Just add Love…
Stein Willard @ 2013
Disclaimer
The characters in the story are a product of my own imagination and hopefully have no resemblance to any living persons. But if it does it is entirely coincidental. Some of the places mentioned are either fictitious and or adapted to suit the plot of the story.
Sex: This story contains sexual content between consenting adult women, thus if you are not 18 years old and not allowed to read content of this nature, please move on to other suitable stories.
Archiving: This work is copy written and should not be posted anywhere else with the writer’s expressed permission.
Special mention to my beta, Rose.
Feedback: Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated, so feel free to drop a line or two at steinwillard80@gmail.com or sent me a friend request on Facebook.
___________________________________________________________________
With wakefulness, came the incessant hunger.
Lying with her eyes closed she inhaled deeply and shuddered when the sound of blood rushing through veins reached her ears. Sitting up soundlessly, her eyes flickered open and focused instantly on the shape standing at the window. Moonlight filtered through the open window and gently caressed the slope of the woman’s neck. She didn’t need a mirror to know that her eyes were burning bright red at the prospect of a fresh meal. She silently rose and floated over to the woman who stood with her back to her. The closer she got, the louder the sound of blood splashing through the woman’s veins became. Her fangs slipped out, brushing against her lower lip and her eyes bulged slightly in anticipation as they found and caressed the throbbing vein. She came to a stop behind her prey and reached out. Before her hand could touch the woman’s shoulder, the woman spoke.
“Brandon’s been suspended.”
Blinking in surprise, her fangs retracted and she gently rested her hand on the woman’s shoulder.
“Again?”
The woman turned and troubled eyes met hers. “Yes, again. I don’t know what to do this time.” The woman gave her a tremulous smile. “I don’t even know what to say to him.”
Subduing her hunger, Iramis carefully pulled the woman into a tender embrace. When they broke away, she studied the beautiful face. “You look tired.”
The dark head fell against her broad chest and with infinite tenderness; Iramis cupped the head against her chest.
“I’m so worried about him, Ira.”
“Why didn’t you call me?”
The dark head lifted and sad dark eyes studied hers. “You were busy and I didn’t want to disturb you.”
A sense of immense warmth and love pervaded her heart as she studied the woman’s face. “Nothing’s more important than you.” She led the woman to the bed. “Why don’t you take a nap while I go talk to him?” The woman smiled, her face lightening up with relief. “Was there anything else? Jenny? Oscar?”
The beautiful face fell again. “I think Jenny’s heartbroken. She hasn’t been herself these past few days.”
“I’ll talk to her too. What about Oscar?”
A small smile formed on the soft lips. “He’s good. With all this going on, he’s been a star.”
Iramis smiled too. “I’ll make a turn there too. Sleep now, my love. I’ll take care of everything.” She lay down on the black sheets with her face towards the woman. “You have done your part and now it’s my turn.”
Her heart constricted with guilt when the dark eyes fluttered closed and the woman’s breath evened out almost immediately.
****************************
The room was dark except for the light of the computer. Iramis sighed where she stood in the corner of the room.
“We will definitely have a misunderstanding if you keep on stressing my wife,” she said quietly. There was sudden intake of breath before a dark curly head turned to look at her.
“Mother?”
Iramis’ brow shot up. “Were you expecting someone else?”
Coming to his feet, the boy rushed over to her. Iramis opened her arms to receive her son and held him tenderly. “What is this I hear about you getting suspended again?”
Brandon pulled away and his eyes immediately sought out the floor. “Did Mom tell you?”
Iramis stared at the teenage boy. He was tall and beautiful just like Sandra. Sandra was just a couple of years older than Brandon’s when Iramis met her outside a bar. For a split second before the girl had turned and fixed her with a wide green-eyed stare, she was considering the beautiful human as a snack. As she gallantly offered to walk the girl back to the orphanage she escaped from with her friend for a night of revelry, something had happened to her. Something so profound, that she went back the next night to stand outside the orphanage. Two nights later the girl slipped out again to Iramis’ delight. They talked and it became a regular occurrence for them to meet in the orphanage’s garden. Their first, hesitant kiss, four months later, on Sandra’s eighteenth birthday, was the beginning of the most beautiful relationship in Iramis’ existence.
