Esmerelda Ch. 04

Adrian growled and put Esmerelda behind him, out of harms reach. "What do you want?" he spat.

The vampire smirked, "Nice greeting, you might want to work on your hospitality, especially as you killed my messenger."

"Actually," Adrian said, with a grim smile, "I didn't."

The vampire sneered, "I felt him die, and I had sent him to you."

"It is true that he died here, but I didn't kill him." Adrian shrugged.

"Then what happened? There's no sunlight down here."

"Your vampire succumbed to my Esmerelda." Adrian said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"He what?"

"He raped my Esmerelda, and she killed him for it." Adrian said in a deadly calm voice, but Esmerelda felt the slight tremor of anger that passed through him.

The vampire hissed angrily. "He was not sent to do that."

"Not sent to die?" Adrian mocked, "Well, you shock me."

The vampire sneered at him but seemed to be having trouble saying anything specific.

"Why are you here?" Adrian asked again.

The vampire shrugged, "I came with the intention of finally killing you."

Esmerelda gasped indignantly, but Adrian merely laughed. "You can't kill me, Anthony; the laws of the Elders forbid it."

Anthony shrugged again, "I was going to try anyway, but now... now I think I'll just take your little human and see how you do without this little chew toy. I'll take her as my own, dispose of the brat and then have fun and discard her."

"Over my dead body." Adrian growled.

Anthony grinned and then threw himself at Adrian, claws aimed directly for his throat. Adrian gracefully moved out of the way, pushing Esmerelda under the bed, into relative safety, before turning back attacking Anthony.

The two vampires both had vicious claws extended, two pairs of red eyes glittered, fixed on their opponent. Fangs had extended to full length and power radiated from them in waves. The two slowly circled each other, then one would lean in and take a swipe, before recovering back a distance and resuming the circling.

Adrian drew first blood with a swipe of his claws down Anthony's side, leaving clear blood trails across Anthony's side and stomach, and ruining his clothes.

Anthony managed second blood with a shallow cut down Adrian's chest. After that the two began attacking more frequently and drew increasingly more damaging blows. During one attack Adrian managed to catch one claw against Anthony's throat and tear it slightly, but the cut wasn't deep enough to be fatal.

Anthony, however, became incensed and dove at Adrian, knocking him to the floor, before scrambling over him and grabbing Esmerelda from beneath the bed. He tangled one set of claws into her hair and placed the other set at her throat, stilling her struggles.

Adrian stood slowly and came forward with a deadly grace that was almost beautiful.

Anthony tightened his hand in her hair and warned, "No closer or I'll slit her throat,"

Adrian smiled grimly and took another three steps before halting. This was obviously too close for comfort for Anthony, who backed up until he hit the wall, putting two more steps between the adversaries.

Adrian took two more steps forward and looked like he was going to come even closer but Anthony placed the tip of one claw into Esmerelda's neck until a single bead of blood ran down her throat. Adrian stopped moving.

"Maybe I wasn't clear in my demands," Anthony said with narrowed eyes, "Or," he said softly, trailing his claws down Esmerelda's front, "Maybe I was threatening the wrong life," he finished when his claws came to rest on her stomach.

Esmerelda's hands shot protectively to her stomach and managed to be between Anthony's claws and her baby. However the movement proved that the baby was important to her.

Adrian on the other hand now looked less tense. Anthony noticed this, and his claws went back to her throat, watching as instant tension returned to Adrian's shoulders. Esmerelda saw the change too, and tears gathered in her eyes at the thought that maybe Adrian didn't want the baby.

She gently tried to secure a mental link with Adrian and, after a little resistance, managed to establish the link.

*Adrian?* she pressed gently.

*Esmerelda?*

*Yes, it's me.* she confirmed.

*How can I get you out of harm's way?* he asked softly.

*Just me?* she asked, unable to separate herself from the hurt for a moment.

