3. Pack
Pack
Earlier…
“All right, ideas for our time with the students! Anybody? Anyone?” Ryder gazed around at the packed front room of the Weryn Palace with satisfaction.
The room was full to bursting. The fire was lit.
Blood wine was flowing. Vampires of every age were leaning against the walls and sitting on the floors or, if there was room, the furniture.
He was standing in front of the fireplace, pacing a bit, as he asked for their input on how to court the students.
“I realize that, for some of you, in the past, you were told that we weren’t supportive of the school. But, obviously, that’s changed,” Ryder said to the few familiar faces from his old House. “So now I want you to think outside of the box–”
“Or palace!” Demos laughed. “I vote we do something outside.”
There were a few ayes and hoots of agreement. Shining silver eyes tracked him. The atmosphere was relaxed and festive. He felt no tension in any of his Bloodline. Siban gave him a comforting nod. He was doing fine, they seemed to say. Everything was fine.
But he was sure that there must be a few from the War times that wondered if he was going to suddenly lose it again. Could they trust his normality? Or was it really just a thin veneer that could be pulled off with one wrong move or word on their part?
Time will show that’s not the case.
“Okay, outside!” Ryder clapped his hands together. “That does sound like a good suggestion even as we huddle around the fire here.”
“We do put together pretty damn good parties though,” Amaris pointed out as she took a sip of her blood wine with evident relish. Ryder had broken out some of the old stuff that had a strange magical kick.
Kayne looked a bit disgusted as he said, “The Mirryr did their night of debauchery. People would compare the parties.”
“There’s no comparing us to Mirryr!” Someone said and stamped their foot. “They’re all surface and no substance!”
Glasses were raised high as people shouted, “WERYN! WERYN! WERYN!”
Ryder grinned, but gestured for them to settle down even though he was thrilled to hear the pride in their voices.
“While parties are good–and we will have plenty of those–I don’t think they truly express us as a Bloodline.
This is the students first introduction to us.
I’m thinking more of an outdoor adventure. A night in the Ever Dark.”
He actually longed to do that himself. Just take him and Grayson out into the wilderness and spend time lounging around when they weren’t making love.
Staring up at the stars instead of a ceiling.
He imagined cradling Grayson against one of his furry bodies.
The animal court inside of him was pleased.
And Grayson really needed the rest. Maybe being away from the hustle and bustle of Nightvallen where so many things drew his attention or needed his input would be good.
And we need to talk about what he’s going to do about being turned. I need to know. Whatever his choice is, I will accept it, but we need to plan for it.
“So camping?” Demos chuckled.
“Glamping!” Someone else shouted.
“Fine, glamping,” Demos said with a shake of his head. “We’ve all grown soft. Just think of the student of your choice cuddling with your animal form when they’re cold! But that won’t happen if we’re in a safe and warm tent.”
“I don’t think my wings will do much good against the chill!” Another laughed.
“My antlers might get in the way!” Someone else grumped.
“Not all of us are adorable kitties!” A third teased Demos.
“Naughty kitties, according to some,” Siban cough-laughed.
Demos actually ducked his head. “Hey, now, that’s a secret.”
“Not anymore!” Someone shouted.
There was a huge round of laughter there.
“Secrets are not our forte,” Amaris said with a shake of her head. “Gossip most certainly is.”
“We’re just in everybody’s business. Kindly,” Siban said. “You can’t know if someone needs something if you don’t know what’s going on with them.”
“Fair enough,” Ryder laughed. “Can’t get anything past all of you. But back to the important business at hand. So outside. Glamping. What else?”
“They’ll all want to see us shift,” another pointed out.
“Of course.” Ryder nodded. “Our gift is one that excites human imagination.”
“All those shifter books and movies work in our favor these days,” Amaris said with a laugh. “Used to be that shifters had a bad rap, but now we are the romantic leads.”
“And we’re Vampires. So we’ve got the best of both worlds,” Kayne added as he poured wine into Amaris’ glass before drinking out of the bottle himself.
“Hear, hear! Best of both worlds!” Came a heartfelt refrain.
“Did we get a list of students that stated our Bloodline as a favorite?” Siban asked. “I was unable to find out, but I have heard from the other Bloodlines that this is a thing.”
“Well, we weren’t in the running when they chose the students so maybe we weren’t on offer,” Harlan said, stretching his legs out towards the fire.
