Authors: Shari Richardson
"Why?" I asked, unable to stop myself. It seemed illogical that if he wanted to break away from Serina, Alfred would be willing to protect her from the pride and others who wanted her dead.
Alfred frowned at Mathias who shook his head slightly. "I have broken my allegiance to Serina only once in my very long life. It was excruciating. I am not at all certain I could do it again." His eyes flicked to Mathias again. "Should Serina require my protection or participation in her task, I would be compelled to do as she commanded."
I shuddered and Mathias pulled me closer. "What can we do, then?"
Alfred and Mathias exchanged another look. I was getting annoyed with the silent conversation they seemed to be having. "Mathias and I will have to find her and speak with her. Perhaps if we know what brought her here, we can give it to her and convince her return to England."
"No," I said softly. "Mathias, no. This vampire is a killer."
"One I am safe from, my heart, but you and your family are not. For Serina to have left England, there must be a reason. We will seek her reason and give her what she desires so she may be convinced to go home."
"But why would she go?" I asked, turning to Alfred. "You say she doesn't care about humans as anything other than food. What leverage do you have to get her to stop killing? To leave East Highland and go home?"
"I believe I may be the reason she has come here," Alfred said. "When I did not return to her when last she called me, I offended her deeply. If what she seeks in East Hampton is my obedience, I will give it to her. If she requires me to accompany her home, I will go with her. If I am wrong, I may be able to discover what it is that she wants and give it to her or distract her from it. Serina is a grasping creature, and easily bored. Left on her own, I would expect her to leave East Hampton in a few years, but Mathias has convinced me that such is not acceptable. I will offer her whatever I have that will send her on her way."
Again Alfred and Mathias exchanged a secretive look. There was something in their exchange that left a curl of terror rolling in my gut. I tried to catch Mathias' eye, but he refused to look at me. The terror cranked up a notch and breathing became an effort. Something was wrong here and Mathias was refusing to let me in on the secret.
Mathias turned to Xavier, "I must ask something of you, Xavier. Something you once promised to do upon my death."
"We'll stay with them all, Mathias," Xavier said, understanding Mathias' request without the need for him to speak the words. "They'll be safe with us."
"Thank you," Mathias said.
"Wait. I'm not a child to be passed around to different babysitters, Mathias." Mathias had asked Xavier to honor the pride's promise that when Mathias was killed in the battle with Braden last spring, the pride would care for me and my family. I realized now that the silent conversation between Alfred and Mathias had been their way of communicating the probability that neither or them would return from their search for Serina. The thought of Mathias dying was enough to make me hyperventilate. I'd learned the hard way how bleak and empty my life was without him when I'd sent him out of my life for being what he was. I'd barely lived through those six months. I didn't think I could survive his death. "You said you weren't in any danger from this other vampire. Why would the panthers need to watch us?"
Mathias smiled, attempting to put me at ease. "Mairin, I need to know you and your family will be protected. Once Serina knows who seeks her out, she will know how to hurt us. Alfred's only weakness is me. You and your family is mine. Should Serina choose to indulge her sadism, I must know that you and your family will be fully protected. I trust the cats to do this, if not for me, then for you and Kerry."
I shook my head. The situation was quickly spiraling out of control. "Mathias, I..."
"Mairin, I need my focus for this. I need to know you are safe, that your family is safe. Trust me, I beg you. Alfred and I will see to this matter and I will come home to you."
Alfred snorted in disgust. Mathias shot him a quelling look, but Alfred refused to remain silent. "You are too attached to these humans, Mathias."
"Stay out of this, Alfred."
"We could walk away, son, if not for your attachments."
"My attachments, as you call them, are what keep me from being the kind of monster that Serina is. Eternity is a long time, Alfred. Would you have me be what Serina is? A killing machine who cares naught for any other creature?"
"You know I would not wish that for you, my son," Alfred said. "But this is a fight I..."
Mathias interrupted his father, "You can leave, Alfred. I will not. Humans are not just food. I've learned that the hard way. I hope you will someday learn it too."