*You and my child, of course,* Adrian thought back immediately, *The two of you are going to be the most important things in my life, but I have to worry about you more for the moment because without you, both you and the child are lost.*

Fresh tears of joy established themselves in her eyes as he said that. *I love you.* she thought at him.

*I love you too, more than I thought possible* he thought back, *You being pregnant is the best news I've had since I learned that I could keep you for my own.*

She was rendered speechless with happiness when those words entered her head, and was only able to send those feelings to him in an almost incoherent babble before he gently cut her off.

*How close are his claws to your veins?*

*Don't know, quite close I think. Why?*

*I want you to drop all your weight on him to surprise him and then I'll get his throat before he can even think of getting yours.*

*I don't weigh that much, can't I just kick him where it hurts the most?*

She almost smiled when she felt Adrian's mental flinch at such an action.

*His grip on my hair's too tight.* she whispered, flinching as Anthony gave it a vicious tug.

Adrian frowned, then scowled when Anthony's claw trailed down again but stopped at her breasts.

*Shall I let the succubus loose on him as a distraction?* she asked tentatively.

Adrian growled, not liking the idea, but unable to come up with an alternative, he agreed.

He watched as her face changed and became sultry, her eyes became smoky and her whole posture relaxed.

Anthony smirked and trailed his finger around her nipple, a smug smile spread across his face when he felt it stiffen beneath his finger.

He trailed the finger over her flesh in intricate patterns and her hips began to rotate slightly and she let out a small moan.

Anthony smirked some more at Adrian who looked like he was going to punch a hole into the wall. Esmerelda ground her hips more insistently and he pushed his hips forward against hers.

His arousal was immediately apparent to her and she sent a soothing reassurance to Adrian when Anthony's hand in her hair loosened considerably as he went to cup the back of her neck to pull her body closer to him.

She moaned again at the full contact and felt his hand untangle from her hair to seek purchase on the back of her neck properly.

He rotated his hips in counterpart with hers and she sought out Adrian again.

*When I kick him and drop my weight, will you be ready?*

*Definitely* Adrian responded, heart in his throat, tense, waiting for the exact moment to strike.

Esmerelda sent a barrage of erotic imagery towards Anthony which slipped easily into his mind and made him groan with want. He closed his eyes for no more than two seconds in pleasure as she moved deliberately against him. Within those two seconds Esmerelda kicked up her leg, catching his crotch with her heel, and dropped her weight completely, male instinct overrode vampire instinct and he let her fall to the floor so that he could cup his aching manhood and protect it from further harm.

Once Esmerelda was on the floor Adrian leapt for Anthony, it took mere seconds to sever his head from his shoulders. Anthony crumpled to the floor and Adrian immediately scooped up Esmerelda and took them both into the bathroom to clean up.

Having cleaned her, and himself, he tucked her back into his bed and she tugged him in with her. She wrapped her arms around him and sighed softly.

He could still feel all her emotions coming at him through the bond they shared, her main emotion seemed to be overwhelming relief of being safe with him, and a tiredness that had formed because of the yoyo of emotions she had experienced throughout the ordeal.

She could also still feel him and could sense the slight jealousy he still felt over the enjoyment she had taken from Anthony. She placed her hand against his face to get him to look at her eyes, "Hey," she said softly, "My succubus enjoyed it, I'll not deny that, but you are the only person I wish to touch. You are the only one I love, to whom I would willingly share my heart, my body, and my soul with. The only one whom I will ever allow to give me children; and you are the only one I want to spend the rest of my life with."

He knew he would never be able to reciprocate those sentiments as eloquently, however sincerely he may wish to; instead he uttered just one sentence, "You are my heart and my world."

She smiled through watery tears at him and snuggled into his chest to sleep.

Esmerelda woke when Adrian began gently shaking her shoulder, "Darling," he whispered, "We have company, the Elder Vampires are here."

She blinked sleepily and stared at the five vampires who had formed a semi-circle near the foot of the bed and were looking eerily calm yet vicious.

