With Jason now clean and coming down to make amends with Isabella, he would find her in the kitchen helping herself to a chalice of wine – straight from the fridge. She was holding the goblet and swirling it around as he came up behind her. The Vampire Queen stiffened some and raised her right shoulder up slightly as he spoke to her.
“Still hungry dearest?”
His lips graced her neck before he pulled back and massaged her shoulders. Isabella brought the chalice to her darkened lips, sipping from it as she replied in a delicate voice.
“I’m always hungry….Jason.”
At this she finished off the goblet, placing it down on the bench and turning to face him with small trickles of blood running down her chin. Her temper had cooled somewhat and she was just about to say something incredibly sexy when…
Two of her charges entered the room, all taking off their hats and caps in the presence of Isabella and her mate.
“Queen….there is word that the blonde one has been staking out (hur hur) the old estate of Vincent Casales.”
One of the others stepped forward and bowed low before her.
“They found the safe.”
Isabella quirked a brow, having forgotten all about Vincent and his love of antiquities. She seemed to be nonchalant about the whole thing, but little did she know what danger this would bring. “So…what has that got to do with me?” Two of the sired ones stared at each other, and then one said above a whisper.
“He….he is coming.”
Isabella was starting to get annoyed. “Who is coming? Shane? He thinks I’m dead…well, again, you know.”
She waved her hand dismissively but the other sire had a look of terror on his face. “Not…Shane. HIM.” He then pointed to a large picture in the dining room…..of Count Vlad Tepes. Why would Isabella keep a framed portrait of Vlad in her house you might ask? Oh…she had been a bad girl.
Isabella fell back and knocked the chalice off the table. Her chest heaved and she started to panic.
“No….that’s not true….THAT’S IMPOSSIBLE!” Her head turned towards the image of Vlad in her house, and right then and there she wanted to rip it from the wall and scream. She clutched the necklace around her neck and fled the room.
<3>
Shane’s Mansion
Carmen and Mary were laughing up a storm as they entered the house. Hearing it, Misty came strolling out of the kitchen, a bowl of ice cream in her hands. When she saw Mary, the bowl slipped though nerveless fingers and smashed to the floor, catching both women’s attention. Carmen looked at the melting ice cream then at Misty.
“You better clean that up before Shane sees it.” Carmen stated as she set her bag and keys on the table.
Misty was staring at Mary in stunned shock. The dish smashing to the floor brought others running and they all froze upon seeing Mary.
“What the fuck?!” Dyna exclaimed.
“Carmen?” Booker wondered, shocked to see a dead woman standing next to his friend.
“Um…surprise?” Carmen grinned. Booker drew his gun and pointed it at Mary.
“Who the fuck are you?”
“Booker, put it away.” Carmen glared.
“No! This is some kind of sick…joke! Mary’s dead!”
“I know that, you moron.” Mary snorted. “You can thank your little buddy, Vincent for my current state.”
That made everyone within hearing distance gape in shock.
“What?” Dyna was the first to ask.
Mary repeated her story for the others to hear; about how Vincent had turned her before leaving her to be found and buried and his plans to lure Carmen to his side. “I was never so happy to hear that Carmen offed that baby murdering bastard.” Mary grinned.
Carmen looked around. “Where’s that husband of mine? He’s going to want to know about this.”
“He left a little while ago. Nobody knows where.” Misty explained.
With a sigh, Carmen tapped into her husband’s thoughts. «”Darling, where are you? I’m home and I’ve brought a guest.”»
Shane was not all that far from the manor when he felt his Carmen tap into his thoughts.«”Darling, where are you? I’m home and I’ve brought a guest.”»
A guest? Shane glanced down at the passenger seat beside him where the scroll and stained wooden box rested. The vampire frowned momentarily before channeling a thought back. “Won’t be long, just finishing up some business. That was one way of putting it. He knew that he wouldn’t have enough time to go to the museum this night and get the curator to give him insight into the scroll, so he would have to take the Egyptian treasures back to the house and put somewhere safe for the time being. The car tore along the road at speed with dirt and leaf litter spiraling behind it as he raced for home.
On parking the car in the underground garage, he took up the scroll and the wooden box, stuffing them both inside his coat before exiting the car and slamming the door. Shane pressed the lock on his key, then made his way up to the house. All the lights were on, and he knew then that Carmen was definitely entertaining someone.
