Chapter 10: 11/13/15

There was miles upon miles of clean crisp white snow going as far as even the immortal eye can see. We had landed in the jet then, had to take a helicopter up a mountain after that, there were two massive SUV's waiting for us. Easily they weighed at least ton. Aric and Jace drove together. Patch and I rode behind them. The truck ahead finally stopped seemingly in the middle of nowhere a few feet away from a steep slope.

Patch looked to me before getting out."Rules of survival up here. Don't go outside without your gear, a bug out bag, and a walkie talkie." He said handing me a radio.

"Got it?" He spoke into his handheld and his voice came through my speakers accompanied with static. I held down the button and talked into the mic.

"Got it."

"Wait here until I come for you," He said before hopping out of the truck to face the harsh climate. He met up with Jace and Aric and they each grabbed a sledgehammer before drilling into the side of the mountain full force. Mouth agape I looked on. After a while all debris and snow started falling away a steel door appeared. Aric opened the door and walked in while Patch and Jace waited outside. After a few moments he came back out and said something to Patch. Then Patch made his way to my side of the SUV and helped me out. Together we trudged inside the mountain. First we walked into a garage area where there were vehicles covered with tarp. Then we made our way through a narrow hall. The inside was just as breathtaking as the outside. This whole place was made out of the mountain that it's built in. The walls, the floor, and even the stairs were made of the solid black rock but they were buffed and polished. Torches donned the walls and the fire burning from them supplied our light source making the room have a dim orange hue. It was decorated comfortably with wooden furniture and fur throws and animals as rugs. It definitely had a old cabin feel but the dancing flames gave it a romantic aura.

"Have a look around. I'll get our bags," Patch said before kissing me lightly and leaving me alone in the grand foyer. I could immediately tell that this property belonged to Aric there were portraits of him and his family all over the place. His daughters or sisters I assumed, were beautiful. But each of them had different colored hair and they looked nothing like him. Hmmph, must have different mothers.

Behind me I heard things falling down the stairs but when I turned around there was nothing there. Then there was a flash movement followed by giggling on my left. Then a dark blur of movement accompanied by whispers on my right. A chill went down my spine I looked around, no one was in sight but I knew I was not alone. A moment later Patch and Jace were bringing in our luggage from the truck. Aric walked in behind them and went straight in the kitchen going to the deep freezer and pulling out a bag of plasma. Gross. But to each his own. I looked to Patch to see if he sensed anything was off. He usually had a nack for these kinds of situations but his demeanor was calm and normal. I started hearing faint sighs in the distance and they increasingly got louder suddenly three figures appeared.

One landed straight standing on the counter island. To my surprise she was one of the girls in the photos I saw. She was petite and had golden blonde hair tied down in two pigtails. She smiled at me sweetly. I was a little taken back by her pink eyes and cat like fangs. She was wearing a short blush pink robe with silk lining. I weakly smiled back at her and she laughed while turning in place. Okay, weird. I just hope she doesn't fall off the edge. Another was by Aric's side. She was drop dead gorgeous. Just as pale as Aric with gaunt cheeks, long lashes, and curly red hair like mine. Although her color was a lot richer and the length was about a foot longer than my hair. She was wearing a black sheer dress that moved and flowed like a breeze around her body. Under it her nipples and private areas were clearly revealed. But she was wearing diamonds garters around her waist on her thighs. Classy. And the last had all black everything and was … crawling on the ceiling!

Aric welcomed them warmly with open arms. "Come to me, Loves," He boomed. They all rushed to him and gave him affectionate kisses.

"We missed you," They all said in unison throwing themselves all over him.

"Nora and Jace, meet my wives. Victoria, Aleera, and Rosalie," Aric said with his arms around their waists. Wait. What? All three of them are his wives?! I looked to Patch for some kind of clarification when the one with the black hair seemed to glide across the room toward him. She kissed him lightly on the cheek. My face grew hot with jealousy.

"Jev, It's so good to see you again," She purred in a soft voice that was so low it might as well had been a whisper. How in the hell did they know each other? He reciprocated the affection by kissing her hands.

"It's nice to see you too, Victoria." I take a mental note to remember her name. I know the looks she's giving him. So many other girls in Coldwater had given him the same glare longing for his touch. I know she would be the one I had to look out for.

"How's my dear friend Rixon?" She asked and a fire had seemed to light in her eyes. Both Patch and Aric had tensed going still but for two completely different reasons. One with rage, and the other anticipating the rage. After a moment when Patch realized Aric wasn't going to snap he released a breath of relief.

"He's gone. Along with all the others of my kind. I'm the only one that's left."

"Good! Let him rot," Aric interjected looking at Victoria with cold hard eyes. She and the other two girls shrank back. Patch made a face that said I hear that, Brother. The blonde skipped over to me. Getting a little too close for my liking but I didn't push her away. Afraid she might bite me or something. At the moment they all seemed to have noticed me and swarmed to me like bees to honey. Playing in my hair, caressing my skin, sniffing me, and inspecting my features greedily with their glowing different colored eyes. Demon Red, Pitch Black, and Soft Pink met my Scared Grey ones.