She sat up and leaned against Adrian as a wave of tiredness shook her, "What are they here for?" she whispered to him, un-nerved by the emotionless stares aimed in their direction.

Before Adrian could respond the middle vampire spoke up, "Adrian Devenoux, you are being formally charged in front of this council with the unsanctioned killing of your brother, Anthony Devenoux, and the foundling he sent to your lair, the penalty for such an action is death. How do you answer the charge?"

Adrian sighed, "I answer that it is true that my brother perished under this roof, as did his foundling sent here, however, I did not kill the foundling, and I have Justifiable Cause for Execution under the Protection Law for the unsanctioned killing of Anthony."

The Elder sighed, "Explain the death of the foundling first."

Adrian opened his mouth to explain when Esmerelda timidly raised her hand into the air for attention and asked quietly, "May I be permitted to show the council how I killed the foundling?"

The Elders stared at her for a moment and she could feel five minds try to enter her own. She resisted and could feel their surprise; it seemed that they, like the foundling, had assumed she was human.

"Who, and what are you?" one spoke up after a moment.

"I am Esmerelda, daughter of Desmonda, a halfling combination of succubus, witch, and human, sired by Sithruous, and Bonded to Adrian, son of Jason." She stated clearly.

"Very well," the lead Elder stated, "You will allow us to read the memory from you."

Esmerelda shook her head, "No. I don't want you all in my head; there are too many bad memories that have nothing to do with this up there that are insufficiently protected from scrutiny."

The Elder rolled his eyes in exasperation and tried to push in again, she threw up the shield again with a whimper and turned into Adrian.

The other Elders looked shocked; this sort of behaviour was not expected when questioning a non-vampire. It was, in fact, against their laws to attempt to breach by force the mind of another immortal.

An older looking Elder stepped forward and after waiting patiently for Esmerelda to look at him. "How do you intend to show us?"

Esmerelda looked straight out at them and said, "I can project my memory of that specific event onto the wall. You will be able to tell what is truth and what would be a lie just as if you were inside my head, but you won't be able to see anything except that specific memory."

The Elder nodded encouragingly, looked back at the others, who shrugged, and he said quietly, "Alright, my dear, show us what happened."

She closed her eyes and focused onto the wall, projecting the memory clearly and the Elders watched with grim faces as the scene of her rape and her retaliation played out in full detail.

Silence reigned when the memory finished and faded until Adrian said dryly, "Well, are the charges against me for the foundling dropped?"

"Of course," the Elders assured him.

"And Esmerelda?" He asked.

"Self-defence and nature," the Elder confirmed, "Now, as to the killing of your brother..."

Adrian looked mildly peeved, "I already stated that I have Justifiable Cause for Execution under the Protection Law with regards to that killing."

"Which is?"

Adrian's jaw clenched, "He appeared uninvited into my lair with the declaration that he had come to kill me. However he had overheard Esmerelda tell me that she was pregnant with my babe and proceeded to attempt to take her life. He threatened her life, and directly threatened the life of my unborn child. I saw him as a threat to the woman I intend to mate with and acted accordingly."

"You are willing to be searched for the memory, of course?" the first Elder spoke up again.

Adrian nodded grimly and felt them all poke around inside his head for a while before withdrawing.

"Dismissal of charges?" he asked.

The Elders nodded as one before the leader spoke up again, "Certainly. The threat of ending the life of a youngling alone would condemn Anthony to death; therefore, as you do intend to mate with this woman, the Protection Law covers your unsanctioned killing."

"Then I have the Council of Elders permission to make her my mate?" Adrian asked.

Five curt nods were his only answer before four of them disappeared.

Only the older, kinder Elder remained behind and smiled at them.

"Father." Adrian stated in greeting.

"You are lucky Adrian, to have found your Fated Chosen in such a strong and special woman. I hope, my son, that you will be as happy with her as I was with your mother."

Adrian nodded, "She's more than I could have ever hoped for."

"We haven't been very close for the last few hundred years, but would you mind, could I be present for the birthing?"

