Thicker than Blood - Book One (Watty Awards 2012)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Heya dear readers!

Enjoy the new chapter and thank you for voting and fanning!

I also wanted to share the following story with you: Darth from Mr_Aek. It's a vampire story but it's very beautifully writen and incredibly original. I hope you'll take time to check it out ;)

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I woke up when my stomach protested loudly, I was starving. As soon as I moved Nathaniel tightened his arms around me for a short moment before releasing me. 'Let's get you fed little human,' he said.

I laughed, 'Little human?'

'Yes, MY little human,' he replied with a warm look in his eyes. They were the lightest shade of gray I'd seen on him so far. Was that because he was very sated right now?

'I thought we'd established that I was half Demon and a quarter Angel too? That means I'm hardly human,' I said as I climbed out of bed and shrugged into a white shirt of Nathaniel, buttoning it slowly in the front as I looked around the room for something else to put on.

Spotting Nathaniel's ripped jeans on the chair next to the closet I hurried over and slipped them on with a pair of panties. Bending down to roll up the pant legs and cinching a belt around my waist to hold them up.

Dressed, I sighed happily. Realizing that Nathaniel was watching me intently from where he stood, getting dressed himself in jeans and a tight dark gray shirt. 'I like it when you wear my clothes a ghrá mo chroí.'

Ignoring the comment besides smiling I made my way over the wall panel that hid some of my things and pulled it aside to get the small box of nicknacks. Digging around in it I soon found what I was looking for.

'What are you doing Ams?' Nathaniel asked curiously. He was kneeling behind me, surrounding me with his body heat.

I closed the box and returned it to it's place before carefully lifting the object I'd taken out of it. 'I dreamed about this in the bath...'

In my hands I held a single feather. It was white, almost iridescent and as long as my underarm... Each filament tipped with gold. The feather of an Angel, my grandfather's feather if I interpreted my dream memories right.

Nathaniel looked down on the object in my hands with a furrowed brow before he carefully lifted it from my hands. Inspecting it with a practiced eye.

'Do you know something I don't Nathaniel?' I asked him when he still didn't say anything but got up and moved to hold it in front of a light.

'Just look Ams,' he replied.

As he moved the feather in front of the lamp it sparked, there wasn't really a good way to describe it. But the feather seemed to come alive and radiate light or maybe it just reflected light in a very curious way.

'Would you like to meet him?' he suddenly said, his voice quiet, almost solemn as if he was lost in thought. Yet he turned those stormy eyes on me with a searching look as if he wanted to reach inside my mind and see what it would do to me if I did.

'Meet who?' my words came out a little breathlessly as I stared, almost enchanted at the feather as it lit up under the light. I'd never thought to hold it that close to a lamp...

'Your grandfather...' Nathaniel replied softly, he returned the feather to my hand and wrapped his arms around my waist to tug me into his chest. Surrounding me in a circle of warmth and protection.

'You know who my grandfather is?' I asked in wonder.

'I know who that feather belongs to a ghrá mo chroí,' Nathaniel replied, nodding his head towards the feather in my hand. He explained: 'Angel wings are very distinct, unique. So separate feathers are often easy to recognize as belonging to a certain Angel.

That one,' another nod to the feather in my hand. 'The wings it belongs to are very distinct indeed and well known amongst the supernatural community.' Somehow Nathaniel didn't sound very happy about it though... He looked almost troubled.

Weren't Angels good? So how could the thought of this particular Angel trouble him?

'Who is he Nathaniel? I would like to meet him...' The thought of having another relative alive was making my heart speed up. Maybe it wasn't just Hay and I on this world after all, although we now had a family with Nathaniel of course.

'He's the Regis of South America a ghrá mo chroí,' Nathaniel said as if that explained everything.

'Regis?'

'There's several major territories, each led by a Regis. All the Regis together sit on a council... They are the most powerful, oldest and their will is absolute,'  Nathaniel explained slowly.

'So in essence the Regis rule the world?' I asked.

Nathaniel nodded, 'Once, long ago it was the Angel's that each occupied a Regis position, they were called Archangel's then. But the last twenty-five thousand years other creatures have stepped up to take Regis positions.'

Twenty-five thousand years? God the supernatural history of the world was long! And probably filled with a lot more accurate details than what I had to learn during history in school.

Wait... Didn't Nathaniel once mention territories as well? Something about Thornten going after his?

'You're a Regis too aren't you? You're the Regis of North America?' I asked. Experiencing a moment almost like the 'light bulb' moments in cartoons. The revelation came so suddenly...