"Well who might this lovely girl be?" Victoria quirked.

"She's so beautiful!" Said the redhead.

"Can we play with her, master? Please?" The blond one implored looking to Aric begging silently. Patch quickly interjected. Swooping in to save me from the thirsty women.

"No," He said loudly and firmly slipping in between me and blondie putting his arm around me. "She's mine. Not one of your pets." The girls hiss at him baring their fangs but Patch wasn't the least bit intimidated. He looks to Aric with an expression that says 'Call of your dogs before I snap their necks'. Aric claps his hands loudly.

"Girls, Back away from Nora and Patch. These are our guests and we are going to respect their wishes," He said as if he was talking to his children. Slowly they backed away from Patch and I and gravitated to Jace doing to him what they did to me. But he seemed to be enjoying the attention. I sighed with relief. Patch noticed.

Sorry, Angel. I probably should've warned you about them. He said to me in mind speak.

Ya think? I retorted.

We'll debrief in the bedroom.

Before going to his room with the practically naked red haired woman Aric directed the other two girls to show Jace, Patch and I our designated bedrooms. The one with pink eyes who I learned to be, Aleera, leaded Patch and I down the same hall Aric had went two doors down and to the right.

"Here you are. If ya need anything just holler," She chirped then skipped through the almost ceiling high double doors where Aric had entered.

Our bedroom was just like the rest of the cabin. Smooth black rock walls and floor illuminated by firelight. The room was less than spacious because the bed took up most of the space. The frame and other furniture looked like they were carved from the same material as the mountains. Ornate but still simple.

"Is there anything in this place that isn't a giant rock?" I sighed walking in the adjoining bathroom. I curiously eyed the toilet wondering where the flushed waste goes.

"Aric built this whole place. Top to bottom by himself," Patch informed. I have to admit if one man did this alone it was impressive.

"Why would he do this instead of… I don't know sleeping in a coffin."

"Well majority of humans are not fond of Vampires. So to avoid being hunted, and being killed by the sun he shacks up all the way out here. Plus he needs the extra space for his family." I scoffed.

"Yeah his family that consists of three different wives. At the same time!" I said sourly. Patch chuckled darkly.

"That really get to you doesn't it?" My jaw dropped at his silly question.

"Of course it gets to me. Having the three of them at the same time? Plus they all know of each other and are okay with it. It's disgusting!"

"Angel, It's their nature. I don't even know how to begin to explain it," He said. I could tell he was trying to rack his brain for the right words to say to me.

"Vampires are very different creatures from us. They don't have hearts, literally and figuratively. They don't have the ability to feel any emotion."

"So why go out of his way to marry all of them?" I asked.

"It's a territorial thing." Patch shrugged. "He adores each one yet if one were to die he wouldn't think twice about marrying another. But it's different with Rosalie. She's the first wife he's ever had. She's also his favorite. Don't tell the other two that," He said with a conspiratory smirk. I shook my head to get rid of the headache I felt forming. I started changing into my pajamas which consisted of a flannel button down and pants that were covered with little white bunnies. I could tell that my attire earned one of Patch's barely there smiles that never quite made it to the surface.

"Bite me," I mumbled under my breath while getting into bed. It was actually more comfortable than i thought it would be. Patch crawled in behind me and pulled my back to his chest spooning me. The trip here was so long I just wanted to recharge and start fresh tomorrow. Soon his breathing started lulling me to sleep then I remembered something.

"What's the story with Rixon, Victoria and Aric?" I asked Patch genuinely curious. He gave a bark of laughter.

"You caught that huh? Well a few centuries ago while in Europe on business Rixon and I met Aric and his five wives at the time. Rixon was particularly interested in one, Victoria. But Aric never gave him the green light to be with her because she was still transitioning from human to vampire at the time. Rightfully so he didn't want his wife having romantic interest in anyone else. He wanted to be her first and he definitely didn't want her getting pregnant." I nodded eagerly wanting him to continue with the story. "Rixon being Rixon didn't listen and went behind Aric's back to have the affair with her anyway."

"Well what happened next?" I asked impatiently. I'm starting to think he pauses just to see me on the edge of my seat. I could feel him smiling behind me before he continued.

"One night Aric saw Victoria sneak out of Rixons lodging but he hadn't confronted either one of them about it yet. Then exactly what he feared happened. She'd fallen pregnant with a Nephilim baby. Aric gave her choice either stay with him and get rid of Rixon and the baby or leave him and take a risk with the man who she thought loved her. Rixon wanted nothing to do with the child so she chose. And here she is today. Though, as you can see she still cares for Rixon, Why? I'll never know."

"Wait what happened to the baby? Did she…" I trailed off not even wanting to finish the sentence.

"No. Of course not." Patch said reading my mind. "Abortions weren't clinically safe back then. She had the baby and left him on someone's front step. He's still alive today. I think she named him Michelangelo or DeAngelo, something like that," he whispered in my ear. His voice made something deep inside me coil then travel lower. I turned my head so that my mouth touched his. We kissed each other tentatively like we had all the time in the world. I was more than grateful for what Patch and I had. Thank heavens our dynamic isn't like any other couples. Especially not a polygamous one.