Ok, so don't hate on me. Once again this chapter came out of nowhere. So, ahem once again the preview got put back a chapter. I promise there is nothing else to fit in between now so I'm giving you this today and chapter 15 will be up tomorrow as a thank you for the reviews and messages you have sent me. But. there will be a wait for chapter 16 as this story is growing every time I sit down and write. I also have a lot more of the sister's history which is written, particularly when Irina first encounters Tanya and Kate and her memories which I may insert in a later chapter if anyone is interested? Ok, enough!
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"Where's Rose," were Bella's first words as she entered the house with Tanya.
"Upstairs," Kate replied as she looked the newborn over, she was wet but clean and relatively blood free. Her sensitive nose could still detect a faint trace of the blood but thankfully the majority was gone.
"It's Ok, get changed and go see her," Tanya urged. "Take your shoes off first young one!" She warned and pointed to the still sopping Chucks Bella was wearing. The newborn looked suitably chastised and hastily removed the offending items.
"She's worried about you," Kate added and the sisters exchanged a look over Bella's head. Bella hesitated, she wondered if she needed to apologise to the ancient but her memories were vague and both her hosts were treating her well.
"Go!" Kate urged with a smile and a shooing gesture. The newborn nodded and padded towards the stairs in search of her friend. It was blurry but she remembered being angry at Rose and hoped she hadn't said or done anything to offend or upset her. As she approached her room Bella heard the shower running in Rose's room so took a minute to change out of her sodden clothing, throwing it into the bathtub to drain before selecting some loose sweat pants and a tank top of Rose's she had 'mistakenly' taken when sorting their laundry.
"Hey," Rose looked up from drying her hair to see Bella leaning awkwardly against the door frame. It still amazed the blonde how even as a vampire Bella still managed to look out of place in her own body at times. But, she couldn't help but purr internally as she noticed the newborn in her top. Whether Bella knew it or not it pleased Rose's beast to see it's territory so clearly marked.
"Hey, you Ok?" She became concerned by the pensive look on her friend's face. Bella shook her head in such a way that Rose was across the room in a blur so she was hovering in front of her friend, unsure if she should offer comfort of give her space. "What's wrong sweetie?" Rose entreated, wondering what had the newborn so upset. "Come," she reached out and took the brunette's hand and pulled her towards the bed, maybe she would feel better if they lay together
"No!" Bella's reaction was violent as she pulled away, pressing herself against the wall.
"Kate! Kate!" Rose stepped back as the newborn panicked and called for their mentor.
"Easy, easy!" Kate was in the room within seconds, holding Bella by the shoulders as she searched her face for a clue to what was wrong.
"I -. I can't -. I might -." The newborn stuttered, her earlier panic returning.
"Oh Bella!" Kate embraced her, holding her tight. "Bella, Bella, Bella! What are me going to do with you? Huh?" The brunette burrowed against the smaller vampire, seeking comfort from her. "Shh, it's Ok?" Rose watched, she wanted to comfort Bella but had no idea what was wrong so she hovered.
"Bella?" Rose queried, getting more and more anxious the longer Kate held Bella. At the sound of the blonde's voice Bella pulled away from Kate and looked up at her friend.
"Bella!" Kate's call caught the newborn's attention again. "You're not a danger yet, you have some time but you need to make a decision today. Rose can help, you'll be fine." Rose was now clued in to what had upset Bella and when the newborn glanced up at her she smiled warmly, trying to reassure her friend that everything would be Ok. "Do you want me to stay while you talk?" Kate offered, Bella thought it through for a second then nodded. "Ok, so I'll explain to Rose what's going on and then we can talk it through. Ok?" Bella managed another nod and bit her lip as she looked up to meet Rose's golden eyes. The young blonde was frowning and Bella felt guilty for upsetting her, again.
"So?" Rose's concern had quickly turned to irritation now that she knew Bella was Ok.
"Sit," Kate gestured towards the couch, Bella sat down.