Nathaniel chuckled softly, 'Yes I am a ghrá mo chroí.'

'No wonder Dmitri fainted... So why did you look troubled when you found out my grandfather is a Regis as well? Is that a problem? Is he a mean man?' I asked in a hurry. At the thought of Dmitri I realized that particular vampire was dead now... Dead because he dared touch me.

'No I just find it hard to grasp how he could impregnate a woman in MY territory without my knowledge... He's also been in your home several times or you wouldn't have found one of his feathers. It means he either has powers I'm not aware of or the people in that particular area are more corrupt then I thought.'

'Oh I see... Hey, if Thornten is using this excuse that he has to punish Deidre by killing Jake to make a play for your territory, where is he from then?' I wondered.

'Fast thinking a ghrá mo chroí, Thornten is the Regis of Western Europe. His seat of power lies in London,' Nathaniel replied.

'So that time you spend in London, when you picked up the British accent, you spend under Thornten's rule?'

At that he shook his head, 'No at that time another Regis ruled Western Europe... Thornten and I served Razeal together. When Thornten killed her and took over her territory I left for America where I carved out my own territory.'

With an almost proud look on his face he said: 'I'm the youngest known Regis to have managed such a large territory and create stability.'

Which brought on the question: 'How old are you exactly?'

'I was born in 532 AD... You do the math a ghrá mo chroí.'

Fuck me he was old... I thought at the most 600 but damn! That was almost 1500 years and Jake was even older. Wow even Missy was almost that old but she didn't behave any different from the rest of the teenagers I knew.

'So how old is Thornten then? And more importantly, how old is my grandfather?'

'Thornten is a vampire like me and my guess is that he's about 5000 years old, he's been the Regis of Western Europe for nearly 500 years. Your grandfather... I don't know how old he is a ghrá mo chroí but old, very old indeed. He's the oldest Regis alive on the council.

Which is why I am so surprised to find out he fell in love with your grandmother... At his age, emotions, especially those of a human become to mean less. Things fade.

It was commonly thought that he is so old that he's lost all appetites of the flesh, both carnal and sustenance.'

'But I'm the living prove of how wrong that thought is...' I nodded, understanding things better now. 'I would still like it if you could tell me his name? I can't go around calling him Regis now can I?'

Nathaniel started guiding me out of the bedroom so we could make our way to the kitchen for food. 'Yes I suppose not. His name is Tlanextic.'

The name that rolled of his lips was very foreign and strange and when I tried to say it just the way Nathaniel had, (which sounded almost natural) I found myself tripping over my tongue. Great no wonder Nathaniel just kept saying grandfather or Regis...

Still lost in thought we reached the kitchen where I had another shock; Deidre was sitting at the table with Hayden in her lap. She looked like a real ice princess if not for the softening of her eyes ever time she looked at my brother.

Behind her stood another tall man, fair yet heavily muscled he looked like a real Nordic warrior. The image only enhanced by the thick golden locks that fell becomingly around his face and the heavy leather jacket with beautiful Nordic scroll work in gold on it.

I could easily see this man wielding a set of mean looking battle axes or a huge great-sword while wearing chain mail. This was a man that bathed in blood...

Yet I didn't think he was a vampire... I just couldn't figure out what he was, not a shape shifter, he didn't contain the lethal aura of a predator, at least not the way Devon or Jaden did. Nor did he have that certain stillness about him, the slightly offbeat breathing pattern that always seemed to accompany vampires.

Except Nathaniel, he was a master in appearing human... Deadly, beautiful but human.

Witches weren't immortal so it couldn't be that either, there was no doubt that this man had lived like a viking. The only other creatures I knew of were Angels and Demons and since he had no wings nor red eyes...

'Sammuel!' Nathaniel said from beside me, confirming my suspicion that this was the warrior my Mate had send to retrieve Deidre.

'My Lord,' the blond viking nodded respectfully, 'Please tell me you'll end this foolishness and quit playing school?' His voice had a slightly lilting accent the way only the Nordic people spoke and it was very pleasant to listen to.

'Yes my impatient friend, I suppose it is time we ended the charades once more,' Nathaniel nodded. He sounded a little tired and sad all of a sudden and I immediately reached out to wrap a hand around his, showing him my support.


'Deidre,' a nod in the redhead's direction that was on the edge of being disrespectful. Nathaniel strode past everyone and straight to the cupboards, ripping them open in search for something to eat for me. 'What would you like a ghrá mo chroí?'

