Chapter 3

I stood there clutching the official stamped letter from Lady Vishnew; yes, I knew my mother was in on this with her. I’d racked my brain for a few moments when a smile broke out on my face, yes there was definitely a way to turn this, and maybe use a little of their own trickery against them, then again, these two weren’t stupid they were after all over one thousand years old, I had to step very lightly, very lightly indeed.

Walking back in I sat to try and plan for the onset of a war as I put it, or just meddling mothers to put it even better. Damn! I really needed to talk to Lana about this and see what she thought, I knew that woman was no dummy and figured she’d seen it even sooner than me. Problem was how to get near her again? I was sure that Lady Vishnew was having her watched closely as I’m sure I was being also.

I was deep in thought not noticing when Dan walked up to me with the invoice from our recent delivery.

“Ok boss, it appears that everything was there, though I saw two bolts of fabric that were a little damaged. Uh boss?” Dan said as he laid the papers on my desk.

Looking up I stared for a moment, still lost in my thoughts for a moment not recognizing Dan. “Uh, could you repeat that Dan? I am a little scatter brained at the moment, been a rough few days,” I told him.

“Yeah, I know boss, with all of them new folks demanding your attention, I’m not surprised. Knowing you though, you handled it like you always do cool and calm.” Dan tossed back at me.

Laughing inside I thought to myself, ‘shit Dan if you only knew, you’d be running for the hills about now.’

Finally finished for the day I started to head home, as if the day couldn’t get worse. I’d almost reached my building when I felt the stalker, sighing I thought ‘Christ not again I really wasn’t in the mood for this,’ as a matter of fact I was in a pretty foul mood as it was. Reaching out I wrapped the interloper holding him immobile, opening my mind I told him, [I am not in a mood to play foolish games with you. When I release you if you still come at me I will rip you apart, don’t doubt my power!] With that, I released him and flashed out to my room, damn it! The stupid bastard was still coming!

Reaching out again I grabbed the startled stalker, then my powers vanished! Son of a bitch! I knew the ass could feel he was human now and yet the idiot still advanced! Sighing I heard a gasp, then a yell of pain, finally a deafening scream, I’d warned the bastard. Laying down I knew the wards would keep things quiet and hidden till he was truly dead, and my powers returned.

Awaking the next morning I tried to float off the bed and was amazed when I found that my powers were still gone! Going downstairs I saw why, the vampire had wedged his self in a corner all night waiting till I came out to release him. Sighing I just looked at the dumb bastard, “You really are pathetic, first you don’t realize who you are trying to kill, especially after hearing your mistress talk about me. Then you end up trapped in my stair well which I might add, I should leave you here to rot. Though I am sure that Lana wouldn’t be none too happy about it.”

Snarling, the man tried to swing at me and was immediately burned on his arm. “You don’t deserve to speak her name let alone talk about her!”

Slapping the man’s face, I snarled back, “When I am far enough away, I will set all these on you, you have to be the most idiotic follower she has ever had, she will thank me for ridding her of you!” With that I turned and left, the man shouting and screaming obscenities at me ‘til I was out of ear shot. Finally, I felt my powers return and I closed my hand striking the idiot in my stair well with all the wards. It was a good thing I was the only one that could hear his screams to say they were satisfying would be an understatement.

Passing her building I saw one of her lackeys stirring then he was searching around for his guard mate, one look at me and he just shook his head. Sighing I knew that there was a pretty big mess back in my building, problem is I didn’t have time to take care of it. Walking into my office I saw that I was actually early enough to have beaten Dan in. Then I remembered we had end of the month inventory, ugh always a chore, one that I could finish in a few minutes but not without raising suspicion.

Settling in I grabbed the first book and waved my hand over it hmmm only three things were off, opening the book I notated them and reached for the second book. Waving my hand over it my eyes got huge when I found over half the book to be wrong, growling I called up each item to see what had happened to it. I’d just finished the second book when Dan walked in the door sleepy eyed, then his eyes went huge as he looked at the two books.

“Sorry boss, didn’t know I was running late.” He stumbled through the office to his seat.

“No,” I replied, “I just got up early to get started, hell this is almost half the day right here, you might get to go home early for a change.” Dan smiled, I knew about the woman he’d started seeing, she was good for him.

Finally finishing up for the day I made my way home, not really hungry I decided not to stop tonight at the restaurant. Well, I wasn’t ‘til I was walking by and saw Lana, Gregor, and another; the only way to describe him would be a dandy, a man made up looking pretty. I growled and stepped in leaning against the door jam, I watched for a few minutes ‘til Gregor saw me and called me over.

“Ah! Johnathon Timmings! May I introduce you to Reginald Pennington III? He was invited by mother to help Lana and me through this difficult time here in these primitive conditions.” Gregor said happily but I could see that the smile never reached his eyes; there all I saw was disgust.

Extending his hand almost like a woman, I almost expected him to want me to kiss it. HA! I’d more than likely break his jaw before I even came close.