"Wait," Rose gestured to the towel she was wearing and for the first time the others realised what she was wearing, or not wearing. Kate smirked but Bella was suddenly extremely conscious of what they were about to discuss. "Ok," the young blonde had quickly sped to her bathroom to change into her usual home wear of a tank top and the sexy low slung sweat pants she favoured. When she returned she opted to sit cross legged on the bed, wanting to give Bella some space until she had discovered what had been stressing her out.
"Explain." Rose demanded and was met by the red and gold eyes of her companions.
"I told Bella -."
"Let me," Bella cut Kate off and the elder vampire nodded for her to continue.
"Kate explained that if I didn't -. Um." Bella paused, not sure of how to explain so Kate stepped in to help her out.
"I told her that is she didn't take steps to control her sexual urges they would take control of her." Kate explained in her typically blunt manner.
"She said I might hurt you," Bella added, as she worried her bottom lip between her teeth. Rose experienced an age old feeling of panic at her words, her memories trying to make her submit to her fears but she was now strong enough to shake them off although it had taken many years. When she had quelled the unwanted thoughts she studied the newborn.
"I've seen it happen," Kate spoke up in self-defence before Rose could accuse her of exaggerating the problem. "Just like that!" She clicked her fingers. "And the vampire was much further from the change than Bella." she looked at Rose. "I wasn't trying to scare her, just keep you safe." Kate's comment was directed at her, Rose frowned but didn't respond. Kate's tacit protection spoke volumes to the young blonde. Here she was valued. Here she was cared about.
"But, then -. Well, that just happened which makes it even more of a priority," Tanya added from where she had appeared in the doorway. "It's time to talk." The occupants of the room looked at her expectantly. "Kate?" Her sister nodded as Tanya came into the room
"Rose?" Tanya asked permission from the young blonde who nodded before taking a seat on her couch with Bella on the other end. Kate sat on the rug at the foot of the bed on which Rose sat.
"Let's begin with a history lesson, it may help you understand." Kate began as she exchanged a smile with her sister who then nodded for her to continue.
"I was turned by my great-aunt, Sasha, who chose me to be her companion for eternity. She didn't give me a choice, just came to the house one day and took me away. After she fed me a meal she bit me and well, you know how the rest goes." Tanya chuckled ruefully. "I became her companion, my newborn urges were not as controlled as Bella's," the ancient explained. "I killed indiscriminately, I was encouraged to be brutal. Later, as my control grew, she taught me how to bed a man and kill him as we fucked." The ancient's expression was stoic.
"I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the feeling of power it gave me, we were unstoppable. Our beauty drew lovers like flies and when Sasha taught me to manipulate the chi the experiences only intensified and became more satisfying." Rose curled her lip in disgust at the images Tanya was provoking but they also resonated with her. It was a large part of being a vampire, the lust and power. The young blonde looked over to gauge Bella's reaction, the newborn looked thoughtful but was listening to the tale with rapt attention, red eyes fixed on Tanya.
"So, about a decade passed and I was happy. We travelled the country, living in houses taken from those we killed. Sasha had set herself up as a noblewoman, impersonating one of her victims to allow us to move freely within society. When we weren't travelling we lived in a large, fortified house. We spawned the succubus legend, beautiful women who lured their lovers to a bloody death." A rueful smile graced the ancient's lips.
"I was travelling with my mistress and her household," Kate took over the storytelling. "we had made camp for the night in a forest clearing."
"My mistress was was a wealthy young woman, her husband had died just before I came to be in her service. She had bought me from the owner of the whorehouse I was indentured to because of my skills." Kate paused and both young vampires were frowning at what they were hearing but stayed silent as the story was continued.
"I grew up in the forests of my homeland, it was a harsh land, brutal winters and dry summers," Tanya nodded her agreement to her sister's words. "I survived off the land until my parents sold me to the local merchant for his bed. Beauty can often be a curse," Rose growled and Kate flashed her a tight lipped smile. "He didn't last long, I put my skills to good use and slit his throat while he was passed out drunk,"
"Unfortunately, after his death I was sold again to the local brothel." Kate smiled ruefully and Tanya reached out and placed her hand on her sisters shoulder in an act of comfort. "My beauty made me popular until I reached my limit with a particularly violent man and killed him. I expected to be killed myself, at that point it would have been a blessing." There was a quiet moment and Rose felt her chi reach out to comfort her mentor and friend, her action was met with an answering brush of affection from Kate's own chi and a soft smile from the ancient.
