I think my posting last week didn't get sent out. So, if you didn't read, please go back and enjoy Chapter 17. Now, Coraline gets back to France and finds out the whole story~~~~~~~
Chapter 18
The crypt was dark and damp, but none of the vampires noticed. Several weak candles provide some light which was not needed. Coraline stood with her brothers and mourned the loss of the eldest of their clan. The smell of death pervaded the space, but it was a familiar scent to the vampires. They kept to their tradition and all wore unadorned white to honor the death of their brother.
Henri stood at the head of the coffin, and uttered the words spoken at each Duvall's death, vampire or human.
"We gather now to mourn one of our family in death, whether or not by natural causes. We proclaim a solemn oath that any being who caused this death will pay by our hand. We, the last of the Bourbon blood line, will seek retribution in the name of our ancestors. Our brother, Lance, will not be forgotten. Just as our sire, Philippe, nephew to the Sun King is not forgotten, so shall it be with our blood kin."
Henri intoned with words, and Coraline could not help the tears the oath brought. Lance, along with their sire, had survived centuries to ensure their family would continue. His death, only a decade after their sire, was a blow to them all.
They filed out of the stone building, making their way back through the woods to their castle. They had kept their property undeveloped, even with the outskirts of Paris surrounding them. The vampires, clad in ghostly white, gathered in the drawing room of the old castle. It had been kept as it had been for almost two hundred years, with furniture that had been made during the reign of Louis XIV. Occasionally, the fabric was replaced and some guiding re-done, but it was the same as Coraline remembered down her long years as a vampire. Just being there gave her comfort that her family would endure.
Henri poured Napoleon brandy brought specially from the cellars for the occasion. They all raised their glasses.
"To our brother, Lance."
"To Lance," they repeated and downed the exquisite liquor.
Henri said, "Now I must speak with our sister."
Her brothers, Louis, Charles, Denis and Laurent, nodded at their new elder and left the room. Henri poured more of the brandy into Coraline's crystal balloon glass, as well as his own.
She moved to a settee, her white lace gown brushing the floor. She waited while Henri sat and composed himself.
"Tell me all you know of what happened in Los Angeles," Henri said.
Coraline took a sip of the brandy, setting aside the glass. "I don't know much, just what Mick told me. I related everything to you on the plane."
Henri knew Coraline had been in Las Vegas when the incident happened. "Why were you not at your house?"
She gave a small shrug. "I knew Lance was planning to kill Kostan and I thought it better to be out of the way."
"So you had no idea of his plan?"
"No, he didn't tell me." She could feel Henri's questions had a purpose, but she didn't feel he was angry with her.
Henri sighed, "I have a friend who is a Cleaner in San Francisco."
"A friend?" Coraline asked, her eyebrow raised.
"Yes, we were involved years ago, but she moved on. You know how it is."
She gave him a slight smile. All her brothers were ladies men, with the exception of Laurent, who was more interested in books than women.
"What did she tell you?"
Henri leaned forward. "She was able to talk to a friend of hers in the Los Angeles Cleaners. I know what happened to Lance."
Coraline sat up, girding herself for the news. She didn't want to hear, but knew she must.
"Somehow, Kostan knew Lance was at your old house. He mounted an attack during the day when most of his men were in their freezers. He brought a large contingent of fighters, and they disabled most of Lance's men, and some died, but Lance evaded them. He found his way to the cars that brought Kostan's crew. Two vampires were there, a man and woman, blocking his escape."
Coraline took a larger sip of brandy. This was new to her, and she feared to hear the rest.
"Lance engaged the older male, but the woman tried to attack him. He injured her, and was about to get away in one of their vehicles when Kostan found him."
She was riveted, wondering if the female was Beth. She said, "Go on."
"Your ex-husband was there, along with his chienne wife," Henri said with derision. "Kostan and our brother fought with blades, and Lance was injured. He was on the ground when St. John's wife shot him three times in the head with silver."
Coraline gasped and looked at her brother in shock. "Beth killed Lance?"
