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As Eric, Matt and Kris followed Vilgot back to Eric's manor, Eric had a lot of questions. "I didn't believe Nixie's still existed. What did you to do her?"
"I sent her to hell, and she is never to return, but others of her kind will avenge her. You were fortunate, Matt. Nixie's are difficult for humans to resist. They take their essence, the soul of humans; it is how they survive. I would advise against any more trips to the lake for you, Matt."
"But it's so beautiful there. I'd be safe with Kris with me," Matt suggested.
Kris picked her head up and looked at Matt. She liked it at the lake, too, but was doubtful she could protect him.
"Who was she?" Eric asked curiously.
"Raoghnailt, old Gaelic for Rachel," Matt replied. "I met her … Actually she found me five years ago. I thought she was gone." Kris trotted beside him, still watching him intently as he spoke. "Her fiancé was killed in battle six hundred years ago, so she drowned from despair. I had forgotten about her."
"Apparently she didn't forget you," Vilgot pointed out. "I heard her wail from the house. It was unmistakable."
"Headmaster, Kris did not take the Nightshade," Matt confessed. "Marley had changed to saber and licked Kris's arm. She changed almost instantly. Scott didn't take any, either."
"Understood," Vilgot replied. "I will speak with your parents regarding that. Kids, why don't you two run off so Eric and I can talk?" It wasn't yes or no question.
The two younger supes sprinted off ahead of them. Waiting until they were out of sight, Vilgot asked, "Has Kris made a decision to join our school?"
Eric didn't want to answer for her, but he already knew what it was. "She will enroll for the spring semester."
Vilgot seemed to slow his pace. "From what I hear, she has little knowledge of us sabers."
"True, but you provided her with the book. That will suffice … for now."
"Mr. Northman, is that her decision or yours?"
Eric became slightly irritated. "It is hers."
"And what could have happened down at the lake might have been prevented if she'd been schooled properly and been able to fight."
Eric stopped abruptly and turned to face him. "Nothing happened at the lake. She has me, and she has her Maker. We will watch out for her." Eric raced up the hill and was gone in a flash.
"And who do you think will watch out for you two from Kris herself?" Vilgot commented, seemingly to himself.
But Eric heard him. Vilgot was right, in a way. The first few days at his manor were great. Now everything was shot to hell. He was fighting with Pam. Pam wanted to leave. Kris was lost and confused. It felt as if the connection was lost between him and Kris. All he had to do was find it again. And there was only one way he knew how to do that.
"Kris, Kris! Hold up," Matt hollered to her as she had just reached the stairs of the manor. She turned around and sat down, watching him as he came closer. "You have to remember I'm human. I'm not as fast as you are." She rubbed her head against his thigh. He sat down on the front step, and Kris put her chin on his thigh. "I know things didn't go as I'd hoped tonight, but do you think … I mean, would Pam allow you to–"
"Yes, you may take Kris out again." Matt's eyes flew open in shock, not that she seemed to appear from nowhere, but that she'd allow it. "Kris, would you like Matt to come to the house tomorrow? You know you're worn out after you change." Kris nodded her head. "You may call on her at ten."
To Matt, he took it as she was dismissing him. "Thank you," he said to Pam. "I'll see you tomorrow night, Kris." He gave her one pat on the head then headed off to his car.
"Come on inside, Kris." She headed off inside the manor.
Of course Kris stood there contemplating if she should go in. She wasn't used to the calm Pam and didn't know how to react. She wasn't sure if she was in trouble or something else was going on … when was nothing ever going on? Finding it ironic that she'd just bitched about being bored, she went inside to the reception room to sit by the fire. But she was surprised when she saw a huge forest green dog bed, apparently the gift Eric had gotten her. She would have smiled if she could. Stepping into it, she circled a few times before she lay down. It was a perfect fit. The warmth felt good to her, as if it melted away the stress from the trouble at the lake. She twisted her body to rub her back and caught the flames of the fire, the bright red, orange and yellow wisps curling up in reverse mini-tornadoes. She hadn't realized it, but her legs were kicked up in the air as she watched.
"You need to work on your posture," Pam said as she came in and sat down on the floor beside the bed. "It's not very lady-like."
