Blood-Born

Chapter Zero

"I know what kind of things I myself have been irritated by in detective stories. They are often about one or two persons, but they don't describe anything in the society outside."

- Stieg Larsson

Author's Note: This is Book 2 in the series, please consider Blood-Lines as an option to read first which is also found here on Wattpad as well with Dead-Men Hanging as Book 3.

Spring, 1881 / The Farm

Leviticus LaRouchette could not help himself as he remained perfectly still while he considered the unexpected yet entirely all too familiar member of the visiting delegation.

Blood Cousine Grace...

The middle aged woman who had been taken from him ever so long ago had stood just tall enough to have looked over his shoulders from the flats of her bare feet.

A shade pale from the passage of time, her otherwise light olive complexion remained clearly evident beneath mixed strands of soft golden blond hair that he had often managed to find himself lost in; far more than even he may have otherwise cared to admit, before their world had been turned upside down and torn inside out.

"Cousin Leviticus." She offered softly as she continued to study the forest below them.

"Had I known ..." He began with casual ease, "... that it would have been you ... attending this meeting ... dear cousine ..."

He hesitated as her eyes moved with calculated patience while she searched the landscape and foliage when he moved to stand next to her, not entirely surprised to have found that his breath still caught by the mere sight of such familiar soft features that clearly still held unbreakable strong sway even after as much time that had passed for them.

"I would have prepared a far more ... elegant reception for you."

"Once a Roman ..." She sighed, "... always the well mannered ... and ever quaint Roman that I remember ..."

When she turned to face him it was only to reveal painfully familiar eyes that looked up into his, as soft lips called out strong invitation that he just managed to resist when temptation beckoned and he held his hand still until the itch to reach up and gently caress the soft skin of her cheek had passed.

Fortunately, for all concerned, his discomfort of the moment was resolved before she opted to turn and look back down with just the hint of a smile from his clear reaction.

"They are rather adept at camouflage, are they not ..." She observed, "... I have yet to have found any sign of them, but they are clearly there and well hidden ... even from us."

LaRouchette smiled to cover his embarrassment from such weakness of a relationship long past over.

"Well ... my dear ... they are bears after all ... in a forest. Camouflage is simply just one of but ... many things that they can do well."

Silence descended as they both watched the activities or lack thereof below them.

"How long have you been here to watch them?" He finally inquired, a bit more than a little curious about having found her alone as he had, considering where they were and the protocols that had been put in place for very good reason.

"Have they found human form yet?" She dodged, skillfully having managed to avoid his rather pointed question. "Almost three years after the momentous occasion of their birth, one would have naturally assumed that they would be adults by now, in either form."