Chattanooga Supernaturals: Riding The Storm Part 11

"Okay, I just really wish I could talk to him about... everything."

"I'm sorry, Eric. Abbott will say it's out of the question unless Ranger moves here. Okay?"

He sighed as he said, "Okay. I thought I might take him to TBC tonight for some pool, want to join us?"

"Sure. I'm going to run downtown and check on The Library, and then I'll come back to TBC."

As she hung up, Kendra wondered if Eric would ever feel comfortable allowing her to bind him enough for a mind link. She hadn't liked having to ask Abbott to talk to him, but she'd also known a phone call right then would've put Ranger on edge, because he'd have heard both sides of the conversation with his supernatural hearing. As it stood right now, Ranger didn't know whether Eric knew she was a vampire, but if she'd called him, he'd have known. For now, she was playing her cards close to her chest and giving the werewolf as little information as she could get away with.

If she were honest with herself, she also wanted the mind link with Eric because she was so used to having it with people she was intimate with, and she missed the connection. However, Eric had asked her not to do anything else metaphysical, and she would honor his request.

She shook her head as she drove, reconsidering her decision to stay away from Norris. Perhaps she should've taken him up on his offer to visit New York. He was less likely to break her heart than Eric, and Norris had almost undone her with their last kiss.

An hour and a half later she pulled into TBC, pleased with the way The Library was coming together. The sight of Eric's Range Rover in the parking lot made her all warm and fuzzy inside, and she chided herself for her emotions. She needed to keep a little more distance, so she wouldn't get hurt so bad if he decided he couldn't deal with the realities of a relations.h.i.+p with a vampire.

She smelled him as she walked in the door, and her gaze followed the spicy sent of testosterone and suns.h.i.+ne. He was leaned over the table, lining up his shot, so fluid, graceful, strong, and confident. She was suddenly ravenous, so she only gave him a quick peck on the lips, and told him she wanted to go in the back and check on things, and would return in about ten minutes.

Kendra went straight to the vampire room and ordered eight ounces of blood. She drank it quickly, and then downed a double-shot of bourbon before getting a bourbon on the rocks and heading back out to Eric and Ranger, to watch them finish their game.

"Do you play?" Ranger asked as he racked the b.a.l.l.s after beating Eric.

"I can hold my own."

Eric handed her his cue, and she motioned for Ranger to break as Eric pulled her a few steps away, wrapped his arms around her, and put his mouth to her ear to ask, "You fed after you got here, didn't you?"

She glanced at Ranger, wondering if he'd heard. The music was loud, and there were a lot of people, so it was a toss-up.

Either way, she needed to answer Eric. She was surprised he could already tell, as most human partners and companions took months to learn someone enough to tell when they'd recently fed. "Yes, and I'm impressed you've learned so quickly how to tell."

"Who did you feed on? I was here, you could have fed on me."

Was he jealous? Or did he just want the experience? She put her hand on his arm, gave it a small squeeze. "We have bagged blood in the back. I poured some in a gla.s.s and drank it. I didn't feed on anyone - not like you're thinking, anyway."

"Oh. You have blood stashed at all the bars? The health department would have a fit."

Kendra laughed. "No, just the ones that employ a lot of vampires, and the health department will never know."

Kendra walked back towards Ranger and smiled at him. "Go ahead and break, let's see what you've got."

She couldn't tell by his look whether he'd been able to hear their conversation. She had a feeling he hadn't broke because he was trying, though.

Kendra played a good game, but Ranger won. While Eric and Ranger were playing the next game, Kendra heard a disturbance and looked across the room to see two girls arguing. The bouncer was paying attention, but she knew Mike would have trouble if the girls started fighting, as he wasn't good at restraining girls so they couldn't hurt him - he was always too gentle with them.

Mike headed towards them, using the right voice and words to try to calm the situation, but it wasn't working. When one of the girls jumped the other, Kendra headed over to help, arriving as one of them clocked Mike in the jaw. When he grabbed her to restrain her, the girl's boyfriend jumped in as well, and Kendra told Mike to handle the boyfriend as she grabbed the girls.

