Welcome to Wednesday Briefs! It's flash fiction, so this story will be presented in 1000(ish)-word chapters. I hope you enjoy it, and check out the many other flashers, whose links are below. You can also check out the Wednesday Briefs Blog for more info and to sign up for email notifications.
Thanks for reading!
Thanks for reading!
THE BOYS OF BELSMEADE
Chapter Twenty-Six
Of course there was a huge snow storm the night we had to fly to Italy. I clutched the armrest, eyes screwed shut, praying the small private jet would make it Rome.
Aramis poked my ribs. "You can relax, you know. Even if we did crash, you'd walk away."
"Across the fucking ocean?" I snapped. "Just shut up and let me worry."
He shrugged and closed his eyes, trying to get some rest before we landed. I couldn't sleep, so I attempted to eavesdrop on Aristes, the Count, and their guard planning on how they would breach Fumaro's defenses at his villa. Unfortunately, they were all speaking Italian so rapidly that I couldn't understand a word.
Epp sat with his arm around Blake, who stared stoically out the window into the darkness. Although he wasn't showing it, I could tell that he was anxious about his mother. I smiled sadly at Epp. He gave me a thumbs up, then spoke into my head. "Don't worry, El. We'll find them. The Count is so pissed at this point that nothing will be able to stop him."
I fixed my eyes on Epp and thought, "Is the Count really that powerful? Like magic and stuff?"
"I wouldn't say magic," the Count said with a smirk.
"Damn it," I muttered.
The Count put a hand on my shoulder. "It's okay to ask me questions, Eliot. Just not at the moment. Once we have your father safely back with us, we can sit and talk. All right?"
"Yes, sir. Thanks for all you're doing."
"The coven takes care of its own. That includes your father."
Benita sobbed quietly, and Aurelia tried to calm her. "He'll be all right, Benita. You'll wear yourself out like this. You need to be strong for John when he needs you."
"You're right," Benita said. "Right. I will fight Fumaro to the death to get my mate back."
I wished that people would stop using the word "death" in any context, but their confidence helped give me hope I'd see my father again. Aramis pulled me against him and I was finally able to sleep.
Aramis poked my ribs. "You can relax, you know. Even if we did crash, you'd walk away."
"Across the fucking ocean?" I snapped. "Just shut up and let me worry."
He shrugged and closed his eyes, trying to get some rest before we landed. I couldn't sleep, so I attempted to eavesdrop on Aristes, the Count, and their guard planning on how they would breach Fumaro's defenses at his villa. Unfortunately, they were all speaking Italian so rapidly that I couldn't understand a word.
Epp sat with his arm around Blake, who stared stoically out the window into the darkness. Although he wasn't showing it, I could tell that he was anxious about his mother. I smiled sadly at Epp. He gave me a thumbs up, then spoke into my head. "Don't worry, El. We'll find them. The Count is so pissed at this point that nothing will be able to stop him."
I fixed my eyes on Epp and thought, "Is the Count really that powerful? Like magic and stuff?"
"I wouldn't say magic," the Count said with a smirk.
"Damn it," I muttered.
The Count put a hand on my shoulder. "It's okay to ask me questions, Eliot. Just not at the moment. Once we have your father safely back with us, we can sit and talk. All right?"
"Yes, sir. Thanks for all you're doing."
"The coven takes care of its own. That includes your father."
Benita sobbed quietly, and Aurelia tried to calm her. "He'll be all right, Benita. You'll wear yourself out like this. You need to be strong for John when he needs you."
"You're right," Benita said. "Right. I will fight Fumaro to the death to get my mate back."
I wished that people would stop using the word "death" in any context, but their confidence helped give me hope I'd see my father again. Aramis pulled me against him and I was finally able to sleep.
********************
John paced around the bedroom while the head of the hospital yelled at him over the phone. "What is the meaning of this, Berenz? You don't show up for your scheduled surgeries, and then call to say you're taking a sabbatical. What on God's green earth has possessed you?"
How could he ever explain something like this? He figured lying was his best option. "Yes, sir. I know I haven't given any notice, but I've had a family emergency and I had to leave town very suddenly."
It seemed to appease his boss. "Are you all right? Is Eliot okay?"
The mention of that name hit John like a brick. The image of a dark-haired, light-eyed boy flashed in his mind, and he stuttered. "Uh… Eliot's fine. Look I have to go. I'll call as soon as I can."
The door opened and Lena strutted in, wearing a miniscule black dress. Sky-high heels clicked on the floor as she hurried to her mate. "There you are! I've been looking for you everywhere."
He looked at the petite blond and raised an eyebrow. She wanted sex. Again. But he wasn't in the mood, not to mention the fact it wasn't very good with her anyway. He got off, sure, but it was automatic to him. There was something missing. He put that thought aside and replayed the phone call in his mind. The mention of the boy Eliot had rattled him.
