Thorne Ch. 02

"No?" Thorne sneered. "Then why did you come to the club and try to blackmail me? Why did you threaten to go to the police with a false rape accusation? And are you going to tell me that you haven't thought about how you were going to spend my money? When you came to my club the first time, you were on the hunt for some rich fool who would fall for your looks and your woe is me shit."

Barb stared at him, how had he ...

"How do I know what I'm talking about?" Thorne asked. "I know women like you. You aren't hard to read. So much did you order online?" he asked.

"We're here sir." Billings said before Barb could reply.

Thorne got out of the car, walked to the passenger side and opened the door for Barb but didn't offer her his hand. Barb got out of the car and looked around.

"I thought that we were going to a doctor's office."

"Her name is Gretchen Matthews and she works from her home." Thorne replied as he walked away.

A few minutes later, Barb was stripped and wearing a cotton gown instead of the stiff gowns that she was accustomed to. In spite of herself, she liked Gretchen and her easy going manner even if she did find her a little creepy. She answered the questions truthfully including the ones about how many sexual partners she had before Thorne.

"Why do you need to know that?" Barb asked.

"There is a question about paternity." Gretchen replied. "If it can be determined without doing an invasive procedure, that's for the best. So I need the absolute truth from you. Have you had sex with anyone other than Thorne in the past three months?"

Barb felt a wave of dizziness that quickly passed as she answered the question.

"N... I mean there was Thorne's friend Allen, but we didn't ... why am I telling you this?"

"So there was only Thorne." Gretchen said ignoring the question.

"Yes." Barb replied.

"Alright," Gretchen replied and then gave her the same instructions that she had given Rachel, Katrina and Louise. "I'll see you in two weeks."

Gretchen left the exam room and went out to talk to Thorne.

"Well?" He demanded as soon as he saw her.

"That baby is yours and you damned well know it." Gretchen said her tone curt. "Why you wanted proof of paternity I don't know nor do I care. Does she even know what you are?"

"No... not yet." Thorne admitted.

"Why in the hell not? She's your mate isn't she?" Gretchen asked

"Unfortunately yes." Thorne replied. "I'll tell her before the next appointment. Is there anything else?"

"No... but she looks an awful lot like Louise Sinclaire. Is she related?"

"Thank you for seeing her at the last minute." Thorne said ending the conversation.

Barb came out from the exam room and avoided looking at Thorne by looking at Gretchen.

"Make sure that you follow my instructions and get plenty of rest." Gretchen said. "Also program my number into your cell phone and call with any problems, questions and concerns."

Barb took the offered card, looked at it and put it in her purse. While she had known that she was pregnant, it didn't hit home until it was verified by a doctor. Thorne escorted her to the car, helped her in without speaking to or touching her.

Once they were on their way back to her apartment, he spoke.

"I guess you have what you wanted."

When she didn't respond, he continued.

"Billings will pick you up tomorrow at six pm, we have a lot to talk about."

It was issued as a command and not a request which grated on Barb's nerves.

"You don't get to issue orders!" She snapped. "I could..."

"You could what?" Thorne interrupted. "Keep the child away from me? You could, but ask yourself this; who would support you? I sure as hell wouldn't. I would see to the care of the child but not you so go ahead and do it."

Barb began to realize that she was out of her depth. Thorne hated her; she could feel it and she knew that he meant every word he said to her. If she fought him, she would be no better off than she was now. As she saw it, she had no real choice but to play by his rules until she had a chance to regroup.

Thorne took her silence as consent and said no more. When they arrived at the apartment, once again Thorne did the gentlemanly thing and saw Barb to the door of her apartment.

"Six pm tomorrow night and don't be late." He said and walked away.

Barb stared at his back wishing that she had something to throw at him. She went inside, threw her bag into a corner and made something to eat so she could take the multivitamin. She looked at the huge pill and grimaced at the odor that came from it. She ate the snack and then took the pill almost gagging on it. She forced it down reminding herself that if anything happened to the baby because she didn't follow the doctor's instructions; she would lose everything.

