1679 Dalkey, Ireland
"If you wanted to spend time with humans why don't we go to some port city? Why this small trading village?"Kate asked Tanya. Tanya held back a sigh at the question. After getting the message from Jane Tanya gathered her sisters to go to the town Isabella indicated that Irina's human mate would be located. Initially Tanya had been wary of the female witch twin but after interacting with Jane a few times had come to understand that Jane loved Isabella and considered Isabella her sister. Once she accepted that Tanya looked forward to Jane's visits because she brought a message from Isabella every time. Tanya had thought she would only hear from her beloved every few decades if she was lucky but was happy when she got letters three or four times a year. Those letters always coming with warnings of trouble or ways to better the coven's lives. Be it by staying away from a dangerous area or investing in a human business. Even though Tanya loved hearing from Isabella it was hard to explain to Irina and Kate why she wanted them to do things. Tanya had been questioned many times but never admitted how she knew things. She just hoped that eventually her sisters would come to accept that she understood things better than they did.
"I thought it would be nice to spend time amongst civilization without being mobbed by men."Tanya told her.
"We could have done that at the many towns we passed to get here."Irina was sure Tanya had a purpose for them being at this village. For the past few centuries Tanya had been very keen on doing things without explaining why that was with everything always turning out in the covens favor. Whenever Tanya was asked why she would give them a throwaway answer never being truthful. Irina had thought that Tanya had the gift of sight but her sister denied it saying that she was just lucky. Something Irina didn't believe for a second.
"Those towns weren't as interesting as this one. Now come on let's go hang out at the tavern."Tanya didn't wait for a reply just walking towards the building. Opening the door she scanned the room setting her sights on the girl Isabella had described as Anne.
"What is that smell?"Irina asked. As soon as she stepped though the door she was overwhelmed with the scent of woodsmoke mixed with fresh rain. It was the most wonderful thing she had ever smelt and she desperately wanted to find what the scent belonged to.
"Why don't we take a seat in the corner."Tanya suggested. She grabbed Irina's arm and led her to the area where Anne was cleaning tables. Once they sat Tanya got Anne's attention. "Hello young one."
"What can I get you?"Anne asked.
"We will take three mugs of ale."Tanya told her.
"I'll be right back with that."Anne hurried to the bar hoping to get the drinks to the woman before the other bartender noticed them. The man was a pig and not someone who you wanted around you. Grabbing the mugs she carefully made her way back to the table."Here you are. Would you like to order some food?"
"No that's alright. The drinks are just fine."Tanya looked around the room but didn't see Victoria anywhere. She hoped the child wasn't being hurt.
"I'll come back to check on you."Before Anne could walk away a voice stopped her.
"What's your name?"Tanya knew it was important to get Anne to trust them but was unsure how to do it.
"You want to know my name?"No one ever asked Anne her name before.
"I would."Tanya said.
Anne didn't see any harm telling the woman."My name is Anne."
"Well Anne my name is Tanya and these are my sisters Kate and Irina."Tanya waved to each of her sisters in turn.
"It's nice to meet you."Anne meant that. Usually customers either ignored her or abused her verbally or physically.
"So Anne how old are you?"Tanya asked.
"I don't know."Anne didn't remember when her birthday was let alone what year she was born.
"You don't how old you are? When is your birthday?"Kate couldn't believe that someone even from such a small village didn't know their age.
"No one ever told me."Anne admitted.
"You don't know when your birthday is?"Irina's heart broke for the young girl. Not knowing her birthday meant that it had likely not been celebrated in the girl's lifetime.
"No miss. Birthdays aren't important to my master."Anne told her.
"Your master? Are you a slave?"Kate asked.
Anne nodded."Myself and my sister were sold by our parents to the owner of the tavern."
"You have a sister?"Hearing that not only was Anne a slave but her sister as well had Irina making plans to take the girls with them. There was no way Irina was going to let two young girls grow up in slavery where a life of prostitution was the only path.
