Mason Ch. 15

"Why didn't you tell me?" Toni asked.

"The time just never seemed right and I couldn't decide on how to tell you. Toni, I'm sorry that I didn't tell you sooner but I also wanted you and Jamie to get to know me as a man of his word. I can see how you would think that I lied to you and I concede that if I were you, I would have seen it as a lie by omission as well. But you know that I'm not lying to you."

Toni knew he wasn't lying but that didn't change the fact that he withheld important information from her, information that would influence the rest of her and Jamie's lives. That she wouldn't have believed him and that they would still be having the same conversation didn't matter, he should have told her; he should have trusted that she would have gotten over it like she would now-eventually.

Mason was dying to know what she was thinking and could have easily found out by taking a peek inside her mind but he didn't. He hated the fact that he was really going to compel her but he meant what he said, he would have. She was still angry, he only had to look at her to see that but she was also processing and realizing that on some level, she had already known.

He understood something else, it wasn't the vampirism that angered her, it was the fact that he hadn't told her and to her that was an indication that he didn't trust her. Nothing could have been further from the truth but he saw her point. It was almost nine so time wasn't an issue yet; they had seven hours before he had to take her home, that's if she wanted to go home.

Toni mind was on the past few weeks, she had to concede that she was gradually drawn to Mason. Had it been other wise, she would have been suspicious. She remembered the night that Mason helped her get a very drunk James home, she had offered to have a drink with him and he had blown her off. It was soon after that that she and James worked out their issues. It was as if he had.... What? Released her just as James had released her to find someone to care for in that last disc.

Toni realized that before James, she really didn't know how to love someone, he had taught her that. She didn't think for one second that James knew that he was going to die so young and that she was his mission before he died. If that was the case, she would have much preferred that they had gone their separate ways and that they would have remained colleagues and friends in the best case scenario. She felt her anger cooling and knew that Mason hadn't compelled her, Jamie or anyone else close to her. She turned to tell Mason that but he was gone.

Mason slipped away to give Toni space and time. He didn't want her to think that he had influenced her in anyway even though from where he was he could have. He realized that he had almost fucked up but it wasn't over yet, she hadn't rejected him as her mate and Jamie's father. He hoped that even if Toni rejected him that she would still allow him to see and talk to Jamie. He would still need a man in his life and her father wouldn't be around forever.

He took another sip of wine and looked out at the water; he would sit here until he couldn't or until Toni was ready to continue their discussion.

"This friend of yours, Ethan, is he a vampire too?" Toni asked from behind him.

Mason had heard her coming but didn't say anything; the ball was in her court now. He stood and turned to face her.

"Yes he is." Mason replied.

"And his wife, Katrina, is she a vampire too?"

"No, but she is immortal. She is still human but has enhanced strength."

"But she can't die." Toni stated.

"Not very easily." Mason replied.

"What are their babies? Human or vampire?"

"Vampire although with female babies it could go either way, it they had been male they would have been vampire."

Toni was silent as she digested the information.

"I wish that you had trusted me enough to tell me what you were. You're right in that I would have reacted in pretty much the same way but this is what I think; I think that you were so afraid that I wouldn't accept it or you that you wanted me to fall head over heels in love with you so that it wouldn't matter. I love you, that hasn't changed but I really have to think about this and what it means for Jamie."

Mason considered her words, there was quite a bit of truth in them, he really had been afraid that Toni would have turned him away but that still could happen. If she rejected him, he wasn't beneath begging to get her to reconsider, he had lost her once and wasn't about to do it again. The fact that she wasn't demanding to be taken home was a good sign.

"How did Ethan meet Katrina?" Toni asked.

"I can't tell you that because I once treated Ethan and he is a friend however, when... if you meet them, Katrina can tell you if she wishes.

"Can I ask you a question?" Toni asked.

"You can ask me anything you wish." Mason replied. "But why don't we sit down in the living room?"

