Chapter 21
Stretching and yawning, I woke up just as the sun was setting, basking in the memory of a brief but intensely intimate lovemaking session with J. We had stayed up all night concocting a game plan of sorts, and after much pleading and pouting, I finally conceded "the ladies" would remain here while J and Emmett went on their recruiting mission. Even though they planned an early start, J had given me a "good bye" to remember before they left.
I threw off the blankets and pulled on jeans and a sweater, sliding my feet into a pair of flip flops. Instead of my usual primping, I quickly brushed my teeth, splashed cold water on my face, and ran a brush through my hair. Makeup was limited to eyeliner and mascara. Thankfully, Ellen was a use-your-natural-beauty kinda girl, and kept her makeup simple. She was so all about understated elegance.
I really liked her and hoped we could become friends. After all, we were in the same unique situation, one that you didn't discuss with just anyone. Not a good idea to let anyone know your boyfriend was a thousand-year-old vampire. It would be fun to have someone to share girl-talk.
I quickly gave Spirit Girl a hug and mentally added, "In addition to you, of course."
Hurrying down the hall, I heard Ellen speaking with one of the staff.
"Emmett and Lord Ravenscroft probably won't be back for dinner," she advised Boris the Butler, "or at least they don't want you to hold serving it for their arrival. It will probably be just Dr. Manning and me, but I'll confirm that as soon as I hear anything from them."
He reached out and gently patted her shoulder. His smile was warm and respectful, and it was obvious he adored her. I waited until he was gone before approaching her.
"Did I hear you say the guys won't be here for dinner?"
"Hello, Dr. Manning. Yes, they decided to try to meet face to face with some of the young vampires and set up some sort of meeting. They agreed they should get the wheels in motion sooner rather than later, and they didn't want to have any time restrictions imposed. Emmett said they'll be back as soon as they've accomplished something. Whatever that means."
"It means they won't be back until they have a support group firmly behind them. And please, my name is Rhyleigh. Dr. Manning is a bit formal, don't you agree Mrs. Mara?"
We shared a giggle and headed down the stairway towards the dining room. Neither of us felt much like eating, and both of us settled for a cup of hot tea instead.
"Now that we're alone," Ellen began quietly, looking over her shoulder to insure we were out of earshot of any staff member, "how do you really feel about this whole vampire business? I was awake the entire time we were in bed trying to come to terms with it."
"It does take some getting used to, but I come from a heritage that embraces the supernatural and otherworldly beings. My grandmother was a shaman woman in our tribe, and always raised me to believe the earth belonged to several different species of inhabitants. I never gave any serious thought vampires really existed, but what can I say? They do. Among other creatures."
"Other creatures? As in…?" Ellen held her breath waiting for me to explain my statement.
Leaning closer to her, I whispered, "J says there is such a thing as werewolves."
"Oh God," she moaned, clutching her stomach. "Werewolves?"
"But he assured me zombies are mythical."
Somehow that just didn't quite render the comfort I had hoped. Ellen gasped and her eyes were big as saucers. She was trying so hard to just go with it. She really was.
"I just keep thinking it's all a dream. All of it. Emmett. The yacht. The sex. Everything is a glorious dream, and I'll be waking up any minute in my own bed in California."
I reached over and pinched her arm.
"You're awake, Ellen, and I doubt you'll be waking up in your own bed anytime soon. It would be much too dangerous for you to go home, for one thing, and I get the feeling there are more vampires in this part of the world than in the good ole US of A."
"Somehow, believing in vampires in this setting is much easier than thinking about them walking down the Santa Monica pier or enjoying Space Mountain at Disneyland. I would think the vampire leaders know where Emmett lives as well. It can't be all that safe here, can it? Won't this be the first place they look?"
"I get the feeling the council members don't go looking. That's why they sent J. They trust him to bring you two back to them to face the music. He says he only has limited time to stall them before they summon him back to the council chambers and demand to know what's up. They're kind of afraid of him, but not enough to just let this go."
"You mean they're afraid he might use his skills as a wizard against them? Emmett told me James was a powerful wizard before he became a vampire."
