Bastien and I went downstairs when we heard Valentina calling us. On the way down the stairs I smelled a new scent. Kind of earthy and spicy. I heard controlled angry voices of Faine and Alec and the newcomer. The others of my family were saying to stop, leave her alone. What’s wrong with you? We thought you were our friend! Then I heard him say
“Where’s my room, don’t touch me.” Faine came up the stairs, her face looking shocked and she was followed by a gorgeous man with black hair and blacker eyes. He was drool some, but rude, he pushed past us up the stairs after Faine. Why isn’t Alec with her? When this brute is walking behind her. I panicked for just a moment until I noticed Bastien had stood in front of me, protecting me I smiled at the back of his head and snuggled my arm around his torso and pulled him closer. Faine faced down the stairs after a door slammed and she flew into Alec’s arms. He pulled her tightly to him. The buzz in the living room was shock.
“What happened to Gabriel?” Valentina piped up and pointed to her head
“We need to give him some time; he’s been to hell and back.” There were nods of understanding then. After a while when things had settled down to normal and the handsome stranger was forgotten about I asked Faine who he was.
“He’s an old friend of ours named Gabriel. But he left us to go and fight some demons of his past. My guess is he found them, fought them and won but now he has to recover. Be nice to him Lottie please, he’s important to us.” I nodded and smiled. Of course I’ll be nice to him, he’s gorgeous. I’ll probably be too tongue tied or say something stupid and wish the ground will open up and swallow me anyway.
“Everyone can I have your attention please? This is my friend Bastien and he wishes to stay with us for a bit if that’s ok. He can share my room. Please I need him.” I asked Bastien in his head if it would be ok to share his gifts with my family. He nodded although looked slightly alarmed. I told him it would be better if they knew as they think he’s dangerous. So he nodded again.
“Bastien is talented and may seem dangerous to some but his gifts like ours are unique. He can stare at you and give you momentary amnesia and he also has the power to steal gifts and they never are restored. He can’t use the gifts once stolen and he doesn’t know where they go all he knows is that it renders the vampire useless and vulnerable. He will not use any gifts on us. He has promised.”
“We shall give you a trial Bastien” said Faine in the meantime make yourself at home and welcome to the Kerry clan. Bastien nodded, relief evident on his face. Valentina clapped her hands and declared she was going to go hunting. She was getting a bit hysterical. I brightened up immediately when she asked me and Bastien to go too.
“Oh goodie, human time” we both said. Demitri interrupted us and said
“No, Kerry style hunting…….animals blood round here, you know that Lottie.” Bastien got a pained look on his face. I could tell the idea of him drinking animal blood disgusted him. The screams from a human are far more fun. I grabbed his hands. Demitri and he got into a standoff over drinking animal blood. Demitri was offering to go with us and to be honest while I had made peace with him when we got home from New York; I had told him that Hazel had helped me to see what actually happened before he bit me, that he was forgiven. I actually had a chance to choose this life myself, I just couldn’t seem to get that easy-going friendliness I have with say Alec or Valentina. She’s so sweet. A bit odd but sure aren’t we all. Anyway back to my story. Demitri and Bastien were having a standoff and I cracked up laughing at the two of them and said
“Ok grandad, Kerry style hunting it is, any excuse to get out of this morgue has to be a good thing and me and Bastien burst out laughing. I noticed even Valentina was smirking at us. So we left. Bastien was very funny making faces at me while I was draining my ‘vegetarian happy meal’ as he called it and asked if I wanted a coke and fries with it. But he went a few shades of green after tasting his ‘bloody Mary’.
