Caramel: Book 3 of the Lord Emperor Vampire Series

Nameless little winglet: Alexander. (Lex) X and Lex.—I think it sounds kind of cool.

Jenna T.:
X’s Mom had a mild heart attack. This forced her into early retirement.

Newmoon
Q: How come the retired lady regent and her hubby didn’t know about the Orel thing? Haven’t they been around long enough?
A: X’s parents are human. His mom and sister have a little extra kick because they are Blue gene carriers. Lois and Lane will be a little extra human as they hit puberty. Orel Wessel has fallen to obscurity since the fall of the Blue Houses. It’s almost like a sleeper cell that has been activated when there was a public announcement of the return of the Lord Emperor Von Drachenfeld.

Q: Do you know why the story “Jade Virgin’ isn’t updated.
A: Nope. Not mine.

Thanks again for the comments, adverts and questions. Make me think. (still have the letter h imbedded in my forehead.) K: Rosemary; Spirit; Miles, A.Taste.Of.Insanity; Jenna T.; Lioncourt; Laur; meadows-peak; Rosei; DemonAkasha; shiden; Natana; newmoon; Mihara (thanks for the heads up)

Shade is back!!! Enjoy!


Chapter 119: Little Girl and Baby Boy Blues

I forgot I was a geek. How the hell could I forget that? Hmm, staring at the ceiling for three years would probably do it. I was busy with my wireless keyboard and my wall of sight and sound. I felt just like Hugh Jackman in Swordfish. I had every monitor logged into different sites. I was searching for every reference known to man about Orel Wessel. I had that pretty little librarian down in records, searching for every known reference known to the Blood. I haven’t felt this revved since….whenever.

There was a discreet knock on my door. That paused me. Everyone in my immediate vicinity usually walked right in, whether the door was shut or not. “Enter!”

An unfamiliar face popped his head in the door. “Blood Emperor….”

“Mr. Von Drachenfeld will do.”

“Pardon me, Mr. Von Drachenfeld. I am Paul Veras. I will be replacing Mr. Hades for the time being.”

What? What the hell was that little menace up to now? “Did Hades give you an E.T.A.?”

“The week at the minimum, Mr. Von Drachenfeld.”

Well, it seems the Ancients were out being tuff guys. Just like me, being pretty.

“Anything else?”

“Yes, First is here for the Assigns.”

“Send Father in. What would you prefer to be called. Mr Veras? Paul?”

“Paul is fine Sir.” He disappeared back out the door but I heard his voice, “Mr. Von Drachenfeld will see you now.”

Father walked in nattily dressed as usual. He watched as Paul pulled the door closed behind him. “That is a refreshing experience.” Claudius walked up to me and kissed my offered cheek.

“Contracts left the Assigns on my desk.”

“What are you doing?”

‘Playing celebrity.”

“I thought I saw steam come out of your ears yesterday.”

“I’m young. I’m not stupid.”

“I have never thought you were.”

“Sorry…apparently this is still a touchy subject. Now Hades had gone AWOL.”

“I shall tell you the same thing I told Sex. You have never seen Hades in a rage. Let him hunt on his own. If he wants assistance, he will contact you.” Claudius crossed over to the desk and began sorting out the assigns. “Are you overly busy?”

“Just research right now.”

“You want an easy job?”

I put my keyboard down and looked over at him. “What?”

“You heard me.” He held up a red card – simple assassination. “On a roof, with a rifle.”

“You can do that?”

“You run the corporation, Xavier. If you wanted to, you could take all the assigns and do it yourself.”

“I never thought of it. I’m not really the-threaten-you-and-your-unborn-children-over-a-rich-Italian-meal kind of guy.”

“That I know. Yes, or no.”

“Gimme.”

“What was that?”

“Yes, please.”

“Manners make the Emperor, Xavier.”

“Yes, Father.” I got an eyebrow arch at my submissive tone.

“Do not mock me.”

“I’m not mocking anything. Nice photo by the way.”

