Bloodseeker - Colin's Conquest Part 25

"I am anxious for our honeymoon to commence."

A discreet cough sounded nearby and he placed Joanna back down on her own two feet and faced his beaming guest. Joanna smiled at her this time instead of shooting daggers of jealousy. It was silly to feel that way about anyone because she knew the extent of Colin's love for her. The tiny ethereal woman spoke in hushed tones to Colin about the turn-out of fellow centenarians at the reception, and Joanna listened with half an ear as she searched the room one more time for the ominous stranger. The woman's voice drew her full attention as she felt a spark of recognition.

"Have I met you before? I feel like I recognize your voice, but I don't recall ever meeting you before." Linnea's airy laughter caught her by surprise.

"You were out of it when we met, Joanna. I'm not surprised that you don't remember me.""If Linnea had not happened along, you would not have lived through the metamorphosis."

"Linnea?"

"She is my Creator, Jo. Remember the story that I told Ben which you also listened to?"

Joanna turned awestruck eyes toward Linnea and stared at her pet.i.te form.

"You are a second millennial? You look human! You are the one that saved Colin from death?" She bubbled with excitment, and then reached out to embrace Linnea.

The pet.i.te woman hugged her back, enjoying the comfort of another's touch then she pulled away holding Joanna at arm's length, her head c.o.c.ked to the side, a peculiar expression on her face.

"Will you come outside away from the noise for a moment, Joanna?" Without waiting for an answer, Linnea pulled Joanna by the arm to the door of the club, ignoring the curious and l.u.s.t-filled stares of the many centenarians in the room.

After dragging Joanna out the door Linnea stopped and once again held her still, looking at her for a moment. She lit up with a dazzling smile as she gazed at her favorite offspring's wife.

"You would not believe what a miracle you are, Joanna. Did you happen to notice that all the other's of our kind at your party are males?"

Joanna nodded.

"You are the first soul mate to survive conversion in hundreds of years, and you only survived because you love Colin. At least I think that is what helped you make it over from the other side. There have been other females with the active pineal gland that makes us what we are. I find it very hard to believe that in all the thousands of years of our existence there have been no others."

She sighed, looking back toward the club door. "Anyway, those poor males in there have tried many times to choose mates, but they all perished."

"But what about you?"

A touch of sorrow entered her eyes, but she shook it off. "I loved my soul mate with all my heart and he loved me." Clenching her teeth, she shook her head back and forth. "I was so traumatized when the vile one destroyed him and I wished to die myself. But instead, I seek vengeance by destroying all those that I consider evil blood seekers. Not that any of us are innocents, you understand, but there are those that do not deserve to live in any form, and it is those that I seek. I learned from them what we are inside and why we exist as we do."

Pus.h.i.+ng her silky black hair back out of her face, she watched Joanna's reaction. "That is how I maintain my youthful human appearance. It is kindred blood that I drink. I pray that you don't think ill of me for I love you like you were my own daughter. It was an evil, jealous horror that killed my Jeremiah, and I will rid the world of them till my last breath."

Taking Linnea's hands in her own, she shuffled her feet in the gravel of the parking lot, spraying small pebbles to the side.

"I understand, Linnea. I believe I would do the same."

Their eyes locked and the bond grew stronger between the two females.

"Yes, you would, wouldn't you, Joanna? This is not what I brought you out of the club to discuss. I have some shocking news for you." She hesitated and Joanna prompted her.

"What is it?""Well, I thought I noticed it inside, but I had to bring you away from the noise to be sure that I really heard what I thought I did.

You are amazing, an anomaly, an unprecedented marvel." Joanna's eager face was full of curiosity as she strained to maintain control. "As inconceivable as it may sound, you, my dear Joanna, have two heartbeats."

Confused, Joanna clutched her chest. "Do you mean I've grown another heart?"

Linnea laughed. "In a matter of speaking, yes, you have." Her eyes drifted down to below Joanna's navel and back up to her face as she waited for what she implied to sink in. A look of astonishment washed over Joanna, as it dawned on her what Linnea hinted at. Placing her hand on her own lower abdomen, she smiled at her remarkable ancient friend.

"You mean, I'm pregnant." Her voice turned into a squeaky whisper. They laughed together and Linnea placed her hand on top of Joanna's as it rested on her womb.

"Yes, yes, I hear the baby's rapid little heartbeat, quiet, but strong." Linnea's laughter faded. Apprehensive, she glanced around the parking lot. Taking Joanna's arm she walked her over to their car, turning around so she could view the surrounding area and watch for any of the others.

Joanna held herself as if she cradled an infant, a subtle glow radiating from her skin.

"This is the first time ever that I have heard of one of our kind being pregnant, Joanna. We don't even have menstrual cycles! It would be impossible to conceive! You must've conceived right before you were converted and obviously the embryo survived!"

The car rocked as Joanna let her weight fall against it beside Linnea. One of the tin cans tied to the b.u.mper rattled then grew silent as it found its niche on the ground with the other cans.

Joanna cleared her throat. "Will the baby be human or a vampire ... I mean one of us?"

Linnea stared off into the distance, her vision unfocused, then she sighed. "We'll find that out when the time comes. I suppose."