Now normally he would head straight to the kitchen on entering, but instead he used his vampire speed to get into his den and find his own safe behind a painting of Carmen. Working the combination, he opened the safe and placed the Egyptian scroll and blooded box inside. Pleased that at least for now, both were safe, he closed the safe door and spun the dial. The picture was set back in place and Shane stepped back, to gaze at Carmen’s likeness in the picture. A crooked smile came to his lips, and he strolled out of his den whistling, only to be shocked when he turned the corner and saw Mary. Looking..well, alive.
Shane rubbed his eyes for a moment then looked again. It was definitely Mary.
“Doesn’t anybody in this town….ever really die?”
Yep, he was stunned.
<3>
Jason looked at the two charges with a raised brow before sighing and taking off after Isabella. He had no clue what was going on or of her past but by the flames of hell he was going to find out. It wasn’t long before he had found her in their bedchambers and he walked up to her slowly. As he walked over to his beloved Isabella he would speak with a soft flowing voice aimed to calm her down. “Dearest who scares you so….and would you mind telling me of your past?” He then sat down beside her and slowly looped an arm around her wait to pull her against his chest in a comforting manner. As he did so he would remain silent and watch her carefully and protectively. If anything Jason was highly protective of the ones he held dear and that was Isabella and he would die for her at a moments notice.
Shane strolled into the room, whistling a jaunty tune but stopped dead (hardy har har) in his tracks when he saw Mary. He rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
“Doesn’t anybody in this town….ever really die?” he quipped. Carmen walked to his side, a large smile on her face.
“If they did, then life would be boring, now wouldn’t it?” she stated, kissing his cheek. She drew back and looked at him, cocking her head to the side. There was something different about him. “What’s wrong, baby?” she murmured so that he was the only one to hear.
It wasn’t very often Shane let things bother him, and this one looked like it had his brain wheel grinding in overtime.
“Guys at work giving you grief?”
Shane rubbed his chin as he was still staring at the new look Mary. Carmen appeared happy that her secretary and friend was back from the dead, and so he couldn’t decide if he should say out loud what he had been up too. Course, with Carmen she knew when something wasn’t quite right with her mate and approached him with a question as to whether it was work that had him troubled. Breaking his concentration he paused before putting his arm around Carmen and steering her out of the family room.
“Sorry folks, need to borrow the Missus.”
All those that had been gathered hopefully would understand, and Misty piped up and said.“Get ready for the sound of breaking bed springs.” A few others laughed and Shane threw out a comment as he and Carmen left the room. “I will break something, but it won’t be our bed.” At this Misty shut up and chewed her bottom lip.
Arriving in the den, Shane invited his wife in and closed the door. He stood silently for a moment, wondering how to proceed with this. He flicked his tongue to the inside of the right side of his cheek and then decided to come out with it.
“So…you remember the night where we came to save you from Vincent. Well, I haven’t been totally keeping you in the loop. I had a hunch about something Vincent was keeping on that property, something of significance that….could have changed everything for us….and you.”
Now it would seem like he was dancing around the subject, and then he continued.
“I’ve actually just come back from the ruins….with a find. One of my investigators found a safe behind Isabella’s painting.”
He went to his own safe and then unlocked it, before pulling out the ancient Egyptian scroll and the blooded box. Shane set them down on his desk in front of Carmen and then leaned on the desk, folding his arms.
“I’ve yet to determine what this is…as I don’t read hieroglyphics, but whatever it is its got something to do with…our kind.”
Shane stood and waited for her reaction.
<3>
There was definitely something on his mind. He took her around the waist and led her from the room, pretty much ignoring Misty’s comment with the threat of bodily harm. Carmen had a thought of sitting her and Bianca down and having a chat with those two about the comments about her and Shane’s sex life. It was none of their business and it was seriously pissing her off.
He lead her to the den and closed the door behind them for privacy. She was deeply intrigued now. He was silent for a moment and she wasn’t going to press him. She’d learned long before that it was best to let him gather his thoughts before he spoke. He looked at her, tongue-in-cheek, before he began to speak.
“So…you remember the night where we came to save you from Vincent. Well, I haven’t been totally keeping you in the loop. I had a hunch about something Vincent was keeping on that property, something of significance that….could have changed everything for us….and you.” He moved over to his personal safe and drew out a rolled up parchment and a box. He set both items on the desk.
