Chapter 3: Preparing

After everyone left Josef sat down heavily. Jean knew this was hard on him but he kept that to himself wanting to project a confident appearance. Moving to him she easily slipped into his lap resting her head on his shoulder.

His arms circled her waist as he relaxed slightly. "Jean I know you're busy at the clinic but I have some work that needs to be handled with some contacts in New York. I can't leave right now and thought maybe you could go in my place. There's no one I trust more."

Jean smiled against his neck, "I'm touched but I'm not going to disappear just because Lance is coming to town."

"I do need someone in New York," he added idly.

"You have plenty of people qualified to handle it, I doubt you need me to handle it personally."

"You're right but if you handled it you wouldn't be here during Lance's unfortunate visit."

"I understand your need to protect me Josef but I'm not a human any more. I'm your wife, your partner. I plan to be right here by your side."

Josef turned his face and kissed her forehead. "The rational part of me knows sending you away would show weakness. Still where you are concerned I want you safe above all else."

"I know," she answered easily keeping her head in his shoulder. "I admit I'm nervous about this but I know this is where I need to be. You saw how on edge everyone was if I leave they will begin to panic. Staying here I can help ease their minds and help you."

His arms tightened around her waist, "You do help. More than you know, doll."

Jean pulls back but holds his hands in hers, "So what do we need to do to prepare for his invasion?"

Josef smiled knowing she was so good at planning and playing hostess. "I need to have a talk with the freshies. I'm sending them away for a few days. I'll hire a couple who have more specialized experience."

"Why?"

Josef pulls one of his hands free and runs it over his face. He had protected her from this before and didn't enjoy the idea of telling her now. "Lance isn't as gentle or considerate of the feelings of freshies. Instead of pleasure he enjoys fear and pain."

Pulling her hands to her mouth in horror Jean looked at him with those pure eyes pleading in their silent way. "Do you mean you're hiring people to be abused or…killed?"

"No," he sounded strong. "I'll hire those who have a proclivity for pain. He wouldn't think to kill one that would be poor etiquette."

"Thank God," she released a breath. "What can I help with?"

"You can be your usual self. You are a wonderful hostess and knowing Lance he'll find you pleasing. Just please baby remember he is from a different time. Be hospitable but remain authoritative. I know you take care of your own things but with Lance if he sees that he'll…he'll look at you like a servant and as my mate we need to show as a powerful entity."

"And showing our power we help protect those we love," she deduced.

"Correct. Plus if Lance respects you as my true mate and partner he won't try anything with you."

"You think he'd hit one me?"

A slow smile spread across his face, "I think he'll hit on all of you. He would be a fool if he didn't desire you."

"So I need to act…different while Lance is around."

"Be yourself Jean. Just try and refrain from cleaning anything or offering to fetch him anything."

"That won't be a problem." She smiled, "I think I can manage. I'll let the others know I'm not being rude."

"They know the rules baby. They've been with me a long time. They know there are casual rules and then special rules for when guests are here."

"Then let's go talk to everyone." Jean walked to the door with Josef then stopped. "Do I even want to know how you find freshies who like pain?"

"Probably not," he admitted taking her hand and making his way down the hall to speak with the staff.

"I'm just saying I don't like this. He's some powerful vampire who has everyone all scared. Why do we have to deal with this? We are humans we don't follow vampire law." Coop had been trying to wrap his head around it since they left.

"I've told you Coop, we're involve because we know about their world. Out friends are vampire s and we are involved Coop." She tried to explain again.

"I mean I guess I never thought about it but is vampire justice right when humans are involved? I mean sure they handle their own I sorta get that but when it involves humans they shouldn't have a say."

Danielle shrugged, "It's not like our justice could do anything about it. It's all interconnected. Besides they handle it quickly and efficiently. No long drawn out trials where the bad guy can get off because they can buy a high priced attorney."

"I don't know, I want to believe our system works. Sure it has flaws but I have to believe it works Dani." Coop opened the front door and let Danielle go before him. Casey, their babysitter, was sitting on the floor with Nathan and Lucas playing. She was a college student at Hearst going into Early Childhood Education. They had a wide selection of people to babysit but on the rare occasion that everyone was busy they had Casey, and when everyone who usually babysits are called together that qualified.

Nathan and Lucas came running to them as fast as their little legs could carry them. Coop scooped up Lucas as he arrived first and begun spinning him through the air while Danielle picked up Nathan and gave his stomach kisses until he screamed with giggles.

Feeling her headache return with the force of a steam roller Danielle slowly set Nathan down and pulled out her wallet. She paid Casey and showed her out quickly. Coop was crawling around on the floor with the boys and the sight always brought a smile to her face. The headache throbbed harder and her vision blurred in and out for a second. Danielle leaned against the door until it passed almost as quickly as it began. Shaking her head she made her way down the hall and up the stairs to their bedroom.

In the bathroom she undid the child locks on the cabinet and grabbed the bottle of Advil. She took two pills and swallowed them down, leaning down to the sink to get some water from the faucet. Standing up slowly she leans against the counter top.

Coop makes his way over to her from the bedroom, "Are you okay?"

Startled Danielle turns around quickly sucking in a deep breath, "Coop you startled me. Where are the boys?"

Leaving them alone downstairs unsupervised was inviting trouble. "In their playroom. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, just a headache."

"It looked like more than that," he asked looking her over.

Danielle leaned her head against his shoulder and sighed. "It just hit me out of no where."

"You need to go to the doctor babe. You've had a lot of headaches lately. I think this is something that should be checked out." Giving her a wide smile he jokes, "Unless you're just tired of me always wanting you."

Her lips turn up in a smile as she looks up at him, "Headache or not I never get tired of that."

Kissing her lips softly Coop strokes her face, "Seriously Dani, you should get checked out."

"I'm fine," she assures.

"I'll take that for now, but if they don't stop I'll drag you to the doctor if I have to."

"Okay," she holds her hands up in surrender. Looking over his shoulder she adds, "They have been kinda quite."

Coop kisses her forehead, "Which usually means they have gotten into something they shouldn't. I've got them, you stay and relax for a bit, let the pills kick in."

Danielle moved to the chair in the corner of their bedroom and sat down watching as he walked from the room. Soon giggles filled the air and she closed her eyes to focus on those.

To Be Continued…

Evilous