Hope you are enjoying the story…if you are give a shout out. Well I'll let you read…

"I need a run down, exactly, of what is happening here." Gabriel focused his attention on his host.

"Your journey has been long. Let us talk over a small supper. I have yet to feast tonight." Primitiva motioned him towards the dinning hall, where a few servants were setting out some exotic looking dishes. The smell wafting through the air reminded Van Helsing just how hungry he was.

"We should send some to Carl." The dark haired man looked over the different dishes set before them, waiting for his host to take her seat before he did.

"Have a seat, Mr. Van Helsing." Primitiva motioned him to a chair as she took one herself. Once seated, she nodded for one of the servants to take Carl a meal. The young woman deftly prepared a plate and left the dinning area, making her way towards the library.

Both parties ate in silence for a short time before Gabriel spoke again. "Why do you need me here? Your…friend seems able to handle herself."

"Shamira is able to handle herself in moderate numbers. We need you because you are more accustomed to tracking and killing werewolves than we are. Also, the church asked nice enough to have you involved in the power play so it goes the way they see best." Gabriel watched Primitiva as she gave her explanation, everything about her spoke of a very proper up bringing, every movement was graceful and lady like.

"Sounds like the church to me." He shrugged slightly, returning to his food.

"Yes it does." The woman across from him gave a slight nod.

"When do we begin?" Gabriel set his fork down again, taking a sip of his wine.

"I have scouts out now. They are trying to find the den. Once that is done, we move on to the next. It is a steady rhythm until we find who is behind this."

"I'm sure Carl will have some ideas when he is finished with his books." Van Helsing gave another slight nod.

"That is good." Primitiva went back to her meal, Gabriel following suite, though he watched her closely. Noticing her guest's intent gaze, the dark haired beauty decided it was best to address the matter. "You act as though I will attack you, Mr. Van Helsing." Her bright aqua green eyes met his.

"I am just naturally curious and have had one surprise today." His gaze did not waver. Primitiva was greatly intrigued. Only two people had ever dared keep her gaze for any length of time, Shamira of course being one, the other was her late husband. Most found her gaze to intense to hold for long, and those in her employ knew better than to do so.

"Yes you have."

"How long have you known Shamira?" Van Helsing took another sip of his drink, eyes never leaving his host's.

"Since the day she came into this world," she answered truthfully.

"Born?"

"In a manner of speaking."

"If I am to trust her, I would like to know her origin." He felt there was something more here but couldn't put his finger on it. Why would someone need that kind of protection?

"She was created to protect the First." His host sighed. She had planned to give him minimal information about herself as well as the people around her. It was his job, after all, to hunt creatures such as Shamira.

"The First? That is just a legend." He had heard of the First, who was suppose to be the werewolf all other werewolves came from, but there was no hard proof such a being existed.

"Perhaps it is. They say the werewolf legend stared in Germany in fifteen hundred and ninety one. Of course, that is just a legend as well, right?" She watched him closely, able to tell his mind was already working on the information she had given.

"Am I to take it you are the First?" As Primitiva was watching him, Gabriel was watching her in return.

"You may take it as you see fit, Mr. Van Helsing. Do I look like a werewolf?" The semi relaxed atmosphere was no more. Now both parties were tense, trying to feel the other out. Gabriel concerned that he and Carl may have been led into a trap. Primitiva trying to figure out what her guest's reaction would be when he discovered the full truth, to which he was so close.

"No, but if you are not the First, what is she doing with you?"

"Very good observation, Mr. Van Helsing. The question is, does the first exist and if not where would she go then?" The ebony haired woman was impressed by his intelligence and how fast he had worked out the truth. It had been along time since she had met someone of his intellect.

"No, the question would be if the first did not exist why would she have been made?" Gabriel was not willing to let her dodge the question no matter how inventively she tried.

"I meant now, not that the First never had." She dodged again almost enjoying the verbal sparring.

"So, she protects you because the First does not exist?"

"You like to talk in circles, I see." Primitiva sighed. "Very well, Mr. Van Helsing. I am indeed the First."

"I should kill you where you sit." The only movement he made though was to frown at her.

"Why?" The First remained calm as well. She would not make the first move, but she was prepared to kill the man before her should he attack, without a second thought.

"You are a werewolf, a thing of evil." Again he did not move to make good on his threat, realizing that, had this been a trap, he and Carl would have already been dead.

"Tell me, Mr. Van Helsing, why am I evil?" Primitiva folded her hands in front of her on the table.

"It is your nature, the nature of the beast." To him it was very simple.

