Emerging from the forest Bella cursed, whoever was in the area had gone. With one more perimeter check she headed indoors to tell her dad. Valan scowled, looks like they know where he is. Both he and Nic listened as she told them it was a mortal, male and he had not gotten further than the forest edge. “I’ll take first watch while you get some rest” her dad stated. “Fine, wake me in four hours” Bella kissed him on the cheek then left the room. Nic commented on Bella’s leap of the parapet. “Even I would need to change or levitate to the ground” Valan informed him. “Do you not worry?” “Of course, I worry about all my children” Nic smiled. “But Bella more so?” Valan nodded. “She is excellent at fighting but, aye”
With Luke watching TV Bella headed for the bathroom, the run through the trees and made her grubby, she washed quickly wanting to get some sleep before her dad called her.
She had just stepped from the shower when Luke yelled that the bulb in the den had blown. Drying quickly she pulled on an old nightshirt and opened the door. “Its pitch black” Luke exclaimed unable to see anything. “Give me a second” since the wiring was upgraded every time a bulb blew it tripped the fuse shutting down all lights; Bella reached under one of the sofas and retrieved a spare.
On Bella’s instruction Luke flicked the switch on the fuse box, bright light filled the room once more and Luke gasped. Bella hovered at the light as if suspended by strings. “Holy shit” Bella laughed “Don’t let you parents hear you” she scolded humorously. “Can all Vampires do that?” the kid asked excitedly. “Sure, you wanna try”
Nic stood at the doorway and watched as Bella dressed in an oversized night shirt held Luke in the air, both in fits of laughter. “Ok kid, down you go” Bella giggled as she let him go and he dropped landing on the sofa. Luke saw Nic and jumped to his feet causing Bella to turn round. “I thought I’d see where I would be sleeping”
Drifting back to the floor Bella smiled at him “Sure but I must warn you, my room carries a health warning” With a quizzical look Nic said it would be fine till she opened the door “Dolore buona!” he exclaimed. “As a teen I went through the rebellious stage and never got round to redecorating” Nic smiled “You rebellious, I find that hard to believe” Bella laughed “Oh you wouldn’t dream of the things I got up to, once I snuck out to meet a boy and Dad found out, scared the living shit out of him” Nic chuckled “And you?” Her Dad had been more worried than angry “So I’d taken my glasses off, it’s not as if the boy could see I mean it was pitch black and we were busy snogging”
“Snogging?” Nic queried. “You know, kissing” Folding his arms a roguish smile spread across his face “Do you do that a lot?” “What sneaking out?” His eyes sparkled with amusement and something else? “Snogging” Bella smiled wickedly “With the right boy” “What about a man?” he drawled. “If the right one comes along” Nic chuckled “I better be on my best behaviour then” Nic watched her head out the door, heard the ‘Don’t be too good’ comment she’d muttered, looking round the room he decided his visit was going to be an interesting one.
In bed Bella’s mind drifted; it was great having her brother home she had often wondered where he was and what he was doing. She loved Luke, a great kid that had adjusted to their way of life well but she wasn’t sure about Jen. The woman was quiet and always seemed to be looking over her shoulder, I guess finding you’ve got Vampires as in-laws can be a shock. Her eyes closed and she drifted off to sleep.
“Bella” She woke. “Yeah” “Are you alright?” Sayan asked. “I was till you woke me, what’s up?” There was silence for a moment then “Nothing, go back to sleep”
Valan looked up as Sayan entered the room. “Bella’s in danger!” his daughter blurted obviously upset. “What do you mean” Sayan paced the room “I saw it, she was lying on the ground, blood, lots of blood everywhere” Valan tried to calm her but was also unsettled by her vision. “Do I tell her?” No, but – forewarned is forearmed “Yes, she’ll be extra vigilant but we won’t tell your mother” no point on worrying Katie more than she is.
Dressed and upstairs Bella went to the kitchen. “Och child, you’re not wearing that, your dad will have a fit” Jean grumbled. “Dad’s always having fits” Bella replied as she poured a glass of blood for herself.
Luke sat at the table drinking coke while Mary made snacks for his mum and dad. “Has mum and dad been out yet?” Bella asked. “Not yet, your dad doesn’t want your mum going alone from now on but he’s tied up on the phone” Just then the door opened and Valan walked in with Nic. “Luke can you go into the drawing room for a moment” he asked his grandson. Luke headed out the room moaning about missing something important. “Ain’t life a bitch” Bella called after him then turned to her dad. “So what’s up?” Valan told her of Sayan’s vision and asked her to be careful then left looking for Katie, commenting he would speak to her about ‘that’ T - shirt later.
“I did warn you” Jean scolded then picked up the tray and left. “What’s wrong with the T shirt?” Nic asked admiring the way she’d let her hair fall loosely over her shoulders. Bella pulled at it till the print was clearly visible, a stop children sign was printed on it with the words ‘Stop children – use a condom’ Inwardly Nic cringed but looking at Bella he gave a polite smile “Interesting” “Dad hates it but I think it’s funny” she informed him “I swear the older he gets the more he loses his sense of humour”
“Your Dad’s not yet seven hundred; I am a lot older than that and still have my humour” Bella stared at him intently. “How old are you?”
“I am nearly two thousand years old” The kitchen filled with Bella’s wild laughter. “Holy shit!” she stammered “Well that’s it then” “What’s it?”He asked politely. “At that age I’ll be surprised if anything still works” she teased “I mean, things may not do what you want them to do or don’t work at all” Nic gave a wolfish grin “I can assure you everything works - very well” Before Bella could reply her dad said it was her turn to keep watch.
Entering the den she heard a low growl, a figure shifted uneasily in the corner watching her. Bella prepared herself as she sent a mental message. “Dad, Luke’s in hunt mode”
