“How?” She snapped. “One day we will have children.” She took in a deep breath, she could feel the tears building up, and her bottom lip trembled. “What if...” She sobbed. “What if I lose you like Gran lost Angus?” That was it; she couldn't hold it in any longer.
Dante dropped to his knees in front of Tammy and grabbed hold of her hands. “Don't think like that. I am not going anywhere. I love you Tammy and no one is going to take me away from you.”
Tammy looked down into Dante's dark eyes. She really wanted to believe him, who was he kidding. He didn't know any more than she did. He was right though, they did need to start enjoying their honeymoon. Right now, they were safe. Weren't they? So many questions were running through her head and she didn't dare ask them. For once in her life she didn't know want to know the answers.
Tammy leaned forward and placed a kiss on Dante's forehead. “You're right. Let's just enjoy our honeymoon.” She could tell her voice wasn't very convincing. She had to do something to take her mind off what would be her living hell.
Chapter Seventeen
It wouldn't be long now till they returned and a slow build of excitement flowed through her veins. A smile hit her lips when she thought about her and her fellow sisters finally getting what they were owed.
The coven had waited for such a long time, all their hopes were on this dirty blood sucker. Then she remembered what happened at the wedding. For weeks now she had been thinking and replaying the moment in her head. Had he worked out what she was? Would he tell Tammy?
She couldn't fail, she was the chosen one. She ran her hands through her hair and looked back down to her breakfast. Eating was impossible now she was reliving the scene when Dante's eyes locked with hers. Her phone rang, making her jump and her thoughts dissolve. She eagerly answered, before she could say anything that cold voice began to speak.
“I have just been informed they have returned to Ashville. Maybe you should have gone and visit, make sure everything is going to plan.”
“I should,” she smiled. “I have something to confess. At the wedding I think the bloodsucker realized who I was...”
There was a long silence and she could hear an annoyed sigh. “Did he say anything?”
“No,” she quickly replied. “It was just the look he gave me.”
“You can tell a lot from a look, Jenna” she laughed. “I remember how scared the other one was when I plunged my knife into his stinking flesh.” She cackled loudly and Jenna felt the hairs on her neck stand up.
She admired this woman a lot, the leader of the coven. She had done since she was a child. Jenna always sensed she was full of magical powers. She was really happy when her mother finally explained everything five years ago. It was just a shame she had to turn against her best friend. She had tried to talk Tammy out of it. She cringed when she remembered seeing the tiny pin pricks on Tammy's finger. The parasite had started feeding off her best friend.
“Okay, Glandis” Jenna swallowed hard. “I'll go and see them and make sure everything is going to plan.” She quickly put the phone down. Her hands were shaking and her breathing heavy. She couldn't let this become personal. It really didn't have anything to do with Tammy, she had just been unfortunate.
They had to pay up for killing her sisters, for all the pain they had caused just to hide their dirty little secret. Jenna was better than Dante, nothing about him was superior, and in fact he was nothing. Jenna felt her hatred rise through her body. The bile crept up her throat as she remembered saying he was handsome.
Jenna closed her eyes and felt her heart break in two. Poor Tammy, secretly she prayed that if they did have a baby it would be a boy. Then another side of her wished Tammy had never agreed to go to that party. She wished she had been there at the time to put her off. However, things were the way they were and she couldn't change it.
***
Tammy stepped out of the car and looked at Ashville manor. It had quickly turned to winter, the sky dull and grey. Everything was frozen and cold. She already missed the sun and the sea. The rest of her honeymoon had been perfect. They had gone swimming with dolphins, sipped champagne, and made love under the stars. Everything had seemed dreamlike, but now with her feet on the solid Ashville ground, reality had kicked in.
She watched as her suitcases were placed next to the front door and it took all her strength to walk up the steps. This was once her fairy tale castle, now she saw it as a murder scene. She had persuaded herself not to over think everything, now she was here, well her mind was racing.
