Strange Love

Shelly's breath caught as she walked into her new bedroom for the first time since everyone had left the house. Poseidon had said he'd left her a surprise, but never in her wildest dreams had she imagined anything so amazing. The uncomfortable upscale hotel room vibe was gone. Sheer curtains hung over the bed, eliminated by thousands of tiny flickering lights behind the white fabric. The crisp white bedding was now replaced by pink sheets, a cute tribal patterned blanket, and a matching woven throw. Several pillows of various sizes and textures lined the cushioned headboard. A low, wooden bench ran the width of the bed, giving her a perfect place to climb onto the cushy mattress. A soft furry rug spread out in the opposite corner of the room rested under a full-length dressing mirror while an adorable hanging bassinet hung in the other corner. Her eyes became misty as she trailed the taupe canopy all the way up to the ceiling where a baby's crib mobile hung inside. She let her body shift into human form as she reached up and turned the dial causing the tiny plush stars to begin to spin as the tune of twinkle, twinkle little star played softly. Tears streamed freely down her cheeks. There was no denying, she had grown to love the crazy sea god and his family so much. He had become somewhat of a father figure to her over the past months... but deep down she'd feared he only saw her as a pet... would only ever see her as one... Her teary eyes moved around the room once more. The room was set up for the easy use of a pregnant wolf... but planned out to also be convenient for a new human mother. He had thought of her, the person, rather than only a wolf... Her eyes landed on her own reflection in the full-length mirror. Her stomach was as round as a beach ball, a little lump sticking out where a tiny head pressed against its confined space. She smiled down as she rubbed her baby bump, more tears running down her face. "If only-"

Her words were cut off by the opening of her door. "I was-" Arei's eyes widened as he met her equally shocked eyes. He quickly turned away, squeezing his eyes tightly shut. "I'm sooo sorry! I didn't expect- it doesn't matter what I expected, I shouldn't have walked in on you like that I'm sooo sorry!" He ran his free hand through his hair as he stepped out of the room, leaving the door only cracked enough to finish what he'd come to say. "Jos asked me to find you and see if you were ready for dinner... She's in the kitchen... just whenever you're ready... Again, I'm sorry to intrude!"​​

Shelly watched in stunned curiosity as the giant man squeezed his eyes shut tighter before turning and nodding in parting to her. She let out a long sigh as she forced her body to shift back into the wolf form. Would this be her life once the baby was born? Everyone she'd gotten close to in recent weeks feeling awkward around her?

Arei didn't open his eyes until he was halfway through the living room. He called out as he bumped his toe on one of the dining room chairs. He looked up to catch Jos's curious eyes on him.

"Are you alright?"

Arei huffed out an embarrassed sigh as he rounded the bar and circled his arms around her waist, resting his forehead on her shoulder. "I didn't knock before I opened Shelly's door..."

Jos shrugged as she turned in his arms, studying the massive man. "So? I mean I'm sure she will understand..."

His face turned red. "She was n.a.k.e.d... in human form..."

Jos's eyes widened as she took in his obvious discomfort. She couldn't help the giggle that slipped from her lips. "I'm sure it was awkward for the both of you, but still, I'm sure she will understand and not hold it against you. I'm sure you didn't mean to walk in on her like that."

Arei quickly shook his head in agreement. "I keep forgetting she's capable of that form whenever she wants... I've gotten so used to the wolf form..."

Jos raised a hand to stroke his beard. "You'll adjust once the baby is born, I would assume she plans on returning to her normal form by then... which reminds me, I should probably get with Raven and have Shelly's things sent here." Jos tugged her phone from her back pocket and rested against his strong frame as she waited for Raven to answer.

Knock, knock, knock

Fern snarled as he continued working on the doc.u.ments in fount of him. There were no words for his current level of irritation. After seeing the surveillance footage of a week ago, the night he'd been forced to drink his own poison, he'd worked tirelessly to shift his plans. Only these last small tasks remained...

Knock, knock, knock

An animalistic growl escaped from between Fern's gritted teeth as he pushed away from the desk and flung the pen across it. Who could it be now? Surely not his errant nephew. That little bastard would just barge in without knocking. He adjusted his suit as walked over and he unlocked the door, then pulled it open. "What do you want?" He growled. His eyes widened momentarily as he took in the new head of the Mediterranean Vampires. "Ah, you... Come in and have a seat." He stepped aside and nodded to the boy as he gave a slight bow and walked in. A snarl curved his lips once again as he watched the young vampire move confidently through the room to the comfortable leather armchair opposite his own. "What brings you in today?" He forced his usual mask of an elegant businessman as he sat back down behind his desk.

Drake adjusted his tight designer slacks. "As you know Matt and I have been here nearly two weeks. If there is nothing else you have to offer, then we shall be returning home in the morning."

Fern arched a brow as he brought his hands together and pressed his index fingers into peaks against his chin. "I assumed you were the one forgoing our arrangements... seeing as to how much you've taken up with the prince lately..."

Drake shrugged. "It's smart business, after all, he will be taking over sooner or later. Whether it will be as beneficial as the current arrangement or not, it will still be beneficial."

Fern nodded as he pushed up from his seat once again and walked around the desk, leaning against it as he studied the young vampire. "I would be careful who I tried to play if I were you. I'm sure your mother has told you how we became associated before pushing you into this new role?"

Drake nodded forging indifference. "I do, but I don't see the relevance of bringing it up here."

Fern smiled as he crossed his arms over his c.h.e.s.t and stared the young vampire down. "You must understand the strategy and raw devotion that goes into such extreme measure, yes?" He tilted his head. "I only wonder if your mother would mourn you any more than she did your father."

