Blood Lines

49. Beginning

"You don't snore when you're on the coast," Lena observed the next morning. Clae had just kissed her awake.

"Shut up," Clae yawned, stretching.

Lena drew her in close for a moment and they cuddled. Then Lena sighed. "I need to get home or call my grandma or something. She's probably wondering where the hell I am."

Clae sat up, observing her with a touch of nervousness. "Lena, are we back together?"

Lena sat up too and gazed at her seriously. She took a deep breath. It was always harder than she could have ever imagined to say this simple stuff. "Yeah," she managed to get out. She swallowed. "I'm really sorry. I don't know if I can make it up to you. But if you'll have me back, I promise, I'm going to figure out this mess."

Clae smiled. "You don't have to do that alone, you know? You've got friends and family that love you. We want to help you."

Lena nodded, feeling a pricking sensation in the corners of her eyes.

They parted, with Lena swearing that she was going to call her as soon as she woke up that afternoon. It was only about 7 am, so she knew Alina would be awake still. Lena felt nervous but determined about this. She strolled into the house and found her grandmother clearing up in the kitchen. For a moment, they stared at each other.

"So, where did you get to?" Alina asked in a vaguely accusatory tone. "You're not drinking at that bar now, are you?"

Lena took a deep breath. No beating around the bush. "Of course not," she said. "I spend the night with my girlfriend actually. She's in town."

Alina raised her eyebrows. "The human?" she asked coolly.

"Yeah. She's 100% human. Her name is Clae, she's an incredible person. She basically saved my life last night. She's strong and smart and beautiful. And-and I love her."

Alina raised her eyebrows at this torrent of information.

"Oh, and she's coming to breakfast tonight," Lena added as an after though, spinning on her heel and heading towards her room. "So make sure we've got plenty to eat, ok?"

Clae arrived around 8 pm that night and Lena greeted her at the door. Alina, who had been surprisingly peaceable about their breakfast guest, had prepared a host of foods, from fresh baked bread to sausages, eggs, hashbrowns and fresh fruit. Clae gaped at it all. "Wow," she said.

"I was told to prepare plenty of food," Alina said haughtily from the kitchen.

"I'm Clae," Clae said quickly introducing herself.

"Alina Urea," her grandmother replied. "Well, it's all ready. Let's eat."

For the first few minutes, they all just chowed down, with Clae complimenting Alina on the spread. But Lena had a feeling Alina would lay in at any moment, always keen to make her points.

"So Clae, you're a human," began the tirade.

Clae wiped her mouth with her napkin and swallowed. "Yup," she said cheerfully.

"You probably have noticed by now that myself and my granddaughter are pureblood vampires."

"Yeah, I figured that out," Clae agreed.

Alina narrowed her eyes. "Actually, my granddaughter is the descendant of two of the oldest blood lines in our race. In this situation, our kindred have traditionally seen human...relations as disgraceful."

Lena had to give Clae credit, she just continued smiling at Alina without a single sign of being uncomfortable.

"And it might come as a shock to you that there is a certain expectation of Lena to, shall we say, carry on the pureblood line."