"However, the brothel Madam was a shrewd woman and instead hired me out as an assassin and my services were in high demand. Who would expect a female assassin? I was able to come and go un-noticed in the crowds and I felt nothing for those I killed. They were usually powerful men who had gained that power at the expense of others."
"I came to serve my -, my mistress," Kate's breath hitched and an unspoken moment passed between the sisters, Kate was obviously finding this difficult and Tanya held a look of guilt. "I came to serve her after she hired me to kill her husband. I'd never worked for a woman before and it was a unique experience," she cleared her throat.
"I killed him in front of her and when she had seen me at work she purchased me from the brothel to become her attendant and bodyguard. She travelled a lot as she took over his business and I went with her. I was allowed full control over myself and her men, they didn't like that at first, until I beat some respect into them," Kate growled and Bella nodded, she knew how that felt and imagined the small vampire to have been a force to be reckoned with, even in her human life, what she was hearing proved that.
"I had been with her for a little over two years that night in the forest," Kate paused as she remembered
"Katarina, attend me," my mistress ordered and I left my post at the entrance to her tent to take her travelling cloak as she slipped it off her shoulders to expose the elegant robes she wore underneath. I took the cloak and hung it on a peg that jutted from the central tent pole.
"Mistress?" I purred in her ear, wanting to gauge her intentions for the evening.
"Not tonight Kat," she replied as she reached up to caress my cheek with her hand. "It's not safe but come to bed when you have completed your watch." I nodded and we shared a kiss. Out there I was her servant. In here we were equals. "Be safe." I nodded and left the tent.
"I was on watch when we were attacked. The men went down screaming but it was too dark to see what was attacking us, I could only see flashes of white in the darkness. I ran to my mistress' tent, I ran inside to find a blonde woman there, holding her by her throat. I attacked and it surprised her enough to drop my mistress but I was thrown back to crash into another woman, another blonde. I fought but it wasn't enough, I was dazed and thrown to the floor. I watched as they drained my mistress and threw her away like a doll." The room was silent, all the vampire's completely still.
"You loved her. You were in love with her," were Rose's quiet words and Kate looked up, the answer written clearly on her face.
"I did. I was." Her reply tinged with a sadness that even a millennia could not erase.
"I killed her," Tanya admitted softly. "And I'm sorry to this day for the pain I caused you Katarina," Kate shifted so she could lean her body against her sister's leg. "Sasha was so impressed by Kate's fighting skills, even though they were no match for us, and her resemblance to me that she turned her, to be a sister for me," Tanya exhaled. "You can imagine how that worked out, at first at least." The young ones nodded, both of them trying to reconcile the information they were were hearing to the loving relationship they knew their hosts shared now.
"I was a viscous newborn," Kate admitted. "I took my anger out on those I killed but for some reason I was never able to hurt the ones that had hurt me. I was faster and stronger than them but my beast would never challenge or wish to harm either of them."
"For Sasha it was the makers bond that protected her, for me -. Well, it was something different." Tanya cut in to explain.
"Yes, despite my anger at her and the fact she had killed the one I loved I could never bring myself to hurt Tanya. It just felt so wrong, I could never act on my emotions. I hated her but could never hurt her." Kate finished with a sigh. "I joined them in their killing and fucking as it distracted me, my instincts were still very base."
"I was fascinated by Kate and cared for her great deal, even though I knew of her anger towards me. But, it was not for a long time that I realised why she hated me so much because she never spoke of her lover. It was then that I felt guilty for the first time as a vampire," Tanya interjected as the sisters shared a long look. "The bond was already working although we had no knowledge of this."