'Oh I'll fix something, anyone else hungry?' Elliot immediately exclaimed, pushing Nathaniel aside when he lifted a pan off the stove and sniffed at it suspiciously. 'Never let a man who doesn't eat fix you food Amy... It'll taste gross.'

'Amen to that Ely!' Jaden said warmly from his position by the door.

The Nordic warrior suddenly threw back his head and laughed, a loud booming sound. 'Didn't think I'd see the day the great Nathaniel Flynn tried to prepare food. Other then seducing a pretty lady for his own meal...' His hulking figure shook with mirth.

I frowned... Nathaniel seduced pretty women to feed from? Didn't he say he puts them to sleep? No that was stupid, you can't just snap your fingers and have a person drop on the spot fast asleep. That would draw attention.

Still there was a bubbling feeling of jealousy in the pit of my stomach that I really didn't like. My mate seducing other women... Even if just to feed from them...

Everyone had gathered in the kitchen it seemed, with the panther at the door and Jake leaning against the wall next to it. Missy at the table staring intently at Deidre who was holding onto Hayden as if he was a lifeline. Then there was Seratin who stood at the backdoor, his body turned in such a way that he could watch the room and out the window to the world as well.

Which reminded me that I wasn't sure what Seratin was either.... He appeared to be a Vampire though but my guess was an old one too because he was good at hiding it, very good.

'It's a good thing you're so bloody good at what you do Sammuel or I'd have you punished for your insolence,' Nathaniel said and he sounded completely serious. I would have believed he meant it if not for the faint feeling of amusement that I felt through our bond.

'Eh Elliot just a sandwich is fine...' I said and made my way over to him so I could hop onto the counter. He shook his head with an amused smile and busied himself making pancakes instead.

'So... Amelia, how's the sore muscles?' Jaden teased from his spot by the door.

'All better, ready for another bout of practice?' I shot back with a smile flipping out a knife from the wide holster around my waist. Nathaniel insisted I started wearing that everywhere, just to make sure I had a weapon on me at all times.

'No thanks... Maybe you can trick Sammy into it?' Jaden replied, flinching melodramatically.

'Sammy ain't going to play target, only you're stupid enough to agree to that you silly cat,' the warrior jibed. Turning to pierce the panther with a daring look in his sky blue eyes.

As he turned I realized he was wearing a huge blade strapped to his back, how the hell did I miss that? But when he moved again it felt like my eyes slid right past the blade and I couldn't see it any longer.

What I did notice was the way Nathaniel had moved along every time, keeping his body between me and the rest of the kitchen's inhabitants. Except Elliot who was right beside me flipping pancakes on the stove like a pro.

Reaching out I slapped my mate in the back of the head playfully. 'Stop that okay? We're at home and there's enough testosterone filled men here to protect me, seriously...'

He spun around so fast to pin me against the cupboards behind me that all I saw was a momentary blur. His hands blazing against me as he cupped my face, crowding my space with his body until I felt surrounded.

'We had an agreement Ams, you would not fight me or complain when it concerns your protection,' he said his voice low and saturated with his Irish ancestry. He was deadly serious and not at all amused with my flippant attitude.

I huffed at him, blowing some strands of hair our of my face. 'Oh shush... Do you want me to make you lose control again tonight?' I whispered teasingly but when pretty much everyone in the room gasped I realized they could all still hear me. Stupid sensitive hearing!

To my surprise Nathaniel started laughing, 'I would never say no to what you just offered a ghrá mo chroí. Are you embarrassed now?'

There was more laughter around the room as my cheeks turned the brightest red so far. So I hit him again, 'Not nice Nathaniel.'

'I like her Nate, she's got spunk,' said Sammuel, suddenly standing behind Nathaniel and clapping him hard on the shoulder. Then the viking turned his sky blue eyes on me, 'Hey kid, I'm Sammuel Asvardson, keep him in line for us will ya?'

Leaning forward to look more closely at the man over Nathaniel's shoulder I nodded, 'Yeah of course I will.' Was it me or did Sammuel's eyes almost glow? They looked so blue that they almost appeared celestial... Was he an Angel after all?

'What are you?' the question fell from my lips before I could stop myself. Nathaniel turned around, giving me his back and I happily leaned forward against him, wrapping my legs around his waist.

Sammuel looked at Nathaniel and something was communicated between them before he smiled gently. 'There's many creatures in this world you don't know off kid but I'll humor you this once. I'm a Titan.'