“Mother?”
Iramis turned her attention back to her son and sighed at the anxious look in his eyes. “Your mother didn’t tell me anything else. I wanted to hear it from you,” she said softly, cradling the boy’s cheek. “What happened?”
Brandon took a shuddering breath. “I got in a fight.”
“A fight?” She hoped she didn’t sound as shocked as she felt. If anything, Brandon was not a saint, but violence was the one thing he absolutely abhorred. His last suspension was because of him smoking pot at school with his friends, but never in all the sixteen years that she had raised him, had he ever exhibited any form of violence. Just like Sandra, he preferred to avoid conflict. “What happened, son?”
The boy raked long fingers through his curly mop. “There’s this boy who hurt someone and I just couldn’t stand by and let him get away with it.”
Loving him more than ever at that moment, Iramis pulled him into a tight hug. He was an unbelievable boy, compassionate and caring. She should’ve known that he would’ve stood up for someone at the cost of having to face his mothers’ disappointment. He clung to her in near desperation.
“I’ve never wanted to hurt someone so much before,” Brandon whispered against her chest and Iramis’ eyes narrowed. This was serious. “but what he said really hurt her.”
She pulled back so she could look into his face. “Who was it?”
She read it in his eyes before he answered her.
“It was Jenny.”
Rage, dark and merciless, rose in her at hearing him say the name she had dreaded. She quickly suppressed it and placed a gentle kiss against her son’s temple.
“You know your mother doesn’t condone violence, but I’ll talk to her first before you seek her out. Ok?” She gently brushed his wayward curls out of his face and looked into the dark brown eyes. “Thank you for looking out for her.”
**********************
Iramis gently knocked on the door. When a muffled voice bid her to enter, she pushed the door open. Jenny was lying on her bed, her face turned away from the door. She quickly made her way over to the bed and took a seat on it.
“Hi, honey.”
Jenny exploded off the bed and into her arms. Iramis’ heart broke at the sound of her daughter’s heart wrenching sobs. As she cradled her daughter in her arms, her lips brushing over the soft, fragrant hair, Iramis was split in two. A part of her wanted to stay here and comfort her hurting daughter. The other wanted to go seek out the boy who was responsible and tear him limb from limb.
But she won’t. She couldn’t. She was a mother now. It was her role and duty to lead by example.
Sandra made her promise that, as long as they’re together, Iramis would never hurt a human again. At this very moment, her true nature rebelled against that promise she made in a state of unrivalled love, as her fangs slipped out and her eyes flashed bright red. Just as quickly the darkness licking at her soul retreated. But she wouldn’t allow anything to make her wife feel disappointed at her. She loved Sandra enough to suppress her nature. Her fangs slowly retracted and she pressed a soft kiss on her daughter’s head. She sat patiently, helpless, as she listened to Jenny weep.
This was the first time she saw her daughter like this. Oh, there was that one time, but it didn’t really count. It was fifteen years ago. With Sandra breast feeding Brandon, Iramis couldn’t feed off her anymore and had begun hunting again. It was while she was passing a dark alley, that the weak, pitiful cries of a baby had steered her down that alley. As she warily approached the cardboard box next to the dumpster, she’d cursed mankind, especially those who so carelessly could discard something so infinitely precious. She hadn’t been human for a long time, but the love of a beautiful human woman had somehow, miraculously, restored her humanity. Peering into the box, she fell in love at first sight when the baby fixed large hazel eyes on her and immediately stopped crying. Thin arms reached out for her and looking around to see if the mother was in the vicinity, she had picked up the baby. Cradled against her chest, the baby had hungrily rooted for her breasts. She had taken the girl home to Sandra who immediately fed the infant, cleaned her and placed her back in Iramis’ arms. The next day, Sandra took the baby to Child Welfare and made it clear that she wanted to adopt the child. It was not easy to persuade the authorities to let the baby be raised in a vampire-headed household, but Sandra was adamant that she wanted to take the baby home with her. A midnight ‘social’ visit to the Director’s home from Iramis, had sped up the process and soon the baby was part of their family.