“Sex said that I could kiss my reputation good bye. I really did not believe him, until I came out of Von Drachenfeld this morning to cameras and screams. That was enough to send someone running if they had a lesser constitution.”

I got up and crossed to the bar and pulled out a blood pack. “Would you like a mug?”

“Please.”

I got domestic in the small kitchen. Ripped the pack, squeezed it into the mug then popped it into the microwave. “You stayed at Von Drachenfeld?”

“The Lady Elek laid down the edict yesterday. I am leaving getting Claudia moved into your home to you.”

There was a beep. The microwave went ding. I gave Father is mug then pressed the intercom on my desk. “Yes, Paul.”

“I have Baroness Whitecomb on line one.”

I frowned. What could be wrong? “Thank you Paul.” I hit the line and put it on speaker phone. “Baroness?”

“What the hell is your mother doing calling me to start re-arranging my wedding?”

“Good morning, little girl.”

“Daddy? Sex?”

“Xavier.”

“What is your mother doing?”

“She thinks she’s helping out. She basically told me that no bride wants to waddle down the aisle on her wedding day.”

There was silence over the speakerbox. I thought I heard a sniffle. “Claudia?”

“I thought I was having one. Then you told me your family has twins then the doctor said it’s triplets…I waiting for him to call me back and tell me it’s quads….”

Uh…..er….

“I’m big as a house now….”

I wasn’t the one who went out and got myself impregnated. Oh, don’t say that out loud. Dear god, don’t say that out loud. “Do you want to move the wedding up?”

“Can I? You won’t mind?”

“You just told me to dress up and show up. I can do that any day.”

She started bawling. Claudius turned and looked at me with that damned arched eyebrow of his. I raised my hands, what? “By the way, you’re going to have to move…” Claudius shook his head no. “…here right away.”

‘What? Why?”

“You have no romance, my son.” He took another sip from his mug, gathered up the Assigns except the red one he offered me and left me twisting in the breeze of tropical storm Claudia.

“Daddy?”

“He’s left for work. Because of what happened yesterday at the restaurant, it would be wise to have you moved into Von Drachenfeld as soon as possible. Today if necessary for your protection.”

“What the hell happened yesterday? And a phone call from you would have been nice. I’m glad Ping told me, but it would have been better to hear it from you.”

Crap. Crapcrapcrap…crapcrapcrapcarp.

“You know that this isn’t a normal marriage, Claudia.”

There was a sharp gasp. “I know that, Xavier. I don’t need you to rub my face in it. I’m fourth in line for you.”

I raised a hand to my nose bridge. “Fifth.”

“Fifth? What do you mean Fifth? Who else did you marry?”

“A Lycan.”

“Ping!”

“Hell, no. Vladimir.”

“That White Russian!”

I shut my mouth. Yeah that fit Vladimir.

“I will not come fifth, Xavier!”

I laid my head down on my desk. I contemplated how many times I’d have to smack my forehead off the top before I knocked myself unconscious.

“Xavier?”

“Claudia. As you can tell, I don’t deal well with women. If you were my sister, I’d have you in a headlock and be rubbing my knuckles across your hair. I don’t know what to do with a girly girl.”

“Girly girl” Bang, bang, bang. Just the way she said it, I knew I floundered into another tiger trap. “What’s that banging?”

I sat up and held my forehead in both hands. “Nothing important, just my pride and dignity.”

“I’m scared, Xavier. I can’t tell this to anyone, not my girlfriends, definitely not my parents. Not even Daddy. I’m terrified. I could handle one baby. I planned for one baby. Vampires rarely have twins. I’m an oddity, Xavier. The Doctor told me to prepare to the worst…I might not carry to term. I might have them prematurely. If I’m very lucky, I might get two to take home.”

“Chippie….don’t carry these things around by yourself.”

“I got no one else, Xavier.”

“I can be a friend, but, I think you need to talk to someone else.”

“I’m not talking to your mother. I’m not going to tell her I stole your sperm sample and got myself knocked up because you couldn’t bring yourself to touch me.”

Bang, bang.

