Research for this chapter included using Hunt's Guide to Michigan's Upper Peninsula, by Mary Hoffman Hunt and Don Hunt

Meet the Ancients: Chapter 6

My cell phone rang again. I glanced at it and it was Chou. I answered it.

"Yes"

"Master are you expecting two vampires matching that description tonight?"

This did not sound good.

"No, why?"

"There is a second one in the bar looking for someone."

I hung up and looked over at Wolfram, but before I could say anything the new vampire had seemingly materialized next to the booth. This vampire was much stronger than Wolfram.

Magan looked over at him and with a look of confusion on her face said, "Rick . . . hi . . . what are you doing here?"

He replied to her, "Hello Magan, how are you doing this night?"

I had a strong suspicion as to just who this was.

I interrupted her reply to him by stating, "So you must be Alric."

He fixed his gaze on me and I could feel the immense power that surrounded him. "Of course I am."

I wonder just how old this one might be. Under the table I could feel Magan kick Wolfram. "When did you plan on telling me Wolf? You had the chance earlier. You knew full well that I would recognize him. Things like this is the reason we parted."

He laughed, "You have met four of the vampires that I have associated with down through the millennia, as well as several Ancients from other groups like ours."

Alric had already sat down next to Wolfram. He looked annoyed. Just what I need, an annoyed Ancient vampire in my bar. And just when I was starting to relax. Well I am doubly glad that I had Pam call in more vampires tonight. Alric looked at Wolfram. "So you told them about me"

Wolfram replied, "Erik is Godrics child. Magan has chosen him, and he has chosen her. They just need to work out a few details. You know why I needed to tell them."

Alric seemed pacified by this and looked over at me with a look of curiosity. Then he looked at Magan and back to Wolfram. "So I take it that I will be creating another child for you in the near future if she changes her mind."

"You will be when she makes up her mind as to when to do so."

"I see."

I checked the bar. We were attracting attention from too many of the vampires in the room for my comfort. Pam and Chou were both watching the proceedings, nervous and ready to defend me. Bill was trying to figure out what the best course of action was to protect Sookie. I summoned all three over. "Pam, Chou everything is fine. Bill, why don't you take Sookie home." At least that would get the other telepath out of Fangtasia. Bill nodded and left. "Chou I am putting you in charge of the bar for the rest of the night. I do not wish to be interrupted."

I looked around the table, stood up and said, "I suggest that we move this discussion to a more private area downstairs."

I had converted my dungeon into comfortable private quarters shortly after I had made my agreement with Sookie not to kill anyone when I used her services.

"Pam, I think you should join us."

Wolfram inquired, "Why should she be a part of our discussion?"

"Because I am her Maker and she has been my right hand since I made her."

"I concur", Alric agreed.

Pam could not quite figure out what was happening, but she led us across the floor, through the back door and down the stairs into the old dungeon. I had given Pam free rein to decorate. She had created a mix of carved woods, textiles, leather and furs which she jokingly called "High Viking". On the opposite wall she had even had a wide deep stone fireplace installed. "Please, sit wherever you wish."

I walked across to the fireplace, struck a match and lit the fire that was laid there. When I turned back around I saw that they had all taken chairs, except for Magan. She had sat down on one side of the few sofas in the room. Believing that she wished for me to sit next to her, I walked in her direction. She nodded at me and I sat down next to her.

I started with," I think we need to update Pam in this conversation."

Alric and Wolfram both nodded so I continued, "Pam this is Alric and this is Wolfram", I said motioning to each of them in turn. "Wolfram is the one who is Magan's old friend. Alric is Wolfram's Maker – I mean Sire. Alric was also Godric's Sire."

Now Pam understood why I had wanted her here.

"It seems Ancients live a different way of life than we do. They do not own humans and would never refer to one as "mine". For them a relationship needs to be mutual to be considered valid. As Magan and I are interested in each other none will try to get between us. These two are a part of a group that alternately separate and get back together down thru the millennia. I am not sure of how old either of them are."