“I…I loved him.”
The soft voice pulled Iramis out of her thoughts. “I’m sorry, baby.”
The dark head lifted and wet hazel eyes searched her face. “He said…” A sob escaped trembling lips. “He said he couldn’t take someone like me home to meet his parents.”
Iramis cocked her head to the side. “Someone like you?” A succession of scenarios raced through her head as she waited for Jenny to compose herself.
“Someone who wasn’t wanted,” Jenny mumbled. “Someone who didn’t belong anywhere.”
Iramis took a deep breath to keep herself from surging to her feet and rushing off to snap the little twit’s neck. Instead, she gently wiped the tears off Jenny’s cheeks. “You are mine, Jenny. You were destined to be mine and I will never let anyone make you believe otherwise. I love you with everything in me and beyond. We are a family and each of us belongs to the other.”
Jenny leaned back into her arms, hiding her face in Iramis’ neck. “But I’m different.”
“Different, no. Unique, definitely.” She held Jenny at arm’s length as she searched the hazel depths. “Do you realize that you are the first and only daughter of a vampire and that you stole my heart the moment our eyes first met?”
Jenny smiled. “I love you too, Mother.” The hazel eyes turned dark again. “It doesn’t matter that I’m black?”
Iramis blinked a few times. “You’re black?” She scratched her head. “I always knew there was something about you, but I could never put my finger on it.”
Jenny smiled, this time brightly, and crawled onto Iramis’ lap. “You’re silly…for a vampire.”
“As long as you remember that I’m your silly vampire mother.” Iramis heard soft footsteps entering the room. She smiled as she recognized the scent. The bed dipped as the person knelt behind her and reached over to hug them both.
“Hello, mommy.”
Both Jenny and Iramis lifted their heads to look at the newcomer. Big, bright blue eyes stared at them out of a sombre-looking face. Iramis offered her cheek to accept the soft kiss. Jenny opened her arms and the seven year old boy squeezed himself between them. One thing she quickly grew accustomed to was that as a parent, your lap was never really your own. It was also big enough to accommodate more than one person at a time. The two youngsters immediately hugged and Iramis watched, with a warm glow in her chest, as her two youngest held each other.
To think she had to live through three millennia to finally find her true self in the arms and love of four such wonderful humans. She turned her head when she caught Brandon’s scent as he too entered the room to join them on the bed. The three quietly talked to each other their heads pressed together. Iramis sat quietly as they talked. The boys whispering small nonsensical things to their sister as Jenny basked happily in their presence. Finally they turned their attention back to her. She shrugged under the weight of three pairs of eyes.
“Well, what do you say we… uhm…we go to that ice cream place you guys like so much and celebrate?” She leaned closer to them and whispered. “As long as we don’t wake your mother. She doesn’t need to know. Okay?”
“She knows already,” Sandra said dryly from the doorway, causing Iramis’ head to snap around to meet her wife’s eyes with a sheepish look. “It’s a school night so don’t be out too late.”
Soft giggling made her turn back to her children. “Well, you heard your mother. Go get ready.” She made her way over to Sandra and pulled her close, stroking her face with warm eyes. “I thought you were asleep.”
Sandra took her hand and pulled her after her to the study which was opposite the children’s bedrooms. Since she didn’t sleep much during the night, Iramis spent most of her time in the study. She found it extremely soothing to hear her children’s breathing as they slept while she worked nearby. Sandra closed the door and turned to face her.
“You need to feed before you leave. I don’t want you to be tempted to go for a snack and scare the kids.”
