Chapter 13
THIRTEEN
Maxim
Snow swirls around Rudolf and I as we walk the back of the family estate, just as we have every day since that night. We talk, man to man, and piece by piece he is helping me acclimate to my new reality. He teaches me how to use my new powers, how to control them, and also how to adjust to the infinite amount of changes to both my body and my mind.
Sometimes we hunt as well, leaving the property for the miles of forest land that are abundant with wildlife. I thought the hunting, the feeding would repulse me.
I feared the blood of animals wouldn’t be enough.
I was wrong on both counts. The hunt brings out a primal part of me, a man that wants to seek and fight and provide for what is his and in its own way, it is more humane than the way humans farm, raise and slaughter animals. Every life I take is a gift from the world, and I am never cruel or nonchalant to the enormity of that. From the first night, the hunting and feeding has felt as natural and necessary as any consumption of food and drink I did as a human.
“Being a vampire has its upsides, doesn’t it?” Rudolf smiles as the wind whips my suit coat open, yet there is no sense of the cold. The sky is gray, it’s barely dawn and the glow of orange sun is just hinting through the trees.
“That is does. Our heating bills are minimal for a start.” I let out a low chuckle.
In the days after the attack, Seleme and I stayed at the family home. Anna was there as well, counseling both Seleme and myself as we struggled and came to terms with our new selves and everything that happened that night.
There were many heroes but turns out Anna and Maltese were the magic silver bullet we needed. Anna can communicate with animals, another of her many unique powers. Turns out, Maltese was none too happy about the upcoming nuptials. When Anna came in the room, Maltese was already lying in wait outside the front door.
I’m still not sure if it was just coincidence that had Dimitri heading to the house at just the right moment to let the cat inside, or whether Anna had a hand in that as well. When I talked to him, he said he just felt this pull. Something told him to go to the door. Since he had the security code already, he thought something might be up so he followed his instinct.
Thank fuck he did.
What I do know is, he isn’t sure why he just opened the door without knocking, and I’m guessing it’s probably best if he never does.
Whatever the details, the door opening at that moment was what we needed to change the balance of power in the room, distracting everyone as Maltese made his launch which, without his help, we are all unsure how it would have turned out.
“Seleme is well today?” Rudolf asks, a father’s concern in his voice.
“She is. Looking more like she’s months along than mere weeks.”
He looks at the ground with a slight smile. “Yes, as was the case with her mother. When vampires conceive, things are fast. She will give birth within a couple months. You will need to be ready for anything.”
“I’m beginning to understand that. This morning, on our hunt, first she was craving squirrel. Then it was skunk, of all things. Skunk blood.” I shake my head, the absurdity of our conversation sinking in.
Rudolf grins. “I remember like it was yesterday. Seleme’s mother couldn’t get enough of possums and chipmunks. I do feel for you though,” He walks with his hands clasped behind his back. “Skunks have their downside.” He leans into me and sniffs on a crooked smile.
“That they do.” The ground crunches under our steps, a hard freeze coating everything with crystals overnight, and I think of how beautiful Seleme was this morning with her rounding belly and full growing tits, laying on the edge of the bed while I fucked into her hard enough I broke the headboard.
Again.
We’re on our third bed. The antique store delivery workers are starting to look at me with some mad respect.
“Did you track down the remaining Hasanovs?” I ask, bringing up a subject Seleme has been anguishing over.
Rudolf nods and sighs. “There aren’t many of them left. They’re young and frightened of our retribution for what their elders did. I spoke with them and explained our way of seeing things, promised them there would be no more danger if they want to return to their homes. I want bygones to be bygones, all this war and death...” There’s sadness in his voice as he continues. “I wish I didn’t have the guilt of so many lost lives on my conscience.”
“It wasn’t your fault,” I reassure him. “It was the Messinas. They had you fearing your own shadow, and whipped up fear in the other clans so they’d make attempts against Seleme and keep their bargain relevant in your mind. They were the ones killing the doves, throwing them on the porch when they were meant to be a sign to Seleme. A sign that she was about to find her one. Fall in love. They knew they needed to threaten you all, scare you before they lost their hold on what they wanted.”
Things unraveled pretty quickly after the situation with Michael and Alberto. Anna went to Michael’s mother, to smooth things over, and found she had little knowledge of what had gone on. She initially vowed revenge against me for killing her son, and I can’t blame her for that. But the details were undeniable, and when she looked into exactly what had happened over the past twenty years she accepted that the blame lay entirely at Michael’s door. Things came out that I’m sure Michael would have kept buried for a long time; things about how he manipulated the situation like some sort of mafia don.