“Stop banging your head on the desk! I’m allowed to be weak, Xavier. You’re not. Even though you didn’t want them…”

“What made you think I didn’t want those babies growing inside you?”

“I….er….hmmmm.”

“When I realized I was gay, I gave up hope of having children, Chippie. When I fractured into three, I definitely knew I was not having children. Yes, I was pissed off at the High Council for demanding a marriage…and you should have been to the way they went about it. Sex loves your Father…and you are a lot like him. Chippie is an endearment, not a derogatory label. I hope they have you and your Father’s eyes. We know they are going to have my wings. I want to meet them, Claudia. I want to meet them when they come into this world.”

“You do?” Her voice was small.

“We need to build something between us, Claudia. Not just for the sake of the little winglets. I have more lovers than I can shake a stick at. I don’t have many friends. Actually I don’t have any friends aside from Armor and Father. That’s kind of sad, you know.”

“How many friends did you have as a human?”

“I’m batting 200 as a vampire.”

“Oh, Xavier…

“You want to talk to the Lady Regent?”

“The Lady Regent? What for?”

“She’s my sister. She knows what you did. She’s had twins.”

“Since when do Vampire and Hunter sit down for tea and scones.”

“You’d be better off with beer and chicken wings – for her. You stick to blood. You are going to be sisters in a matter of speaking. The way things are heading right now, I would prefer a little bliss and calmness. So, you want me to call her?”

I heard some more sniffles.

“Please. Xavier….I wanted my dream wedding. But your mother is right, I don’t want to waddle down the alley. I just might give birth before I get to the alter.”

“So, let’s have a civil ceremony with just those who have to be there and we’ll keep the big pomp and ceremony one until later.”

“Why later?”

“Could you pull off a big, big wedding that every Vampire House and Loyal would be able to attend in a few weeks?”

“Probably…but your right. After the babies are born….so you want them?”

“Yes.”

“Do you want to know the sexes?”

Hmmm, plural. “Hit me with your best shot, Chippie”

“Two daughters and a son.”

I think my face just froze into a wide smirk. I’m the man. Well sort of. Well, I was the test tube any way.

“Give Lady Regent my number. It’s to my office. It shouldn’t red flag her calls to the Regency to be speaking to the enemy.”

“You still need to move here, Claudia.”

“After we are married and not until. AND, I AM number four. I saw you before that White Russian. Get a license from the Council then. We’ll get married on Friday. We’ll save the big dream wedding until we know the little ones are safe.” There was a long pause. I thought she had hung up and went to disconnect. “Thank you, Xavier, Sex, Azrael. Thank you for being there for me.”

“That’s what friends do, Chippie.”

“Move that up to 300, Blood Emperor.” She hung up.

I got a little weepy. Friday. Three days to get this stuff settled. I pressed the intercom.

“Yes, Mr. Von Drachenfeld.”

“Do you have my schedule for today?”

“The morning is clear. You have a two o’clock with a Gunnerson Industries regarding missed deadlines and short shipments. You have a four o’clock with a Lanseng. You have tickets to the Opera for 7:30 and an appointment with a ‘phantom’ there.”

I furrowed my brow. “Phantom?”

“Yes, Sir. That is all that is in your book.”

“Okay, thank you Paul. Can you get Von Drachenfeld on the phone. Oh, and I need a new cell phone and a watch.”

“Check your upper left desk drawer, Sir.”

I pulled the drawer out and picked up a burnt sienna orange razor thin phone. Nice. Instead of a wrist watch there was an old fashioned pocket watch with a long swingy chain. That was cool.

“Good job, Paul.”

“Actually, I do believe it was Mr. Hades purchases, Sir.”

Well, he was a prick, but he had style. “That will be all Paul.”
I waited until one of the Loyal picked up at Von Drachenfeld then I explained what I wanted. When it was on it’s way, I headed over to the jukebox randomly pushed buttons. I walked back to the desk grabbed up Father’s mug and took a drink. Ewww, ice cold. I padded to the kitchenette and set the cup in the microwave when violin music filled the office.

