mind. On the contrary, she loved it when he pressed her in this way.
Kevin remained motionless for a few seconds. Just held her clutched before he let her put her legs back on the floor. She smiled as he looked at her and gently stroked his cheek with her hand.
»You really shouldn’t keep me from work like that«, she blamed him, but then stood on her toes again to kiss him. Kevin just grinned, »But it’s a lot of fun«, he countered and slapped her on the ass.
Theresa laughed as she walked towards the door of the room. Kevin followed her to do his job. Those little moments they shared just made life perfect. Theresa didn’t know if they officially announced their connection, but she didn’t care. Her life was so much better. And that’s why her future didn’t look bleak any more.
Authors Note
Dear Reader,
I hope you enjoyed the preview.
Warriors Blue will be published on 05.10.17. At the moment you can pre-order the Ebook at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FM4FCLM
If you want to shorten the waiting time, read the first part of the trilogy. You can also find an excerpt of Crimson Red here on the profile. The complete book is available on Amazon.
Best regards
Jeanette Peters.
Impressum
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 16.07.2018
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