Her Lethal Seductress

The Two Pines

November of 1998 and they had finally made the transition from India to Australia. As they travelled in their private Learjet, Panna felt nostalgic about leaving the country of her origin and settling in a new country. With the advent of new age technology, it was getting more and more difficult for her to stay hidden. 

Jonathan specialised in just this and had made a successful business out of creating identities and managing them. Keeping non-humans, who were slow in ageing or the immortals, hidden in a world of humans. Allowing them to live out many lives on the same planet, as time passed by. Killing them in one part of the world and allowing them to surface in another. Wiping out any trace of their existence in one century and giving them a new life in another. 

Jade was one of the top weapons suppliers to the governments of many countries. For over four- hundred and fifty years she had managed to work as a ghost employer and let her employees do her job.

Jonathan (Jono) had provided every support necessary. But things were getting out of hand as the governments of different countries wanted to meet the real person behind the Singh Enterprises.

Jonathan had used his contacts for them to immigrate permanently to Australia. They had also dissolved their 450 year old ventures in India. Jade converted hers into a new venture with the name Jade Global, a company now registered out of Australia and Jono created a consultant firm.

She had officially changed her name to Jade S and Jonathan had dropped the ‘Nath’ and become Jonathan White aka Jono. New identities and new lives would keep them safe for another 400 to 500 years.

They had kept the paperwork of their Kangra valley Palace fort and other inherited material safe for them to use whenever they needed them. Most of their valuable possessions which were from the current decades were shipped to their new houses in the Mundaring state forest. They had decided to have separate houses. 

Jade wanted her independence and privacy. Although Jono wasn’t happy with her decision, he didn’t mind it as they would still be staying within walking distance from each other.

The only prized possession Jade carried with her was already in her cabin bag. It was a Toledo steel dagger with a beautiful ruby studded hilt. A family heirloom gifted to her by the Portuguese visitor to the King’s court as a token of gratitude. She had helped him remove their common enemy, an English Lord who had been visiting the King’s court and trying to convince him to break his ties with the Portuguese traders.

Jade was sent to kill the Englishman and like every other human she ever came in contact with, the Lord had died the minute he had kissed her. No one could escape her lethal seduction.

The dagger was a small gift but she loved it. Her interest in weapons was piqued with its beautiful design. Sometimes she felt the dagger whispered to her. She knew it was her illusion but the dagger felt like a friend when she would wield it.

She smiled sadly to herself. The Jaintia kingdom had blessed her with a lifetime of loneliness! The only other people that she could safely interact with, without killing them, were the vampires. In fact, a vampire's kiss restored her energy! She blushed remembering the incident 400 years back when her attendant at the visha kanya fortress had kissed her.

She had not come across any other vampires in India except for Jono and her long dead attendant. She suspected that Jono kept them away from her. That was one of the reasons why she wanted her own house in Australia. She was done with her cousin’s overprotectiveness.

After all she was way older than the eighteen year old girl that she looked like.

“What are you smiling at, princess?” Jono asked while sipping from his glass of red blood.

She grimaced, “Why do you drink that in front of me? It is disgusting! I can’t wait to live in my own house.”

He smirked, “you have been watching me drink for over four centuries now. What is so disgusting about this? A man needs his drink and a vamp needs his!”

“Yuck!”

“Wow! You are learning some new phrases. I can see that the Aussie lessons did well!” He c****d his eyebrow. “I liked the girl. Did you like her too? I can meet up with her and convert her into a vampire. You can have a friend then.” He winked playfully at her.

She threw a cushion at him which landed on his head and toppled onto the floor of the jet. They were in their own private room. They had attendants on board but the attendants weren’t allowed in this part of the plane while Jade was travelling.

The attendants happily believed that Jono had a girl in the room. They were used to seeing their master with different women and knew that he was quite a cassanova. Interestingly he usually found women with eyes of the rarest colours. From red to brown!

They reached Perth airport soon enough and got into their sparkling turquoise Range Rover Defender which was waiting for them just off the tarmac. It was Jono's decision to get this car. He felt they needed something inconspicuous. At 150,000 dollars he had done quite well! Jade's choice of a red Jeep Cherokee was most definitely out of the question. The car looked like it was ready to go off-roading any minute.

They left the airport through a back gate, completely avoiding the main terminal building and got onto the Great Eastern Highway almost straightaway. Jade wondered how time had transformed this city as she caught a glimpse of the Swan river on leaving the airport. In half an hour they reached Mundaring.

They entered through huge wrought iron gates into a property that looked like a farm. The stone plaque at the gate said "The Two Pines". As they drove up through the gravel road, they passed some brick cottages, barns and stables. And then Jade saw them! Two beautiful colonial houses about half a mile apart, each with a tall and lofty pine tree standing next to them. 

They were not identical but constructed using the same style of architecture. Probably Georgian. They stopped at the one which had a beautiful white portico in the front, matching white windows and a grey shingled roof. Jade was delighted to see the house and when Jono said "First stop your house", she was ecstatic. "Mine's the next. They are very similar, but I have made some adjustments to the interiors to suit our styles." 

It was a beautiful two storey country homestead. The top floor had 2 bedrooms, a study and a poolroom. The lower floor had a fully furnished kitchen, 2 living rooms and a huge dining hall. There were bathrooms on both floors and the lower floor had an extra guest bedroom.

“Wow! I love this.” Jade said to Jono as she roamed around the house touching the beautiful upholstery.

“Just wait princess, you will love this more.” He held her hand and pulled her towards the conservatory at the back of the kitchen. He stopped at an ornate wooden door and opened it. It opened into a flight of steps going down. A cellar!  Jade's heart was racing as they took the steps and went down. 

Rows of shelves ran along one long wall. They were stocked with wine and all kinds of rare potions and poisons. The far end looked like a work area, with overhead lighting and long work tables. Jono turned her around to face a huge steel door which opened smoothly making a hydraulic noise. Jade saw a cavernous walk-in chiller, shelves stocked with pouches that had the dark red telltale liquid Jade knew so well! 

"You have your poison and I have mine," Jono smirked, "I am the only visitor you have, so you need to stock up."

Jade laughed. “I love this property. You did well big brother.” she teased.

He grumbled, “I have told you so many times not call me that! It makes me feel old! Just call me Jono.”

“Alright, Jonasty! “ she went on her tiptoes and ruffled his short black hair.

He looked down at her and smiled.

****