“Mr. Timmings, I’ve heard of your family from Lord Vidon, a pitiful thing really, one that should been put down...” he started.

Reaching across the table I smashed my tightened fist into his face, “Listen to me you pompous, little piss ant, pop-n-jay, if I ever hear you insult my family again, you won’t live or exist the day out!”

The little man was picking his self-off the floor, indeed his jaw WAS broken. Standing I bowed to a wide-eyed Lana and snickering Gregor, storming out of the building. Once outside and away from them I waved a hand and was again miles out of town at the rock quarry. Damn it! I’d never lost my temper like that, I know I wasn’t a real powerful man, but I could deal out some damage. I’d been at it for half an hour when I felt the approaching vampire presence, erecting twice as many wards I sat and waited. If the silly boy wanted to die, I was more than happy to oblige. Not too happy he was alive again, he started to stomp toward me.

“Unless you want to die very fast and very painful, I suggest you stop where you are. What do you want little man?” I sneered.

“You insulted me and injured my person I demand..., “ he started.

“You f•©king demand? I suggest you start walking away from me as quickly as you can, you insulted one of the oldest mage families in all the world, therefore you insulted me.” I looked straight in his eyes, I could see him shaking, all I had in my eyes was the icy cold calling of death and I wasn’t afraid to use it.

“As I said at the restaurant, pursue this and you won’t last the day out I WILL make sure of that. You are obviously too stupid to realize just who you are dealing with! I am Johnathon Timmings of the European Timmings!” I shouted.

I swear the little man about pissed his pants when I told him who I was, “Leave! While you still can, I see you again and I will destroy you! Don’t think sniffing around Lana’s skirts will save you either!” I turned as he started walking away from me, within a few minutes I felt my power start to return. Damn it! Now he’d f•©ked up my bad mood! Growling I had to do something more destructive, looking around I saw a series of caves not far away.

Thinking a moment, I smirked perfect! Flashing out I appeared deep in the cave system erecting a huge barrier I started to blast away at the ceiling and walls of the cave. Ah! This was better, wholesale destruction! An hour later I felt Gregor approaching from far off shit! Not now, all I needed right now was his smart-ass cracking jokes. Damn I just hope I was far enough underground for neither of us to affect the other.

Stopping almost directly above me, I felt Gregor’s confusion, concentrating I asked him why he was there.

[Why am I here? You really have to ask? After you spanked pretty boys’, ass did you think there’d be no repercussions? Already we’ve had to put all our troops here on alert. Plus, the fact that he was telling father that you attacked him without provocation.] I laughed, Vidon would have seen through all of the pretty boy’s lies, plus he could see and hear what Gregor and Lana had seen.

[So why are you here? After seeing yours and Lana’s sights I know he no longer believes him.] I responded.

Sighing Gregor almost cringed, [uh ... he and your father want your sight, to clear all points of the conversation.]

I started to laugh, so this was their plan, force me to submit to a memory scan, everyone knew father was the only one strongest enough to scan me. As if I trusted him now, there was no telling what he’d try to plant while he was in there.

Gregor thought for a moment I had lost my mind, [You tell your father and thereby my father, that it will be an extremely cold, cold day in hell before I submit myself to a scan. I can extract the memories but that is all, I will not have another mucking around in my head, not while I am alive!]

[I’ll try, ] Gregor replied, [But if I know the both of them, they’ll be here within the next two days. Oh yeah, pretty boys’ family is already on the way here, I am sure you’ve heard of him, Lord Pompoff.] Gregor said in disgust, that vampire clan was well known for all the atrocities they had perpetrated over the last three centuries. Thankfully they were small and not many followers survived long.

Laughing even harder it was a fight to stay on my feet Lord Pompoff!? LORD!? Again, Gregor must have thought I had lost my mind. [Yes Gregor, I know of the Lewd Lord, as I am sure most of the clans do.]

For a moment I felt Gregor hesitate then the laughter started, so much in fact that I could tell that Gregor was no longer standing a rare thing with him in his vampire form.

A moment later Gregor stopped and got serious, [Johnathon you know that his father could force this, saying that you manipulated the memory. If what happened that night gets out, you and I could be finished no matter what the circumstances. Though I don’t think they will do much to you (as if they could) the effects upon me and Lana could go on for a long time. Why can’t we come clean about it?]

Sighing I thought long and hard before I answered, [Because I made a promise that night Gregor, Lana, even as old as she was, was nowhere near ready, plus the fact that her friend put herself on the line like that. No, I will not diminish her memory or sacrifice, she was only human, but she was by far the most noble of us all that night. Lana doesn’t remember no one does, I removed it from all of you, it was hers and Lana’s wishes. You know better than anyone the love I have for Lana, and exactly what I would do for her. This is one thing I cannot do, not any more it is my pain and mine alone to suffer through ‘til the sign, not a moment before!]