She hesitated for a moment, but her mind was quickly made up when Sandra pressed close and offered her neck. She had been out of the country for almost a week and had to survive on the stale blood she was offered at the Vampire Senate Headquarters. Nothing, but nothing would ever come close to the richness of Sandra’s blood. Maybe it was the fact that it was offered so freely and lovingly, that made it the most intoxicating brew she’d ever tasted. Her fangs lengthened and she pressed a soft kiss to the pulsing vein before she bit down. Sandra pressed even closer to her, backing Iramis until they bumped into the large oak desk. Switching positions, Iramis pushed Sandra over the desk. Iramis slowly rolled her hips into the cradle of her wife’s hips. Her breath shortened as she listened to the small mewling sounds falling from Sandra’s lips. They won’t last long. After a week of abstinence, which considering their active love life, meant that they were actually sex-starved, the first few touch already brought them dangerously close to the edge. Pushing up Sandra’s dress, Iramis stroked Sandra’s sex through her wet panties and watched as her wife’s eyes almost rolled back in their sockets at the exquisite friction. It didn’t take long before a shudder raced through Sandra’s body followed by a soft whimper. With Sandra’s orgasm, warm adrenaline-spiked blood rushed into Iramis’ mouth, making her growl in pleasure. She extracted her fangs and held Sandra close as she too rode out her climax.
“I’ve missed you,” Sandra murmured after a while as Iramis licked at the small pinpricks. “I needed you so much with all that was happening here.”
“Next time call me and I’ll come home immediately,” she whispered into Sandra’s ear. “I love you and I should be here for you at all times.”
Sandra pulled away and looked up into Iramis’ eyes. “What you’re trying to do is very important, darling. One day if we decide to turn the kids, I want to be assured that they will live in a world where vampires and humans can co-exist. Not having you around for a week is a small sacrifice to make for what you are doing to secure our children’s future.”
Iramis gently brushed her lips over Sandra’s. “Even then, you…my family, you’re my top priority. I’ve made a pledge to be by your side and I intent to keep it.”
They shared a lingering look before Sandra broke the silence. “The kids must be waiting for you. Please don’t eat ice cream waffles again because I’ll probably be asleep when you get home and might not be able to help you regurgitate later.”
“I promise,” Iramis said quickly and looked away. She didn’t want a reminder of what happened the last time she took the kids out for an ice cream and ended up in a waffle eating dare slash contest with Brandon. She was close to dying from the sticky lump in her stomach when Sandra found her hugging the toilet pot, groaning from the pain of expelling the repulsively sweet, pink pulp.
She quickly kissed Sandra and slipped out the study in search of the kids. She found them waiting at the door, dressed in their jackets.
“What’re you waiting for? Let’s go,” she announced.
*****************************
Sandra turned onto her back when she felt the bed dip. Iramis leaned over and kissed her gently.
“I didn’t mean to wake you. Go back to sleep.”
“The kids? Are they okay? Jenny?”
Iramis smiled. “They’re in bed. We went for pizza instead.”
Sandra sat up as she studied her wife’s face. There was a tell-tale green tint around Iramis’ lips. “I thought I’ve warned you.” She sighed when Iramis looked away guiltily. “How much did you have?”
“Not much,” came the quick reply.
Brushing her hair out of her face, Sandra leaned back against the bed rest and reached for Iramis. “Come here. Let me hold you for a moment.” She tenderly enfolded the taller woman in her arms. “You couldn’t say ‘no’?”
“Yes,” Iramis groaned against Sandra’s chest. “I wanted them to have a normal night out with their mother.”
Utterly charmed, Sandra brushed her lips over the blonde hair. “They know what you are and they understand.”
“I know that,” Iramis lifted her head and Sandra kissed her tenderly. “They really enjoyed themselves tonight and it made me happy to see them like that.”
“I probably don’t say it enough, but I love you,” Sandra whispered close to Iramis’ ear. She tightened her arms around her wife. Iramis was feared by her own kind and humans alike, yet she was also the most loving when it came to her family.
A century ago when vampires first made their existence known, humans were sceptical of having such predatory beings living amongst them. It had cost the Vampire Senate to appoint one of their own leaders to facilitate a pact between the two species. When the all-powerful Countess Iramis Rubina de Leeuw entered the spotlight, humans and vampires alike were quickly drawn to her charm, wealth and power. But none were stupid enough to engage the deadly Countess. In three thousand years of existence, Iramis had left a trail of corpses, annihilated massive enemy forces and repossessed kingdoms. It was clear in the deadly way she carried herself that all that was not only myth. Nor did she achieve all that through charm alone. Vampires lived peacefully amongst humans, their Creed of Existence, binding them to live as pacifists as long as no direct threats were made to them and theirs. But that Creed didn’t necessarily count where Iramis was concerned. As one of only six ancients in existence, she was Ruler and Executioner and that was the only creed she lived by. That was until they met and fell in love. What she had asked was unheard off and she’d known that, but Iramis’ love for her had made the vampire strive to practice more restraint when it came to violence.