Within a few seconds she was twisting an arm behind the back of both girls, forcing them both to bend forward, unable to do anything else.

After a bit of a scuffle Mike had the boyfriend handled in a similar fas.h.i.+on, and the rest of their party had decided to stay out of it.

Kendra told the group, "We aren't throwing all of you out, just these three, but if they rode with any of you then you're pretty much obligated to get them out of here. The options are to leave quietly, or we call the police and press charges."

She tried hard not to roll her eyes as the group decided who was staying and who was leaving, and then she walked both girls out, their arms still held high on their back. When they started fussing again, she twisted their arms a little more, and they shut up.

Mike stood with her and watched the cars pull out of the parking lot, and then the two went back inside.

When Kendra returned, Eric was trying to explain to Ranger how Kendra was used to working as a bouncer, and perhaps this was why she'd been able to take Ranger down the other night. Ranger glanced at her, and Kendra was almost certain Ranger had figured out Eric knew she was a vampire.

"Eric," she said as she neared, "don't try to soothe his ego. I had the element of surprise, it isn't likely I'd be able to take him again. Finish your game, and try to beat him this time so I can play you."

She pinged Abbott, and when he responded, she asked him, What did you find out about Ranger from Aaron?

Top level guy. Aaron couldn't tell me what Ranger had done for the government, but said he pays him nearly as much as Nathan, which means Ranger has serious skills, contacts, or both.

We should probably ask Randall for permission to tell Eric about werewolves, so we can let Eric know Ranger is aware of what I am.

Since he's one of Aaron's guys and isn't a member of the local pack, we can do it with Aaron present, and won't technically need Randall.

Can you set it up?

I'll see what I can do.

Kendra played Eric in the next game of pool and beat him, which meant she got to play Ranger again. She decided to let Ranger win, so he was playing a game with Eric when Abbott walked in with Aaron and Nathan.

Kendra saw them first and said, "Aaron, Nathan, it's good to see both of you. It's been a long time."

Aaron hugged her and said, "It's good to see you as well, lovely as always. Is there somewhere we can take Eric and Ranger to talk?"

Abbott stepped forward and offered his hand to Ranger. "I'm Abbott Hamilton, I own the place and have an office in the back. Why don't we let Eric finish your game with Kendra while the rest of us have a chat in private?"

Ranger gave Kendra an appraising look before answering Abbott, and as the group walked away, Eric asked, "They're going to tell him?"

"I a.s.sume, but I don't know. Let's finish the game."

Five minutes later, Abbott was in her head.

Ranger doesn't want Eric to know he's a werewolf. The official story will be we've told Ranger what you are. If Eric asks about why the other two men were here, you'll say they know of the existence of vampires, and since Ranger knew them, I figured it would be easier if they were present when Ranger found out. Give us another five minutes so it'll seem we had enough time to do the binding, and then bring Eric back.

As soon as they walked in Abbott's office, Ranger stood and faced Eric. "You're dating a vampire, Eric? Have you thought this through?"

"Yeah, I have." Eric reached for Kendra's hand as he said, "She's still a person, Ranger, and I care about her."

"You care about a bloodsucking vampire? Really? Can you hear yourself? Does she bite you? Drink your blood?"

Kendra's temper didn't flare often, and if Ranger had been human and saying this, it wouldn't have bothered her. However, coming from a werewolf? Someone also not human? She wanted to pummel him. Instead, she told him, "Those are personal questions, Ranger, and none of your business."

"You know what I am to him. I have a right to try to talk sense into my flesh and blood."

The rules about outing people were pretty specific, and the consequences dire, but in this instance, Kendra saw a way to manipulate Ranger into outing himself as supernatural. Ordinarily, she respected people's privacy, but he wasn't going to stand there and slam her for being a vampire when he was a f.u.c.king werewolf.

So, she stepped forward and took a swing at him, knowing his instincts would kick in before he considered the ramifications of fighting her in front of Eric. She moved slow enough Eric would be able to keep track of what was going on, and would give Ranger time to react.