"He still is," I corrected her. "And yes, I think that keeps them from pushing him too far. What else did Emmett tell you about their backgrounds? I still can't get over their being father and son, so to speak. Blew me away."
"You saw my reaction," she said, blushing again. "He told me about his childhood, being raised by surrogate mothers because of his own mother's death in childbirth. He said he and his father were estranged his entire life and never really had any sort of relationship. He was raised by nannies as a child, then by teachers and trainers as a young man. But James became a vampire – right? How did that happen if he was such a powerful wizard?"
"James was raised by a wizard named Leelan. His parents gave him away because they were afraid of his natural abilities, so J thinks of Leelan as his father. Actually, Leelan had J turned into a vampire, as a means of protection. J hated it at first, and didn't forgive Leelan for years, but they eventually reconciled and ended up together until Leelan passed. J wanted to turn him into a vampire when he became ill, but he refused. J dearly loved him."
"Emmett did tell me about that, and said that was the reason he was chosen as the one to give James his blood. They were the same age and equal in physical strength. He told about some of the fighting they did together, and the different kinds of training they went through."
From the deep crimson blush on her face, I knew Emmett had told her about their hands-on training in the fine art of BDSM. Although all male vampires are trained as Dominants, Emmett was one of the majority who preferred not to follow the lifestyle. Even though I was pretty sure of what she was referring to, I cocked an eyebrow and waited for her to elaborate on her comment.
"Training?" I prompted.
"I'm behaving like a schoolgirl," she apologized, rolling her eyes. "The training in bondage and masochism. He said it wasn't his thing, but that James… well, he was a natural Dominant, and chose, er chooses to practice that lifestyle."
"He is," I assured her and added a wink. "And it's not bondage and masochism – it's much more than those two segments of the equation. J and I are a D/s couple – Dominant and submissive. But no true form of BDSM is about torture, cruelty, or abuse. It's not based on manipulation or trickery either. Both partners enter into the relationship as consenting adults. They both know full well what they're doing."
"I'm not judgmental or anything….. it's just…. I'm not….. " she stammered, growing more and more embarrassed. "To each his own. Live and let live. Right? Like you said, I guess I have a huge misconception of what that lifestyle actually is. All I know about it is what I've read in novels."
"It's not Fifty Shades of J, if that's what you're thinking. It isn't anything like that. I never thought I'd be involved in anything remotely like this, but it's the most honest, trusting, committed relationship imaginable. To truly give yourself to someone else's keeping, to willingly put yourself under their control and surrender your entire being to them is what unconditional love is. It's the deepest form of love. And wearing my collar gives me a sense of self I never had before. Ever."
"I was intrigued by your necklace last night. It's beautiful, and very sensual. But doesn't wearing his slave collar mean he actually owns you? Like some kind of chattel?" She clearly didn't have any idea what I was attempting to explain to her.
"It's not for everybody." I smiled at her and patted her hand. "Whatever blows your skirt up. I just happen to be into kinky fuckery, and the whole D/s lifestyle is perfect for me. For us. Let your imagination run wild. No inhibitions, no holding back. Handcuffs and floggers and chains. It's the pain and pleasure dynamic. The ultimate erotic experience."
We sat silently lost in our own thoughts for a moment when suddenly Ellen giggled.
"I think I might like kinky fuckery as well. Handcuffs? Maybe, but we can eliminate the floggers and chains for me." After sharing a laugh, she spoke again. "I supposed you're wondering about how I got connected with Emmett. He really did ask me to accompany him on a trip. After a fashion. One night he just appeared in my bedroom and asked me to pack plenty of clothes and get my passport. I was in shock, to say the least, but I never felt threatened in any way. And for some strange reason, it never occurred to me to refuse. I packed my bags and followed him out the door. So far, I haven't regretted one moment with him. He's always been the perfect gentleman."
"So he just broke into your bedroom and invited you on vacation? You had never seen him before that night?" I was intrigued.