Adrian looked to Esmerelda for guidance and she sent him assurance that whatever he decided would be fine with her.

"Father, it would make me proud to have you there." He stated with utter certainty.

"I will see you soon then?"

"Definitely," Adrian assured him.

**Six months later**

Esmerelda sat in bed, propped against a mountain of pillows as Adrian returned with the bowl of ice cream she'd woken him up to request, her stomach a huge mound under the covers.

Adrian watched amused as the lump shifted and slid over to the left, dragging the covers with it. He handed her the bowl and settled next to her with his hand on her stomach, smiling contentedly as the baby inside responded and kicked.

Quite suddenly, Esmerelda gasped as her waters broke. She made a grab for Adrian's hand, "The baby's coming."

Adrian sprang into action, setting everything up within reach and prepared to help her through everything, and called his father.

Jason arrived very promptly, before Adrian could even hang up the phone, the Elder appeared in the room.

Things moved very quickly from there, Esmerelda gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, whom Adrian immediately scooped up to cradle before exclaiming as another baby head appeared from between Esmerelda's trembling thighs.

"Twins!" Jason exclaimed, "Adrian you are so lucky, babies are so rare for us, and yet you have two in less than a year of meeting your Fated Chosen!"

Adrian passed the boy to his father to clean to assist an exhausted Esmerelda with the second, unexpected, birth. The second birthing did not last as long and as the baby was finally free both men gasped in surprise.

Esmerelda, worried that something was wrong with the second infant, immediately moved and picked it up to cradle it, smiling when it emitted a little gurgle.

She looked at the shocked faces of her mate and his father and frowned, "What's wrong?" she demanded, "She's a gorgeous baby."

She took the boy from Jason's unresisting grasp and settled the pair onto her breasts to let them feed. When they had fed she emitted a little sharp inhalation as both bit into her with perfectly formed tiny fangs.

She looked up and saw Adrian and Jason still staring at her daughter. "What is the matter with the two of you? I have two perfectly healthy vampire twins here and neither of you have a word to say?"

Adrian finally snapped out of his trance and sat down on the bed, placing his arms around Esmerelda and encompassing the two babes as well. "My three miracles." He whispered.

At Esmerelda's confused glance, Jason cleared his throat to explain.

"Children are very rare as a vampire, many vampire couples can go for centuries, millennia even, before even being graced with just one child, which makes our children all the more precious to us, and is why, had Adrian not killed him, my son Anthony would have been executed for even considering harming one. The fact that you have had twins is extraordinary."

"Even more extraordinary is the fact that you've given birth to a girl. Female vampires are almost none existent; all those alive currently have been turned into vampires as mates for males. No female vampire has been born for over five thousand years, it was thought that our race had developed some sort of genetic disorder that prevented conception of females."

"You have had twins, and even better, you have had both a boy and a girl. The birth here today will give generations of new vampires hope."

Esmerelda finally understood why Adrian had been so over-protective of her during her pregnancy, and the startled looks the men had had on their faces when she delivered the second twin.

"What are we going to name them?" she asked Adrian.

"Well..." he paused, "we had already both liked the name Lucian."

Esmerelda nodded, "And this little one is the Hope for the future." She said softly.

Adrian smiled and nodded, "I like it, Lucian Jason Devenoux and Hope Miracle Devenoux."

He glanced up at his father and smiled, gathering Esmerelda, Lucian and Hope even tighter to him, he held his hand out for his father to join them on the bed. He looked from Esmerelda cuddling the two infants to his father, who had a tear in his eye for the first time since his wife had died six hundred years previously.

Jason soon after excused himself to go and boast to the Council of Elders about his son fathering twins! A boy and a girl! So quickly as well, a prouder father and grandfather there could not be anywhere in the world.

Adrian settled down with Esmerelda and kissed her lightly, "My love," he whispered to her, then he leaned down and kissed his children, "My family," he added and hugged them all breathing out, "My whole world".