"Apparently so," Henri responded. She could feel his anger, but Henri was always more controlled than their elder brother.
"I—I didn't know any of that."
Henri sat back, crossing his arms. "I thought not. Now the question is; what shall we do about it?"
Coraline shook her head. "I don't know. None of you can go to America, and Kostan has his region secure."
Henri stood up, and poured more brandy. "Yes, I know. Lance's temper always got the better of him. If he hadn't been obsessed with Kostan and getting that formula back…."
"What formula?" Coraline frowned.
"He was working with that Swiss doctor who tried to remake the cure. The doctor came up with a formula that could allow vampires to tolerate the sun."
"Really?" She said, surprised.
"Yes, and when Lance tried to kill Kostan in Geneva, it went wrong and Kostan got away with the formula. Lance was furious and swore to destroy Kostan and recover the stolen information."
Coraline sat back, thinking it sounded like something Lance would do. "Is the formula valuable?"
Henri snorted, "Of course. We could make millions on it, but Kostan has it now. I doubt even if we could kill him we would be able to get it back."
"Do you want to kill Kostan?"
"I want revenge for Lance," Henri replied with gritted teeth.
Coraline sat back and thought a few moments. "My dearest, you've always been my favorite brother. You supported me when Philippe punished me for Mick, and helped me when Lance staked me and brought me home."
Now Henri smiled. "You and I were the different ones. We don't care about power or money, we just want to live our lives without restraint."
"I know," she replied. "You understood when I turned Mick, and tried to help our sire to understand. I haven't forgotten that."
Henri sat down and took her cool hand in his own. "Mon cher, do you still want Mick? He has treated you horribly."
She shifted uncomfortably. "He doesn't want me, he has his new wife." Coraline kept back the tears saying it brought. "I know I should let it go, but I can't."
Henri nodded, knowingly. "It must be painful for you, mon soeur. I would willingly risk myself to take his head."
She shook off the emotion. Now was not the time to be mired in regrets. She'd thought about this the whole flight back to France. "I don't want to lose you, too. But if you want revenge on Kostan, I know how to do it."
He looked at her with interest and she felt his respect, "How?"
She smiled. Of all her brothers, Henri treated her as an equal, valuing her abilities. "You want to damage Kostan, and I want to hurt Mick. It's simple. Go after the ones they love. Kostan married a woman he recently turned. Mick married the one I brought into his life as a child. But you can't force your way in with an army. Kostan has his region sewn up, and no one will move against him. He has eyes everywhere and the Cleaners on his side. You need someone who can move without suspicion."
"You, my dear?" Henri gave her a sly smile.
"With some planning, I can destroy Kostan's woman, as well as Mick's." She couldn't bring herself to mention Beth's name.
"It wouldn't get us the formula," Henri mused.
"This is not about money or power, remember?" Coraline said, somewhat sharply.
"Oui, bien sûr."
She looked at him. "Would that be enough for the family? To harm our enemies through loss of their loved ones?"
"It will be enough. And you are correct.We will not conquer Kostan by brute force. The family will be satisfied if you can make Kostan suffer."
"Let me think about what I will do." Coraline made her way to her old room, knowing she would be awake for a while.
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Sofia changed into a nightgown, and Ewan led her to the bedroom. They had spent many nights there, and she felt comfortable in the surroundings. He was in a robe, and she admired his broad shoulders, and masculine body. She hoped she wouldn't disappoint him as a vampire.
He put her down on the bed. "Are you ready?" he asked. He fought to control his tenseness. In the past, he'd known vampires who had sired, but he had never done this before. He knew Sofia trusted him completely, but it was still a little unnerving.
Sofia looked up at him. "Yes, I'm ready. Beth said I should listen and do whatever you tell me."
He smiled slightly. "Beth is a wise woman. You know I'll never do anything to hurt you, my darlin'. His accent came out more when he was emotional, and Sofia loved the soft burr of his speech. She bared her neck, and glanced at him with a grin.
"Let's get going, I'm dying to be a vampire."