"No, that was the first time I ever saw him, but he was a business associate of my late husband's and had seen my bridal picture on Sherman's desk. He said he felt drawn to me the instant he saw that picture. Apparently, he likes red hair."
"Ellen, you're a beautiful woman. I'm sure it was much more than just the color of your hair that attracted him. So maybe he had planned to try to hook up with you long before he did."
"Possibly, I guess. Shortly after Emmett visited Sherm's office, my husband passed. He waited exactly one year before he contacted me. I mean, he's truly a proper gentleman."
"So he asked you to go with him, and you did. And he was always a gentleman. I get that. But you ultimately did have sex with him. So I can assume the feeling was mutual by then?"
"When we made love, it was completely between two consenting adults. And it was amazing. The best I've ever had. Not that I'm all that experienced."
"Oh. My. God! Vampire sex is beyond incredible. I know exactly what you mean. Even before we began the D/s part of our relationship, J was unbelievable. Hard to imagine they're over a thousand years old."
"A thousand years old," her voice faded out as she shook her head. "Maybe you should pinch me one more time, because I'm beginning to feel like I'm dreaming again."
We exchanged knowing smiles and once again sat in silence for a few moments before Ellen took the initiative again.
"So how and when did you meet James? Emmett said James had been waiting for some sort of prophecy to happen, and that he has watched over you since you were born. Is that true? Have you known you were going to be with him your entire life?"
"Not exactly," I hedged. "My grandmother knew about the prophecy but never told me about it. I met James to interview him as a person of interest on behalf of the CIA. The very next day I was given the assignment of finding you. Of course, J had orchestrated the entire meeting to insure we would be the ones looking for you, and I let it slip right over my head. Some profiler I am."
"Actually, I googled you, and you have quite a positive reputation. You're very proficient at what you do. I'm the one who wears rose-colored glasses. I thought Emmett's rather strange eating and sleeping habits were because he was a member of some religious cult."
"Personally? I'd take a vampire over a religious psycho any day of the week, although, religious-psycho-sex might be something to consider."
We burst out in fits of laughter and giggles after looking one another in the face, and stating in perfect unison, "Don't drink the Kool-Aid!"
Ellen shook her head and bit her bottom lip. "They really drink blood. Just like in the movies. That's the part that's really hard to swallow, if you'll forgive the pun. Since I had already fallen in love with him, Emmett was so right when he said it didn't make any difference what he was. I would still love him and want to be with him if he was an alien from outer space. Actually, the whole Dracula thing is kind of sexy and erotic. My fiancée, the vampire."
"Wait. What? Emmett asked you to marry him? And you agreed? Really?" I was on the edge of my chair. "Before or after his big reveal last night?"
"Before. On his yacht. He asked me to spend the rest of my life with him. I assume he meant he wanted to marry me," she said, clearly a lack of conviction now present in her voice. "Don't you think that's what he meant?"
"Well of course," I agreed. "I'm sure it is. He just needs to get pasts this little hurdle, then you can be married or mated or whatever you end up doing. J and I are going to be mated by the elders to make the vampires happy, married in church for my family's sake, and most importantly, we want to perform the Ceremony of the Roses to seal our D/s relationship. I want to make sure he's mine on as many levels as possible."
"Sounds like you've got all your bases covered." She sat quietly looking at the floor, nose wrinkled up, with a quizzical expression on her face.
"Is there something you want to ask me?" I prodded, realizing she was waiting for the invitation. "Would you like me to explain what the Ceremony of the Roses is and why it's the most important to us?"
"Not exactly. From what you've told me, I can understand why you want to confirm your D/s relationship. I know it means more to you than a mating or traditional marriage. My question is more to do with where these events take place. Can vampires even go to church? I mean, what about the crosses and all that?"
"J says he attends services on all religious holidays, and especially loves Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. The media's version of vampires is, for the most part, about as accurate as its idea of BDSM: one-hundred percent twisted and wrong - as you've now seen both situations for yourself."
Ellen's facial expression was a weak facsimile of a smile coupled with a slight nod of her head. Poor thing was trying hard to digest a platter full of crazy seasoned with a whole lot of are-you-fucking-kidding-me. She really was. And she had my total respect for sure.
