Amelia & Andrew: The Diamond Legacy Ch. 03b

"You're early." Denise said when they walked into the office.

Andrew shrugged. "We're going to be leaving sooner than planned." he said. "The police showed up this morning looking for Catherine. Someone reported seeing her around the house."

"I'm going to miss all of you." Denise said frowning. "We'll have to find a way to get together from time to time."

"Don't worry." Amelia said hugging her. "We will."

"You're early." Mark said when he walked in. "I was about to take the wife out to lunch. Care to join us?"

"Please come." Denise said her voice tight, "it will give us a little more time together before you go."

"Go?" Mark asked surprised. "What happened?"

Andrew told Mark about the visit from the police.

"So we think that we'd better get moving before someone else sees her and it turns ugly."

"Have you told Susan yet?" Mark asked.

"We're going to see her next." Andrew replied.

"We can wait for lunch if you're in a hurry." Mark offered.

"No, lunch sounds good." Andrew said.

Mark called the restaurant that he frequently used for meetings and reserved a side room. After the meal, Andrew told Mark what they wanted to do with the vehicles.

"Everything else is yours to do with whatever you please." he said.

"I have everything ready to go at the office." Mark said in response. "All I need are signatures."

The business part of the meal over, the talk turned to more personal and social matters. Denise beamed as she told them that Johnny had gotten straight "A's" on his report card.

Soon it was time to leave though none of them wanted to. As they were leaving, a man walked up to Catherine.

"I know who you are." he said. "You're the one on television."

"I'm sorry." Catherine said with a smile. "But you have me confused with someone else."

"No I don't!" the man insisted. "I know it's you and I'm going to take you in for the reward."

Scott stepped between the man and Catherine.

"I would suggest that you back away from my wife before I rip your fucking throat out and feast on your blood!"

His eyes began to change into lifeless orbs. Amelia quickly pushed into his head forcing him to calm down. At the same time, Andrew stepped between Catherine and the man.

"Sir, please back away from my daughter unless you want the police called."

When the man didn't move, Catherine used her compulsion.

"Sir, I am not who you think I am. Apologize and leave."

The man blinked twice before doing as he was told.

"I apologize. I thought that you were someone else."

The man turned away red-faced that he had caused a scene. The manager of the restaurant made his way to them and apologized for the inconvenience. They assured him that all was well and that they enjoyed their meal and they would return. As a further show of goodwill, he took Catherine's meal off the bill.

The incident was further proof that they needed to get out of the areas as soon as possible. When they were out of the restaurant, Amelia gave Scott a warning about controlling himself in public.

"If you had changed, you would have endangered all of us."

"I know and I'm sorry." Scott said softly.

Once back at Mark's office, it took three hours to complete all of the necessary paperwork. After the last document was signed, they said their goodbyes to Mark and Denise and headed over to Biomedtronic to see Gloria and Susan.

Gloria greeted them when they arrived.

"Susan is in a meeting and will be another forty-five minutes. So what's new?" she asked.

"What are you doing this evening?" Andrew asked after a few minutes.

"Nothing really." Gloria replied, "A good book and a hot bath were all that I had planned. Why?"

"Do you think that I could convince you and Susan to take a ride with me? I'll even throw in dinner." Andrew said.

"You sure know how to tempt a woman." Gloria said batting her eyes. "Dinner with two handsome men? Who could turn down an offer like that?"

"Good." Andrew replied, "It will also be our goodbye dinner."

"What?" Gloria asked shocked. "Why is it a goodbye dinner? And you can't leave until I've taught you what you need to know to survive."

"I know." Andrew replied. "And I wish that we could stay for those lessons but we have to leave."

For the second time that day, he told Gloria about the visit from the police and then about the man at the restaurant.

"Where are you going?' she asked.

"We'll go see Charles first, after that? I don't know yet" Andrew replied.

"Why don't you talk to Susan about it?" Gloria suggested. "She might have some ideas."

"So I take it that you'll be joining us for dinner?" Andrew asked.

"I can't answer for Susan but I'm going." she replied.

While they waited for Susan's meeting to be over, Andrew called and made the dinner reservations including Susan in case she decided to go with them.

About an hour later, a very angry vampire emerged from Susan's office.

"This isn't over!" he shouted. "I'll take this to Charles!"