“Your thoughts are far and deep, my darling,” Iramis said suddenly, bringing Sandra out of her reverie.
“I’m still stunned by how someone like you would want to be with me.”
Iramis slowly sat up and Sandra grinned at the disbelief on her wife’s face. “Shouldn’t it be the other way around, my heart?”
Sandra shook her head slowly as she combed her fingers through the short blonde locks. “You had and could still have anyone you wanted, yet you chose me.”
“But there has never been anyone like you in my life before. You are the only person I want to be with,” Iramis said quietly and Sandra was thrilled at the genuine emotion in her wife’s voice. “No one compares to you.”
Sandra replied by offering a deep, lingering kiss. “Come. I believe you have a date with the porcelain goddess.”
**************************
The door swung open even before she had the chance to knock. She entered and walked past the hallway closet, not caring about taking off her coat. That was the least of her worries now.
“Welcome, Lady Sandra. I hope your flight was uneventful.” A man with youthful features fell into step next to her. Sandra gave him a curt nod as she rushed down the long hallway. When they were halfway down the gleaming passage, the man spoke again.
“I must tell you that Lady Iramis is truly the greatest warrior in existence.”
Sandra spared him a quick look, but didn’t respond. All she wanted was to see Iramis. Ignoring the man, she continued walking until they reached large double doors. The man quickly stepped passed her to open the doors for her. Sandra didn’t need to be shown the way. As Iramis’ wife, this was her castle, belonging to their family. She immediately moved to the door to her immediate right.
“She single-handedly took on a hundred assassins of the Ridgewell clan and destroyed them all,” the man said as he came up next to her. Usually, Sandra was proud to hear of her wife’s exploits and prowess, but not today. She prayed Killian will take note and shut up. They made their way down a spiral staircase which led them deep underground. As she made her way into what were the dungeons before they had been remodelled, Sandra was trying to reign in her temper. When she had kissed Iramis goodbye three nights ago, she hadn’t expected to get a call this morning to get to Switzerland as soon as she could. Not much was said, but the call itself said it all. She had arranged for the kids’ nanny to stay in, doubled the vampire guards and arranged for the plane to ready when she arrived at the airport.
“I doubt the Ridgewells will ever try to question our authority again,” Killian added and this time Sandra turned to look at him. He might be hundreds of years old and possess superior strength, but if he didn’t shut up, she would find someone to shut him up for her. Killian must’ve read the threat in her eyes, for he quickly lowered her gaze. “My apologies, milady.”
The rest of their trip was made in silence until they reached a steel door fitted with an electronic keypad. Eager to get to her wife, Sandra pressed on the keypad. A small panel with a protruding needle slid out. Pricking her finger on the needle, Sandra released a small drop onto the glass panel. It slid back in and after a few moments, the steel door glided open. Looking over her shoulder, she noticed that Killian was standing at a respectable distance.
“I will make arrangements for your stay, milady,” he said with a deep bow.
“Thank you, Killian.”
The door slid shut behind her as she entered the large candle-lit room. The room was spartan with only a bed and a small dresser. Her heels sounded loud in the quiet room as she walked over to the large four-poster bed. She shrugged out of her coat which she threw on the bed. Taking a deep steadying breath, she went to stand in the middle of the room.
“I want to see you.” Her voice bounced off the bare walls, slamming back at her.
The panel in the floor at her feet slid away to reveal a dark earthy patch. Sandra took in the deep, rich smell of the earth as she waited patiently. The earth shifted slightly and a hand shot out from the soil. The rest of Iramis followed gradually until her wife sat up in the soil. Sandra’s heart clenched at the sight of her wife. Covered in dirt and with her deep-set eyes blazing blood red, Iramis looked barely human. Even the way Iramis looked at her would’ve made many humans run screaming for the lives, but Sandra was no ordinary human. She was the wife of a vampire. It was also not that much different from the look Iramis gives her when the vampire was in the mood for serious love play. She held out her hand.
