New Kingdom: European Court Ch. 07

"That not breaking news brother," Antony said with a chuckle. "Your woman is a screamer. I though the house was being attacked by wild animals until I heard the damn moaning down the hall towards Edward's rooms."

"You're just resentful that we're getting laid," Edward jibed. "It's apparent that I fed Iona too. Interesting that we would do that at the same time. How's Alena handling the surge?"

"Like she handles everything else. She can accept this world but worries about a scratch."

"She, uh," Antony said, "didn't look worried last night. She appeared rather aroused."

"Don't say anything," Gabriel ordered but his words lost the desire effect when he smiled at his brothers. "She's still growing into her new life."

"I'm just saying that it's difficult to be a gentleman when you guys are constantly reminding me of what I'm missing," Antony replied walking to the door and stopping to watch someone in the foyer.

"So she's the one for you?" Edward said behind him following Antony's gaze to the woman descending the stairs.

"Yes. But it's not like I thought it would be."

"What?"

"I know it's impossible but I feel like I've known her since she was born," he answered slowly. "Anyway, she's waiting for me. I'll see you in a few hours."

Emma sat next to Antony and he drove through street of the city. In her previous exit from his house, she was too emotional to appreciate the passing scenery of fields and flowers. Now, she would lose interest in the countryside to sneak a glance and the beautiful man sitting next to her.

Time had seemed to race and then stop since her arrival in this county. She was still very new to the Italian culture but then she knew that she belong here. Glancing at Antony again, we wondered how any of this was possible. Was she really to be mated to this man who had declared himself a four thousand year old vampire?

"Yes, you are," he said aloud and smiled at her.

"Have you always been able to do that?"

"Some," he confessed. "I knew that you had ridiculous opinions of yourself but I couldn't hear you talk in your mind. I suppose our connection has grown stronger. "

"And will I hear you?"

"You did last night."

"I thought I was hallucinating."

"I suppose it's just another facet of my life that will be an adjustment for you. I've been able to do this forever so it's as common to me as breathing is for you."

"No," Emma responded. "Your breathing is as common to you as breathing is to me. Reading minds is beyond human capability. It's a little disconcerting when you find out that your private thoughts are not private."

"We don't invade privacy. I promise."

"We? Oh my god! Your brothers know what I'm thinking."

"No. Well, yes, a little. As soon as the connection is made, we usually ignore the voices or else we'd hear every human in the world. And for the record, my private thoughts are not private from you."

"This is too much," Emma moaned rubbing her temples. "Last week I was a boring nobody and today I feel like a superhero's sidekick."

"I don't understand."

"That's funny. There's actually something you don't know. Where are we going?"

"Around the building to underground parking."

"Oh yeah," she mumbled. "Sometimes I forget who you really are."

"I'm the man you think I am. Nothing more."

"You own this investment company."

"A man can accumulate a lot of wealth in a few centuries," he explained parking the car.

Antony quickly exited the car and moved to Emma's door to assist her from her seat. When she stood still, he looked at her face and noticed that she had paled and tensed. Her eyes roamed the parking structure as though she were looking for something.

"Emma," he said pulling her into his arms. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know," she whispered. "Nothing, I guess. I just ... maybe it's being underground again. This just feels ... the same."

"I promise you there is no one here who could harm you. This area is for my executive staff only."

"I know," she said dropping her eyes. "Sorry, I guess I'm being silly."

"No. let's get upstairs," Antony said leading her to the elevators.

As the car ascended the building, Emma and Antony remained silent although he kept his arm around her waist. When the doors opened, George was waiting to greet his employer but was visibly disturbed to see Emma with Antony.

"Sir, welcome back. As you know, all contamination advisories have been lifted but I do need to speak with you, uh, in private, regarding some other issues," George said quickly following on Antony's heels.

"Tell me now. This is as private as it gets."

"But, sir ..." George started shifting his eyes to Emma.

"Tell me now," Antony simply repeated.

"We have received Sophie's resignation. Effective immediately," George announced. When he saw his employer tense and turn his head, George quickly added, "It seems she had a family emergency but I want to assure you that we have everything under control, sir. And a suitable replacement will be found quickly."

"No replacement."

"Sir? Excuse me? Did you say that you do not want to replace Sophie?"

"That's correct. We'll manage with the administrative assistants in house."

"But sir, I assure you that Sophie's resignation confirmed that she will not be returning."

"George," Antony said with an impatient sigh, "What other issues do you need to discuss with me."

"Only one sir. It seems that the climate controls in the server room malfunction last night and the system overheated."

"We have a redundant system. There should be no problem."

"Yes, sir. Of course you are correct. All network drives that were operating prior to last week had been designed to auto save to the backup system so we could continue working. Almost all are functioning."