“There one more thing…” I stop as we approach the back door of the estate, the windows glowing with candlelight.
“What?” Rudolf crosses his arms over his black suit, and again the oddness of us both taking these long walks dressed so formally seems perfectly natural now.
“I know that Seleme and I are bonded. Together, in every sense of the word. But, like her mother, there is a human part of her too. I need to care for that as much as I care for her other half. The half you gave her.”
“I think I know what you are going to say. I was meaning to talk to you about this as well.”
“I want to marry Seleme. A ceremony. White dress. Tuxedos. Whatever she wants. I need to give that to her. I want your blessing.”
He nods. “Of course. You have it, no question. However, it’s ironic because I wanted to show you this this morning.” He uncrosses his arms, reaches a hand inside his suit jacket and brings forward his closed hand. “I’ve been thinking you should make a honest woman out of her.”
When he opens it, I swallow hard and raise my eyebrows. “That’s stunning.”
“It’s been in my family for so long, I don’t remember exactly how old it is. I want you to have it, to give to Seleme as her engagement ring.”
In his upturned palm the blood red ruby is nearly the size of a quarter, encircled with a halo of diamonds, and I hold back the chuckle as I think of Seleme’s tiny hand wearing such a monster of a ring.
“That is an amazing and generous gesture, Rudolf. I’m grateful.” I clear my throat and choose my next words carefully. “You have become more than Seleme’s father to me. I respect you and appreciate all you have done for me. But…” I take a deep breath. “I cannot accept this.”
I reach into my trouser pocket as disappointment clouds his face.
“Why not? You are part of the family already. This is not charity.”
I nod. “I understand, but I am a man. A man that wants and needs to provide for mine as you do yours. I know it must be hard, you’ve cared for Seleme as a father should. But it is my turn — as you’ve cared for Amber, I will care for your daughter.”
I pull out my hand, pinch the platinum band between my middle finger and my thumb, raising the ring so he can take it in. “This ring came to me. Look inside…” I lean the ring from side to side, hoping that, in the dim moonlight still left fighting with the sun, his eagle like vision will allow him see what I know is there.
“Where did you find this?” He takes it from me, holding it up in front of his face, and I can see in his eyes he understands.
“I was at the antique store, there was a woman there. At first, I didn’t take note of her. Seleme was picking out a new bed, driving the salesperson crazy as usual with her questions. I walked to the jewelry case, the woman was standing there and looked up at me and smiled. I smiled back, then I looked into her eyes.”
I pause, looking in the windows of the house where I see movement. Seleme’s silhouette glides behind the windows of the library on the second floor and just the sight of her still speeds my heart and thickens my cock.
“And?” Rudolf narrows his eyes.
“Her eyes were red.”
“Really? Who was she?”
“She didn’t say. She was old, I’m sure of it. Not that she looked old, but I sensed something in her. I know I’m new to all this, and age is kind of irrelevant to our kind, but something made me feel...”
“What?”
“That she could have been older than Anna.” I meet his eyes. “Is that possible?”
Rudolf shrugs. “I’ve given up trying to figure out what’s possible and what isn’t, Maxim. I trust your senses, if they tell you she was old then I believe she probably was. What did she tell you?”
“Nothing of any use. She just reached down, took my hand and pressed a small wooden box into it as she said, ‘I’ve been waiting.’ I asked her what she was waiting for. She smiled, looked over at Seleme, then back up at me and said, ‘For the next one. Look at the ring tonight, in the moonlight. You’ll know.’”
Ruldolf hands the ring back.
“I looked over at Seleme, puzzled, then when I looked back she was gone.”
I hold up the ring to the last of the moonlight. The platinum filigree band work is beyond anything I’ve seen. There is a wedding band that matches, fitting around the other, making them look like they are one piece. The diamond is old, hand cut probably five carats, a third of the size of the ruby Ruldolf offered and much more appropriate for Seleme. But that’s not the most amazing part.
Glinting in the moonlight, deep inside the clear stone is a fracture in the perfect shape of an ‘S’, which catches it the light, casting a rainbow of refraction on the ground in another perfect S-shape.
I look back up to see Seleme looking out the window, waving at me. I wave back, her smile lighting up my heart as it did the first time.
Rudolf looks up at her then back at me with his smile. “When will you do it?”
“Later today. Then I want us to marry right away, if Seleme is in agreement, of course.”
“Very well. I will contact the celebrant. She is a friend from long ago. Keep me advised on the timing, she has the gift of speed. She can travel a thousand miles in a matter of minutes so I’m sure she could be here quickly.”
“Thank you, Rudolf. For everything.”