Ninovan (Hypernaturals 10)

I Have Hope

We are home from Ninovan. The mystery of the Astral solved.

The RV is docked, and unloaded, and cleaned. Everyone understands that the Jessica/Morgan protocol for RV ownership is to never to put anything up wet. It is to be ready for its next adventure. Blackwater re-flushed and sanitized, because Vampires like a clean bathroom. Five of us made quick work of it and it passed Morgan's inspection on the first try.

I cannot help but be impressed by Vera. She never would have done anything like this in the before times. Now she loved it. She pitched in; she asked questions about things she did not know; she watched the sanitization of the blackwater tank and asked about how the cleaning wand is operated.

Vera has changed. Grew up. Fell in love. I can't be sad about how long that took though. Her being a Siren is how I ended up with Jessica.

The minute we were in the driveway, we first had lots of hugging and kissing of parents and children to do. Also, one small blonde spouse needed hugs and kisses, as did her tall girlfriend. Rachel even lets me kiss on her these days.

When it was my turn to hug and kiss Helen, she kissed me with ardor, then buried her face in my shirt. "Gods, you smell good. I missed your stupid ass. I can't wait to hear what stupid shit you did this time. No bombs, I hope."

I kissed her again and realized how much I have been missing her too. Given our early relationship, it is like always rediscovering each other, backhanded greeting and all. For once, I am not even the one that did the stupid stuff. Somehow that did not make it better. "You smell very nice too, and I want to eat you up."

"Oh: You shall." Helen promised.

When Helen got to Angel, she was standing with her arm around Vera, and Vera looked pensive about this face-to-face. Vera and Helen are always frictive. "Vera, may I borrow my girlfriend for just a moment? I'll give her right back." Helen asked, and Vera released Angel to Helen's hugs and kisses.

Angel asked Helen: "Girlfriend? We haven't..."

Helen kissed her. "Not yet, we haven't, but Angel: we are going to, and I am looking very forward to ravishing you when we do. Rumor has it from other spouses that you are sweet. Also that you pass out."

Angel looked a bit apprehensive. A five hundred plus-year-old woman is going to take her to bed. A Vampire! Where she'll pass out quickly if history is any guide. She has reason to be apprehensive considering her future.

To Vera, Helen said: "Don't worry, Vera. I won't hurt her. You'll get her back in one piece. Maybe a little limp, but other than that, undamaged. However, you have been a recent revelation. Congratulations on your Liaison role. Well deserved. You and I need to spend some time together, I do think."

Vera smiled, and now it is her turn to be apprehensive, but also seemed to be happy that she and Helen can be civil. "I look forward to getting to know you better and working with you on all these additional things we have discovered. I do need to understand how we should present what we now know back into the Siren community. Ninovan changes so much about what we know about our worlds, and it will need special care. Care I admit I am not good at by nature. I hope you can advise me. Politics is not my forte, but Adrian says it is yours. I admit I need advice, guidance, and help, and I do not want to fuck this up."

Angel looked at me when Vera was saying that, with a very proud expression. I have a feeling I know who coached Vera on that. It was genuine, just not Vera-talk by inclination.

They had been touching each other's shoulders, however with that request, the grinch's heart melted a little, and Helen pulled Vera to her in a light hug. "I look forward to working with you. Rachel?"

Rachel had been standing right there watching and listening, and she open-palmed Vera's shoulder. "You, my Siren, are changing before my eyes. I look forward to working with you as well. These will be delicate times ahead, and you are correct that we need to go forward with a great deal of delicacy and finesse. I have always worried about our ability to handle Siren and Vampire issues via the agency of Larry, however in this unfamiliar world we have, and with you in place, I have hope."

"Wow. Just. Wow. I will do my best. I do want to disappoint any of you." Vera appeared to be choked up.

"Lover, we will need to be sure that Wyatt and Ginger, and the rest of the Assembly do not suspect that you might have been adopted by me and my family. That is the first issue of care because you are too important to our worlds now. You are also very important to me if I have not been clear enough on that subject." Angel said.