Jewel

50

 With their parents there they left their picnic behind and went inside. 

Julie decides to offer them tea and when Mary Ann accepts, instructs their maid to use her grandmother's tea service. The boys all look at her in wonder and Adam smiles at the honor given to his parents, though it's mostly for his mother's benefit.

"Why such shock on her choosing the tea service?" Mary Ann asks once the maid leaves.

"That is her great grandmother's china. It has never been used in Julie's lifetime. Even when we've had company come over, important associates." Arthur is the one to explain.

Mary Ann looks at her husband, "You will not do anything to harm her, not even break a piece of this precious china, understand?"

Andres nods miserably, he'd gotten off to a bad start with this human and now he's being embarrassed by being treated like a wayward child.

If he's going to stop having his love treating him this way he will have to swallow his pride and ask, even beg for forgiveness. Asking a human for forgiveness goes against everything he is. But having his wife like this is even worse. Besides, he'd never be allowed near his children or grandchildren. Now that he has a chance to calm down he rather likes the idea of grandchildren. The fact that he'll be getting seven of them at once makes him smile. It's not easy for vampires to have children.

It took centuries for Mary Ann and him to have the six they have. Never has there been twins in their family. This human, Julie, must be a strong one. That makes her a strange fit, because he can detect little of the darker life that makes up a vampire. What he does detect, he suspects comes from her association with his sons.

He like his wife doesn't understand how Julie could have their other sons' children.

Once the tea has been served Adam starts explaining how he met Julie.

Andres looks pleased at how strong Julie is and even gives her an approving nod. She is strong, far stronger than he'd suspected. He's not sure that he could hurt her if he tried.

Hearing about the abuse she suffered and how she came to live here catches his attention. He growls unconsciously. He will never hurt her, not after hearing what she's already been through.

Julie tells them a bit of her story, from the looks of the boys many of them hadn't heard her story. At least not as much as she was telling. That earns her even more of his respect, she's not a whiny person asking for sympathy.

When they heard that she almost died, due to being kidnapped by the rogues, Mary Ann had to take the fragile china out of his hands.

"You should have called us, we would have helped!" Andres yells out angrily.

They all look at him nonplussed at his reaction. "I've said it earlier, but I'll say it again, you guys are impossible to get a hold of unless you contact us first. We couldn't get a hold of you, we tried actually, constantly up until the day of the fight. I wanted mother here to watch over Julie and you with all my brothers to help fight." Adam tells them and silence falls.

Andres sags in defeat. He wasn't here when his children needed him because he didn't want to be interrupted with his time with Mary Ann.

"Julie had a friend..." Adam continues and they learn just how close Julie came to death once more. Something that might not have happened had they been there to help.

Andres marvels at how much Adam is able to share his special one. Adam has always been as selfish as him. But when it comes to special ones, the instinct to have them all to yourself is impossible to ignore. At least he'd always thought so.