"Why did you contact me on face book when you made it clear that you weren't interested?" Toni asked when they were sitting across from each other in the living room.

"I was in mourning over the loss of Katrina. I hadn't been in Boston for very long before I found you and you reminded me so much of her physically. As I said, I knew who and what you were but emotionally I was in no shape to take you as a mate. I couldn't have loved you as I do now but at any rate, to answer your question; after I turned you away I realized that I had made a huge mistake. I actually went back to your apartment to look for you but you had already moved.

When I contacted you on face book, I was trying to rectify that mistake but it was already too late. When I turned you away, I released you to love and to be loved by someone else and it happened to be James. I won't lie to you and tell you that I wasn't hurt and angry when I saw that you married him but I'm glad that it was him. He loved you very much and you were happy."

Toni looked at him confused, "How do you know that?" she asked.

"I kept track of you; I always knew where you were."

"You followed us?" Toni asked incredulous.

"Not me personally at least not all of the time but I had to make sure that you were safe and cared for." Mason replied.

"Why didn't you come forward?" Toni asked.

"It would have served no real purpose; I was content knowing that you were cared for." Mason replied.

"The night at the coffee shop..."

"That was purely coincidence." Mason replied. "I had no idea that you would there that night."

The truth, all of it was the truth Toni realized. She also knew that what happened next was completely in her hands.

"What happens if I say no, that I don't want this?" she asked.

"You will age and die and when that happens, I die as well. You have to understand that we are connected; we always have been even though we didn't know each other. We are even more connected now that we've made love and Toni; I claimed both you and Jamie."

"How? And without my permission?" Toni asked getting angry again.

"When we made love, do you remember me telling you that I loved you and that you and Jamie were mine?"

"I remember." Toni replied.

"That was when I claimed you and yes I know that I did it without your permission but the words just came out. Toni, I will love you no matter what you decide."

"Why can't you just find someone else? Toni replied anxious at the possibility that Mason could die.

"It doesn't work like that." Mason replied. "In most cases, we have only one mate, in my case, I had two-you and Katrina but it was up to her to choose between me and Ethan, when she chose Ethan; she released me much in the same way that I and James released you. You are my one and only mate, it's not like human relationships where one person can choose numerous mates."

"You would really die?" Toni asked anxiously.

"Yes but not until you did so don't let that influence your thinking."

"But if I said yes, you wouldn't die?" Toni asked.

Mason saw where she was going and stopped her.

"Toni listen to me, I am not going to die until you do. I cannot die unless I choose to or I am killed by another vampire and that just isn't going to happen.

The truth.

Toni relaxed now that her one fear had been addressed.

"So now what?" she asked.

Mason could have danced a jig, she hadn't accepted him but she hadn't rejected him either.

"We could continue as we were for awhile until you're more comfortable with things or we could say fuck it and get married." Mason replied.

"Married?" Toni asked. "We don't know each other that well to get married and what about Jamie? He's not like you and neither am I for that matter."

Mason had already known that Jamie would be an issue. He had hoped to discuss it after they worked out their own issues but since she asked, he wasn't going to put her off.

"Jamie will have...."

Toni listened as Mason explained that they would have to gradually teach Jamie the importance of keeping what he was a secret and how when he was old enough, he would be presented with a choice to remain human or be turned into a vampire.

"It has to be his decision and we need to know what his wishes will be if something should happen where he is unable to verbalize what he wants." Mason said.

"You mean like a living will?" Toni asked.

"Exactly and like a living will, it will need to be signed and stored away in a safe place. "

"What about me? Will I have to do the same thing?" she asked.

"It is my hope that you will decide to mate with me but if not then I think that it would be a good idea." Mason replied.

So much to think about Toni thought to herself. To be able to live forever and watch history being made and maybe even to have a small part in making it happens. To be with someone who would never die and neither would Jamie for that matter if he chose to be turned. But her parents and friends, she would see them die, but then she would see her parents die anyway and it would be painful no matter how she decided. And here was the bottom line, she loved Mason.