After her snack, Barb changed her clothes and lay down on the sofa. As she channel surfed, she wondered how Thorne knew some of the things he did and finally attributed it to several lucky guesses on his part. But still she was unnerved. She was going to delete her pending purchases from her online shopping baskets but thought better of it. It was too late in the game to pretend that she was something that she wasn't. She suspected that he would have seen through her anyway.

The later the evening went, the more awake she became until she thought that she would jump out of her skin. She got up and put on a sweat suit and decided to go for a walk to work off the excess energy. Then she changed her mind. She was moving out of the tiny apartment and she needed to pack up. She would start the daily walks later. She worked until five when her body began to fatigue but her mind was still active. She laid down on the couch and fell asleep wondering what there was to talk about.

*****

Leon was tired, but he felt better than he had ever felt in his entire life. His first order of business that he wanted to attend to was visiting Barb.

"I'm fine." He told Nadine when she tried to get him to rest for another day.

"Maybe you should call her first." Nadine advised.

"I don't have a number and she wouldn't answer anyway." Leon replied. "I just need to make sure that she's alright."

"I know and understand." Nadine replied. "But you have to be prepared for the fact that she may not want to talk to you any more than she does Kevyn and Louise."

That may Leon pause.

"I don't get it." He said softly. "I mean does she hate our family that much?"

"I don't think it's that." Nadine said. "It's what her interpretation of what love is that's the issue. She loves all of you, but she can't get around the fact that all of you have something that she doesn't. You and the others need to accept the fact that she has made her choice and that there's nothing that you can say or do to change how she feels. That has to come from her."

"Are you saying that I shouldn't try to see her?" Leon asked.

"No, but what I am saying is that yelling at her to see sense isn't going to help. She has heard it all before."

"But not from me." Leon said.

"Has she listened to you in the past?" Nadine challenged.

"No but..."

"Why do you think that she'll listen now? Leon, I can't tell you what to do; but I believe that she'll see you as one more person who has what she wants. If you go to her, just let her know that we're here for her. The rest is up to her."

"I want to talk to him... Thorne Blackwell too." Leon said.

"I thought as much." Nadine said. "You're a good brother, but will you at least listen to what he has to say first? There are always two sides to every story."

"Ok, you're right; but I'm going to make sure that he isn't hurting her." Leon replied. "Dina...those people who hurt you..."

"Are gone and I don't want you looking for them." Nadine said cutting him off.

"But if they're still around they could try to finish what they started."

"I'm much stronger now." Nadine said taking his hands in hers. "And I have you and the others. Now promise me that you'll leave well enough alone."

Reluctantly, Leon promised but with a stipulation.

"If I see one of the bastards, I'll kill them."

*****

Louise loved the cooking classes and was amazed by how much she didn't know. She liked the instructor and his easy going manner even when she made mistakes. She had a feeling that he wasn't usually so easy going, but Nathan's presence made him watch his tongue. Every evening she looked at her reflection in the mirror looking for the telltale bump that would tell the world that she was pregnant. It was always during that time that she thought about Barb. On more than one occasion she thought about having Nathan finds her number so that she could call and at least check up on her. She had even given thought to going to her apartment but had always resisted.

Now that Barb had made contact with Gene, she felt a little better. Just knowing that Leon was going to see her helped too. Every once in a while she would still feel the immense feeling of sadness, but still had been unable to pinpoint where it was coming from.

"Madame!" Pierre the instructor called gently, "You must pay attention to the soufflé!"

"What?" Louise asked distractedly.

"The Soufflé... you must watch it."

Nathan moved to her side and looked down at her.

"What's going on?" he asked. "It's not like you to be so distracted."

"I'm fine." She replied. "I was just thinking about Barb."

"Are you sure that's it?" Nathan asked scanning her face.

"Yes, I'm sure... oh hey I think that the soufflé is finished." She said looking at the oven timer.

She moved to the timer and froze. The feeling of intense sadness was back. It was so intense that she gasped.

"Lou?" Nathan called and was immediately at her side. "What's happening?" he asked as he led her to a chair.

"I... it was that feeling again." She explained. "It ... I wish that I knew where it was coming from."

