Jesse

15

The moment we left NOLA, it was like someone hit me in the chest, over and over again until we were far enough away it was almost like it was only a sore spot. I kept the knowledge to myself and didn't worry my son, he was driving the first half and I would head all the way home.

I got to the end of the state lines and felt the hurt again, but it was more subtle. Almost how it felt to leave Immie and Jr. the first time.

The farther we got the less sore I was, which was all good in my book. There should be no issue with my leaving Louisiana I had no one here anymore. I used to have lovers all over the US, there wasn't any too long in one place, some were humans, I had a few werewolves, and some vampires who weren't attached to others or in a coven

I got to the end of the day, taking over for Jr and he sat beside me just as quiet but he seemed more on edge. I was driving as he dozed in and out that was when the memories, some I gather, hit me

We were all eating dinner.

We talked strategy...

Imogene and Aaron excused themselves and headed to the deck to talk, and by the way my wife’s mouth was moving she was asking about mates, about the feelings, and somehow she started on me, and us, and Aaron was laughing and they started to share stories.

I was up and out of the chair before they got to far and opened the screen. “What are you two laughing about too much?”

“You my darling.” Inogene laughed and so did Aaron and I looked between both and rolled my eyes.

“Be nice, only share the good stories. I need to feed-“

“You’re going to leave them alone?” I heard a mans voice behind me and I turned to see Greyson looking at Mr. McCoy as he moved to now stand like he was going to lecture me.

“Alone? You are here, a hybrid male is here, my sons are here, are you all going to vanish the second I leave to feed?” I asked and he opened his mouth as if to say something but Imogene had started to giggle at something Aaron said and his eyes were drawn away. “How about you go out there and play nice.” I got to his side, slapped his shoulder and kept walking.

“Going somewhere?” I heard Lukas ask and I nodded. “Can I go?”

“Not this time. Us vampires need something you can’t see. I need to feed Lukas. You feel free to find something that entertains you.” I told him and he nodded slowly and seemed to look around before looking at the stairs. “Go on, I won’t be but an hour, if you find something cool ask one of my sons about it.”

He took off up the stairs, his legs kind of kicking outwards but he moved fast. I got to the front door and wished when I got back things would be better, would be fixed at least.

I got into my car and headed out of pack lands and into the city. There were lowlifes that hung around bars, some I fed on, some I needed to change, and then... there were some not worth saving.

I looked in thoughts and heard their stories, picking out one man who loved to corner women and keep them for a while as if they were his personal whores. I caught him outside, talked to him, confirmed, and then went in.

I drank enough from him to feel sick. To be sick. He would need more than rest time. He would need a hospital and blood soon if he was going to live. I left no trace of myself, cleaning up before going home.

I got into my car and took the long way, hoping that when I got back there would be a happy ambiance. Then, as I started the car, that was the end of the whole day, the rest of my memories of heading home, of putting the car in gear… they were gone.

“You ok?” I turned when I heard Jr, mumble and I looked from him to the road and realized I was driving down the middle, luckily there wasn’t another soul on the road at 2 am.

“Just thinking… remembering parts of that night I took off to feed.” I told him and he sat up and rubbed his eyes. “not the whole thing, just what I was doing before we left, I told yout mother to only start telling the good memories to Aaron, I watched Eli and his mate door a moment or two, felt the need to feed grow as everyone seemed to talk amongst themselves and I knew I could get away with just heading out for an hour.” I told him and he still seemed to calm down about being ready to hear things.

“You remembering leaving?”

“I remember feeding and then going right into the car, tuning the key, but that is it, I am not sure it is coming back.” I added and he sighed before looking out the window. “Don’t worry we are almost there.” I told him and he nodded.

“I kind of recognize it.” He told me and I just focused on keeping the wheel straight. “Do you think it is safe to stay around Aaron and the kids? I know you see them as family and we shouldn’t bring trouble to their doorstep.”

“I have saved them both, and others, if they want to help they are happy to. I won’t stop them, and if it comes down to their kids, then they decide what to do with them. As far as we know nothing is killing either of them since they’re hybrids.”

“So you need their help?”