"What else do I need to know?" she asked.

"There's a lot." Mason replied. "Too much to tell you in one night but I'll give you the highlights. One thing is because we don't age, we'll have to move every so often. I know that it's time when people notice that I'm not aging. The other thing is how you become immortal and no you don't have to become a vampire although that is always and option but to become immortal, we exchange blood twice while making love. After that, you will go through a three day transition that is far from pleasant but you will never be left alone. The first two days are the worst of it as your body is changed; the third day is the recovery day. The third day is when you will sleep most of the time. When you wake up, it will be over. You will always be as you are but stronger emotionally and physically, any psychic gifts that you have will waken and you will be telepathic- all of our mates are even if there are no other gifts."

"Is this for real?" Toni asked even though she knew that it was.

It was a rhetorical question so Mason didn't answer.

"This is nuts!" Toni exclaimed. "A vampire? I just had unprotected sex with a vampire on his kitchen counter." she said talking to herself seeming to forget that Mason was there.

"Toni." Mason said quietly. "I don't have any diseases; I am immune to every disease known to man."

"That's good to know." Toni snipped. "I could get pregnant couldn't I? Of course I could, your friend's wife had twins didn't she?" Toni asked answering her own question.

What would she do if she had gotten pregnant? She wondered. Keep it and love it as she loved Jamie she decided but she was being premature, she more than likely hadn't gotten pregnant at least she hoped not, a baby would complicate things even more. She made herself slow down; the immediate question was what she was going to do about Mason. She needed time to think, this was the mother of life changing events but she also knew that if Jamie wasn't involved she wouldn't need to think about so much.

"I have to think about this." Toni said. "I have so many questions about... well everything."

"I understand." Mason said. "I would like to make a suggestion, write down your questions and we'll talk about them in a few days."

Toni was a little surprised, she fully expected Mason to want an answer right then and there but his willingness to give her time and space helped. Had he insisted on an answer right then and there she wasn't sure of what she would have said.

Mason breathed a sigh of relief, she had already decided and just like Katrina, she just didn't realize it yet. The next question was whether she would spend the night and if she did, he wasn't about to promise that he wouldn't touch her again.

"Stay with me tonight." Mason said.

"I'm not sure that would be a good idea." Toni replied. "I think that I need to be away from you so that I can concentrate.

Mason moved from the chair to sit on the couch next to Toni.

"I think that what we need is to spend more time together, we could just relax, watch one of your comedies and go to bed." Mason said as he rubbed Toni's neck. "Stay."

Toni debated; she really should go home and spend the rest of the evening thinking, except what was there to think about? Jamie was her only major concern. He would be thrilled if she decided to go into an official relationship with Mason; it was the other part of it that she was worried about. How would Jamie handle the vampirism? She had to remind herself that kids are resilient, and knowing Jamie he would think that it was totally cool. She was using Jamie as an excuse and she knew it.

"If I stay do you promise to behave yourself? In other words no repeats of what happened in the kitchen?" Toni asked.

"I won't promise any such thing because if I did, it would be a lie." Mason replied as he continued to massage her neck. "What happened in the kitchen was completely unplanned and phenomenal and I can't ....."

"Stop right there." Toni said. "I agree that it was phenomenal but it was irresponsible. What if I got pregnant? Then what?"

"Then we would have a baby." Mason replied.

"You sound like I just told you I only had water to drink." Toni said surprised.

"Toni, I love you and if we have a baby then so be it."

"And we would explain that how?" Toni asked.

"There would be nothing to explain, we made love, we got pregnant end of story but Toni, you're trying to find reasons to say no to spending the night with me."

He was right. In her mind if she stayed, she was saying yes to being his wife or mate as he called it. "Do I want to stay?" Toni asked herself. She did she admitted to herself that she did but the whole pregnancy thing was a concern and she really did need some time alone.

"You don't happen to have any condoms do you?" Toni asked giving Mason her answer.