“I thought everything was burnt in the fire? Wasn’t David in charge of that?” Carmen was confused. What could have possibly survived the raging inferno that Vincent’s mansion came to be?
“I’ve actually just come back from the ruins….with a find. One of my investigators found a safe behind Isabella’s painting.”
There was that name again…she’d heard it before. Isabella. Who was she? Before she could ask, Shane continued his explanation.
“I’ve yet to determine what this is…as I don’t read hieroglyphics, but whatever it is its got something to do with…our kind.” He had unrolled the scroll, spanning the length of the desk. She studied the symbols but couldn’t make heads or tails of the writing either. She shook her head. She needed answers.
“Forgetting all this for a minute…who exactly is Isabella to you? Twice now I’ve heard her name, from you and from Dyna. David mentioned the woman to Dyna after that fiasco out in the woods and Dyna came to me about it. I brushed it off at the time because I didn’t care about your past. But now…with this…it seems that your past is once again going to affect our future. Who is she, Shane? I think you owe me an explanation.” Carmen crossed her arms and waited.
Who was Isabella? How much Shane had hoped to avoid this conversation. Reaching up he raked his fingers through his golden locks and then brought his arm down to place a hand on the desk behind him. “I thought the past was the past, Carmen.” His words holding a certain amount of annoyance, but it was not due to her questions, rather the subject. His electric blue eyes then glanced at the chess set, then back at her.
“Long ago…there was a Queen. Her name was Isabella. Said to be one of Dracula’s favored…or something. She was brought to this country by Vincent.”
Now this was surely to add to Carmen’s curiosity. He strummed the blooded box absently as he continued.
“A beauty like no other. But what is beautiful on the outside has a very dark interior – rotten maggot filled. A woman with no heart. A woman who was used to getting….what she wanted.” Shane pushed himself away from the desk, and strolled over to the chess board, where all the pieces were in their starting positions. He reached out and picked up the black Queen off the board and held it….almost like he was studying it. Little did Carmen realize the significance.
“I was a simple lawyer back then. Had a wife…family…children. One night I stopped in at the local bar for a drink after work. That was the night I met her.” You could see the shadow that was coming over his face, as the darkness in his thoughts descended. It was almost eerie to watch. “I’d been working on four cases and barely had time for my own family. Work was just running me into the ground. You could say I was suffering burnout. Turns out I was ripe…for someone like her. Next thing I knew…she was fucking me in her car.”
This probably would have turned Carmen cold, but there was more to the story. “It was the first time she fed on me. But she didn’t kill me. The next day….I find a brand new car in my driveway. After that, she kept turning up at my office….at the bar…anywhere and everywhere…wanting more…and more. I refused. She wanted me to leave my family.”
At this he set down the black Queen on the chess board and turned to look at Carmen with a hollowed expression.
“She refused to take no for an answer….and massacred my family.”
That was the turning point in what he was saying as his mouth felt dry. What she did was unforgivable. Shane sought out a way to get revenge, but in doing so…became everything he hated.
“Hate…makes you do terrible things. When I discovered where she was kept, I took a stake and I destroyed her where she lay.”
At least…he thought he did.
<3>
Apparently this subject was a tricky one as Shane took on an annoyed air. Carmen glared at him, her stance letting him know she was unaffected by his annoyance as she used to be. She wanted an explanation and she wasn’t satying another word until she got one.
And so he told her about Isabella, the vampire who turned him and destroyed his family in the process.
“Hate…makes you do terrible things. When I discovered where she was kept, I took a stake and I destroyed her where she lay.”
Well that was an eye opener. She was about to let him off the hook when another name caught her attention.
“Wait a minute? Did you say ‘Dracula’?” she gaped. Before he could ask her what she meant, she went around his desk and started digging through the trashcan. It was sure to peak Shane’s own curiosity and before he could say so, she found an old newspaper and slapped it open.
MYSTERIOUS NEAR-FATAL TRAIN WRECK IN LOWER MANHATTAN
Read one headline. There was a second, smaller story off to the side.
MYSTERIOUS DEATHS AT SUBWAY STATION CONTROL BOOTH
This one came with a photo…a video still of a crate with the name ‘Tepes’ clearly visible on the side. She looked at Shane.
“Is that who I think it is?” she asked, a small trace of worry in her voice. “If he’s alive…I have to wonder…if Isabella might be alive too.” Her eyes were wide as she stared at her husband. “But that’s not possible…is it?”