Instead of being fleeting as usual, the feeling stayed with her for more than ten minutes before subsiding. Louise was almost wishing that it was the other feeling instead of this one. The feelings of foreboding she could handle, but this was almost too much.

By the time she recovered the soufflés were out of the oven and cooling and she had downed two glasses of water.

"Maybe you should go lie down." Nathan suggested.

"No I'm fine." Louise replied. "And besides, I've been saving my appetite for the soufflé."

After sampling the soufflé, they cleaned up although the Pierre insisted that they didn't need to.

"We helped make the mess, we help clean it up." Louise replied as she gathered up the dirty dishes.

Between the three of them, the kitchen was cleaned in no time. Nathan kept watching Louise wondering what was on her mind. When they were finally alone, he asked.

"What are you thinking about? And don't say nothing. I can always tell when you're thinking about something."

Louise smiled.

"I can't fool you can I?" She teased. "I was thinking about Barb again and wondering if she told Thorne about the baby yet."

"And what else?" Nathan asked.

"I'm wondering about the feelings of sadness." Louise continued. "Call me crazy, but I would almost rather have the feelings of foreboding."

"Do you have any idea of where the feelings are coming from?" Nathan asked.

"No... but what if they were coming from Barb's baby?" Louise asked. "Think about it before you say no. It isn't our baby. It isn't Celeste, she's happier than I've ever seen her and it isn't Kevyn or Patrick."

"It could be Joseph." Nathan offered. "You felt something coming from him at the twins' wedding."

"True," Louise agreed, "But it isn't him. I don't know how I know that; but it isn't him. He felt different. There was anger mixed with his sadness. This is more intense and there's an element of fear which is why I thought of Celeste first. I think its Barb's baby."

"Alright, let's say for the sake of argument that it is, wouldn't Barb or Thorne feel it?" Nathan asked.

"I would say yes except that Barb really doesn't want the baby and has no emotional attachment to it. He or she is a means to an end for her." Louise said. "I don't know about Thorne, but the question is; if they're feeling it, would they recognize it for what it is?"

Nathan was silent for several minutes.

"If it is Barb's baby, why do you think that you're the one it's reaching out to?"

"I don't know." Louise replied. "Maybe it's because our pregnancies are so close together. I hope that Barb will start to care for the baby, if she doesn't..."

Louise stopped talking as the feeling of foreboding that she hadn't had for a week hit her and Nathan both. Nathan grabbed Louise's hand to anchor her as she tried to trace it back to its origins. Just like before, it was within reach; but she couldn't hang on to it. Nathan stopped her when her nose began to bleed.

"Sweetheart, let it go." Nathan said gently.

"It's right there!" Louise exclaimed. "I can almost touch it!"

"I know," Nathan said as he wiped the blood from her nose. "I felt it too, but did it feel different to you this time?"

"No, not really." Louise replied.

She wanted to try again, but knew what Nathan would say; so she didn't even broach the subject. Nathan poured her a glass of juice and then insisted that she take a nap.

"Nathan I'm fine." She insisted.

"I know, but you know how cranky Gretchen can be if you aren't well rested." Nathan replied as he picked her up and carried her to the living room. "You can rest here with your head in my lap while we watch Hell's Kitchen."

"I'll agree only if you wake me up in an hour." Louise said as she settled on the couch with her head in Nathan's lap.

"We'll see." Nathan replied as he began to stroke her forehead. Moments later, she was asleep giving Nathan time to think things over.

*****

The jet landed at ten pm Pacific Standard Time. A group of well-dressed people, three women and three men disembarked and went directly to baggage claim to wait for their luggage. The people, although obviously traveling together didn't speak to each other or to anyone who spoke to them. They patiently waited for their luggage as other travelers grumbled and complained about the wait. They were in no hurry. They were on a well-deserved vacation.

"Finally!" a woman who wasn't a part of their group muttered.

Two of the women in the group looked at her through dark sunglasses; but didn't speak. The woman started to make further comment, but shuddered instead and moved away eying the sextet warily.

They waited until last to retrieve their luggage and made their way to the waiting stretch limo. Once inside of the limo, one of the women spoke. We are here to vacation, don't do anything to ruin this. Am I clear?"

None of the five answered her. In fact, they appeared not to have heard her.

