Nadine Book 3

71. 1632

I sit by Johen in the dining room.

Asa gives me a funny look. "Princess... That 1 is a human."

"I'm aware."

Momma stares at Dipak. "Is it smart for him to be here?"

"It's fine. Everywhere has been searched for those in frenzy. We'll keep him under guard to be safe."

"Whose protection is he under?"

Dipak points at me.

"Put him under your protection, and then you can put the king's guard on him."

I shake my head. "How in the world would he sleep with 16 guards staring at him?"

Momma laughs. "They can search the room and then stay in the sitting room. They don't have to watch him sleep."

"Can they do that for my bath?"

"That would be up to Dipak."

"No, when I put the guards on you, I want them on you. They have a damn good reason to be there. You have already snuck away from them before."

I give him a dirty look. Thora smirks. "I guess he'd rather have you take a bath with guards."

"Right." I shake my head.

Tre yells, "ENOUGH. They are there for your safety. It is not because we want them there. Make it work."

"Maybe I can get a curtain like in the medical area. When they are on me, I could pull the curtain, so they wouldn't actually see me in the bath. But could still be in the room. Would that work?"

Dipak nods. "I'll check the curtains. We will figure something out, so you can have privacy in the bath."

"Thank you."

Momma clears her throat. "That's wonderful. But we were actually talking about putting the guards on the human. I do worry for him."

Dipak nods at her. "GUARD. Johen is now under the king's protection. Summon the king's guard."

"I am not taking the king's guard to Egypt, sir."

He smirks. "No need. It'll be while he's in the castle for the night."

"Yea, ok."

Momma smiles at Asa. "That makes me feel better."

Asa nods. "Yes, it's better to be safe. They will turn him into one of us if he lives through the attack."

Johen shrugs his shoulders. "What's wrong with that?"

I choke on a bean. Tye jumps up and starts hitting me on the back.

Omar looks at Johen. "They don't breathe. It's a matter of dislodging it. I imagine that would be very uncomfortable."

Momma smiles at Johen. "You are to young. You will be stuck this age forever. You need to grow up first. How old are you?"

"17. I'll be an adult in a few months."

"When a vampire is born. They age extremely slow. Nadine is 387 years old. She won't become an adult for another 13 years. But when a human is turned. They stop aging immediately. We would not be able to turn you for at least 5 years. You would have to be a full adult first."

Tye finally gets it out of my throat. "Thank you, Tye." He smiles at me and I sit back down.

Asa nods. "That's why we don't turn children. Could you imagine a 3 or 4-year-old human turned. They would be that age for all of eternity. I know it's not the same with you being 18 or 19. But you are still growing at that age. I do believe the minimum age for a male would be 21 or 22. I think by then they are done growing."

Omar shakes his head. "It really depends on the human. They all grow and mature differently and at different rates. But I think it would be more like 20."

Johen stares at me. "You're 387?"

"Yes."

"I can't imagine the stuff you've seen."

"Mostly I've only seen this castle. My momma never liked traveling."

Momma laughs. "And I still don't like traveling."

"You're her mom? You look the same age."

"We're totally keeping you now." We all bust out laughing. "But yes, once vampires turn to adults, we no longer age. So if you see an old vampire, it was because they were turned from human when they were old. There is no way for a born vampire to grow old."

He glances around the table kind of confused. I smile at him. "I'm the youngest other than Ana. I'm 387."

Tye smirks. "399. I'm almost there."

Tre says. "430."

Thora sits back. "I might be next. 491."

Daddy smiles. "2406."

Bud cracks up laughing. "I think I'm oldest. 2796."

Kane smiles. "1977."

Dipak looks at Johen. "1632."

My brain kicks in. 400 years to grow up. That man went over 1,200 years without his mate. That is an insanely long time. I've never heard of that. No wonder why he refused to think I was his mate. He didn't think anyone would be. He didn't think anyone would love him.

We finish eating and everyone going to Egypt goes to Tye's office. I summon Elkie and Dorseti.

"WHICH ONE IS TYE'S OFFICE?"

I poke my head out the door. "This one."

"Oh ok. What we doing?"

"Dance lessons. We need money, I didn't think about that. It'll be 250 for the dance lessons."

"I still got some they gave us before." Tye hands me 250 and puts the rest back in his pocket.

I make the door to Egypt. The room is empty and clean now.

Dipak rubs his eyes. "We need to find another door to come in to. This is a room in an inn."

Kane nods. "Use the front door of the building from now on. Walk into the lobby."

"Ok."

We spend a couple of hours in Egypt. The girls all get a dance lesson and a new outfit. It's a nice break from all the stress.