"It wasn't until I had more control and they began to teach me the succubus ways and how to manipulate the chi that we felt the connection." Kate took her sisters hand as she spoke.
"It was mind-blowing," Tanya confirmed.
"Suddenly everything made sense and although I still hurt from losing -, her," Kate paused, it still pained her to say her lovers name so she never spoke it. "I felt so much love from Tanya that it made it bearable. We are sexual creatures who had already coupled, the bond just brought us closer but with Irina it was different."
"How?" Rose asked, entranced by the story and the way it was shedding light on her feelings for Bella.
"We were travelling through the low lands where the country was mostly used for farming, peasants scratching out a living on what land they could cultivate. Then we saw her." Kate smiled at the memory.
"She was beautiful," Tanya beamed, both ancients so caught up in their feelings for their sister that Rose felt a warm backlash against her chi. "A peasant girl around fourteen, she worked at the inn we chose to stay at that night. Sasha saw how enamoured we both were with her and purchased her from the owner. She thought we wanted to feed from the girl, play with her but we could never hurt her." Tanya and Kate shared a loving smile before Kate continued.
"She was never scared of us, she was completely lacking a human's normal instinct to fear our kind" Kate thought back to the first time she had spoken with her sister.
"You're very beautiful, but so cold." The girl had commented but Kate knew their skin had never touched.
"We are, but we are free," I replied with a smile. "What is your name, girl?"
"I am Irina," the girl replied with a smile and a curtsey.
"I am Katarina and my sister is called Tanya, our cousin is Sasha," I explained, Sasha was our mother but looked no older that we did so when travelling we called ourselves cousins.
"So, she lived with you but you didn't turn her straight away?" Rose queried. "Like Bella?" She used the newborn as an example and Tanya smiled.
"Very much like Bella, she had no fear of us, she was family and we were never tempted by her blood," Tanya confirmed. "She trusted us from the first time we met and even when she discovered what we were she showed no fear, only curiosity."
"Just like Bella!" Rose chuckled and looked fondly at the brunette who scowled but wasn't really upset by her friend's words.
"So, the bond? When did it develop?" Rose questioned, eager for the details
"I think it was always there to some extent. We loved her and cared for and she reciprocated our feelings. As she aged she also became aware that we shared more than friendship and asked to join us in our bed. We welcomed her and were both adept at not harming humans during our sexual encounters unless we wished to, so that was never an issue." Tanya explained.
"We loved her and she loved us. When she asked to be turned she was only seventeen. We made her wait until she was twenty as she still looked very young for her age," Kate spoke a she straightened up and sat cross legged next to her sister. "She was patient, she understood why we asked her to wait but she was so sweet and loving, even when she saw our darker natures."
"Sasha turned her when 'rina got sick. It may not have been a serious illness but it made us all realise how lost we would be without her so she was changed. It was then the bond really kicked in. Our love for her was intensified and the first time our chi's bonded it was amazing." Kate finished speaking and beamed at her sister who was also smiling at the memory.
"I have spoken to many mated pairs, also true mates, and they describe something different to what we felt. Their bonds are primal and possessive, ours was more enlightening and although it is sexual between us there is no over-riding monogamous bond. But -," Tanya caught Rose's eye as the young one began to frown. "But, I know that Kate and I will never mate with another vampire. It just won't happen, we have each other and that is more than a simple mate bond, I believe that in our own way we are true mates, Irina too but she is a free and inquisitive being, she will always be ours but also likes to explore, the world and other vampires, but will never bond with them."
"We think you two are the same as Tan and I, you will always be there for one another, even if you never become sexually involved the bond between you will never be diluted to the extent that an external mate bond would form." Kate explained and neither Bella or Rose could make full sense of what she was saying without further analysis of their own feelings.
"But, we also recognise that because you are already aware of the bond, even though it is not fully active, there may be times when you seek each other out. Today may be one of those times. Bella needs help and needs to discuss things with you." Kate smiled at Rose who was now on alert.
"So, we're back where we started. I'll be downstairs if you need me," Tanya smiled at the vampires she now considered her family and left the three of them alone.