Alric interrupted at this point with, "I am 8962 years old and Wolf is 4711 years old."

Amazing, I am in the room with the 2 oldest vampires I have ever heard of.

I continued, "Although Wolfram is parted from her, he is still protective of her – which is why he came to see me. I also assume that he had asked Alric to show up some time after 9:00." I looked at Wolfram and he nodded. "Evidently there is some sort of strong bond being formed between the two of us – even stronger than a blood bond. There was that enthrallment between the two of us from the moment she walked in. Then when I tasted her blood that first night it deepened. That is why I was so dazed and not quite myself last Saturday. In order for the bond to be complete she only needs to drink from me once. But first I need to make some important decisions."

I paused a moment, "But I find that I have already made those decisions."

I looked over at Magan and started, "I have a large piece of property, already setup with day quarters for me, just outside of a small town called Crystal Falls in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. There is plenty of room to install stables for your horses – as well as space to put a studio for your jewelry making."

I heard her burst out laughing next to me. She is laughing at me? I saw that Wolfram was grinning too. What have I missed?

Wolfram asked her, "Should I tell him darling?"

I actually did growl this time. He is going to have to stop calling her that.

She waved him off, "No . . . I'll tell him . . . just give me a minute." Then she added, "And I think you need to quit calling me darling." She got a hold of herself and then started, "Even with my real last name you missed something big."

I glanced at Pam – she seems mystified too.

She continued, "No more than 30 miles east of there is a town called Foster City. Do you know anything about it?"

I thought back to when I had first lived there well over a hundred years ago. "It was a logging town."

"My paternal great great grandparents moved there from the Varmland region in the late 1890's. All their descendants down to my paternal grandparents are buried in the cemetery there. My maternal great great grandparents moved to the area near Menominee in the late 1880's from the Kalmar region."

Interesting I thought, "So I acquired my property in Crystal Falls at about the same time as your ancestors emigrated from Sweden, and we all ended up in the same basic area?"

"Sounds like it, when did you purchase it?"

"1893. I almost purchased property in Menominee instead."

"Well it's a good thing you didn't. I'm known well enough there that I could easily run into someone I know or who knows me. There is no way I could explain how I look as long as I am human."

"So you have not answered me yet, are you willing to move to Crystal Falls with me?"

She appeared to think about this for a moment before looking me in the eyes and saying, "Of course silly, did you have any doubt? Due to the weather, since they have already gotten snow, how long do you think it will take to open your house up and prepare it for use? The stables will have to wait for spring - there is no good way to build them before then, plus I will need an enclosed riding arena. And the studio will have to be in a different building, there is too much risk of fire and I will not allow it to be in the same structure as your day quarters."

I thought for a moment. "I have business dealings will I need to wrap up. And I will have to go to New Orleans in order to tender my resignation as Sherriff to the Queen – that may take a while depending on her mood."

Pam interrupted, "You are going to resign as Sherriff for a human?"

I calmly answered, "Yes. The reason I wanted the position of Sherriff of Area 5 was so that I could be close to Godric. The King of Texas did not want two old vampires residing in his territory. With Godric gone there is nothing holding me here. I plan on giving you controlling interest in Fangtasia and putting you in charge of my holdings here that I do not sell off."

She rolled her eyes and said, "You realize you are acting worse than Bill Compton?"

Alric interrupted her, "Youngster when you have lived as long as I have you see many things. At first we thought that their bond was a weaker type, but I can feel that the bond forming here is of a type that I have only seen two times before. It may actually be the strongest I have ever seen as she is a telepath and that may pull them even closer. Regardless it is only going to keep intensifying until they can not help but have her drink his blood. When that happens if one dies the other will lose their will to live and die soon after."

As Alric continued talking to Pam, Wolfram asked me, "Is not north Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan all part of one area?"