He smirked at her small joke, and suddenly he relaxed, knowing that everything would be fine.
"I'm going to bite you and then you have to take my blood. Don't forget that. I'll help you, but you must do as I say."
She nodded, and the belief in her eyes gave him the strength to continue. He licked her neck, and found the right spot. He bit down, taking her blood. It was ecstasy for him, reeling in her love and trust as he drank her life into him.
Sofia felt herself drawn into Ewan, giving herself to him in the most profound way. She weakened, losing feeling in her body. Her eyes closed, and she barely heard Ewan saying, "Drink Sofia, take my blood." She felt liquid pooling in her mouth and she swallowed. It had a metallic taste, but wasn't disgusting. Soon she craved the flavor of it, and grabbed at his arm, trying to get more. She heard Ewan say "That's enough, love."
She laid back and everything went black.
Ewan watched Sofia, wiping the blood from around her mouth. She wasn't breathing, and he knew he had to wait for her to wake. He didn't know how long they stayed on the bed but finally she moved a little, then opened her eyes. They were crystal silver, and he saw her fangs as she licked her lips.
"Ewan?" She said roughly, her voice raspy.
"Yes, darlin' I'm here."
Sofia knew her senses would be skewed but she didn't expect the sensory overload, and emotional roller coaster. She grabbed at him, "Ewan, help me." she begged.
"It's all right, I'm right here." He pulled her up to a sitting position, and gave her his wrist. On instinct, her fangs found a vein and she bit deeply. Ewan bore the pain of her frenzied, inexperienced bite, and after a minute disengaged her from his arm. He was so relieved to see her transformation, he didn't care about anything else.
"Come on, darlin' I have something for you," he said in a calming voice.
His blood dripped from her mouth, and he found a container of fresh blood he'd put by the bed. Sofia drank it down. She knew what it was, but it satisfied her craving, and she dropped back down to the bed.
All her senses seemed twisted, and she kept her eyes closed. She put her arms out and felt for him. He held her and his scent made her feel safe.
"Everything's so strange," she whispered.
"I know," he reassured her. "Soon you'll be better, but now you need to rest." He picked her up and carried her to the freezer. He stripped off her nightgown and settled her in the cold container. "Sleep now, love," he said. She gave a small smile, her eyes still closed before she fell into vampire sleep.
Ewan shut the freezer lid, and quickly found his cell phone. He wanted be with Sofia, but he had to give Megan and Sofia's mother a quick call to let them know everything was all right before he joined his fledgling in cold oblivion.
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Ben and Megan had been waiting for Ewan's call, and she was startled by the phone's ring. She answered quickly, listening, then smiling she hung up and looked at Ben.
"Is everything all right?" he asked.
She knew Ben heard the call but said, "Yes, Sofia came through the turning, and is asleep."
Ben took her in his arms. He knew how nervous Megan had been about her brother. If Sofia hadn't made the transition, Ewan would have been devastated, and Ben was glad for Megan and her brother.
"See? I told you it would be all right. If Beth and I made it through an unplanned turning, I knew Sofia would be fine."
Megan snuggled into Ben's embrace and sighed. "I know, I was just worried."
He handed her the phone, "Why don't you call Josef. He'll want to know."
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The clack of the billiard balls was the only sound besides Josef's low chuckle. "Let's see you get out of this one."
Mick chalked his cue, and bent over the green expanse of the table in Josef's game room to try a shot he knew he couldn't make. He and Beth were spending the evening, and their wives were downstairs. Josef had challenged Mick to a game of eight ball and the ladies encouraged them to enjoy themselves. Mick undershot and the cue ball went wide.
"Mick, my man, that was a rotten shot. Good thing we're not playing for blood," Josef exclaimed gleefully.
Accepting the comment, Mick smiled. "Yeah, it's been too long since I've played. Don't get enough practice and there's no room for a pool table at the loft."
"Excuses, excuses…." Josef smirked.
"How about we play some poker? I'm sure I could take your money with that," Mick rejoined.