"It is the nature of the Bitten," she countered.

"So, I am here because you are loosing your kingdom, so to speak." He snorted

"It is not a kingdom. I hold no power when they do not believe I exist. I am here, as you are, to protect the humans from the Bitten." She sat back, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"A creature that you created. Then I am here to clean up your mess." He sneered slightly at her.

"I did not create them." Though her face remained emotionless, Primitiva was becoming tired of his accusations. She had not been directly responsible for the Bitten, but she had always felt a slight guilt for passing her curse on. Van Helsing was hitting a nerve.

"You are the First. All werewolves are supposed to come from you."

Sighing, the First uncrossed her arms. "Yes, in the beginning I had a mate, a mortal and we had many children, thirteen. They found mates and had children and the course took on. At some point, one of them played with things he shouldn't and the Bitten were created. That was in fifteen hundred and ninety one. Until then, we were unknown."

Gabriel gave his host a nod, though he was till unhappy about the whole situation. He also wondered if the church knew who and what they were helping. Given Primitiva's earlier statement, he suspected they did.

"I cannot make you trust me nor understand that I am not like the Bitten. You are entitled to see me and others here as you wish."

"I will help clean up this mess." He softened a bit, seeing true regret in her eyes.

"You must understand that the Bitten do not have the frame of mind to come up with something like this. There are rogue True Bloods that lead small bands of them, but someone else is behind things, there must be. Their movements are far to calculated and thought out."

"When your scouts return we will figure where to go from there." Gabriel returned to his meal as Primitiva nodded and followed his lead.

While Van Helsing and Primitiva were engrossed with their conversation, Shamira was pacing restlessly. For a while, she had felt as though something was missing from life. In all her long years, the Guardian had never met anyone that appealed to her until now. His scent was pleasant, and he appeared intelligent if not a little skittish. He would do well. Making her decision, Shamira left her rooms and made her way down the dark cool stone hallways to the library. Arriving at her destination, the huntress entered almost silently watching Carl, who was so intent on his reading he had no idea he was not the only occupant of the room any longer. Walking through the high book cases, the Guardian kept her prey in sight, unknowingly taking the role of hunter. Never removing her eyes from the blonde, she stepped closer into his field of vision slightly clearing her throat, making her presence known.

Hearing the sound, the friar finally looked up from his notes. "Yes?"

"I have come to a decision." Shamira moved closer to him, intense gaze never wavering.

"A decision?" Carl was becoming slightly worried at the way the woman was looking at him, wondering if she had decided to make a meal of him.

Moving closer still, the woman finally answered, removing the book from his grasp. "Yes. I wish to procreate. If I laid with you tonight, I would conceive."

"What?" Carl managed to squeak out.

"I said I wish to mate with you."

"Me?" Every line of the friar's face had shock written into it as he managed to stand and back away a bit.

"Yes." Shamira closed the distance and started working on the belt to his robes.

"Why me?" Carl stood still not sure what to do given the situation. Shamira's answer came not in words, but by claiming his lips in a deep kiss. After a moment, as if by instinct, the man before her started to return the kiss. Breaking away, the raven haired beauty divested Carl of his drab robes, leaving him in an under shirt and leggings, along with his shoes. "Wait a minute what is going on here? Why me and now?" Carl panted slightly, holding his hand up to fend the female off.

"I have been alone a long time." Shamira answered before initiating another kiss. Carl again found himself kissing back wondering what the hell he was doing. Finally regaining enough of himself to push her back.

"What if I don't want to be a father? Never thought about it really, not being in the profession for it."

"I simply need your body. You need not be involved farther." She was now working on getting his under shirt over his head, leaving his pale chest exposed to her heated gaze.

"Now wait a minute. If I were to help create a child, I would be involved further." Carl backed up again, slightly upset about her outlook. He was not some stud simply used to impregnate a mare.

"As you wish." The Guardian's mind was on one thing as she pulled the belt to her silk robe, allowing the material to fall open, letting Carl get a good view of her naked form.

"Why me? Why not Van Helsing?" The friar swallowed, unable to pull his gaze from her skin, becoming aroused by the site.

"His smell was off." Shamira stepped closer to the entranced man.

"Smell?" Carl licked his lips, eyes never leaving the woman before him.

"Yes, his scent does not appeal to me." The Guardian allowed her robe to fall from her shoulders, landing in a pile at her feet before stepping toward Carl again.

Carl watched the seductress before him, eyes glued to every curve, swallowing hard. "I can't…This is…I want to…Damn it!" hating the fact he wanted what she offered though it also felt wrong.