I thought a moment, "Yes, it is area 16."

"Well perhaps a trade of Sheriffs between Area 5 and Area 16 could be arraigned."

I replied, "That would take an agreement between the Queen of Louisiana and the King of the Midwest. They actually hate each other. I do not see that as something that would happen easily or soon."

"Perhaps I could help you."

"I thought that you and your peers did not involve yourselves in vampire politics?"

"Let us just call it looking after Magan's interests."

I knew now that he had been planning this so I asked, "How do you suggest helping me?"

"They both like power and desire to increase it, what do you think their reaction would be if I were to offer them each a pint of my blood in exchange for their trading Sherriff's?"

This could possibly work

"What does Alric think of this plan?"

"He thinks it is a good idea. I am the youngest of the five of us so we would be giving them the weakest blood. Neither of us wants Magan to feel that she has taken anything away from you. However, you have to agree to accept Alric's blood a month after the trade goes through. That is also looking after her interests."

"That part may be a deal breaker for them. Neither one is going to want me to be stronger that they are."

"You misunderstand Erik; I am suggesting two separate deals. One between you and Alric, and a second one between me and them. There is absolutely no reason for either to know about the deal between you and Alric."

I thought for a moment. I do not have a choice. Alric's blood will make me much stronger; with it I can protect her much better. "All right, I will agree to the deal."

"I need to go with you then when you go to New Orleans. Alric will go to St. Paul the same night. We can arrange a meeting between the two of them and all of us on a future date in a neutral location."

I confessed to him, "Prior to tonight I feared that I would have to find some way of fighting you to convince you to release Magan. I was willing and ready to risk my area and vampires to do so."

"Good, I am glad to hear that. It means you will do anything to protect her. Tell me how do you feel about me now?"

"I find that I trust you – and I very rarely trust other vampires. Before tonight Godric and Pam were the only ones I could say that about."

"The fact that you trust me so soon after being willing to fight me is an indication of just how fast and deep this bond is forming. I must admit that I am a little jealous. I had thought about trying to reestablish a relationship with her. But when she told me that she had started taking vitamins plus iron supplements the day after she met you I knew it was not to be."

She interjected herself into to conversation by sarcastically saying, "Thanks Wolf. Are you going to tell him I plan on fucking him tonight too?"

Wolfram replied to her, "You just did."

While I asked, "You are?"

She gave both of us a disgusted look and stalked over to the fireplace. It was starting to burn down so she stirred up the embers and tossed a couple pieces of wood on top. Then she settled herself down upon the chinchilla rug in front of the fire and stared into the flames.

We watched her, and then Wolfram said to me, "Magan does not like feeling out of control, she never has. The strengthening if the bond is making her feel a little crazed. Nor does she like that we have been talking about her future with you as if it is a done deal; despite the fact that due to the circumstances the two of you really do not have a choice. You should go and speak privately with her. I will go and tell Alric that we should leave now. He is staying with me. She knows how to contact us. Get a hold of us in a couple of days."

I looked at this vampire that I had been prepared to hate. "Thank you for all that you have done. Tell Pam I said for her to leave too."

I walked over to where she was and sat down behind her. I did not know what to do, but found myself saying, "Lover, let me help you." As I placed my hands on her shoulders and started to caress them.

Wolfram, Alric and Pam watched. "What is he doing?" Pam said, "Where is Erik and what has she done with him?"

Wolfram and Alric looked at each other. Wolfram answered, "They are sharing emotions already. What he is doing happens to relax and calm her quickly."

Alric replied, "She has not had his blood yet and they can already share emotions? I think that by the time this is finished they will be able to hear each others thoughts."

Pam looked at both of them. "That it not possible."

Alric continued, "It is very very rare, but it is possible. I think it is time for us to leave."

I heard them turn and walk up the stairs.

Please review and let me know if you liked or disliked it and why. Thank you.