“I need all the help I can get if they are coming after all four of us. I have your back, Aaron and Grey will have Eli’s and your mums dear Mr. McCoy will have her best interest at heart. If we need to split up, if we need to fight, they will help, all of them will.” I explained, knowing that Aaron might take the kids and Grey would take over for Eli, it was all a plan, the one I had made on top of the strategy we were talking about at that dinner.

“And what about that man in New Orleans?” He asked with a small laugh. “When do you plan on going back for him?”

“Not like I need to, he’s a friend of a friend.” Even as I said it, it hurt to wave off the feeling the mere sort of mention of Brian gave me.

“Didn’t seem like that to me, you couldn’t stop watching him after I arrived, and before it I bet too. Is he the one that showed you around the town you used to live in a couple hundred years ago.”

“Yes, he is, but it has changed since I have lived there. A lot more coffee shops and souvenirs.” I told him and he laughed lightly.

“I wanted to ask about that… why did you choose to come to the new world? You loved Paris and I know we were in Spain…” I knew he was saying I didn’t have to leave to be so far away, but back then, I needed a wide berth, it was safer that way.

“If I had seen that smug face of your leader back then… wouldn’t have stopped myself. I would have been at your mercy as his right hand man. I would have done something you would have had to track me down and exact revenge to prove you and your mother didn’t conspire against your leader.” I told him and he sighed slowly… and I made sure to not look over at him so he didn’t think we were going into the bad space.

“I wouldn’t have captured you.” He said slowly like he needed to make sure that I heard him clearly. “You will always be my father. I might not have been ok with what you were or who you were with, but you still raised me, you still called me your son and you loved me and when it came down to it, if you had been able to ask us to come along, nicely, then I would have. at that time there was nothing holding me t here but my and if I left too she would have come.”

“You will always be my son, no matter what we go through, no matter who this is trying to kill you, if he is my ex lover, or enemy or someone I have wronged, I wouldn’t want to be blamed, but I will understand if you still want your distance.” I knew he would go back to England eventually, he had people he knew friends, even if he didn’t think so right now.

“I guess America has its greater appeals. When this is over, when the threat is gone, I would like to stay and get to know you and your friends, your new life.”

“You have your life, I don’t need you here to forgive you-“

“I want to be here.” He cut me off and I looked over at him now, seeing that he was serious, that he needed this as much as he might want it.

“Ok. I can have a room cleared out, send for your things, buy new things, which ever, and make it yours. We can work on everything until then. We will stay in the estate.” I told him and he nodded slowly as I looked from him to the road as it started to get curved.

It took us two more hours before we were crossing into pack lands and I let the window down so they wolves patrolling knew we were guests, so they could tell our scents, and I knew that someone had communicated because when we pulled into my driveway on the other side of the pack everyone was outside already and waiting.

I pushed the door and stepped out before Immie was hugging me tight and then pushing me away to hug our son. Eli was next with a hug and then Aaron.

“See, all perfectly ok. No permanent damage, let’s head in.” I rubbed shoulders and pushed towards the door and as soon as I was in I sat and leaned my head back. Relaxing and feeling comfortable enough to  just close my eyes and listening to everything going on around me as they talked about how I remembered some stuff, talking as if I wasn’t here, but that gave me time to fall asleep, deeply asleep.

I woke up to a short shake, it was something small, my elbow, just how Immie used to wake me up when I was asleep at my desk. I opened my eyes and saw her there, a small smile on her lips and she waved me up and I saw her mate watching us as if I was going to do something to my own wife he would have to stop.

“Anything going farther in that department?” I asked her as we made our way up the stairs and to my room.

“You mean is he treating me nicer? Sure… if watching me like a hawk is nice.” She told me and she pushed open my door and she walked me in as if I needed the help and I watched her pull my sheets out and tuck me in and she seemed to wait. “What?”

“What are you doing?” I asked knowing she was lingering.

“Forcing his hand…” She whispered and then she lifted her hand to her lips and kissed it slowly as if she would be kissing me. I watched her with confusion as she then used her knee to make the bed creeks and she sighed before my bedroom door was basically kicked in. She winked at me and put her feet down and I watched her walk away, past the outsmarted man and he grabbed my door, growling and mumbling under his breath as he closed it, and I just shook my head at my own wife making her mate jealous by pretending to climb into bed with me…

What a life I have come back into.