Attempting to lighten the tension that filled the air like an ocean fog, I changed the subject entirely. "I'm suddenly starving. Let's grab something to eat to hold us over until dinner. I bet we can find some real food porn in the castle kitchen."
"You're on," she agreed, obviously happy to change the topic of conversation. "The kitchen is amazing. I'm sure they have anything and everything you could possibly want."
"That's good, because I'm just dying for some greens, corn bread, and black eyed peas."
We laughed all the way to the kitchen.
After snooping around, we made ourselves a totally American feast: grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup, followed by chocolate chip cookies and milk.
"I needed that," I sighed, as we cleared the table and put our dishes in the sink. "Exotic dishes are nice, but every now and then you just gotta have a good ole stand by."
"Right about now, I would gladly pay a hundred dollars for a good cheeseburger and fries."
"Or jalapeno and pepperoni pizza."
We shared a sigh and a smile. Any fears I might have had about Ellen and me becoming true friends, had vanished. Soul Sisters. That's what we were on more than one level. I wondered how many other human females had been in our situation. Or males, for that matter. There had to be other pure vampires who were more than inquisitive about humans. Looking at the situation from this angle, I felt a lot more hopeful about Emmett and J finding allies willing to speak up.
"It's going to be nearly impossible, isn't it?" Ellen asked softly. "James and Emmett finding enough other vampires to stand up to the council, I mean. I don't want to be negative but the odds aren't really in their favor, are they?"
"James can be very persuasive, trust me. And Emmett is very charming. If it can be done, they have as good, if not better chance to pull it off as anyone. J has a secret weapon he can use, if need be. Like I said, he can be extremely persuasive."
"Let's just hope he took his bag of tricks with him, then. Whatever his secret weapon is, I hope he unleashes the full force of it on them."
It was well after dark when James and Emmett arrived in Paris. Heading immediately to the establishments frequented by vampires, they shared a sense of urgency mixed with anxiety. Failure was not an option. They had to recruit a support group that would stand up to the council and, no matter what - not back down.
Period.
"Easier said than done," James mentally told himself. "But hey, it's a whole new generation with new attitudes and values. It really is possible. Right?"
The Penthouse Club and Les Chandelles were the two favorite hangs. Both known for their celebrity clientele and complete discretion regarding what happened inside made them the perfect venue for vampires to mix and mingle.
They entered The Penthouse Club together and made their way to the bar. The tables and booths were occupied by couples of all sexual preferences, groups of men, groups of women, and groups of men and women. There were several vampire-human couples enjoying each other's company, as Emmett and James had been hoping. As they each made eye-contact with others of their kind, a sort of conversation-by-expression took place. A meeting was being set up without a single word spoken.
Les Chandelles had a more intimate atmosphere, and most guests were in private cubicles, making it harder to communicate. But by the end of the evening, close to one fifty vampires met in Place Denfert-Rochereau – the catacombs of Paris.
"We have a situation to discuss with you. It's of grave importance and could change our lifestyle from here on. Before I go any further though, I need to advise you we are talking about defying the council and standing united against them. If that's not something you wish to be associated with, please feel free to leave us now." James slowly scanned the crowd as he made that last statement.
As they anticipated, several vampires of both sexes excused themselves and made their exit. However, thirty-eight of the fifty stayed. Better than hoped for. Once the proposition was presented, a couple more departed, not wanting to change the status quo, but in the end, twenty male and sixteen female vampires were committed to the cause.
After calling Cam and Ellen, they started off again, full of confidence and high hopes. James was pleased to hear the two females had become friends and were making the most of their time together. Emmett was also breathing a little easier knowing Ellen was in good hands.
Next stop, London. They planned to visit Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Moscow, and Rome. Time was crucial. They had to move quickly and become organized in the brief time James had been given to locate Emmett, and bring him and his lover before the council members.
With the success they had in Paris, things were possibly falling into place.
Could they pull this off? Really?
They had to hold onto that possibility.
What other choice did they have?
The alternative was unimaginable.