The werewolf didn't disappoint, and he reached up to catch her fist as he swung with his other arm. Kendra ducked and swept his legs, but he jumped and managed to stay on his feet as Kendra aimed to punch through his stomach.

Ranger sailed eight feet through the air and hit the wall as Aaron and Abbott stepped between them to be sure the fight was over.

Kendra held her hands up and took a few steps back, smiling at Ranger as he glared at her.

"Ummm, Ranger?" Eric asked. "I've seen you in the sun, and I know you eat food, so you can't be a vampire, but I don't think a human could've done what you just did, or still be breathing after that punch." Eric looked to Kendra and asked, "Can someone explain what I just saw?"

The entire room looked to Ranger, as he was the only one in the room with the authority to explain.

Clever, Abbott told her telepathically, but she didn't respond.

The room was silent for a solid minute, and Eric asked again, "What just happened?"

He was looking at Kendra, and she chose her words carefully. "I told you my secrets, Eric. That's all I'm at liberty to share."

"You did that on purpose," Ranger growled. "I could have your a.s.s for this."

"Lost my temper and took a swing? Nothing purposeful about it, Ranger. I apologize for losing my cool - it's a rare occurrence, but you managed to push my b.u.t.tons."

Ranger sat heavily on a chair, looked at Aaron, and said, "Since I'm here with Randall's permission, one of you should be the one to tell him."

Nathan raised his eyebrows and said, "To be clear, you're saying you've changed your mind and wish for us to divulge your secret?"

Ranger nodded and said, "Yes."

Aaron looked to Eric and said, "What we're about to tell you will fall under the binding Abbott put on you."

Eric nodded, and Aaron continued. "If vampires exist, it probably doesn't take a stretch of the imagination to realize other mythological beings are also real. Your uncle is a werewolf."

Ranger took over with the explanations from there, and Kendra sat in the background and let the two of them talk. Aaron, Abbott, and Nathan left about fifteen minutes into the discussion, as their presence was no longer needed.

Kendra and Eric rode back to his yacht in her car so they could talk while Ranger drove Eric's Range Rover.

"Kendra, I have to be honest, tonight almost made me freak and need to think again, but it has nothing to do with you, just with the idea of what else might be out there that I don't know about." He shook his head, rubbed his eyes. He was mentally and emotionally exhausted, and Kendra's stomach sank into her gut. Was learning about werewolves the last straw for him?

"Anyway," he continued, "my point is, I'm not going to pull away from you. In fact, I think it might be better if I tell you how much you mean to me. Ranger's leaving tomorrow, and I'd like you to come to the yacht tomorrow evening and do whatever you need, so you and I can talk in our heads. And... I guess I need to know exactly what options there are? Is that the next step, or the last one? Are there other things beyond? Things you haven't told me about?"

Kendra's relief was a physical weight off her shoulders, and she told him, "I was afraid you were never going to want to be tied to me metaphysically. I will, of course, explain everything, and I'm touched you've asked for it. It means a lot to me."

She wasn't obligated to tell him about Norris, though part of her felt she should. She did want to clarify some things, though so she said, "You told me a while back you didn't want us to be exclusive, but if you're ready to take the next step metaphysically... I guess I just want to be sure where we are. I don't want any misunderstandings."

"Why, are you seeing someone else I don't know about?"

She could tell he was teasing, like he was sure she wasn't and it was a joke... but since the kiss with Norris was under her skin so much, she needed to level with him. "No, not seeing someone. Not exactly. Someone from my past showed up last night. He came without going through the proper channels, and Abbott sent him back home, but he'll likely return in a few months, once he smooths everything over. He was waiting for me when I got home last night, and we talked until dawn. He kissed me before we said goodbye, and then again as we said goodbye, but it isn't like we had s.e.x or anything, and I wouldn't have kissed him if you hadn't been so clear about us not being exclusive, but... I guess I just need to know a little more about where you and I stand."

"If Abbott hadn't sent him away, what would've happened between the two of you?"