Alfred was obviously torn between disgust and duty. "You know I cannot leave you, my son," he said, sighing. "Especially if my presence is what has brought Serina to this area. If your attachment to these humans is this strong, I will stay with you and help you find her."
I knew, deep down, Alfred had been about to say this was a fight he didn't think they could win, but neither he nor Mathias would say so out loud. I tried to come up with some argument or impediment to the plan, but neither Alfred nor Mathias would be swayed. Even Xavier, traitor that he was, was on board for the plan Mathias and Alfred laid out. He wasn't worried about Mathias' life. Xavier cared only that the killing in East Hampton stopped.
"So it is settled," Mathias said. "Xavier will stay with Mairin and Kerry in Highland Home. The rest of the panthers will divide up between East Hampton and Highland Home to watch for Serina. Alfred and I will seek her out and do what must be done to end the slaughter."
"Sounds like a plan," Xavier said.
"I don't like it," I said. "This plan leaves you and Alfred on your own unless some of the panthers happen to be in the same area."
"We do not need protection from our own kind," Alfred snapped.
"Alfred..."
"No, my son. This time I will not be silent. There are codes among our kind that have allowed us to coexist with one another longer than any of you can possibly imagine. It is best that Mathias and I go to Serina alone, unencumbered by the morals and values of humans who exist barely long enough to mature past childhood."
"What Alfred means," Mathias said, "is that the rules of polite behavior in our world require a certain level of civility. the presence of the cats when we find Serina could do more harm than good."
I shuddered under Alfred's angry gaze. I knew then that I could not change their plans. As strong as Mathias seemed to me, his ties to Alfred put the older vampire in a position of authority. Mathias would defer to Alfred in this matter, no matter what objections I raised.
Mathias held me as I clung to him. "Don't do this. I'm begging you," I whispered. "There has to be another way to stop this vampire."
He pressed his lips to mine gently.
"Stop trying to distract me, Mathias," I said, but desire curled in my stomach and I pushed my hands into his hair. Ever cautious of allowing me any contact with his venom, he refused to allow that kiss to deepen. Instead, he slipped his lips along my jaw, settling them into the hollow of my throat.
"I love you," he said, breathing deeply against the hot pulse in my neck. "I must do this, but I will come home."
"Promise me. Promise me you will come back."
"I promise, my heart." He said, caressing my back and pressing me tightly against him. "How can I not return? You hold my heart in trust. I cannot live without it, without you. You must promise to keep safe for me."
"Oh for heaven's sake. I'm gonna puke, you guys," Xavier interrupted. "The sooner he goes, the sooner you two can continue to mush all over each other."
"Stuff it, Xavier," I said, smiling. Mathias had promised. I could live with that. He only made promises when he believed he could keep them. As for Xavier, I had to admit, the more time I spent with Xavier, especially when I watched him with Kerry, the more I liked him. But now was not the time for him to butt in. Mathias was about to leave me behind while he and Alfred attempted to reason with a homicidal vampire who had a penchant for slaughtering young men or turning them into an army of vampire slaves. I had more important things on my mind than Xavier's delicate stomach. Mathias held me for a moment longer and then stepped away from me, turning to face Xavier.
"I leave you in charge of protecting the most precious thing in my life, Xavier. Fail in this task and I will delight in eviscerating you."
"Yeah, yeah. I get it. I fuck up, you kill me. Get on with it leech." Xavier and Mathias grinned at each other while Kerry and I shook our heads.
"Boys," we said in unison.
Mathias kissed my forehead once more and then slipped into the growing darkness. I knew Alfred was waiting for him in the shadows and despite not trusting Alfred for much, I thought I could depend on him to keep Mathias safe. Alfred may not like me or approve of Mathias' attachment to me, but he loved Mathias and I was counting on Alfred's care to protect the man I loved.
"So what do you gals wanna do tonight?" Xavier asked. "Horror movies, popcorn, and lots of sugar?"
"Sure," I said. "Let's go wild." I watched the growing shadows on our street for a moment, imagining Mathias walking with Alfred even though I knew they were long gone. I wanted so very much to be as strong and fast and invincible as Mathias was so I could help him. I felt weak and fragile and I hated it. Why couldn't I be more than a freak with bad dreams and weird vision. At least the panthers were strong and could battle against evil. I was left waiting while others had to fight for me.