Suddenly, berating Misty and Bianca was the least of her worries.
“SHE’S DEAD, CARMEN!”
Now, it was totally out of character to see Shane explode like that…well lately, but the truth was he had been afraid of this. Maybe in his outburst he was trying to convince himself she was dead, and that the news of the arrival of the crate marked Tepes was pure coincidence. Shane’s face contorted to that of his vampire likeness and he grit his teeth in anger.
“You knew about the train….about the box?’ Now he acted like she was keeping things from him and not the other way around. “Goddamn it.”
So much for keeping his investigations on the quiet. He was onto something and little did he realize that he held part of the reason that Vlad was coming to America. To take back what Isabella had stolen. Isabella wore around her neck the charmed key…the same key to open the box that was on Shane’s desk. Trouble was coming….and they had no idea how bad things were going to get.
It took a great deal of restraint to stop himself from going into full vampire and it was clear he was losing the battle.
“All I know….is that this…” he held up the scroll and showed it to Carmen. “Will go to answering a lot of questions, but we need to take it to an expert. I am thinking the local museum.” Shane placed the scroll back on the table, and then folded his arms again.
“I have been working on this for well over a week now, Carmen. The moment I heard about the mystery in New York. Whatever he is here after….I want to find it first.”
<3>
“SHE’S DEAD, CARMEN!” Shane yelled, making her jump. She pressed a hand to her chest as she watched his form ripple as he struggled to control himself.
“You knew about the train….about the box?”
His tone of voice suggested she had been keeping secrets from him now, but that was far from the truth.
“I wasn’t keeping it from you, if that’s what you’re thinking, Shane Williamson. Get that out of your head right now.” she glared. “I only remembered that news article because of the crate. It’s not often you see the name ‘Tepes’ and I’ve lived a very long fucking time to pick up a few things about the history of this world.”
He seemed to sigh. “Goddamn it.” he muttered. She stepped up to him, placing her hands on his cheeks so that he would be forced to look at her.
“I have been honest with you since the moment you claimed me as your own. Please don’t doubt me now.” she begged.
“All I know….is that this…” he picked up the scroll again, “Will go to answering a lot of questions, but we need to take it to an expert. I am thinking the local museum.”
“I want to go with you, when you do. I think I have the right.”
“I have been working on this for well over a week now, Carmen. The moment I heard about the mystery in New York. Whatever he is here after….I want to find it first.”
“We’re in this together, love. For better, for worse, until death. I won’t let you do this alone. You’re going to have to tie me to the bed and chain me to a wall to keep me from going.”
She smirked then, taking the sting out of her words as her mind traveled back to the very first night she woke up in his home.
</3>
Shane had an investigator he could call at a moment’s notice to do the daylight investigations, but with Carmen now insisting that she be a part of his plans he found himself at odds if she should go. At first he started coming up with excuses.
“Mary….she just got here and you want to come off on a night at the Museum. Don’t you think she will be a bit put out. Not very hospitable of you.” he held up a finger and wiggled it, showing that side of him that she would remember from when they first met. Turning around he went over to his small closet and took off his jacket, replacing it with a long black leather coat. he also started to load up on weapons as he had his back to Carmen.
“And….don’t tempt me to tie you up. I have done it before and you know what that leads too. Personally, I think you love it.”
He was really trying to steer her clear of all this. What if Isabella was alive? What if he was wrong about all this? As usual, Shane was trying to protect her, but in reality she was stronger than she looked. When he turned around, he looked more dashing than ever. Twirling a flashlight he hooked it to his belt.
Shane strolled over and picked up the blooded box and the scroll. He moved to plant a kiss on her forehead as though he was ready to say goodnight.
“Don’t wait up.”
He then, tried to walk past her.
The Museum of antiquities
A light snoring sound came from the information desk inside the museum, while in one of the back offices, a young Archaeologist was studying some books with the light on at her desk. The museum was often a rather creepy place at night, where the statues were so ominous in the light of the shadows. Miss Reece was studying some ancient writings which of course….were Egyptian – her major in college. Taking off her glasses, she rubbed her eyes before picking up her tea cup, only to realize it was empty.
“Darn…now I have to go to the staff room. The tea’s shit.”
Pushing herself up out of her chair, she left her office and headed down to the back of the museum near the loading area.