"How many are not?"

"Only one."

"Because it was created last week," Antony said looking at Emma.

"That's correct sir. It was the network drive designed for Ms. Livingston."

Within minutes, Antony had barked orders to George explaining that he needed to leave immediately and all business calls should be forwarded to his cell phone. Ushering Emma through the office and into the elevator, he was suddenly aware at how foolish his actions had become. His home was no longer off limits to the Panthralges. Why had he thought his offices would be safe?

"What could they possibly want from an investment company?" Emma spoke aloud for the first time since entering the building.

"You're answering question that I didn't speak out loud," he said and pulled her closer to his body. "They've wiped out all of your work. Pretty fucking brilliant."

"No."

"You don't think that's a brilliant strategy."

"No. No, I mean it is. Yes, wiping out the data is a brilliant strategy."

"What are you trying to say, love."

"They didn't wipe it out," she thought. "I saved everything on a flash drive but it's at my apartment."

When the elevator doors opened, Antony was laughing and pulling Emma close for a kiss.

"Emma girl, do you have any idea how much I love you?"

"Yeah, but it's nice to hear anyway."

Alena moved silently through the corridors looking for her sister. She had just checked on the children and, convinced of their safety, had moved on to find Gabriel engrossed over his work. Leaving him with a kiss, she decided to check on her sister. As she moved through the house, she smiled at the new strength and courage that she discovered when she woke this morning.

Something had happened when she fed from Gabriel last night but he was too busy for her to inquire. She could feel him inside her now more than ever. A small part regretted the loss of her human life but she knew that her life was here in Gabriel's world. While she loved the strength flowing through her veins, Alena knew that she would need to focus on the memories of her human life.

Because of the children's unnatural creation, they were growing quickly from babies to the pre-teens they were today. If their development continued at this rate, Joshua and Abigail would be entering puberty very soon. Alena sighed at the thought of her kids becoming the rebellious teenagers she had seen in America. Continuing her walk, she laughed aloud when she thought about Gabriel dealing with his little Abigail during PMS.

Entering the suite that Iona shared with Edward, Alena found her sister sitting on the couch with a large book in her lap. Moving across the room, she sat beside the woman and waited for her to finish reading.

"This is so amazing," Iona finally said resting her head against the back of the couch.

"What's amazing is the sight of you reading," her sister teased. "How are you today?"

"Great. I can't explain it but I feel great. It's like I can't remember why I used to be so afraid. Does that make sense?"

"Oddly enough, yes it does. I'm having the same experience today. Did anything happen between you and Edward?"

"Something's always happening between me and Edward."

"Nothing out of the ordinary?"

"Ordinary for whom? We're vampires. I'm a newborn and my mate is a trillion year old god."

"Last night, when Gabriel and I were ... together..."

"Trust me, the entire countryside knew you were together," he sister mumbled.

"What?"

"Nothing. You were saying?"

"He let me drink more than usual," Alena answered quietly.

"Same here. Well, obviously it was Edward and not Gabriel but he never stopped me. It was amazing considering the big talk we had just had."

"Big talk?"

"Nothing," Iona answered shaking her head. "Just confirming this place is actually Hell and vowing that we are happy to be together. Is there anything you'd like to share or should I just assume the shrill screams say it all?"

"Bitch," Alena said with a giggle.

"Whore. God I've waited forever to call you that!"

The women slumped against each other as the laughed at the easy camaraderie they shared.

"I love Gabe with everything in me and the children are my second source of happiness but it's great to be with you. Nothing replaces blood. I'm glad we're friends."

"Alena, I should say something and I hope you just let me say it and then you accept it."

"Ok."

"I'm sorry for the problems I caused when I was human. The memories are fading. They seem to be fading faster today but I still have memories of my human life. I don't try to remember because everything I did was regrettable. Everything except you. I'm sorry. I'm glad we're friends but I need you to know that I'm very sorry and that I could never be the person that Lia was, every again."

"Accepted. I love you."

"Does that make me your third little ray of sunshine?" Iona asked jokingly. "Hey, ok, just kidding. I love you too."

"So whose prophecy are you reading?"

"Antony's."

"Have you no shame? Isn't that an invasion of privacy?"

"It's not like anyone else give a shit about this stuff. His is really interesting, though."

"What is it and can you give me Cliff's Notes version?"

"No can do," Iona answered opening the book to a particular page. "Check this out."

Alena bent her head and read along the lines. After reading the passage several times, she finally shook her head and closed her eyes.

"Iona, this makes no sense. If I'm anywhere near the correct interpretation, Antony's future sucks."

"Why would you say that?"

"He must lose all to find who he lost first? What the hell? It sounds like Eloise will be back."