"I don't know, Eric. Norris and I haven't seen each other in over a thousand years. We were about to get married when he was... when I thought he was killed. He said it took him hundreds of years to heal before he awakened, and then he wandered around Europe before coming to the U.S. He's been in New York a few months and finally heard news of me. I've been through a half-dozen names since then, though ironically the one I'm using now is close to the one he knew me as. At any rate, he had to find someone who knew me then and now, which isn't so easy to do, sometimes. But, I've changed a great deal in the past thousand years, and I'm sure he has, too. We likely have nothing in common anymore. Anyway, it'll probably be at least two or three months before he'll be able to come back, so it's a moot point right now."

"I can't stand the thought of you with someone else. I don't want to lose you." He sighed as he looked out the front window, his voice dejected as he said, "We're close to the marina now, let's talk about it tomorrow night when we can have a proper conversation, okay?"

"Okay."

As they walked to the boathouse with Ranger, it was obvious he was still ticked at Kendra, but she was fine with him being p.i.s.sed.

"Why are you with my nephew?" he asked when they'd climbed onto the yacht.

"Because I like him. He grabs life by the ears and rides it with all of his being." She shrugged, not sure what else to say, but finally came up with, "He's special, and I care about him."

Ranger turned to Eric. "How long did you know her before she told you what she is?"

"About twenty-four hours, give or take a few hours."

"So, she didn't rope you in as a human and then tell you what she was?" He sounded doubtful.

Ranger had asked Eric, but Kendra answered, "No, Ranger. I was honest with him as soon as I could get permission. I'd have told him four hours after we met, if I could've."

"One more question, Kendra, and I want you to be honest with me. Will having you in his life put Eric in danger?"

"You know there isn't an absolute answer to your question. Eric is officially under my protection, as well as Abbott's, since your nephew has done some consulting work for him." In the long run, things would be easier if she could get Ranger on her side, and acknowledging his connection to Eric was a beginning. Telling him the steps she'd taken to protect Eric should also help. "If anyone were to mess with him it'd be the same as messing with me or Abbott, and if you've done any research at all, you know The Abbott is a force to be reckoned with, and you've probably also discovered most in our world are wary of going against me, as well. There are things worse than death, and I've done most of them, when I needed to make a point."

"What things worse than death?" Eric asked.

Kendra hadn't considered how Eric would hear her words, and she ignored Ranger's c.o.c.ky smile as she told Eric, "The supernatural world is different from the human world - it's more about survival of the fittest, and if you don't gain respect, you won't survive long. Those in my world know if they're my friend then I'll move mountains for them, but if they do anything to make an enemy of me, I'll drop the mountains on their a.s.s. Abbott is a great leader, and has managed to cull this territory of most of the bad apples, so there hasn't been any major trouble in decades, but in past centuries I've lived through a lot of trouble, and made a name for myself."

She turned back to Ranger. "Short answer to your question? Both Abbott and I will do everything in our power to keep him safe."

The conversation moved to more mundane things, but she hadn't answered Eric's question, and hoped he wouldn't ask it again.

She once again left in time for Eric and Ranger to have some time to talk without her, and went home with intentions of escaping into a good novel until dawn.

Unfortunately, Abbott and Josef called her into the office when she arrived.

"The Media Council has asked to see Eric."

"Why?"

"They want an expert to consult with them on the best way to be sure they're alerted to every video game with supernaturals. Apparently, with so many platforms games can be played on, and so many ways they're distributed, this is easier said than done."

"Then we should find them a supernatural video game expert. You know as well as I do, they have a tendency to keep the humans brought to them, turning them into slave automatons who never see the light of day again. They don't operate in your territory, and the leaders still see humans as nothing more than cattle, to be used as needed."

"Brain isn't interested in talking to them, and Aaron has a few tech people on staff, but he isn't interested in sending his people, either. I found a young twenty-something Owl with impressive tech credentials, and I'm negotiating with the Owl King to see if we can send her."

Kendra hated the idea of sending someone in Eric's place, but an owl-s.h.i.+fter would have a better chance of surviving the council than Eric. Still, the girl would be going against her will, forced by her King, who would likely see her as nothing more than a chess piece to use to gain favor with The Abbott.