"Her name is Victoria is she works in the kitchen."Anne hated not having Victoria in sight because she could protect her from being abused by others.
"Anne would you and your sister like to be free of the life you live now?"Tanya knew that Anne's answer was going to change the coven's life one way or another.
"Of course. I hate it here. I hate that Victoria is too small to protect herself."Anne would leave in moments notice if she could."I would run off with her but we have no way of providing for ourselves and would most likely end right back up in slavery."
"Then how about you gather your sister and join our family."Tanya offered.
"You mean it?"Anne didn't want to get her hopes up. She knew she should be more cautious around strangers but something inside her told her she could trust these three woman.
"I mean it."Tanya smiled at the tears forming in the girl's eyes."Now why don't you collect your sister and we'll get out of here."
"What about my master?"Anne didn't think he would be happy with them leaving.
"You leave your master to us. Now go get you sister and any belongings you want to take with you."Tanya didn't think the girls would have much but that didn't matter. Tanya knew the pair would be spoiled within an inch of their lives.
"Thank you so much."Anne rushed off to the kitchen to get Victoria. Rushing up to the red head she took the plate from her and put it in the sink."Come on we are leaving."
"We are we going?"Victoria asked.
"We are being adopted by a new family."Anne thought that was the best way to describe their situation.
"Who would want to adopt us?"Victoria didn't think anyone would want her or her sister.
"Three nice sisters have offered to take us in."Anne grabbed Victoria's hand and led her to the small storage closet they kept their meager belongings in."Grab your stuff."
"Ok."Victoria didn't know what was going on but she trusted her sister.
"I know you're nervous but I trust the three women. I get a really good feeling about them. I think life with them will be a lot better than being slaves."Anne knew life with the trio would be better than whatever their current master had in store for them.
"I trust you."Victoria said as she followed Anne out of the kitchen. Walking into the dining room she stumble to a stop when she caught the golden eyes of one of the blond strangers.
"What's wrong?"Kate asked Irina. Her sister had been talking but stopped in the middle of a sentence.
Irina ignored Kate's question and sped across the room just slow enough to be considered human speed and scooped up the red headed little girl who stepped out of the back room with Anne into her arms."Who are you?"
"I'm Victoria."Victoria usually didn't like to be touched by anyone other than Anne but felt completely comfortable in this stranger's arms.
"Well Victoria my name is Irina and I promise from this moment forward that you will never be a slave again."Irina would never make Victoria do any kind of manual labor ever again. This girl was her mate and her mate deserved to live a good life filled with many comforts.
Victoria wrapped her arms around Irina's neck and snuggled onto her shoulder."Thank you."
"It's no problem little one."Irina looked around and caught sight of Tanya smiling brightly at her."How did you know?"
"Know what?"Tanya asked.
"How did you know that my mate would be here?"Irina fully believed that the entire reason Tanya wanted to go to this village was because Victoria was there. It was too much of a coincidence.
"I didn't."Tanya lied.
"Tanya there is no way that you picked the village where my human mate was living as a slave randomly."Irina wasn't going to let this go. Tanya had previous knowledge of where Victoria was.
"I don't know what you're talking about."Tanya felt bad that she wasn't being truthful but it was too important to keep Isabella's identity secret. No matter how uncomfortable lying to her sisters was.
"Yeah Tanya I agree with Irina on this one. You were very set on getting to this particular village. We tried to dissuade you many times but you were hell bent to get here. Now we find Irina's human mate. There is no way you didn't know."Kate thought Irina was right. Tanya had to have known something.
Tanya shrugged."I hate to disappoint you but I didn't know anything."
"What is going on here? Why are you out of the kitchen?!"A large fat balding man asked as he made his way into the room.
"Is this your master?"Kate asked Anne.
"Yes."Anne happily let herself be pulled behind Kate. She didn't want to get close to the angry man.
"Put the girl down. Her job is to was he dishes not cuddle customers."The man made a move to grab Victoria out of Irina's arms only to come up empty handed. His face twisted in rage."Give me the girl!"