"Then take what I offer." Shamira gave him a hint of a smile walking towards him.

"This isn't right. To sire a child when I just met you." Though he believed his words, the friar found himself allowing the naked woman closer again.

"It is easy." Once close enough, the Guardian began to lick at his collar bone, sending tiny shivers down his spine. "Just a small thing." She worked her way to his right ear sucking on the lobe.

"It doesn't feel right." Carl regained enough thought to push Shamira back firmly holding her shoulders.

"Please…" The need in the woman's voice undid the friar's resolve.

"Alright." Though still unsure, he finally gave in.

Shamira took the opportunity to kiss him again, not giving him a chance to change his mind. This time Carl returned immediately as she worked his leggings off his hips letting them pool at his feet. Once both were undressed, the dark haired woman pressed her flesh to his, kissing from the blonde's jaw to his ear and down his neck, earning her a low moan as his body responded to the stimuli. Carl, in return, ran hungry hands over her sides and back, becoming more confident with each pass. Once Shamira was sure her soon to be mate would not turn back, she broke off her tender assault on his body long enough to move them to a small couch near by, Carl following eagerly.

"I am yours." Shamira looked at her companion through lust filled eyes, the moment their bodies had made contact, a tingle had started deep within her; which had turned into a throbbing need as his hands had teased her skin. She wanted to feel more of him pressed against her. The Guardian was surprised when he initiated the next kiss, brushing his tongue over her lips silently seeking admittance; which she gladly gave, allowing him to probe her mouth, tasting her. Shamira's hands seemed to move on their own, gliding over the skin of his back, finally breaking the kiss when the need for air became too much. Panting slightly, he carefully ran his thumbs over her erect nipples, earning him a moan that slowly turned into a growl as she arched into his hands wanting more of the exquisite torture.

Finding encouragement in her reaction, Carl became even bolder, running his hands down her sides to her buttocks, massaging at the globes. Shamira pulled him to her, rubbing herself against his erection. The contact to his sensitive member almost caused him to loose control, spurning him to gently push his lover onto the couch, spreading her knees to lay between them, feeling her wet heat as she moaned again at the sight of him over her and the feel of him hard against her thigh. The Guardian instinctively began licking at his skin, running her tongue over Carl's nipples, eliciting a deep moan as he positioned himself at her very ready entrance. It took all his control to keep from plunging into her, waiting for her to make the move. When he didn't immediately move into her, Shamira arched her hips up simultaneously pulling him into her.

She felt a slight pain as he entered her fully, but her tiny whimper was masked by Carl's loud moan as he was sheathed in her tight warm body. He quickly moved within her causing small moans and whimpers as the pain ceased and the pleasure built. Shamira began licking and nipping at his shoulders, meeting each of his thrusts, reaching between them to stroke at herself, moaning louder as Carl kissed at her neck and shoulders, moving harder and faster within her, causing her to finally go over the edge growling slightly as she tightened around her mate, loosing control in that instant changing form as her lover released his essence inside her.

Gone was the porcelain skin, in its place was soft black fur. Yellow eyes met Carl's blue ones as she began lapping at his neck and ears lovingly. Carl, panting from the exertion, allowed her to. He was shocked at the new form before him. After a few moments Shamira slowly changed back, smiling up at him, almost beaming at her mate, knowing his seed was taking hold within her.

Carl, on the other hand, was at a loss, blinking down at Shamira, trying to figure out what their actions actually meant. What was he suppose to do? He silently prayed that they had in fact not conceived a child this night and wondered if she would come to him again if they had not. Would he be able to resist her next time if she did? All these things ran through his mind as he removed himself from her warm body.

"In a few months I will give birth to twins at least." Shamira gave him a contented smile as she rested both hands on her abdomen.

"At least?" The friar sat next to her stunned. She had said she would conceive. She had not said anything about twins.

"I am part wolf. Do not worry, I hold you to nothing. As I have said, you did your part." Shamira did not find it necessary to tell him she was now bound to him as long as he drew breath. He was her mate and there would be no other for her. She knew those rules did not apply to him and the Guardian would not weigh Carl down with that information. Raising her children would be enough if he were to never touch her again. Not saying anything, the blonde stood and gathered his clothes, dressing quickly. His thoughts still racing, silently reprimanding himself for his weak flesh. Shamira watched him, content with the events of the evening as she began to lightly doze. Once Shamira slept, Carl sat back at his table opening another book but found himself watching the woman who had just seduced him.