I froze. I felt my shoulders tense and my breathing constrict. I snapped a dagger down into my palm and headed back into the office. Nobody….meaning no Marcus. It was the jukebox. Fuck. I started breathing again. Fuck, fuckfuckfuck. He still had me on pins and needles. I stepped back until I hit the wall, leaned my head back and rested against it. The dagger hung at my side. Marcus. I slid down the wall and crouched against it, the dagger almost floating in front of my eyes. There are days I wish I could surgical remove that menace from my Beloved. I had cold sweat beading my forehead. FUCK!

I was terrified of violin music.

/Can you hear me now….can you hear me now….can you…/

/About time, what am I chopped liver? You get some Lycan running around naked and you forget all about me? I’m Royalty, damn it. Genuflect./

/Is that a fancy word for kiss your tail./

/You touch my tail and I’ll bounce it off the back of your skull./

I grinned and pulled my handkerchief and wiped my face clean. /Nice chatting with ya, Your Majesty. What are you doing this morning?/

/Watching my fur grow…since my digital plasma surround sound entertainment system didn’t get transplanted from the Manor to my glorious penthouse room./

/Make your request in triplicate./

/Hummmph, still don’t have thumbs. What’s up?/

/I got a sniper rifle./

/I got the time. Come and get me./

/The car is already there, Shadyshadehade./

/Are we playing cat on a hot tin roof?/

/I’m willing to play bacon./

/Mmmmm, vampire bacon. See you in twenty. Tah!/

The intercom rang again. I blinked and then set the dagger back up into it’s sheath. I had to kind of crab walk back up the wall. The violin music was over and it segued into some Michael Buble. “Yes, Paul.”

“Your stylist is here.”

Stylist? The door opened and a mocha brown Amazon breezed in followed by Riot and Paul as he tried to maintain his domain. “You cannot just waltz in here without an appointment or announcement.”

“Your man, he call me.”

“It’s all right, Paul. I’m actually honored to get in with Edna. She is quiet the celebrity stylist now.”

“All because of you, deary. Headaches?”

“Too long, too heavy.”

“You trust Edna?”

I shucked off my jacket and took off my gun harness. “Hack away.”

She stood with her hands on her hips. “I did not just hear those foul words, come from that pretty little mouth.”

“Sorry, Mistress of the Scissors.”

Edna turned to her Tommy, “That is the way to suck up to me.”

“Yes, mom.”

Riot set up the cutting room in my bathroom and layout out the tools of the trade. I closed my eyes and relaxed in the chair. She wrapped my long tail with an elastic band just above the waist band of my pants. “Can I have…”

“Take it for the sick kids, Edna.”

“I should tell them where hair comes from. You get plaque.”

“That’s quiet all right. My hair grows so fast as it is.”

“Close eyes. I make you look every more beautiful than that angel picture.” I felt the snip snip as she cut just above the ponytail. My head felt lighter already. The microwave beeped again.

“Tommy, get his blood for him.”

My re-heated mug was ice cold by the time Edna was done. I was producted to death. I smelt like a coconut. “Okay. See now.”

Holy……Toledo. My hair was short in the front but long in back. Edna had waxed my hair into chunks and made it look like and expensive bed head. She had thinned out the back so it wasn’t pulling so heavily any more. I kind of liked this. I turned my head to the right. No more warbraids. That was okay, I was going to shortly get sick of ever seeing them pretty soon.

“I like this.”

“I get you a silver shampoo. It bring out highlights in your hair, give it more shine.”

There was a knock at the outer office. “Sir. A hellcat is here.” There was a hint of panic in his voice. He probably never thought he would be dealing with the Queen of the Hellcats when he came out of the typing pool.

/Come on in Shade. In the back./

I heard her pads on the floor then the click of her claws on the tile. I saw Edna jump back as Shade rounded the corner. The bright red panther sat down on the title and looked at me with amused eyes. I could tell she was amused because her tail twitched on the floor.

/Mullethead!/