Drake forced a stoic mask as he pushed up from the chair and reached around Fern for the doc.u.ments on the desk. "I'd wager she would mourn me, if anything were to happen, nearly as much as you would with more loss to this bottom line. Is it not my family who have made the majority of the deposits into these accounts?" He tossed the papers at Fern. "The way I see it you need this last deal to go through because you know you're losing power here. It's obvious to everyone on the outside that the prince will be crowned king soon enough. His entourage of council bodyguards is enough to prove that much."

A daunting smile spread across Fern's features. "Accidents happen all the time..."

Drake raised a brow. "Don't you think the council is smart enough to pick up on it if any more of your family members mysteriously turn up dead?"

A wicked glint settled over Fern's expression. "There are far worse fates than death."

Drake narrowed his eyes. "I can see we are done here." He quickly turned toward the door before his well-placed mask gave way to his underlying nervousness. Before he could reach the door, Fern's low sinister voice stopped him in his tracks.

"You and your brother meet me here in an hour. Have your bags packed and ready to leave? I don't want to see you inside this palace again once business is settled."

Drake nodded, not turning away from the door as he pulled it open. "Very well." He closed the door behind him and made it to his own room before collapsing against the door. He rested against the cool wood until he could get his heart rate under control. Once he could breathe easily again, he quickly packed his belonging and wrote out a letter placing it between the mattress and box-spring. He sent up a silent prayer that this would be enough. Walking over to Mattie's room he tapped lightly. "Ready?"

Mattie swallowed hard as his gaze moved around the narrow coiling staircase leading down into the dark abyss deep within the palace walls. "Are you sure about this?" He whispered to Drake.

Drake's glowing green eyes landed on his younger brother as he pressed his finger to his lips and nodded to the werewolves ahead of them. He waited until Mattie nodded in understanding before he turned his attention back to the dark passage. Light poured out from the open door of the bas.e.m.e.nt lab. {Almost there...} He thought in nervous anticipation as he followed the wolves into the room, watching as they made their way across the room and pulled open the cellar doors. He fought against the wave of fear that slammed into his brain as his eyes moved around the now b.a.r.e workstations of the lab. It had been wiped clean with no trace of what was once there left behind. His eyes quickly shot over to his much younger brother. True, for a vampire his 43 years of life was considered incredibly young... but Mattie's 20 years of life were barely considered a.d.u.l.thood even by human standards... Had this been his mother's plan all along?

"What are you waiting for?" Fern asked in barely hid entertainment as he followed the vampire's eyes around the room. "What you seek is just inside." He watched with growing amus.e.m.e.nt as the vampires followed him into the empty cellars.

"What is the meaning of this?" Drake asked, forcing a stern confidence he didn't feel into his voice.

A wide smile spread across Fern's lips as he turned toward a keypad on the far wall. "Just what you deserve."

Drake could hear a faint gasp from Mattie as the fake wall opened up with a loud scr.a.p.e of heavy metal against the hard stone floor. The room was nearly pitch dark, lit by only a single hanging light. A red bulb cast an eerie reflection around the room. He could hear the scurry of several feet and what sounded like heavy chains scraping against the hard stone. "What is this?"

A wide sardonic smile spread across Fern's lips. "You made a great point earlier. It is important to know one's place... and resect the capabilities of one's allies... as much as one's enemies..." He stepped aside holding his arms out wide toward the dark, dank opening. "Here you have it, boys. The freshest source of product my kingdom has to offer. If you're truly looking for high-quality to take back to your people, here you have it." He arched a brow as neither boy moved. "What? Still not good enough for you. Go on have a look inside. There are several live selections waiting for you inside. Take them all if you like. As you said my days here are numbered."

Movement caught Drake's attention. Everything that he'd heard about this place, every rumor of how the products were acquired and harvested came rushing back. His brain couldn't think outside the horrors he knew awaited in that room. Rushing forward, his vampire vision quickly adjusted taking in at least 20 girls of various ages and species chained to the walls. Laughter sounded behind him causing him to quickly turn. His mask fell away and cold fear radiated outward through his body as he realized Mattie had followed him inside, and the sick bastard laughing maniacally from the door had planned this the entire time. He watched helplessly as the stone wall closed. Even his vampire speed and strength weren't enough to stop its closing. A low, weak voice brought his attention away from the thick, heavy door and to one corner of the small cell.

"There's no use, you're simply wasting your strength... These walls are meant to restrain even the strongest of creatures..." Her weak voice cracked with faint coughing.

Drake pulled his shirt up over his nose, trying to mask what he could of the smell of filth and unclean bodies... there was a lingering smell of death he was unable to mask though, regardless of how hard he tried. "What is this place? How long have you been here?" He asked as he tried to make out the girl's features in the dark.

"You're a vampire, surely you know the answer to that." The girl replied in hatred-laced disdain.

Drake let out a heavy sigh as his gaze moved back to his brother who was still clawing frantically at the thick boulder blocking the entrance. {The pit...} He'd heard rumors growing up. Drunk vampires talking about the 'entertainment', the fine delicacies, the deprivation allowed here. All for a hefty price, of course... "We're f.u.c.k.e.d..." He whispered more to himself than anyone else as he walked over and placed a soothing hand on his younger brother's shoulder. "I'm sorry for dragging you into this, but don't worry... I'll try to find us a way out."

"Ha... good luck with that." The girl's sarcastic words broke off with another fit of coughing. "You'll die here, just like the rest of us."