“Come and let me take a look at you,” she said gently. She wasn’t in the least surprised when Iramis hissed at her in anger. She supressed the urge to roll her eyes at the vampire. When in this state, her wife became all-vampire, complete with their infuriating arrogance. At times like these, Iramis didn’t like being ordered around by a puny human. Sandra ignored the look of pure disgust in the red eyes. Instead she gave Iramis a visual inspection. Judging from the deep scratches on her upper body, Iramis must be in terrible pain and needed fresh blood to speed the healing process. “Come now, love, let me help you. I promise I’ll take away the pain.”
Iramis hoisted herself out of the earthy grave and came to tower over her. Sandra’s eyes quickly ran over the rest of her wife’s naked frame. Except for the deep claw marks, there were a few deep slashes on her legs which were in different stages of healing. A gash on her thigh was particularly deep and was bleeding sluggishly. It must’ve been made by a sliver tipped weapon. With her inspection done, she sought out Iramis’ eyes. They were fixed on the pulse in her neck. Nothing new there either. Flipping her hair to one side, she reached out for her wife only to have the vampire hiss at her again. Shrugging, she tilted her head to give Iramis a clear view of her neck.
She shuddered slightly when Iramis’ cold hands clutched her shoulders and pulled her closer. Not in the least scared of what was to come she closed her eyes and waited. At the feel of Iramis breath on her neck, Sandra had to suppress a small moan. It was not advisable to invoke the vampire’s lust at a time like this. Even though she trusted Iramis completely, her wife was still hidden under layers of pain and if the predator in Iramis sensed both a meal and sex, she might just go overboard and take too much blood. It had happened once before and it had taken Sandra months to get Iramis to shed her guilt and to drink from her again.
Iramis bit down hard, causing Sandra to shiver slightly. As Iramis drank greedily, Sandra reached out and caressed the brittle hair. She began her customary litany.
“I love you, my darling. I love you with all my heart. Drink and heal so I can hold you in my arms again.” She repeated over and over to coax Iramis to the surface. She knew exactly when her wife was with her when the painful hold on her shoulders gentled. “I love you so much.”
Iramis’ tongue lapped at her neck before the vampire lifted her head. Sandra smiled brightly when she encountered bright blue eyes.
“Hello, lover,” she whispered as she wiped at the blood on her wife’s chin. Iramis was a messy drinker when in a pain-fuelled state.
“Sandra,” Iramis croaked, her voice infinitely tender. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay, my love. You’ll be healing faster now.” She gave Iramis a quick full-body inspection and marvelled at the sight of the wounds healing right before her eyes. She looked up into Iramis' eyes, to find them looking at her with concern.
“It’s not safe to be around me when I’m like that. You should be more careful, Sandra.” Iramis’ voice broke. “I’ll never forgive myself if I were to hurt you.”
Sandra leaned into the strong body and ran her hands down the powerful back. “You’ll never hurt me.”
“How can you be so sure? I’m barely aware of what’s happening around me when I’m like that.”
Sandra took the soft lips in a deep kiss. “I know exactly how to deal with you, don’t you worry.”
Blonde eyebrows shot up. “And how’s that?” Iramis sounded amused.
Pressing up against her vampire, Sandra’s hands slowly slid down Iramis back until it rested on her wife’s firm butt. “I take everything that makes you – danger, power, age, strength, beauty and sexual prowess–” She gave the tight globes a squeeze. “– and I just add love. That is how I know how to deal with you.”
Iramis blinked. “You make it sound so…so easy. Like an instant meal recipe.”
“Well, loving you is probably the easiest thing for me to do, Ira,” Sandra whispered against Iramis’ lips. “Raising three kids with you is an entirely different story.” She yelped when she was suddenly airborne. When she looked into Iramis’ eyes, she knew instantly what was on the vampire’s mind.