A Titan? What the hell was a Titan? Weren't they some kind of giant's? Before I could ask though Sammuel whirled around, giving me a clear view of that huge blade on his back if only for a second. Then it was impossible to see it again.

'Any more jobs you want me to do Nate? No? Then I'm out of here, I have a pile of things to catch up to,' he was already striding over to the backdoor.

'Actually I do,' Nathaniel called out and the tall blond man stopped in his tracks. 'Great what now?'

'I want you to go to Tlanextic with an invitation,' his words made everyone in the kitchen freeze in their tracks.

'Come again Nate?' the Viking asked, his blue eyes definitely sparking to live with an eerie light this time. I knew I wasn't imagining it.

Nathaniel tugged me off the counter onto his back and carried me till he was right in front of Sammuel. 'Hand him this and tell him there's two people that wish to see him when he has time. It's important. Tell him I know.'

Nathaniel had taken a silver coin from his pocket and handed it to Sammuel, somehow still supporting me with one hand. 'Are you sure Nate?' the Titan asked as he examined the coin in his hand. Was that concern I heard in the hulking guy's voice?

'Yes,' a pause, 'Good luck Sam, be careful out there... I have a bad feeling.'

'You and your feelings,' Sammuel muttered as he stepped out the door and disappeared into the slowly falling night. Within a few strides he was swallowed up by shadows.

'Tlanextic? Really Nate? Why would you want anything to do with the Regis of South America? He gives me the chills that one, colder then ice princess over there,' Jaden said nodding at Deidre. She looked up to glare at the panther but quickly turned to hide her face behind Hayden when that meant she had to look at Jake too.

So my grandfather really was a cold person? It seemed like everyone here was afraid of him, except Nathaniel I supposed. It didn't help that he was troubled when he thought of Tlanextic... I was starting to think I was better off not knowing who my grandfather was.

'I think we all need pie again,' Hayden's voice suddenly cut through the tense silence.

With a frown I nodded, 'Yeah I think you're right Giant.'

*

It was nearly three hours later when I finally managed to convince Nathaniel that it was safe to let me talk with Deidre in private. He was absolutely convinced that Deidre would try to either kill me or kidnap me or something...

I took Deidre with me to Nathaniel's study because I knew that room was soundproof even to shifter and vampire hearing. Elliot only came along for a few minutes to light up the fireplace with a softly muttered spell and hand me a cup of steaming hot chocolate.

Deidre indeed looked like royalty, the way she sat down on one of the chairs and smoothed her hands over her fitted leather pants as if she wore a ballgown. Her chin turned upwards the slightest bit and her shoulders and back straight, giving me a clear view of her pale but delicate throat.

Now that I knew how much Hayden had instantly taken to her I could see the signs better. She wore this cold ice princess demeanor like an armor and if that didn't work she became the sultry seductress.

She turned her liquid silver eyes on me and I had a fleeting look into the woman behind them, just like that very first night I met her. Broken yes, so very heartbroken she was... How could one ever expect to mend something like that?

'What do you wish of me? What is your price for this protection?' Deirde said, her voice steely as if she was preparing for the worst and willing to bargain to her best ability. She had no idea how to deal with me, even though she thought I was only human...

'No price Deidre. I wanted to protect you because I knew it would break Jake if you died, I'm not willing to let that happen,' I said, forcing my voice to be gentle. Deidre was like a skittish animal and I didn't want to push her in the wrong direction and make her panic or attack.

Deidre's face remained stoic, impassive but I could feel disbelief pouring out of her. She came from a world where you didn't do things for each other without expecting payment, that much was clear.

Before we could continue our conversation the door opened again and Hayden quickly ran into the room. 'Missy! Go away, I don't wanna go to bed!' he squealed as he rushed over to me and dove into my arms.

'I'm sorry Amy, come on Hay you shouldn't disturb them,' Missy tried from the doorway with a gentle smile on her face.

'It's okay Mis, I'll take him to bed myself shortly. No Hay you're not getting away,' when my baby brother struggled to run off again I wrapped my arms around him tightly.

'You sure?' Missy asked but she was already withdrawing from the room. Leaving the three of us alone in silence, a silence Hayden broke by saying: 'I don't wanna go to MY bed Aims, can I sleep with you and Nat? Your bed is so much bigger! It's good for bouncing.'