She felt Dante come beside her and grip hold of her hand. “It's okay,” he reassured her, giving her hand a little squeeze. He knew exactly what was going on in her head, the nights they stayed up talking endlessly about what life would be like when they returned. At one point Tammy had even suggested never coming back. He couldn't do that, especially knowing how much she loved her grandmother.
Also, how long would it be before they were tracked down? There was no way to avoid the others. Also, he didn't want those hags controlling his life. Ashville was their home and they were not being pushed out.
“The tradition is that I carry you over the threshold” Tammy looked up at Dante's perfect face that wicked glint calming her immediately. She caught her breath as her eyes focused on his lips. Those magic lips that made her skin come alive. No, it wasn't going to be bad with him by her side. After all this would have been his life if she was here or not. She couldn't even think about not being with him.
“If you want” she smiled. “After all, I do remember you liking to be traditional.”
Dante's head fell back and he gave a little laugh. “If you wish, Mrs Renaldo.” Without warning, he scooped Tammy up in his arms and carried her into the house. Tammy gave a little squeal of delight, she loved the way his strong arms felt around her. She rested her head against his chest and took in his intoxicating scent. “Life is going to be good, you know.”
“I know,” she sighed, her arms clinging around his neck. “I guess I am just being stupid.”
“About what?”
“People watching me, waiting and praying that I get pregnant.” Dante stopped and lowered Tammy to the ground, his dark eyes looking nowhere else but here. “It's strange and I really don't deal with being certain of attention well.”
His arms locked around her waist and he swooped down to her eye-level. “You're always the centre of attention to me,” he huskily said. Tammy felt herself get giddy, sometimes his voice did things to her body and she found it hard to concentrate. “Come, no doubt my mother is dying to see us.” He softly placed a kiss on Tammy's forehead. “Smile,” he quickly said, standing up straight.
A smile emerged on Tammy's face as Dante led her further into the house. Claudia was going to bombard them with never ending questions. However, guilt quickly jumped in. Claudia was now another on her list of people she was lying too. Surely, one day she would have to know the truth. After all Tammy did want Dante's children. There could be a small chance she would have a daughter.
Life had changed very quickly, just a few months she had vowed never to get married. Here she was now thinking of having children. Her thoughts were cut short when they entered the kitchen and she saw Jenna sat at the table.
Dante froze when he saw who his father was having tea with. She had a nerve walking in here. He looked over at Tammy, who had a big smile on her face. His heart dropped, her best friend was his family's enemy. That he would keep to himself, for now.
“Jenna,” Tammy sang, as she raced towards her best friend. “What are you doing here?”
Jenna's eyes flickered from Dante to Tammy. “A little birdie told me you were back and I just had to come to see you.” She slowly rose from the table. “Why don't we go somewhere private?”
Dante wanted to scream no! Pick Tammy up and lock her away. Anything to keep her away from Jenna. Why had it taken him so long to realize who and what Jenna was?
Like that would have made any differenc
e. These girls had grown up with one another and if he tried to stop them hanging out with each other he would look like the bad guy.
Tammy turned to Dante. “Do you mind?”
Dante reluctantly shook his head and watched the pair leave the room. He waited until he heard the living room door close. “Why did you let her in?” He growled, his fists clenching and his nostrils flaring.
His father looked completely relaxed as if nothing was wrong. As if having tea with a witch was just an everyday occurrence.
“She is Tammy's friend, Dante” he shrugged his shoulders. “Why shouldn't I?”
“She is one of them,” he growled again. He wanted to break something. Jenna's neck would be a good choice. He could feel his anger growing and taking over. His father had crossed a line, how could he sit there as if everything was all right. A witch, their enemy was in their home. “Are you crazy?”
Sir Renaldo looked down at his mug and then back at his son. “No, I am not crazy or stupid. I know who she is, I have always known. We can't go around making a scene, Dante. Both our wives don't know the actual curse.”
“Tammy does” Dante snapped. His fathers face turned from relax to shock in ten seconds. Dante tried to calm himself down, but the thought of Tammy being alone with her was an uneasy thing to deal with.