"Condoms? No, why would I have condoms?" Mason asked.

His response alarmed Toni; someone who looked like him couldn't have been celibate.

"You've been having unprotected sex with other women?" she asked. "How do you know that you don't have children?"

"I know for a fact that I don't because the only person that I would be able to impregnate would be my mate-meaning you. As far as the unprotected sex goes, you're the first woman that I've been with for a long time." Mason replied.

"So it never happens? A vampire can't impregnate any one that isn't his mate?"

Mason remembered Ethan's grandfather and couldn't give her an unequivocal no.

"It has happened at least once that I know of but it's extremely rare."

"You say that you're over 600 hundred years old, how do you know?" Toni pressed.

"I would know and if I had children they would be loved and well cared for." Mason replied.

The truth.

"Could I have some time alone?" Toni asked. "I know that I'm probably beating a dead horse but ...."

Mason interrupted her, "I understand, it's a lot to take in so why don't I go for a walk? You can call my cell when you're ready."

"I don't mean that you have to leave." Toni said, "I just wanted a place to think"

"I don't mind and besides I enjoy walking." Mason replied. He kissed Toni and was gone before she could say anything else.

Toni walked around the house and eventually found her way out to the patio. She sat down on a chair, picked up Mason's wine glass noticed that it was mostly full and took a sip grimaced and then drank the rest of it. It had a strange taste to it but she was no wine connoisseur as a matter of fact, she rarely drank but tonight she needed one.

"So Toni, what are you going to do?" she asked herself already knowing the answer but she had to examine her motives. Why was she saying yes? Was it because she really loved him or was it because he would die if she didn't say yes? A combination of both she thought but which was the dominant reason? She asked herself, she loved him; the other reason couldn't help but be a factor so now the question was what the next step would be. What it would not be she decided was them sleeping together when Jamie was in the house.

Toni realized that a whole new chapter of her life had just opened. There were things to work out, namely the whole conversion thing and Jamie but it could be done, families of all kinds blended together on a daily basis. The second thing that Toni realized was that she was relieved. Mason was right when he told her that she knew on some level that there was something different about him. His being as old as he was answered the questions about his old fashioned mannerisms and way of speaking.

Mason's phone ringing brought Toni out of her thoughts, she didn't know whether she should answer it or not but opted not to, it could be the hospital namely Joyce and she didn't want to fuel the rumor mill any more than she had to, it would be fueled soon enough.

*******

Mason walked not really paying attention to where he was going, his thoughts were on Toni and what she would tell him when he got back to the house. Then he thought about Jamie, what would he call him besides "Dr. Mason?" Papa Mason? Daddy? "Slow down." he told himself even though he was almost positive that Toni was going to say yes. They would have a wedding and everything that went with it.

He had been walking for almost an hour before the phone rang. Toni.

"Hi, you can come back now."

Mason fought the urge to vanish from where he was to the house, he wanted to give Toni a few more minutes to herself, somehow he didn't think that they were going to end up in bed or if they did there wouldn't be any lovemaking. Toni would be full of questions and they had to work out the logistics of their relationship since he was certain that Toni and Jamie wouldn't move in with him until they were married. That meant that they would have to think about the engagement thing or just having a private service, either way it didn't matter to him just so they were married.

He found Toni in the kitchen making tea and liked the fact that she felt comfortable enough to search his cabinets for what she needed.

"Did you find what you needed?" he asked.

"Yep except that I can't reach that big mug that's all the way up on the third shelf." Toni said.

Mason got the mug down for her and watched as she made tea for the both of them, she definitely belonged here and so did Jamie. He was beside himself with anxiety, although he knew that she had chosen him but he wanted and needed to hear her say it, it wouldn't be real until she did.

Toni took her time making the tea; it wasn't until they were sitting in the living room that she began to speak.

"Alright, how we feel about each other isn't up for discussion but what we do about telling Jamie and my folks is. We can't sleep together when Jamie is in the house and we use protection."