“If anyone got a list, it would have been Lawson and… well, yeah.” Demos shrugged.
Ryder found himself scanning the group to see their reaction to talk of Lawson.
His old Master and Legion were now both in the past. But they were still sore spots.
Yet he didn’t see anyone that dropped their eyes from his or looked uneasy.
Ryder rolled his shoulders back to release some of the tension he felt.
Everything is fine. That is the past. This is the future.
“Based on what I know of Balthazar, Caemorn and Seeyr, I’m positive there are at least a few students that will be brilliant Weryns,” Ryder assured them. “The whole idea would have been to tempt us to interact with the school even if I hadn’t woken up.”
He said that so easily. Woken up. Became and accepted Weryn. It had been a process, but now he was… well, him. He was complete. Whole.
“I have a request in with the Eyros for a list if there is one,” Siban said.
“That’s good thinking, Siban. But I am betting that we will not need a list, because, as you all pointed out, the Weryn are the best Bloodline,” Ryder said.
There were more cheers all around.
“You know that humans will want to touch our animal forms. Hell, all of them will,” Amaris amended with another sip of wine.
“Do we still claim to find that disrespectful?” Kayne asked.
“Claim?” Amaris’ eyebrows lifted.
“Oh, c’mon now. Who here hasn’t let someone give them a good old petting?” Kayne asked.
Considering Kayne was as big as two people combined, the thought of him exposing his belly for a tummy rub had Ryder biting his cheek to stop from bursting out laughing. The man’s very serious expression as he asked the question had others trying not to snicker.
“We should save pettings for our significant others,” Demos suggested. “That way they don’t think we’re easy.”
“Weryns are easy?” Amaris chuckled. “Never!”
Everyone lifted their wine glass. There was drinking all around.
“So we have glamping under the stars. Shifting. And potentially petting… but I guess, knowing all of you, that petting of another kind will occur,” Ryder said with a knowing grin.
“WERYN!” The group cried and laughed.
The Weryn were notorious for their orgies.
He wasn’t going to stand in the way of that.
Not only did the Weryn Bloodline engage in such acts, because they were fun, but also because they bound people tighter together.
Those who were drawn to the communal lifestyle and the earthy nature of the Weryn would be best suited to join them.
“I thought that Balthazar didn’t want us doing that with the students. Not yet,” Irine said as she fluttered a little.
Though Lawson was gone, she still showed a little of that extra energy.
Her anxiety used to annoy him, but now Ryder found himself being more understanding.
She’d gone through a lot. All of them had.
Which was why he had asked them back. He was glad to see that Lawson’s House wasn’t grouped together, but was spread out among the other Houses.
While he had not disbanded Lawson’s House officially, he’d asked Demos to let it be known that he’d like Lawson’s Children to be adopted out and it appeared to be happening with alacrity.
“After what he let happen at that Mirryr party? I’m sorry, but those rules are long gone.” Amaris shook her head.
“They’re more guidelines than hard and fast rules, Irine,” Ryder explained gently. “The concern is that we do not abuse our power over the students. Consent is key.” There were nods all around. “And if anyone is showing any signs of uncertainty, we back off, right?”
“Yes!” They all answered.
“If anyone is unable to consent due to drink, drugs, whatever it might be, we back off, right?” Ryder asked.
“Yes!” Came the repeated answer.
“We want the students to understand what our Bloodline is like. Really like.” He met everyone’s gaze around the room. “We don’t want to give a false impression.”
“So glamping, shifting, orgies, but what about group songs?” Harlan chuckled. “Hey, if we’re going to be honest about what we do, singing is a part of it.”
Ryder inclined his head. “Yes, especially songs off-key with plenty of howling.”
Laughter raced around the room.
“What about hunting?” Natasha asked quietly.
Everyone went silent. They all knew about Legion’s Last Hunt. And they all knew that Natasha had been Lawson’s mate. He and Natasha hadn’t talked since Lawson’s death yet she’d come tonight.
No, his execution. But she’s here. I wonder if I should have Balthazar take a look in her mind.
Part of him wanted to know if there was any treachery in Natasha.
She’d truly loved Lawson. He’d been different with her than the rest of them.
But she’d sat by while he’d been that way with the rest of them.
Still, he was allowing back the others so Natasha should have a chance as well, he supposed.
I think I need to speak with her myself. After this is settled.