“Why?” His father yelled, slamming his fist into the table. “Why did you tell her, Dante? That poor girl didn't need to know.” He jumped up from the table and over to Dante. “I can't imagine the fear she must be living through.” Sir Renaldo pointed an index finger at Dante. “You! Always going against everything I tell you. Why? Just once I wish you would take my advice.”
“Advice?” Dante laughed. “To lie with my wife? She knows what I am, she has accepted her role. Why would I want to hide anything from her?” Dante rubbed his brow. He hated fighting with his father. Sometimes he just didn't seem to get what Dante was trying to say. It was if he was stuck in his ways and would never listen to reason. He took in a deep breath, another attempt to calm himself down. The last thing he wanted was his mother to hear any of this.
“Please,” he tried to make his voice light, however, a hint of anger managed to escape. “I do listen to everything you tell me. I just couldn't live with the thought of lying to her. Arguing isn't going to help get rid of the witch sitting in our living room.” That was a sentence he'd never thought he would say.
“We can't get rid” his father hissed. “Can't you see that this might give us some advantage?”
“Yeah” Dante rolled his eyes. “Makes life a whole lot easier,” he sarcastically replied.
“In a way, yes. We have the witch right under our nose. We know what she will know as it will be Tammy telling her. Be friendly to Jenna, this may be our chance to get this finished. She may be our loop hole.”
***
Tammy flopped on to the sofa. She was beginning to feel a whole lot better now. Especially having her best friend to greet her. All her anxiety and fear had somehow vanished and she wanted to know all the gossip she'd missed out on.
“Where did you go?” Jenna asked, the second she too flopped on the sofa. She had to try really hard to hide her disgust from the reek of the place. She would try and hold her breath, but turning blue wouldn't be a good look for her.
“We went on a cruise of the Mediterranean” Tammy smiled as she remembered. “We went swimming with dolphins, had cocktails with the captain. Oh Jenna, you should have seen this wardrobe, I had filled with dresses. You would have been in heaven.”
Jenna wrinkled up her nose, two weeks stuck out at sea with a vampire was a living hell. Even if he was rich and bought her clothes. Anyway, she wasn't here to find out the ins and out's of their honeymoon. She wanted to know only one thing, last time she's asked it was very clear Tammy was still a virgin.
“So,” Jenna raised an eyebrow. “Did you?” Tammy felt her cheeks flush slightly. Of course Jenna would only want to know about the bedroom stuff. She couldn't manage to say the words, so she nodded, while looking very coy. “Good, huh?”
“Of course” Tammy blushed a little more.
“When do you think you will have children?” Jenna blurted out. She was fed up with going round the houses. She watched as Tammy's face fell, okay, that wasn't the reaction she had expected. Then again, Tammy wasn't one for kids. Something deep in Jenna gave a sigh of relief. The living room door opened and both girls turned to face Sir Renaldo.
“I am sorry, Jenna” he politely smiled. “I was wondering if I could have a moment of Tammy’s time.”
“Sure” Jenna stood up with Tammy following. She turned to face her best friend. “I am glad you are happy, Tammy.” Taking Tammy off guard Jenna hugged her. “Be careful,” she whispered in her ear, she pulled away and headed for the door.
Tammy's eyes followed her friend that was a weird thing to say. Tammy shook her head. She was obviously just worried about her. With Jenna gone, she focused all her attention on Sir Renaldo. “I am all yours,” she smiled. A little intrigued with why he actually wanted to talk to her. Half the time they never said more than two words. Maybe Dante had informed him that she knew, she swallowed hard. Yes, that had to be it! Great, more horror to listen to.
He closed the door behind him and headed over to a bookshelf. Tammy remained where she was. She watched as he picked out a book, walked back over and sat down next to her.
“This book contains all our family's history. Every birth and major event has been written down right from the start.” He shifted slightly and opened the book. Tammy could hear the spine creek. “I have never allowed my wife to read this, in fact. She is unaware of its existence.”