Tanya put a hand on Irina's shoulder to stop her from attacking the man. There were to many witnesses."Both of the girls are no longer yours."
"Like hell they aren't."The man made a move towards Anne this time earning a punch to the face for the effort.
"Kate!"Tanya grabbed Kate's fist stopping her from punching the man again."It's very crowded in here."
Kate looked around the room. Tanya was right there was too many people watching them."I'll finish this later."
"The night time is a beautiful time to take a stroll."Tanya was going to help Kate take care of the man but they would have to wait until the town had gone to sleep.
"You bitch!"The man roared as he charged Kate.
Kate grabbed Anne and with the young girl in her arms moved out of the man's way. Kate kicked him in the ass on his way past them causing him to fly into a table and break it."I don't like being called that."
"Let's get out of here. This is upsetting the girls."Irina had felt the way Victoria cuddled herself as closely as she could to Irina's body. Anne was just as scared watching the seen with wide eyes and clutching Kate's arm in a white knuckled grip.
Kate picked Anne up and held her close."Let's go find some place to get you girls something to eat."
"Good idea."Tanya turned her attention to the man trying to get out of the table wreckage. She put her foot on his chest and pushed him back down."Now this is what's going to happen. My sisters and I are taking the girls with us. You are going to let us. If you try to attack any of us or attempt to kidnap either sister then I will kill you."
"You can't do this! Those girls belong to me!"The man bellowed.
"Those girls belong to no one. That however is not the point. The point is we are leaving and there is nothing you can do to stop us."Tanya kicked him one more time good measure then turned her back on his and walked out the door where she met her sisters who were each holding one of the girls.
"What do we do now?"Kate asked.
"Now we run to the next city and find somewhere to get the girls some food. Then we'll get a room for at least the night for them to have a place to sleep. In the morning we can take them shopping for clothes and anything else they need. I think this might be the right time to talk about finding a permeant place to settle."Tanya had already purchased the land in Alaska like Isabella told her to. It was the perfect place for a coven of vampires to raise two human children. Far in the wilderness that no one would find them but close enough that a two hour run for a vampire could get them to a port city where they would buy all the supplies needed to take care of anything the humans needed. Including food.
"That sounds like a good idea."Kate would just come back before they moved on from the city to kill the girls' master. She was now happy that Tanya insisted they start feeding from animals. It was going to make a lot easier to deal with humans with their eyes gold instead of red. That actually made Kate wonder if that was the reason Tanya insisted in the first place. It had seemed like an odd request at the time but it was very beneficial in their current situation.
"Hold on tight. We are going to be going very fast."Irina told Victoria as she adjusted the girl so she wouldn't hurt her while running.
Victoria hugged Irina tighter."OK."
"You hold on tight as well."Kate told Anne.
"Got it."Anne happily tightened her arms around her savior. She wasn't sure what was going to happen but knew somewhere deep inside that the three sisters were going to take care of them and give them a happy life.
"Let's go."Tanya said taking off through the trees. Taking the moment of quiet she went through the events that just happened. She wondered why Isabella hadn't sent them to save the girls sooner but knew there had to be a reason. It probably wasn't safe to make contact with them yet. Thinking about what had happened over the last decade she could see why it wasn't. Tanya and sisters had been forced to deal with a creepy nomad who was obsessed with Irina. The man wouldn't take no for an answer and had taken every chance he could get to try and kidnap Irina. It took them four years before they finally caught him and killed him. Tanya was convinced that he had some kind of gift because every time they tried to catch him he would get away. Even Isabella was having problems locating him. The only reason they got him in the end was because they had hired a tracker to find him. That tracker was a very hard to contact vampire who was very selective with his clients. Tanya wasn't sure exactly how Isabella got him to work for them but was sure it was something extreme. At least it was dealt with. Now they had to deal with getting the two girls fed and settled for the night. Then she would run back with Kate and kill their master. The man deserved death for what he was planning for the girls.