"No. Don't you get it? Eloise was part of everything he must lose."

"So who did he lose first? It can't be Emma. She's too young. And I don't think any of us could tolerate heartbreak for that girl."

"Why can't it be Emma?"

"They just met last week. When could he lose her and then lose everything else to find her?"

"How do you know they just met last week? How do you know that somewhere, sometime in the past, Antony's path never crossed Emma's?"

Emma hesitated at the entrance of her apartment building. After seeing the luxury of Antony's home, she was a little embarrassed for him to see her humble dwelling.

"Emma, please," Antony whispered in her ear. "Remember, I've been here before."

"Oh, yeah," she said nervously and opened the front door of the building. "Aren't you guys supposed to need an invitation before entering someone's home?"

"Oh god. Vampire myths," Antony groaned. "No. And for the record, garlic, holy water, crucifixes and wooden stakes are not good weapons against us."

"Sunlight?" she asked leading him up the stairs to her apartment on the second floor.

"It's more a time zone issue with us. The Third Creation is accustomed to the time of Heron's Court in Asia and my land is not too different. But America? God, I never see the sun when I'm in America."

"You've been to America?"

"Of course. Several times."

"When was the last time?"

"Let me think. Twenty, no, almost twenty five years ago. I was visiting with one of my brothers, Tecumseh. He is the king of South America. We traveled from his land, through the Caribbean and into your southern states. Here we are. Please give me your key."

Pausing at the door to her apartment, Antony inhaled deeply and then unlocked the door. Holding the door slightly ajar, he returned the key to the Emma's hand and then closed his eyes.

"Sweetheart," he said softly, "They were here."

"What? Who?"

"The very same who kidnapped you. Apparently, you have something they want."

"Oh no. The flash drive. Antony open the door."

"Wait," he said. "They are not here now but that doesn't mean a scout hasn't been watching us and will call for help. Let's go in, overlook the damage, grab the flash drive and get out. Got it?"

"Yes," Emma agreed and braced herself for the scene of destruction certainly waiting on the other side of the door.

When Antony pushed the door open, Emma groaned at the destruction before her eyes. Nothing could have prepared her for this sight. Every pillow had been shredded. All of her clothes had been ripped to shreds and everything that had been neatly tucked away on a shelf or in a drawer had been smashed into broken shards on the floor.

"Emma, stay here. Tell me where the flash drive is and I'll go grab it."

"It's ... it was in the, uh, it was on the desk. No, wait, I'll come with you."

As they walked into the small apartment, Emma tried to ignore the loss of her few precious items. She knew that material items could be replaced and her possessions had never been more than items that she possessed. She had nothing of great worth and little of sentimental value. Actually, only one item had any meaning at all. She would grab it and the flash drive. Apparently, nothing had been taken but almost everything had been destroyed.

She moved to the small table, now broken and laying flat on the floor nowhere near the wooden legs that had previously supported it. Emma tried to lift the flat square surface but looked to Antony for help. When he moved her aside, he easily flipped the table top over revealing the coveted flash drive taped in the corner. He quickly ripped the tape away and grabbed Emma's hand pulling her towards the exit.

"No," she said pulling her hand back. "Please Antony. There's only one thing I need."

Before he could ask what one thing she needed out of this disaster area, Emma had moved to the remains of an old wooden dresser and gingerly touched around the broken mirror's edges. Just when he was about to caution her against cutting herself, she plucked an object away from a jagged edge and squealed in delight.

Returning to his side, Emma offered her hand and quickly left the ruin that she had called home for one week. They quickly descending the stairs and walked to Antony's car without saying a word. After they were pulling away from the street, Antony exhaled loudly and laughed out loud.

"You do know that it's against company policy to make unauthorized copies of any information?"

"You gonna fire me? Press charges?" she asked with a smile.

"Kiss you is more like it," he answered. "What was so important that you went back?"

"Don't laugh," Emma answered quietly. "But this is all I have of my mother. My real mother. Not my aunt who adopted me when I was a baby or the foster mothers I had growing up."

From her fingers dangled a tarnished chair and pendant. Because the metal was cheap, Antony could not determine if it had originally been faux gold or silver. He reached for the oval pendant and realized that it was a locket similar to something fashionable more than two decades ago. Using his thumbnail to open the metal clasp, he noticed that only one photo was safely hidden in the locket.

Focusing on the picture of the young woman, he stared into the face of a woman he had known. Slamming the brakes on car, he snatched the locket from Emma's hands and looked closer only confirming what he already knew. It had been so long ago. She had been so young.

"Antony!" he heard Emma's voice call to him.

"Baby," he said with a raspy voice. "It makes sense now."

"What makes sense? Give me my necklace."

"I was there. I was there when your mother ... died."