Pulling out a brush, Kris grew excited, well, for a feline it didn't take much. She loved it when her mother brushed her hair when she was a child. She rolled over so Pam could reach her back, and she began to brush her fur. It was silent for a few moments before Pam started to talk, though it appeared it was more of a ramble. "I'm proud you didn't take the Nightshade. Eric and I had a pretty nasty fight. He's on edge, and I can't blame him. Things aren't going as we planned, but we've been through worse. I said some things I regret now and I was going to … I didn't intentionally watch over you, Kris. Know that. I should have left, but I'm glad I didn't. If Eric hadn't come when he did I would have."
That answered most of Kris's questions, except for what she really wanted to know. Constantly turning her head and flicking her eyes toward the doorway from the hall, Pam finally caught on. "Eric's in the caretaker's flat." No further explanation as to what he was doing there. Kris was disappointed until Pam put the brush down and shook her head. "Yes, Kris, you may go to him."
In two seconds flat Kris was standing in the doorway of the flat, and it was nicer than she expected it to be. It was smaller, for sure, but more comfortable and livable than the manor. She growled so he would know she was there, and he hollered that he was upstairs in the bedroom. As she stepped past the living room, she instantly recognized the furniture, the fireplace, the color of the walls, and even the paneling around the ceiling, even the wooden ceiling fan. She knew the room. She'd been there before. Here. It was here that they'd be together. However, when wasn't exactly clear.
"KrisLyn? What's wrong?" Eric asked as he came down the stairs, one hand behind his back. She shook her head. "I was just looking for something." He sat down on the step so they were eye level. "Are you okay?" She nodded. "You need to read up on your saber side, Kris. You didn't defend yourself." Her eyes narrowed at him, but he was right. He affectionately pet her head, tickling behind her ear. "No, you did the right thing. Here, this is what I came for." He pulled out a solid, thick, leather dog collar long enough to fit her. She chuffed her approval as he tied it around her huge neck. "I bred Leonbergers for a while. I can find you a bell if you want."
She shook her head and rubbed her chin against his knee, sitting on her hind legs. Cautiously at first, he massaged her neck before stroking down her shoulder blades then her hips bones. Immediately she responded by kicking her ass up and out, a natural response from a feline, but not from a vampire that used to be human; Kris still couldn't wrap her head around everything. Eric chuckled then Kris turned and walked towards the door. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. Let's head on back."
As they walked the grounds, he asked, "How are you holding up?" She chuffed, as if in a laugh because she couldn't rightly answer him. "Oh, right. Are you hungry?" She nodded. "I got some steak. I'm not sure if it's something–" Kris ran a few steps ahead of him, and when he caught up with her she ran in and out between his legs. "Oh, I did good?"
She ran off to the manor, and by the time she got there he was waiting for her at the door, which he opened. "Just remember, baby vamp, I'm still faster than you." As she walked past him, she hit his leg with her hip, which made him chuckle again.
After she ate, she settled back down in the bed in front of the fire, full, happy and content. That was until Eric sat down beside Pam, gave her a dirty look then asked surly, "Now do you still think you want to leave us?"
Kris's head shot up and she looked at Eric. "Bastard." She ran her fingers through her hair. "KrisLyn, when I said that it was out of anger. At first, it was safe keeping our relationship … at a distance. As your Maker it is easy, as your aunt it is not."
Kris rested her chin on the edge of the dog bed and yawned. She didn't quite understand what Pam was talking about, but she had become drowsy and just needed to close her eyes for a few minutes. As she did, she heard their voices, but they quickly faded away as sleep found her.
"Det var din idé av en ursäkt?" Eric asked snickering.
"It's the best apology I can give at the moment," Pam whispered.
"I've been thinking," Eric started. "We'll have to train Kris over the winter. We'll see whether Kris still wants to go there in the spring."
"And if she doesn't?"
"We'll find somewhere else. But I still think it'd be good to have Willa and Tara here, just for a visit. Maybe they'll change their minds once they're here."
"Hmm, that might work. I'll call Tara before I sleep." Looking at her sleeping niece, she finished, "It's all up to her, huh?"
"Yes. I'm not sure I like having a baby vamp making my life decisions for me."
"Whether you realize it or not, Eric, she's got you wrapped around her little finger."
"That she does. She was acting strange in the flat."
"How so?"
"I don't know. She was staring at the front reception room like …" Eric put on the most shit-eating grin he could muster, which was rare for him. "She was complaining earlier about being bored. Maybe I'll have her redecorate the flat."
Mr. Eric Northman knew far too well it would be much more than just decorating the flat. The more time she spent in the flat, the more chances he'd have of getting what he wanted. Question was: Does Kris still want him?