Hey Everyone! Sorry for the lateness of this chapter. It has been a hard few months. In the span of two weeks my grandmother, my grandfather, and my great aunt went into the hospital. Only my grandmother ever came home again. As you know I put my dog to rest earlier in the summer, and my summer ended with laying my grandfather (that practically raised me) to rest as well. (I wasn't able to attend my great aunt's funeral.)

But Alexandra finally decided to let me hear her voice and so we have this chapter. Thank you so much to everyone that has stuck with this story. Please Review, I appreciate them all.

Disclaimer: I don't own any characters or setting from Laurel Hamiliton. Cover image for the story and all characters, powers, places, and overall setting of Anita Blake are the creation of Laurell Hamiliton. Other characters and powers, such as Mizelle, Rya, and the elementals, are of my own creation. Please review, review, review it gives such inspiration. I do not have a beta so please forgive any grammatical errors. This is my first fanfiction, so I hope you enjoy!C

MY VAMPIRES CAN EAT REAL FOOD. They just don't like a lot of strong smells (ie garlic), and prefer all red meat rare. As long as they eat with blood it's okay, cause the blood makes their stomach work.

Alexandra POV

Since I told Jean-Claude about the connection I could feel him testing it out. He was sending emotions at different strengths, sending his thoughts and testing doing both at the same time. I think he was trying to feel more from my side of the bond. (Which by the way, James bond is like this green cord attached to me, like all of me, the thing is everywhere. The bond with Jean-Claude though is the deep blue and gold intertwined. It's weird like it's light in the center but dark all around, almost like a star in the center and just usually night sky around it.)

I was nervous about telling Truth and Taras, both would go into father mode. Yet, I knew they would know why the connection seemed so strong and neither Jean-Claude nor I have purposefully tried to start a bond, connection. James already knew about it though. He had sent me curiosity until I told him; he was still very much in the bond. I doubt he was going to pull back for a while. I looked at the pine tree on my ankle and chuckled. I wondered if I would get tattoos from everyone if we bonded. I had noticed, and it was cool, that when I told James telepathically that it didn't bleed over into the bond with Jean-Claude. It looked like the bonds stayed apart, but I wondered if I could merge them or access more than bond at once. I would have to ask Ras and test it with Claudia and James first. I really felt the need to bond with most in the group even if just at a simple tie where I would just know they were alive, at first. I never felt need to bond before, with James water just took control. I should probably ask Truth about it, they would know.

Truth had studied a lot of stuff when he was in Rya for that small period of time, they got special permission from mom to get in. They could only be in the water kingdom, and they had to take a blood oath for secrecy. They had actually brought two small children, who were weres, with them. They had stayed in Rya and became my first good friends, but they were lost before the war. I always thought father had something to do with it, my mother refused to speak to him or appear in court for a month when she found out.

Jean-Claude's hand pulled me from my thoughts, it was ghostly touching my own, almost hovering. I could feel the touch on the hairs of my skin, but I couldn't feel his skin. It made me smile, and be annoyed that he wouldn't just hold my hand; which probably was a perfect explanation of whole relationship with him. We were walking back into the kitchen, which I honestly could not wait to cook in. It was an amazing kitchen and I swear it stole my breath every time that I walked into it. There was a flat stove top, which actually was a six-top. I could really try sauces on that stove! There was a separate freezer for the meat, and all the fresh produce and vegetables went into the other fridge. I had peeked once and found a chocolate cake and huge crispers. I wondered if Jean-Claude would let me start hosting Sunday dinner for the inner circle. I haven't made fried pork chops in a while, or maybe I could do that steak with honey whiskey sauce.

"I heard that." James said with a wink, startling me a little. "I would ask for steak first, please."

"I'll put my vote in for the steak as well, with extra blood." Ras said smiling.

I had forgot that they went to the kitchen to organize food and list of weres without a group. James looked far more concerned with food at the moment though.

"Steak with blood?" Jean-Claude asked seeming both confused and intrigued.

"Alex was having a though about cooking in the kitchen, and asking you could she start adding to grocery list plus having Sunday dinner with the inner circle. " James said sticking out his tongue at me. He knew I wouldn't ask. "She thought about making pork chops or steak, and I heard it."

Ras effortlessly took over the story. "When she cooks like that, she'll cook some of the food in blood for me or marinate it in blood so I can enjoy it too. We've experimented over the years and found that when there's a lot of blood with the food, I can taste and enjoy it."

"Ma petitie, I would love to experience this. You would just have to tell us what you need, we can just start having grocery lists go through you." He said with a smirk.

"Yes!" James said throwing his fist in the air. "So are we gonna start this Sunday, I really miss your food, and you let the dumb tramp eat most of the Jambalaya."

"It depends on how things are going mi lupa, and she isn't a tramp." I said sitting next to him looking at the list that they had come up with so far.

"Unforunately, I have to agree on that point alone." Jean-Claud said stubbornly moving a chair to sit closer to me. It was kind of cute, but I tried to hide my reaction.

"Where's the twins?" I asked not having heard them.

"Still with Claudia discussing night security, Asher went with them since he knew the current vampires better." Ras answered.

"Why?" James asked. "You're okay right?"

"I'm fine, I just need to talk to Truth and Ras." I said bowing my head.

"You have fun with that fatherly talk, I'll run and talk to Wicked about beating up people who insult you." James said with a chuckle.

"Better hope I don't trap you in here with us." I joked.

"Come on Alex, I don't need a fatherly talk." James replied whining.

Ras started laughing. "Since, you still can't do dishes in the kitchen you might."

I started laughing remembering how much Ras use to fuss at James for leaving dirty dishes. Ras and I were kind of neat freaks.

"Can you go get Truth for me?" I asked Jean-Claude. He nodded and left the room while sending a lot of adoration to me before he left. I chuckled and shook my head at the gesture, sending my amusement in reply.

Ras came over to James and I looking over his shoulder at the list. "You can add my were to that list. He didn't have anyone when he became my animal to call."

James wrote down the name, as he pulled out his phone out. I assume he was trying to contact more weres to figure out who was on their own.

"Ras, do you think my mother would be happy with my potential mate?" I said looking down the words were barely a whisper.

I felt James flood me with comfort and move to stand behind me gripping my shoulders. Ras knelt in front of me, which is probably the one time we would eye level.

"Alexandra, " He said lifting my chin so I was had to look him in his eyes. "I think your mother would be immensely proud, despite him being a vampire. Your mother had no issue with vampires, Truth and Wicked are a testament to that." He said smiling.

James gripped my shoulders a little tighter in support. "Your mate is not a weakling, he's a master vampire, and a Master of the City."

Ras continued. "Despite, his rank which impressive for protecting your trouble-magnet self, I think your mother would be proud that you guys argue."

"What?" James and I said in sync.

Ras laughed at us. "I was wondering when you guys would have another twin moment." He shook his head. "Lexa, you could not have had a mate that bow to your will so easily or expected you to. You needed someone that would fight with you, but still love and respect you."

I smiled. I could never see Jean-Claude just doing what I said automatically. Maybe I was making my mom proud.

Not my best chapter but still working on scene with Taras and Truth explaining or speculating on things, hope you still enjoyed it!