Queen of the Vampires

COHEN The rest of the Supernatural Council were rambling on again as my eyes scanned around the room. Even the Alpha King's mate was zoning out. There was an issue with mage potions going wrong, but it was none of my business. I had my own problems. “Are you ever going to handle your vampires? I had reports of at least ten attacks this week alone," Amelia, the Human President, said. I shrugged and gave her a flat stare. I'd had the same reports, and what was worse was that most of the attacks were happening in the big city near where my clan lived. It made me look bad, and I hated it, but that didn't make it any easier to get to the bottom of. The eye of the council being on me and what my clan did was not ideal either. “The city's human population is in an uproar. They're calling for a ban on all vampires," she stated. I nodded. I knew that too. “I'm working on it." Amelia let out a little growl, and her wife gave her a pat on the hand. I looked away. I didn't need anyone telling me how to do my job, let alone some woman. Obviously, the vampire attacks were a big deal, but I was already doing everything I could to stop them. What more did they want from me? Finally, the meeting adjourned but a warbley voice called out and stopped me in my tracks as I turned to leave. “Your mate is waiting, Cohen. Avoiding her will only bring you trouble." I turned and looked back at the Seer, Anthea. Her intelligent brown eyes surveyed me from a few feet away. When had she gotten so close? Sneaky woman. The Seer was the unofficial leader of the Supernatural Council. A kind of mediator of all our issues. But lately she'd got it in her head that we all needed mates. “I don't want a mate," I said as I packed up my laptop. “Yes, but you need an heir." I froze. Yes. Yes, I did need an heir. I was a hundred and fifty years old. It was a little early to start training my successor, but still. Vampires retired from whatever their title was at four hundred. My clan had been asking for an heir for years, but my aversion to women had been a valid excuse thus far. Apparently, that wasn't going to work anymore. “Where is she?" I asked Anthea without looking at her. “Come to my office. I'll give you the name of her town." She walked away without looking at me. I glared after her. My eyes slid to the Alpha King, Bryant, as he wrapped his arm around his mate's shoulders. Tallia. His Beta and Gamma fell into line behind the couple, guarding their backs. The Gamma said something to Tallia, and she laughed. I scoffed. How could Bryant stand it? She was clearly sneaking around behind him and instead of being upset, he looked happier than I'd ever seen him. That would never be me. I'd go find my mate and get her pregnant. Then we'd part ways for good and never see each other again. *** The town my mate lived in was fine, but nothing special. Typical Midwest American town. There were a few other supernaturals there, but not many, so naturally, people watched me closely as I prowled the streets. “Are you sure this is her?" my Second, Lance, asked as we walked. He was a few inches shorter than me and bulkier than the typical vampire. His sandy blonde curls hung wild around his head and his warm brown eyes scanned the street. He was my opposite in almost every way, but that made us a great team. I nodded. “There's no one else that even gives me a hint of the mating call." We stopped under a tree on a grassy area in the middle of a parking lot and stared at the front doors of the hospital. “You memorized her schedule?" he asked. I nodded again. “I have to find out where she lives." Lance sighed but said nothing else. I knew he was excited about me finding my mate, but my complete lack of enthusiasm was putting him off. I couldn't help it. I didn't want a mate, and I didn't like women. It was a well-known fact about me which helped keep them away, but now I was seeking one out. I'd seen the hope in his eyes when I'd told him what we were going to do. He thought my mate would cure me of my hatred and then we'd live happily ever after. That wasn't going to happen. I was a bachelor for life, and no woman would change that. The doors to the hospital opened, and a young woman stepped out. My whole body went rigid at the sight of her. She was maybe five-foot-six and curvy, but in an athletic way that said she spent time at the gym. She had olive skin, delicate features, and wavy dark brown hair that hung down to her ample breasts. There was a pep in her step as she walked and, besides when she was at the hospital, she usually wore some form of smile on her plump lips. But it was her eyes that grabbed me. They were a dark hazel that contained all the colors in one beautiful swirl, and they were framed by impossibly long lashes. Even from afar, I kept finding myself trapped in them. Her name was Ellie Jones, and she was my mate. For shifters, their wolf had to make the mating call, but for vampires, we could just tell. There was no doubt in my mind. Yes, she was beautiful, but no woman, pretty or not, had ever called to me like her before. Ellie climbed into a beat-up car and it sputtered to life. She pulled out of the parking lot, and Lance and I jogged behind. The speed limit in the town was low enough that we didn't even have to push ourselves to keep up with her. Vampires were the fastest supernatural, after all. When we ran at full speed, our figures blurred to any human that watched. Ellie pulled up to a rundown apartment building, parked, then climbed out of her car. That weird pep was back in her steps as she made her way up the external staircase to the second floor and entered one of the apartments. “Tonight I'll write a letter and you will deliver it tomorrow," I said. I knew just what to say to get my mate to come see me. I'd done my homework. “Deliver it?" I shrugged. “Tape it to her door or something. Don't let her know we're vampires yet." “You got it, boss," Lance said while smiling up at her apartment. I scowled. I didn't appreciate his enthusiasm for our being here. This was something we had to do, not something to look forward to.