“Then why are you showing me?”
“Dante has told me he has informed you about everything... In spite of what I told him. I think you would benefit from reading this.” he quickly flicked through the pages, and then stopped. His hand now lay flat on the page. “This entry is the day it all began, our secret was about to be exposed by the others and our ancestors had to act quickly. Back then people were very against anyone who seemed different. We had to go to war and protect ourselves, which meant others had to die.” He tilted his head to the side. “We had to make a stand, anyone who knew who we were had to die. We did go to many extreme lengths, innocent people were killed and the others reacted.”
“Okay,” Tammy slowly said, it was time to ask her questions. If he was willing to explain, then one vital question had to be asked. The one that had been circling her head for weeks. “Why would they want my daughter-- if I have one?”
“Has Dante told you about the story about the children going missing?”
Tammy thought for a second, how could she forget that. “Isn't that all made up?”
“No, that did happen. That witch lured him and his brothers there. She had planned to kill them, but they begged and begged. She knew the history of our family and she knew what we craved for more. If a girl is born, the vampire bloodline will end. However, if we hand her over...” Sir Renaldo stopped and took in a deep breath. “Then we have to continue living the way we are.”
“Surely by now it should all be forgotten...?”
“It can't,” he cut her off. “They will not rest till we receive our punishment for killing their kind. They want to watch us suffer, they want what we need and they want to take it away from us.” A small smile hit his lips. “I guess in away after everything you could call it a curse.”
***
“Why did you come?” hissed a voice, Jenna stopped in her tracks. She slowly turned on heel and looked at Dante stood at the front door. His face cold and hard, his eyebrows almost meeting.
“I don't need to answer to you,” she snapped, turning back round and racing to her car. Within a second Dante was stood in front of her. “Leave me alone, bloodsucker!”
“Is that the best insult you can think of?” He smirked, he was blocking her from moving anywhere and his stink was hurting her nose. “Stay away...”
/>
“I can't! And you know that...”
“Tammy is your friend, why would you do this to her?”
“Excuse me?” Jenna looked mortified. “You think I am getting any pleasure from this? I wish Tammy wasn't married to you. I tried to talk her out of being with you, freak! This isn't about Tammy, is it? You owe us and you will pay up.”
“Pathetic!” He snarled. It was taking all his restraint not to throw her across the driveway. She looked so smug, how could she proud of what she was, what she was intending to do one day. “Get out of my face, hag!”
A little smile sprung to her lips, her first ever insult. “Gladly, parasite.” Dante stepped away and walked back into his house. That smile slowly fell, why wasn't she getting any enjoyment from this. It was about time these dirty filthy vampires paid up. Then it hit her like a ton of bricks, the only one in all of this who would suffer was Tammy.
Jenna quickly got in her car, she had to get away from this place, and it was starting to affect her head. She had told herself time and time again this wouldn't get personal. This was what she had been born to do. She was the one everyone was relying on.
Jenna could feel her eyes filling to the brim with tears. She had to somehow forget about her friendship with Tammy, she had to be stronger. How? How could she turn her back on Tammy? That's was something she didn't know.
***
Tammy sat on the floor in her new home. The book lay open in front of her. She was in two minds about reading it. Did she want to learn all the ugly history that came with this family she had married into? For a brief second she thought about running back to the safety of her own family home. Her love for Dante was too strong and she needed him just as much as oxygen.
Tammy pulled her knees up to her chest, this wasn't fair... She heard the cottage door open then close.
Dante kneeled down beside her. “What is that?” He pointed to the book and pulled it towards him.” Don’t tell me... My father?” He laughed. “Typical! Likes the facts to be known.” He pushed the book away. He no longer wanted to think about witches or curses. He turned to face Tammy, she looked tired and pale. What Tammy had suggested on their honeymoon was beginning to look appealing. He shifted towards Tammy and pulled her into him. “I'm sorry,” he whispered into her hair.