'Eh... You'll have to ask Nathaniel Giant but I'm sure it's fine,' I replied feeling a little guilty all of a sudden for leaving him in the care of the others so much these past few days.

I became aware of Deidre's eyes burning into us as she stared at Hayden who now snuggled into my arms with a content sigh. There was such longing reflected in those mercury orbs of her that I just knew that she'd once lost her own child.

'Its not safe...' Deidre whispered then and the sound was broken, desperate. 'It's not safe to keep me here! Thornten will come and he'll hurt you, all of you!' But as she looked at Hayden I knew the heart wrenched words were meant for him. She was terrified that Thornten would hurt Hayden.

'I think we can decide that for ourselves... Nathaniel would never let any harm befall a child or any of his family for that matter, he's the most loyal man I've ever met.' I paused a moment so that my words sunk into her.

Hayden took the opportunity to speak again: 'Read my mind Amel.' After which he continued mentally: 'Deidre makes my head heavy again, I don't want her to hurt so bad... She makes Jakey hurt too and he's already so tired always from trying to stay away from her. Can you fix it? I tried but nothing works.'

Jake tired from staying away from Deidre? The images that Hayden unintentionally send along with his thought showed me an all too familiar picture. Immediately things clicked into place and I was shocked by the damage it had done to my friend.

'Look, I don't know what happened between you and Jake but it's clear that you're both hurting over it... It's making Jake vulnerable and I don't like seeing him that way and I don't like seeing you hurt either.'

Deidre sat up straighter than a ruler as if she was about to rip into me with a vengeance, obviously pissed off that I was interfering with private matters. I raised my hand to stop her, 'No let me finish.'

Surprisingly she swallowed her words and cast her eyes downwards, her pose suddenly submissive.

'Nathaniel and Missy are both powerful Vampires in their own right,' I started and she scoffed a little disbelievingly, obviously thinking I was understating Nathaniel by ranking him with Missy.

'But Jake has virtually no powers, he can't even keep his fangs retracted around humans and is forced to mumble. The others all think it's because he made Nathaniel and Missy in one night but I think that's only partially the truth, do you agree with me?'

The way she shifted her eyes and then slumped just a little more into her chair, her composure shot to hell, told me enough.

'You are mates aren't you? But you haven't mated yet and the strain of being apart is draining you both? Especially Jake?' those were well educated assumptions and I held my breath after I spoke, hoping I was right.

Deidre was quiet for a few minutes while Hayden leaned forward in my lap, staring intently at her as if he was urging her to speak. I knew he wasn't mentally reaching out to her but I did feel a certain reaching. Something warm?

Then the red-haired woman raised her head and met my eyes, 'Yes we are mates. But you're wrong, being un mated would only drain you for a while then you'd be able to move on.'

A silence but I already knew what she was going to say next, 'We did mate... That's what's draining Jake, because I'm weak and constantly in danger. He's been giving me ALL of his power, all of it! I tried to stop it, I tried to tell him not to but...'

And then the woman broke down and started sobbing, full out and heartbroken sobs. She hid her face in her hands but I'd already seen the crimson tears.

I didn't hesitate to push Hayden off my lap and sit down on the arm rest beside Deidre so I could pull her into my arms and hug her tightly. Hayden followed suit and climbed onto her lap so he could wrap his small arms around her waist.

We sat like that for a several long minutes while she cried into my shoulder and held Hayden to her chest as if he was her long lost child. Then Hayden reached out to me mentally: 'Amely great, you did it!'

I wasn't so sure what and if I did anything at all but it felt like I'd earned Deidre's trust. Somehow I'd managed to reach behind the cold mask and found the real woman.

'I... How can I make things right? I don't want Jake to die! I can't have him die! I don't want to be alone anymore, please?'

'I'll try to help you Deidre, I promise and Missy will too. Whatever it was that happened, I don't believe it's too late. If he's been giving you all of his power for so long it has to mean that he cares for you still.'

As if on cue Missy came back into the study and joined us near the fire a glint in her eyes. 'Let's talk business girls. We have some major fixing ahead of us.'

After that we spend hours and hours talking about the past and the present until I knew why Jake had left her and why they were still apart. Deidre's life was one big tragedy and the way I heard it so was Jake's. Even Missy heard things she had no knowledge of about her own brother.

Hayden had long since fallen asleep, sprawled out on the thick rug in front of the fire, his soft snores bringing a sense of tranquility to the room. I knew he was happy now, he hated being alone always and now that we'd given Deidre hope and friendship I realized that my head too felt much lighter.