Immediately, Andrew and Scott stood in front of their mates but ready to defend Susan if need be. The vampire noticed and laughed.

"Look at the parvulus ready to come to your rescue! How pathetic!"

Susan glared at the vampire.

"Fredrick, take note that it is their mates that they are protecting and not me. I've had more than enough of your shit today and my decision stands. If you want to go to Charles, be my guest but I'll tell him the same thing that I just told you. This is my business and no one tells me how to run it. Now please remove yourself from my property before I call security and have you removed."

Fredrick took a step toward Susan and both Andrew and Scott took a step forward. He looked at them and laughed as he taunted them.

"Oh look at the mice that roared! Really Susan, is this the best you can do?"

"You were asked to leave." Andrew said taking another step forward. "Please do so now."

"This is too precious." Fredrick said to Susan and ignoring Andrew. "You must tell me who sired this parvulus."

Amelia stood and moved to Andrew's side.

"Sir, you've been asked to leave and I suggest that you do so. No one wants any trouble." she said the warning obvious.

Susan had finally had enough.

"Ms. Vega please call security and have Mr. Marquise removed from my property."

Fredrick took yet another step toward Susan, stopped, grabbed his head and dropped to his knees. Catherine's soft voice filled his head.

"You were asked to leave do it now or it will only get more painful."

Fredrick's eyes widened when he saw Catherine's glowing eyes. He couldn't believe that a parvulus could hurt him. It was impossible and he wanted her for his.

"Of course my dear." He said in a silky voice. "I'm sorry that I upset you. Let me apologize over dinner."

He didn't care that she was mated and he didn't consider her mate a threat. If her mate attacked and he killed him, she would be a free female again.

Scott's eyes darkened until they were black orbs as his temper flared.

"My mate will not be having dinner with you tonight or any other night and if you speak to her again you will die."

Before anyone could respond, Susan's security burst into the room and formed a line between Fredrick and everyone else. Four very large vampires grabbed Fredrick while Catherine wrapped her arms around Scott to keep him from going after Fredrick.

Amelia looked at Fredrick and issued a warning.

"You'd better get the idea of coming after my number one out of your head or it will be the last thought that you have."

"What was he planning?" Susan asked.

"He was thinking about kidnapping Catherine and using her for his own benefit." Amelia replied. "Like we would let that happen." she added.

Susan turned to her head of security.

"Andrea, drain and then dispose of him."

"Yes ma'am!" Andrea replied.

"Wait!" Fredrick shouted. "You can't do this top me! This is neutral ground!"

"That's why he's taking you to the processing plant." Susan said with a chuckle.

They watched as security dragged Fredrick out of the building and stuffed him into a van.

"Thank you for coming to my rescue and for not ruining my new reception area." Susan said.

"You're welcome." Andrew replied. "How about coming to dinner with us? We have some things to discuss with you plus we have an order to pick up." he added.

Susan motioned for them to follow her back to her office. Once they were all inside, she closed the door.

"I was surprised to see the plasma order." she said as she sat down.

"I'm afraid that we have to leave." Andrew said. "There were two incidents today both within hours of each other. First, the police show up at our house and then a man at a restaurant recognized Catherine. It's only a matter of time before a person or a group of people spots her again and then we'll really be in trouble. Everyone is looking for her especially since her parents are offering a large reward."

"I understand but what are your plans?" Susan asked.

"We'll go see Charles first and then maybe head west." Andrew replied.

"I know that Charles wants to offer you some work," Susan said. "But even if you decline I'm sure that he'll help you settle down somewhere. I'm going to miss all of you."

While Andrew settled accounts with Susan, Scott loaded the Hummer with their purchases from Susan. Afterwards, they all piled into the Hummer and went to dinner. An effort was made to keep the conversation friendly and light. After dinner, Andrew told Susan and Gloria that he needed to go to the house before taking them back to the office.

He pulled into the driveway, parked and then handed each of them an envelope that contained the keys and the title to the cars that they had decided to give them. Gloria reacted like a kid who had just gotten her first car after graduation while Susan was much more reserved but no less grateful.

Gloria hugged and kissed each of them twice while Susan gave them a light hug and kiss on the cheek. After Susan and Gloria were gone, the four of them took one last look at the house and the surrounding area before getting into the Hummer. They headed toward Philly and a new life unsure of where their travels would eventually lead them.