Chapter 5

(With the Pack)

Dracula's point of view

I sighed as I looked down at the last of the slayers body being eaten by the alligators; I couldn't lie. I had enjoyed listening to his screams and pleas for mercy. Of course I was not merciful but it was enjoyable to hear him beg.

"Are we to obtain your child and bride now?" Sedrick inquired.

A frown crossed my face. I wanted to go and retrieve Fox and Katie but it wasn't the right time. I sighed before saying, "No."

"No?" The blonde man said understandably surprised. "I don't understand. Surely you want them at your side."

"Yes, Sedrick, I do. However, I also need to strengthen myself and raise my armies," I told him. "I want things in place and my authority without question before they join me at my castle."

"A brief visit?" Brock suggested.

I thought over the dark haired man's suggestion. I longed to see the child I had never held. Hearing her voice was wonderful. Seeing the picture that told me what she looked like was helpful, but I wanted to see her and hold her like any father would. I wanted to see Katie as well. She was still as beautiful as the last time I'd seen her. I didn't know how she'd react to my presence but one way or another I would have them both at my side again.

"I will consider your suggestion," I told him. "For now I need more blood." I walked away and transformed into a bat as I neared the open window of the warehouse. I flew away in search of a victim.

Katie's point of View

It was late as we arrived just outside of Las Vegas. I didn't know what to expect as we pulled up to a house that backed up into a mountain range. There were a few other houses but they were not close together. A side fence opened and the SUV we were in pulled through the gate before the gate shut once more sealing us in.

Tyler's friends were nice to me and Sasha and very nice to Angel, but they did not hide the fact they didn't care for Memphis at all. They weren't rough with him but they weren't as gentle as I was sure they could be. I cringed to know what was happening in the second Expedition that they'd put Memphis in. I could only hope the slayer was alright.

"The car stopped and a moment later the door opened and Tyler helped me out before gently helping Angel down to the ground.

"Tyler, I'm not fragile," My daughter complained. He smiled at her and she abruptly stuck her tongue out at him as many children would.

Sasha came out next and we watched as an unconscious Memphis was taken out of the truck before all of us were lead inside.

We entered the house to a rather large group of people spread out in a large great room waiting. The way they watched us as we entered I could only assume it was us they were waiting on.

"Take a look," A man with very dark hair down to the base of his neck ordered. A man with short spiky black hair nodded and left the room following the wolves carrying Memphis into a room in the back.

"You must be Katie," The man said.

"Yes. This is Sasha and my daughter, Angel," I introduced; holding my daughter's hand. I knew the people in the room wouldn't hurt us, but I wasn't comfortable about being in a room full of people loyal to Dracula either.

Tyler's point of view

Katie kept her voice calm but everyone in the room could feel her uncertainty. The blonde woman named Sasha wasn't concerned but she had no reason to be. She was a servant to Dracula and knew she was safe. Angel on the other hand seemed almost ecstatic to be in our presence. I watched as a couple of my pack mates smiled warmly at her.

"Mom can…You must be Fox!" Racquel said walking in and seeing the red haired girl. Without a second thought she bounded up to the count's daughter. "I've heard a lot about you!"

"How come I haven't heard about her?" Angel said looking at me accusingly with her hands on her hips.

"Raquel is a menace too, go have fun," I said.

"Okay," She said and shrugged. Suddenly both girls got a smile on their face and were gone before Katie or anyone else could say otherwise.

I watched as all eyes fell on me. "What?" I asked unconcerned. "Raquel's been dying to meet her and Fox just made a new friend." I looked over to see Katie looking in the direction the two girl's had gone. "She's fine Katie," I assured her.

"You're all safe here," Reth told the concerned woman.

"Memphis?" Katie asked.

"Memphis is another story," Benson said not hiding he didn't like the slayer.

"Benson," Reth said warningly.

"Why does he have to be here Reth?" the dark haired wolf complained. "Why did he have to come back?"

"Back?" Katie said confused. "If Memphis shouldn't be here then we can…"

"You're not leaving," Reth said in a calm but firm manner. "We're responsible for you. Fox needs to be able to learn her abilities in a safe environment. She's already showing vampire signs. While Memphis may have done a decent job of signaling the girl when she needs to slow down, she needs time that she can continue and not slow down as well."

"Is this his decision or yours?" The brown haired girl challenged.

"I doubt Memphis…"

"I'm not talking about Memphis," Katie said interrupting Benson before turning her attention toward Reth once more.

Reth smiled at the woman the count had claimed. Any uneasiness had faded to the back and the woman was clearly showing she wasn't afraid to stand her ground. "Both." He leaned back against the small table behind him. "Just so we're clear there are a few rules."

"Such as?" Sasha inquired.

"You don't have any rules except if we ask you to do or not do something," Heath said leaning on the wall by the entrance. "We don't dictate to you so much."

"So they are for me and Angel," Katie said.

"More for you," Heath told her before looking at Reth.

"I can be easy going just as much as I can be firm," Reth said taking a more commanding tone. "You don't leave this house unescorted. No man touches you." I watched as Katie took on a less than pleased look but kept silent. "You don't speak to anyone on the phone unless we say so. Your family is not to know where you are."

"Why not?" Katie asked.

"No chance of them showing up," I told her. I'd known of at least a couple of times they'd shown up for a surprise visit.

"Memphis doesn't know," Katie said. "He doesn't know Dracula is alive," she informed the pack.

"Yes, well…"

"Angel adores him."

"Then she doesn't know him," a man with light blonde hair said from where he sat by a blonde woman.

"Nate…"

"No, Hope, the guy's an ass!" The blonde man said before abruptly getting up and leaving the room.

"Yes, well, he won't be moving very quickly for some time," Chris said walking into the room.

"How bad?" Reth asked.

"Four broken ribs, a broken leg, several bruises and quite possibly a couple of sprained wrists," he replied. "Ribs are pretty bad though. That's going to take some time."

"Do what you need to." Chris nodded and left the room. Reth looked over at the brown haired woman. "Memphis doesn't need to know."

"He'll figure it out eventually. He figured out about Angel," She commented.

"My concern isn't Memphis," Reth told her. "You and Fox are the concern. You're the ones we are charged with protecting. Just so we're clear there is a zero policy of you with anyone."

"Katie's behaved," I told him. "You don't need to worry about anything."

"Yeah, well, if her or Memphis lose their heads I want it clear I'll kill him."

"Memphis and I are only friends," Katie said quickly. "He's protected us but that's all."

"Then he'll live," Heath said calmly.

I knew Katie wanted some kind of reassurance but it wasn't going to happen. We didn't like Memphis. We weren't about to make things easy on him at all.

Angel's point of view

I laid in my head down on my pillow and though I was tired I couldn't stop myself from thinking about my father. My birthday was coming up soon; the only thing I wanted was him.