"Good, I'm glad that we understand each other." The woman said.

The rest of the ride progressed in silence. When the car pulled up to a large gate, it opened letting it pass through. Several minutes later, they were each in their own quarters free to do whatever they wanted as long as it didn't draw attention to them.

******

Louise's eyes flew open and she sat straight up. She looked at Nathan and knew that like most times, felt what she was feeling. They waited not speaking for the feeling of foreboding to pass and became alarmed when it didn't.

Louise was about to reach out to the feeling when Nathan stopped her.

"No... don't." he said firmly.

"But we can find out who or what it is." Louise replied.

"Not like this." Nathan replied. "How do we know that whatever it is can't sense you?"

"But you let me try before..."

"This feels different." Nathan replied. "I can't explain it, but I don't want you trying to reach or make contact with it. I'm going to call Ethan and let him know that trouble in some form is here. When I'm done, we need to talk about security issues. Consider us on high alert until we know what's happening."

Louise listened as Nathan talked to Ethan.

"No, the feeling hasn't subsided." He said.

"And you're certain that it isn't the mate of one that we hurt?" Ethan asked.

"Both Louise and I are certain of that." Nathan replied. "We've already gone on high alert until we know what this is."

"Alright," Ethan said. "You call Leon and Hans and Patrick and I'll call Martin and the security team. When you're through with that, call me back. I want hear what the others are thinking, better yet; tell everyone to be here at six tomorrow evening... shit..."

"What?" Nathan asked.

"Never mind." Ethan said. "I was wondering if we should make some kind of general announcement, but what would I say?"

Nathan thought for a few moments.

"We could just send out warnings on the website urging extra caution and asking people to tell those who don't have access to the website. I just don't feel right about not saying anything, but I think that making a public announcement is premature. We don't know what or who we're dealing with."

"You're right." Ethan said. "But call me as soon as you know anything and I don't care what time it is. I'll take care of the announcements."

Nathan hung up and sat next to Louise and put his arms around her.

"I want you to promise me that you won't try to reach out to whom or whatever it is that we're sensing." He said his tone firm.

"Then how are we supposed to find out about them?" Louise asked frustrated.

"I don't know." Nathan replied. "But I do know that I'm not going to risk you or the baby to learn about them... Lou, there's more than one of it or whoever they are."

"How do you know?" Louise asked. "I didn't feel that."

"I don't know." Nathan replied. "How is it that you feel the sadness of who you think is Barb's baby and I don't? I think that there's a lot that we don't know about our gifts. I also think that we'll learn what we can and can't do as we go along."

"What you're saying is now isn't the time to experiment." Louise said.

"What I'm saying is that safety is the priority." Nathan said. "It concerns me that the feeling of unease hasn't gone away like it has before. It means that whatever it is, it's still here and for whatever reason, it hasn't moved on.

"I don't like just sitting here and doing nothing." Louise said. "What if it kills or hurts someone?"

"We'll do what we can to prevent that." Nathan replied, "But you still haven't given me your word that you won't try to reach them."

"Fine, I won't try to reach it or them." Louise replied. "But you'd better have Patrick make Kevyn give the promise. Remember, she was the one who can hear the thoughts of vampires."

"True, but she hasn't had any of the feelings that we do." Nathan said. "We have a connection to them if we should choose to use it, but still; your point is well taken. I need to make some phone calls including one to Patrick. I'll go to the study so that you can rest."

"No, stay here." Louise said. "I wouldn't be able to sleep anyway."

Nathan settled back in on the sofa, put an arm around her and kissed her before calling Patrick, Hans and then Leon filling them in on the latest developments.

"What's the plan?" All three men asked when told about the new developments.

"Ethan is going to make a general announcement over the internet encouraging caution." Nathan said. "I know we don't know what we're dealing with and for all we know they're only after us. But I agree with Ethan, we need to encourage extra caution. Ethan also wants all of us to meet tomorrow night at his house."

The conversation with Leon took the longest. Since he was new to the world of vampires, he had the most questions.

"First, how is my sister doing?" Leon asked.

"She's well." Ethan replied. "She's here beside me if you would like to speak to her."