"You'd better come back, Mathias," I whispered to the dark. "You promised."
***
The television flickered, casting shadows around the living room. Mom and Tawnya had given up on the movie festival after the second slasher film Xavier had picked off of Netflix.
"Isn't your grandmother expecting you home tonight, Xavier?" Mom had asked as she and Tawnya yawned and headed for the stairs. She'd been eyeing Xavier for a couple of hours once she realized he hadn't planned to leave after dinner.
"Naw," Xavier said. "I told her it was an all night movie fest with you guys. You don't mind, do you?"
"Nope," Mom said. "Just make sure to lock up the house if you give up and go to sleep. On the couch." Mom looked at me, a meaningful nod and glance at Xavier conveying her intent.
"I'll make sure Kerry and Xavier behave themselves," I said, laughing. Mom probably had far less to worry about when it came to her daughters and their boyfriends than any other parent in Highland Home. Mathias was disgustingly chivalrous and Xavier knew if he took advantage of my sister, Mathias would tear him limb from limb. I knew it kind of pissed Kerry off that my boyfriend was acting like an over-protective father, but she also knew he wasn't doing anything with me that she wasn't doing with Xavier. For now, Kerry was willing to tolerate Mathias' old-fashioned notions of male-female interaction, but I didn't know how long that tolerance would last. When it gave out, I guessed she and Mathias would fight it out. I planned to stay out of it.
Tawnya watched me as though she knew what I'd been thinking. She seemed to like Xavier, though I was pretty sure she knew there was something off about him. I wondered what Xavier's energy tasted like to her. She'd told me once that Mathias' energy tasted like a vampire and that was how she knew. Tawnya watched Xavier, but she didn't have the same aversion to Xavier that she did to Mathias. I think she was more concerned about the normal teenage stuff with Kerry and Xavier than any metaphysical junk.
When the next slasher movie ended and Xavier grabbed the Wii remote to start looking for a new one, I saw that Kerry was sound asleep. She'd curled up against Xavier, who had thrown an arm over her shoulders and wound his fingers into her long hair. She looked peaceful and so very young when she was sleeping. It tore at something deep inside me to know that my weird magnet, especially when it was turned up as high as it had been for most of a year, put her in so much danger. I was glad she had found Xavier. I trusted him to be strong enough to watch over her and keep my sister as safe as possible. I caught Xavier watching Kerry sleep and realized with a jolt that it was love I saw in Xavier's eyes when he looked at my sister.
"Xavier," I whispered. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure, Maire. Anything," he said, carefully turning so he could see me without waking Kerry.
"What you feel for Kerry. It's more than a crush, isn't it." It wasn't really a question
He looked down at my sister and his normally tense expression softened. "Yeah. Definitely more than a crush."
"And you know I don't care about, well, your condition, right?"
Xavier nodded. "Good with weird...like Gram says. You've never even pushed for details like a regular girl would. You're kinda like a boy in a girl's body."
"I'm not sure how to take that," I said, laughing.
"It's a compliment. You kinda feel like a brother to me except that I get weirded out if I think of you that way and then think about Kerry."
"Well, do you mind if I ask for a couple of details now?"
"Nope. I kinda wondered when we'd have this talk actually."
I swallowed hard. This was getting weirder by the moment, but I had to know. I had to protect Kerry.
"How is the virus transmitted? I mean...can Kerry..."
"I'd have to change into my panther to give Kerry the virus, Mairin," he said. "We're only contagious when we're in animal form. The doc doesn't really know why, but I've seen weres in human form fight and cut humans. When we're in our animal forms, blood to blood contact is what carries the disease. In human form, the virus doesn't move from host to victim."
"Oh," I said. I didn't know what else to say without sounding too maternal.
"I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy, Mairin. I certainly wouldn't do anything that would endanger Kerry."
"I know, Xavier," I said. "But I'm the big sister. I'm supposed to worry."