Before Josef could respond, his cell phone rang. It was his private number and he saw it was Megan calling.
Mick leaned on his cue stick while he heard Megan tell Josef about Sofia's successful turning.
Josef hung up and looked at Mick. "I'm glad it went well."
"Me too," Mick said, smiling.
Josef looked at his friend and was pleased that Mick didn't seem to have any qualms about sofia's turning. He knew at one time Mick would have been opposed to turning a human, for whatever reason. Now that he was settled with Beth, many of Mick's demons had dissipated. His friend was becoming the vampire Josef knew he could be.
"Let's find our wives," Josef suggested. They left the game room, heading downstairs where they heard female laughter.
Simone and Beth were in the lounge, having drinks and talking about possible vacation destinations. Both Simone and Beth decided they needed a vacation to make up for their aborted honeymoon.
Simone said, "Did you win, honey?"
"The game was interrupted, but I was kicking Mick's ass."
Beth looked at her husband speculatively. "I shouldn't suggest it, but maybe you need to spend more time at the pool hall."
Mick sat down next to Beth, pulling her onto his lap. "What other wife would say that?" he asked, kissing her with a grin.
"I just heard from Megan," Josef said. "Sofia's turning went smoothly, and she's our newest tribe member."
Both ladies smiled, and Beth commented, "She's going to be great as a vampire."
"I think so too," Simone added.
Josef broke out some champagne from the fridge and pour flutes for them all. They gave a toast to their friend.
"Oh, by the way," Josef started, "I had the Cleaners check and Coraline flew out last night with Lance. She's back in France by now."
Beth sat back with a feeling of relief. "I hope she stays there," she muttered.
They all heard her, and Simone frowned. "Josef, how do you know all those Duvall brothers won't come over here for revenge?"
Josef smiled, "Because, my darling wife, I have a very good detection system."
"What do you mean?" Beth demanded.
Josef glanced at Mick, who shrugged. "It's not me, or at least not all me," Mick commented.
"If a bunch of vamps come to town, they need blood and freezers. After my old partner tried to kill me last year, I got hold of all the companies who manufacture freezers. There are only a few and I and made arrangements for them to tell me if more than three freezers are being shipped to LA at one time. There are only a half dozen vamp-friendly hotels in the LA area, and they'll let me know if there is an influx of unknown vampires."
Beth nodded, impressed.
"As for the blood, the Cleaners know if anyone is draining humans, and the blood suppliers will alert the Cleaners if anyone starts buying more than a normal amount of blood." Josef smirked. "I learn from the past."
Beth nodded. "That's a good idea."
"Of course, Blondie, I only have good ideas."
Beth gave a fake grimace, knowing that Josef used the nickname as a term of endearment. "I'm still going to finish my list of all the vampires in the metro area. Since we have most of our blood supply under control, a lot of the vampires here are willing to give me their contact information once they know it's for their own protection."
The others nodded in agreement.
Simone said, "You've done a great job with that, Beth."
"I just want to keep us all safe," Beth said. "I don't want to move if we don't have to."
Mick held her close on his lap. He had grown up in Los Angeles, as had Beth. He knew her hometown meant a lot to her and he would do anything to let her stay where she felt comfortable.
Josef poured them more champagne. "Yeah, I've gotten used to the smog and heat here."
"C'mon, Josef," Simone said. "You've been here over fifty years. I've been here all my life both undead and as a vampire and I'm in no hurry to go anywhere."
Josef held up his hands. "Okay, I understand. I have no plans on leaving anytime soon."
"Good," Simone said, smiling at her husband. "Just so you understand."
Josef looked at Mick. "Geez, when did we get so pussy-whipped?"
Mick gave him a half-smile, the one that Beth loved. "I don't know, man. Just go with it, our lives will be simpler."
They all took a drink from of their champagne, and Josef said, "So, you ladies were talking about a vacation?"
TBC
Now Sofia has been turned, but what will Coraline do? She wants Simone and Beth dead, but will she go after Mick? Thank you for reading, and I really appreciate all who comment.