Book 2-An Unexpected Duo-Chapter 16: Vladimir

My cousin Raphael was alive. The Medici family was alive. There was another king alive. That could change the entire prophecy. What if it had nothing to do with Myra and myself and everything to do with Raphael, and why did Raphael think Myra belonged to him, how had he come to learn about her.

“Did you say Medici?” Myra asked a look of terror on her face.

“Yes,” I replied slowly, “Why, does that name mean anything to you?”

“Yes, my ancestors, when they’ve visited my dreams. They always warned me to stay clear of the fae hunters and to stay away from the Medici’s. One of the Medici Kings had promised to help protect my family. After the majority of my line had been slayed, my great grandmother met with Stetson Medici and had a witch perform a blood bond on them. This bond united them similar to that of a mate bond, but without the emotions and love that come with being mated. They were able to PowerShare and they could sense when the other was in distress, my great grandmother thought it was the perfect solution to protect our family. The Medici family would be our protectors and we would lend them our fae abilities. My great grandmother never thought Stetson would trick her. He had spent two years wooing her before she’d agreed to be bonded to him. She’d come to believe that Stetson was her soul mate. My great grandfather was her fated mate, and he had died during the first war between the fae and the vampires. Stetson had saved my great grandmother in that war, and that’s when he brought up being blood bond.

The blood bonding ceremony went off without a hitch, and for a few years my family felt safe. We’d lived with the Medici family in harmony and my family line had begun to thrive once more. We no longer feared the vampire race. On the night of the summer solstice my great grandmother once again let a witch cast a spell. This time the spell created an everlasting blood bond, between each Medici heir and the females in my family line. The next morning Stetson tried to drain my great grandmother of all her magic. She was able to warn her family and get them out safely before she died.”

“Did you ever find out why the Medici family needed your families magic and not just faerie blood?”

“My grandmother said the Medici family wanted to become the only ruling family in the Vampire Realm.” Myra replied, looking at me with concern in her eyes.
“Sounds about right.” I grumbled.

“Vladimir, what are we going to do?” Myra asked, her gaze wondering down the hall to where Riss lay sleeping peacefully in her room.

“First we need to get Riss somewhere safe, then we need to come up with a plan. Either we find a way to break the blood bond or a way to end the Medici line once and for all.” I state, already running ideas through my head.

“I have no one to leave Riss with, I would say Esmerelda, but she.. she..” Myra’s eyes started to glaze with unshed tears.

I hadn’t realized how much Essie’s death was effecting Myra. I knew Myra wasn’t a fan of Essie, and I figured she’d be upset Essie was gone for Riss’ benefit. But I didn’t think her death would cause Myra pain too.

“The faerie race, is almost extinct here on Earth.” Myra begins again, “How is Riss going to learn about her history without Esmerelda’ here. I don’t know anything about being Fae. At least Esmerelda could have shared stories with Riss about her stay in the fae realm.”

I smiled down gently at Myra as I held my breath and took her into my arms. As long as I didn’t breath in her delectable scent, then I could keep my vampire at bay. I could offer my mate at least a few minutes of comfort before I had to pull back. I held her tightly before kissing her forehead and taking a few steps back.

“Myra, Yes it’s true Essie would have been able to tell Riss tales about the fae world and about different Fae abilities, but she wouldn’t have been able to provide Riss the level of affection that you have been able to. One of Essie’s greatest faults was that she didn’t know how to love. She was so terrified about the hunters finding her that she kept her guard up twenty-four seven. I was the only person she allowed to get close to her. At least up until the day she met you and Riss. She adored Riss. Riss was the first person I ever saw Essie taking an immediate liking too, and I’m not sure if it was because Riss is an innocent child or because she felt a familial bond towards her. Essie also liked you too. She said you reminded her of her grandmother from her father’s side. She liked how you kept me on my toes. Essie’s gone now Myra, but Riss still has you and she has me. We will give her and teach her everything she needs and more.”

“But how can we protect her, when your cousin is still alive and he is hunting me? How can we protect her when every vampire alive still hates the fae race for the curse that was placed upon them?” Myra asked, her voice lacing with panic once more.

“We take it one day at a time. First lets take Riss to Gwynn and Damien’s. She’ll be safe there.”

“Are you sure?” Myra asked, “I know the pack was weakened after fighting Jupiter.”

“The pack was rebuilt. It’s why it took me so long to come and find you. I couldn’t leave them to repair the pack by themselves.”

“Because you loved Guinevere.” Myra stated, not a hint of jealousy in her tone.

“No, because it was my duty as one of the pack leaders. Yes, I love Gwynn, but our bond has always been more on the familial side. She helped me find my humanity, and Cierra made my soul whole.” I replied, wanting Myra to know my heart belonged to her and her alone.

“Okay,” Myra replied, an almost smile showing on her face, “So when do we leave for the pack?”

“It’s best we leave as soon as possible. Raphael already knows where we are. I don’t want give them the chance to outnumber us.” I reply.

“Okay, let me pack a bag for Riss.” Myra states as she walks back into her room.

I know she’s nervous. She hasn’t talked about her wolf Elizabeth, and I haven’t felt her wolf nearby since we reconciled. I can sense that she’s still there but she’s buried herself deep into the void. It’s my hope that once we’re back in pack territory Elizabeth will make herself present again. Hopefully that will give Myra more comfort in knowing she can protect her little girl. It would also give her the extra strength she needed in case she ever needed to protect herself from me again.
Myra wasn’t even gone for ten minutes before she came back with a suitcase packed so full, it was bulging on the sides.

“I wasn’t sure what all Riss would need. I didn’t want her to feel like we were abandoning her, so I packed all her favorites.” Myra stated.

“Did you pack anything for yourself?” I ask.

“Uh, yeah. I actually have an overnight bag packed in case of emergencies. I wanted to be prepared for any situation.” Myra says as she walks toward her linen closet.
She moves some sheets out of the way and pushes the back wall in revealing a secret compartment. She pulls out a bag and begins to throw items into it. A wad of cash, a passport, some clothing and an extra pair of shoes.

“Okay, Im ready.” She replies as she sets the bag down beside me. “Let me go wake up Riss and tell her about the trip.”

As she walks back to her room, I start to wander why she has a get away bag packed. Had she learned to always be prepared because of her fae blood? Or was it because she was running from me and didn’t want to be caught. Would she have used this bag when I first found her, if she’d realized I was on her trail? Why did she leave the pack in the first place? Was she so afraid to be mated to a vampire, that she left everyone she cared about behind, or had something else happened?

***AUTHOR'S NOTE***
**I HOPE YOU'RE ALL ENJOYING VLADIMIR'S STORY, PLEASE CONTINUE TO LET ME KNOW IF EDITS ARE NEEDED. I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME DURING YOUR READING TO CORRECT ANY MISTAKES. DONT FORGET TO LIKE THE CHAPTER AND LEAVE ME YOUR THOUGHTS ON IT. I LOVE READING ALL YOUR COMMENTS. XOXO MARRIAH**