<3>
“Mary can keep the others company and is more then capable of keeping them in line. I’m going with you whether you like it or not.” she scowled.
He moved to the closet in the corner and switched his jacket for a long trench, pulling out a gun and a flashlight as well. He turned back toward her, a grin on his devilish face.
“And….don’t tempt me to tie you up. I have done it before and you know what that leads too. Personally, I think you love it.”
He walked up to her and planted a kiss on her head. “Don’t wait up.”
Faster then lightning, she was blocking his way to the door, the glare on her face so hot, it was a wonder his clothing didn’t catch fire.
“Let me make something clear, my darling husband. You walk out this door tonight without me by your side, then it’s over between us.” Oh she was not going down without a fight. She had thrown down the gauntlet and was challenging him in the most spectacular way. “Now I may be your mate, but I am also your Queen and I have every right to be at your side while you go off on some hairbrained adventure like you were some kind of…Indiana Jones character.” For each word she spoke, she was poking him in the chest and pushing him back toward the desk until he fetched up the side of it. She pressed her chest against his, and flashed her fangs in anger. “Get this through your thick skull…I’m going with you, whether you like it or not.”
(Ahahaha)
~She’s got me by the Balls~
One thing Shane seemed to forget was that Carmen WAS his Queen. And hell hath no fury like a wife being told to stay home and not wait up. The look she gave him would have melted the faces off the Nazi’s that opened the Arc of the Covenant.
“Uh oh.” He murmured as she used the power of her pinky to basically push him all the way back to the desk, where his ass collided with the edge bringing him to a stop. Reminded him of that scene from the Incredibles when the wife had hidden the Super hero’s suit.
“I AM YOUR WIFE!” Yeah, that was the line.
Sighing, Shane took off his dark shades and then caved.
“Can you at least put on something sexy…like a black cat suit with one of those…masks?”
Anyone would think he wanted her to dress as Cat woman. If she was going to come, he wanted something to stare at. He gave her a sheepish smile.
“Please?”
<3>
Shane never could deny Carmen when she got into one of those moods. He gave up with a sigh, and a request.
“Can you at least put on something sexy…like a black cat suit with one of those…masks?”
At that, she laughed. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply before drawing back.
“For you, of course. I happen to have this tight leather one piece outfit that I’ve never worn, hidden in the back of the closet. I can put them on…just for you.” She turned away from him with a wink and went to go change her clothes.
In no time at all, she had returned, wearing something that should have been made illegal in all 50 states.
“Ready when you are, lover boy.” she grinned, slipping on a pair of Ray Bans™.
When Carmen came back into the den, Shane almost swallowed his tongue. Carmen looked…like she stepped out of a Dom’s R US magazine. So much for a serious investigation. He was having a hard time controlling himself and had to rub his crotch.
“That’s better” Shane said with a higher pitch voice. “Let’s go.”
Leading Carmen outside the house, he hoped to avoid the likes of David and Jarvis cause if they saw her like that he might be facing competition. They went down to the garage and he picked out a black saloon, opening the door for Carmen, before getting in himself. She would have looked better on a motorcycle, but he wanted them to take the one vehicle. With Carmen inside he went round to the driver’s side and got in.
Starting up the car, he glanced over at her ample bosom that was on display with her zip lowered. “How I am going to keep my hands off you and concentrate…I don’t know.” Shane then started the car with a shake of his head, and they tore off out of the garage, on their way to the Museum.
<3>
The Museum of antiquities
Miss Reece was making her way back from the staff room when the night guard ambled past, stopping to flash his big torch in her face. “I.D. please?” Candy stopped dead and looked at him as though he was the dumbest man on the planet. She held up her security tag and waved it at him.
“It’s me, Candy Reece. I …work here.”
The night guard peered at her tag and muttered. “Likely story.” He really was something. Candy then took out her driver’s liscense and showed him that. “See…Candy…Reece. I WORK HERE!” Her voice was raising, as her temper was growing. The guard finally accepted it. “You need to be careful Miss. This is a dangerous place at night.”
Candy raised an eyebrow.
“What are you talking about?”
“The….Egyptian exhibit. It’s alive.”
Candy was sure he had been smoking something and patted his shoulder.
“And I am Cleopatra. Good night, Stan.”
That said, she wandered back towards her office. However, in the Egyptian exhibition…..something was lurking about.
<3>
