The Vampire and Her Human Mate

13| Mother

The sun was setting over the clouds as Bianca's private jet took her away from her mate. Every minute took her miles away from him, and it created a band of panic across her chest.

She had transferred his phone over with a new SIM and broke the old one while he was making them breakfast. She set up a routing to the new number from those in his contacts. This was the most extreme tech she could do. Usually she covered strategy and wet work, but this was something she needed to be able to do in the field. She also put a tracking app onto his phone, so she would be able to track him against Cordon and his people. She hoped that nothing happened while she was away. She had Raven check if Cordon had done any further investigation on The Fox, and they assured her no further attempts had been made.

Rose had organised everything as she had ordered. She was the most vocal about wanting to know what was going on. Bronson had arrived home earlier in the day, strangely quiet during their group call.

She was not looking forward to facing them, but that was a worry for another time. She needed to see her mother. Bianca hoped she would help her, but their relationship had not always been, well, any kind of relationship. It had been a long time since they had seen one another and the last time had been cordial at best- but Bianca needed help that only a very powerful and discreet witch could provide.

It was a long flight to Rome. She used that time to work through possible plans and then systematically thinking through every way it could go wrong. She saw she had two options with various alternative paths to and from there.

She could risk it and publically make her claim on Beau, using her influence and reputation to show that noone could f**k with him or her..

Bianca's ties to the governing body of vampires had been something that had hung over her from a young age. But she was only safe for as long as she was useful. The risk there was that Beau would become a target, a way to weaken or have more control over her. Worst case they would just kill him.

The other clear option was for her to just disappear with him. Start a new life for them both together. She didn't think he would be okay with never seeing his family again. She would also need Raven's help to pull it off.

She thought of her chosen family. They had a lot of history together- shared trauma, bad times and good. They were also her responsibility- she was the one that had made the decision all those years ago and had chosen to take the burden as their leader. She loved them fiercely, but this situation may be more than their love for her could bear. Humans were considered animals, a resource- a source of food only and a way to make money in this world due to the sheer number of them. She'd barely ever known any, and neither had her crew. They wouldn't understand her wanting to take him as her mate.

There was one other option, but it was the most risky and if she f****d it up it would mean her death. She had to leave it as a last resort.

In all cases, she needed to equip him in some way so that he would not be in constant danger in her world or if she decided to live in his. That is what she hoped her mother could help with. Freya was a witch with powerful psychic abilities. Bianca would need to be careful. She was a shrewd and capable woman- Bianca took after her in many ways.

She thought of that option of her living in Beau’s world. Would she have barbeque dinners with family, going out on dates with her man? Get married and have children. It was a strange concept to her. She had been so sure what her life would be, and it hadn't been that…

There was a car waiting for her when she landed. She sighed. This meant her mother knew she was coming. She worried how much she knew. Bianca didn't want to share too much. Cordon was ever present. She wouldn't be able to hide that she had visited her mother, and he would be interested why.

When she arrived at her mother's villa, she got out of the car and walked up to the door with reluctance. The woman stood in the doorway, a small smile on her face. She seemed happy to see Bianca. Bianca looked a lot like her mother. She had the same complexion and body build. Freya's white hair was long, and she kept it in a braid that sat over her shoulder. She was wearing a simple white linen dress.

"Bianca." She stepped back from the doorway to let her daughter in.

"Mother. I trust you have been well."

Freya gave her a side eye. "Of course and you too, daughter." She had a glint in her eye.

She knew something for sure, maybe not everything but something. As far as Bianca understood it, her mother's visions into the future were not controllable and not always helpful, as they could be short or vague- cryptic even.

After they settled into her sitting room, Freya gave her servant orders to not disturb them.

"Now, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

"Cut the s**t," Bianca snapped, already sick of her mothers calm know-it-all cockiness. A barely contained glee at knowing something before Bianca.

Freya laughed. It was tinkly and attractive. "You really are your father's daughter." Bianca scowled at that. "You know, as you get older you will see that-"

She stopped talking, seeing the look on Bianca's face. Sighing, she got to the point. "I know you have found your mate. Your way of life is not compatible with that- you are at a crossroads. That is all I know."

Bianca wondered if that was really all she knew. She rubbed her throat through her turtleneck doing everything in her power not to think of Beau. "I'm not here for that," she snapped, "Do you know what I want?"

Freya's brow creased. She was surprised, obviously having expected something else. "No. I thought-" she stopped herself again and looked away, sadness creeping into her eyes. Bianca thought she might have hurt her feelings.

"I have an assignment, a little different than usual- protection of an asset. I need something extra to ensure their safety. This contract is big, and I really want to shove my success in it into Cordon's face." Bianca hoped her lie would go undetected. She was ensuring she focused on this conversation and what she had explained to her crew, the plan she had kicked off. It was two fold, a way to ensure Corden thought she had picked up the contract for him as well as to cover the actions she was taking now and when she was home. It caught her attention that she thought of where Beau was to be home now.

Freya was thoughtful. Bianca let no feelings or thoughts through. It was all about this conversation. She couldn't tell if her mother was doubting her words or if she was thinking of what options she would give.

"The asset is?"

"Human. Very weak. I need to move them from one location to another. I have sorted the logistics but there are many ways this can go wrong. I don't want to bring too many people in- while that would ensure more muscle, the more people know the easier it is for the wrong people to find out."

Freya stood and walked over to the bookshelf. She paroused the shelves, collecting a few books.

"Anything that could be imbued in them physically would be too powerful for a human to endure," she explained. "What you'll need is a talisman, or many. Something for undetection, protection from magics…"

"Increased strength, speed, endurance or improved healing?" Bianca asked hopefully.

Freya thought some more, selecting a final book and returning, this time sitting beside her daughter.

Freya slowly nodded. "I have some potions for that, but it'll only be short term and the after effects are… unpleasant but not deadly. Not a child?"

Bianca shook her head. "Though what would be the effect of that?"

"You would need to make sure you shifted the dosage carefully and use a less is more approach. They're smaller bodies may not survive the after effects."

Good to know, Bianca thought- the image of Beau's nephew flowing across her minds eyes. She shut it down quick. There was no knowing what could end up filtering into Freya's subconscious and kick up a vision.

Freya opened a few books showing her what she recommended and what would be required.

Bianca took note of the specifications of each talisman and the benefits and downfall of each. She picked the ones she thought would work the best. "Anything to disguise them, so they don't smell human?"

Freya was thoughtful. "Only cursory. Something more effective? Not like this…"

"What?"

"You could feed them vampire blood. That can lessen their stench, but other physical aspects may give them away."

"Long term effects?"

Freya shrugged. "I don't know exactly, but I could find out. How long until you need to move them?"

"How long will it take to make these?" Bianca counter asked, gesturing at the open books around them.

"Two days, if we start immediately- some ingredients need to be processed first and a few items I don't have on hand. But we can get them tomorrow."

Bianca didn't miss that her mother was expecting her to stay here and help make them. That would mean she wouldn't be back when she said she would be. But this way should make sure it was all done and he'd be safe. Or at least safer.

Bianca faced her mother. “Let's get started then.”

~*~