The girl pawed at him, but he scowled and said, "Not now."
Lena took a step back, mystified as to why she was unable to seduce her mate. She pouted. "But, John, don't you want me?"
"Who the hell is Eliot?" he barked, losing all patience. She didn't answer, so he wrapped his fingers tightly around her bicep and squeezed, causing Lena to yelp. He growled quietly and let his fangs drop. "Tell me. Who is Eliot?"
"I don't know!" she lied. "You're hurting me, John."
"Get out," he commanded through clenched teeth. He thrust her away. Lena ran from the room. He sat on the bed and closed his eyes, trying desperately to remember. Images flicked through his mind as he tried to grasp the truth. He remembered seeing Eliot in a big house, not unlike the one in which he was now residing. There was a meal—a dinner, with a family. But whose family? Eliot was there. But before the dinner, in an office, he had talked to Eliot. Their conversation replayed dimly in his head.
Then the word "dad" popped in his head, and it hit him. He remembered Eliot running into his arms and calling him dad. Him! Eliot was his son! More memories came flooding back. Sitting around the table with Eliot and other vampires. A female vampire—tall, brunette, stunning…
Benita. The hallway. The kiss. He could almost feel her mouth on his, her hands on his ass. That cemented it. This little slut Lena wasn't his true mate. But how then had he come to be here? He realized he'd have to keep up with the charade until he found out what the hell was going on.
How could he ever explain something like this? He figured lying was his best option. "Yes, sir. I know I haven't given any notice, but I've had a family emergency and I had to leave town very suddenly."
It seemed to appease his boss. "Are you all right? Is Eliot okay?"
The mention of that name hit John like a brick. The image of a dark-haired, light-eyed boy flashed in his mind, and he stuttered. "Uh… Eliot's fine. Look I have to go. I'll call as soon as I can."
The door opened and Lena strutted in, wearing a miniscule black dress. Sky-high heels clicked on the floor as she hurried to her mate. "There you are! I've been looking for you everywhere."
He looked at the petite blond and raised an eyebrow. She wanted sex. Again. But he wasn't in the mood, not to mention the fact it wasn't very good with her anyway. He got off, sure, but it was automatic to him. There was something missing. He put that thought aside and replayed the phone call in his mind. The mention of the boy Eliot had rattled him.
The girl pawed at him, but he scowled and said, "Not now."
Lena took a step back, mystified as to why she was unable to seduce her mate. She pouted. "But, John, don't you want me?"
"Who the hell is Eliot?" he barked, losing all patience. She didn't answer, so he wrapped his fingers tightly around her bicep and squeezed, causing Lena to yelp. He growled quietly and let his fangs drop. "Tell me. Who is Eliot?"
"I don't know!" she lied. "You're hurting me, John."
"Get out," he commanded through clenched teeth. He thrust her away. Lena ran from the room. He sat on the bed and closed his eyes, trying desperately to remember. Images flicked through his mind as he tried to grasp the truth. He remembered seeing Eliot in a big house, not unlike the one in which he was now residing. There was a meal—a dinner, with a family. But whose family? Eliot was there. But before the dinner, in an office, he had talked to Eliot. Their conversation replayed dimly in his head.
Then the word "dad" popped in his head, and it hit him. He remembered Eliot running into his arms and calling him dad. Him! Eliot was his son! More memories came flooding back. Sitting around the table with Eliot and other vampires. A female vampire—tall, brunette, stunning…
Benita. The hallway. The kiss. He could almost feel her mouth on his, her hands on his ass. That cemented it. This little slut Lena wasn't his true mate. But how then had he come to be here? He realized he'd have to keep up with the charade until he found out what the hell was going on.
********************
Outside the plane, after we landed in Rome, I felt like a complete spectacle. Everyone in the private hangar stopped and stared at the group of beautiful—too beautiful—people stepping off the plane and into four impossibly large, black Mercedes sedans.
"I don't think we're in Kansas anymore," I mumbled as Aramis climbed in next to me. I tugged at his sleeve. "Don't we have to go through customs or something?"
He smirked. "Vampires do things differently. The count has connections up the ass."
Aurelia pulled a leather glove off her elegant hand and smacked Aramis' knee with it. "Don't be vulgar. And remember, do exactly as the count says. In Italy, his word is law."
To be continued...
"I don't think we're in Kansas anymore," I mumbled as Aramis climbed in next to me. I tugged at his sleeve. "Don't we have to go through customs or something?"
He smirked. "Vampires do things differently. The count has connections up the ass."
Aurelia pulled a leather glove off her elegant hand and smacked Aramis' knee with it. "Don't be vulgar. And remember, do exactly as the count says. In Italy, his word is law."
To be continued...
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