A sudden thought came to Joanna. "Linnea! Who will be my doctor? I sure can't go to my family doctor like I am now!"

First surprised then amused, Linnea laughed. "You honestly don't know, do you?" Joanna shook her head, not knowing what her newfound friend referred to.

Linnea continued to laugh. "Your husband, silly! Not that anything could hurt you now anyway, but Colin is a licensed medical doctor ... though it was long ago."

As if he heard his name being called, Colin's head appeared at the door. When he saw them he came all the way out and headed across the parking lot, a broad smile plastered on his face. Joanna came close to a swoon just watching her husband's approach.

His long easy step, his glorious dark curly hair, his lean hard body, his handsome face, she loved everything about him.

"What are my two favorite ladies grinning about?"

They glanced at each other again and smiled their secret smile. Linnea squeezed Joanna's hand and moved to return to the party.

Pa.s.sing Colin she couldn't resist wrapping her arms around him, giggling and giving him a powerful hug. Groaning under her strength, he embraced her in return.

With s.h.i.+mmering eyes and raspy voice, she spoke. "As much as I love you, I also love your family.... and I do love you so, Colin."

Releasing him, she dissolved into the night and left the two newlyweds alone.

"All right, wife, what is going on?" He stared into her glowing face, waiting for an explanation, one strong hand on each of her shoulders. Staring back at him, still filled with awe, she wondered how any one being could be so gorgeous.

"I didn't know you're a doctor, Colin." Her words surprised him, but as usual, he recovered in an instant.

"That was my human occupation, but of course, you know I have not been in practice for a very long time. The bright lights of the hospital do terrible things to my skin." Joanna laughed at the falsetto voice he used as he referred to his skin, like he was a woman worried about her complexion.

"Maybe you should get back into practice, just in case."

"Why should I ... Joanna, is something wrong?" Worry lines marred his pale forehead.

"Colin, you are crus.h.i.+ng my collarbone."

He loosened his grip on her shoulders.

"I am sorry, Jo. Now would you tell me what is going on before I crush you some more?"

"I think you should study up on obstetrics." Her statement confused him, but then she watched his expression change as he realized what she implied. To her surprise, instead of glowing with happiness, his face crumpled.

"Why are you looking like that, Colin? Aren't you happy?"

Gathering her in his arms, he stroked her back as he spoke. "Oh, Jo, if you want a baby, we can take a human child and raise it as our own." She stiffened in his embrace and pushed against his solid chest until he released her and she stood facing him, her hands on her hips.

"I'm pregnant, you fool. d.a.m.n, Colin, are you that dense?"

"Joanna, Joanna, precious one, it is not possible. You are not having your period because the lamiartis is binding with your estrogen and therefore you would not be fertile. I am so sorry to disappoint you. I wish it were true as much as you do."

Stepping closer to enclose her in his arms and comfort her, he was stopped short by her fist slamming into his gut.

"Joanna?"

His pathetic boyish expression erased her anger at once.

"You stubborn man! Linnea told me that I'm pregnant. She heard the baby's heartbeat!" His body stilled and she heard his powerful heartbeat begin to race. In slow motion, he took a step back and then another until he could see the length of her body. His rounded eyes traveled from her glowing face down to her still flat stomach. c.o.c.king his head to the side, face taut in concentration, he listened for what Linnea heard earlier. Still moving with human slowness, he reached for her, placing his hands on her hips, like she was a fragile flower stem apt to break, he pulled her to him. Kneeling before her, he placed his ear against her womb.

Bending to the side, she watched his face as he listened for his baby's tiny heartbeat. After only a few moments, his expression changed to stupefaction. His eyes grew wide and more rounded, and then came the most beautiful smile, so beautiful, that it made her heart swell to see it. He emanated such powerful feelings of pure love, Joanna was almost overcome by it and she staggered.

Colin jumped to his feet, a dazzling smile plastered on his flushed face. He opened his mouth as if to speak and Joanna watched in amazement as all the color drained from his face and her big, powerful centenarian husband fell over in a dead faint. In a flash she moved to catch him before he hit the pavement, then carried him over to their tin-can bedecked car, laying him out in the back seat.

She couldn't help but giggle at the stupid grin still showing on his face. She waited for him to come around then began to worry.

He'd been unconscious for several long minutes when Joanna decided to go find Linnea to help her. She'd know what to do.

Backing out of the car she spun around to head into the club and almost plowed right into Linnea.

Grinning, Linnea held a large gla.s.s br.i.m.m.i.n.g with clear liquid in her hand.

"You are projecting your thoughts, Joanna. You must learn to control that, or every centenarian within fifty miles will know your powerful husband has fainted like a weak-kneed human!" Nudging Joanna to the side, she peered into the back seat at her slumbering man-child."All right, let me at him. This is cold water." She held up the gla.s.s, then grinned again. "Very cold water!"

Before Joanna could move to help her, Linnea had Colin out of the car and placed on the ground.

"Didn't want to ruin your upholstery." She whispered to Joanna then poured the contents of the gla.s.s in Colin's face. Within seconds Colin's eyes flew open, he sputtered and attempted to rise but Linnea held him down with one hand.

"Rest a moment, neophyte." He obeyed and fell back to the ground. Taking deep breaths he shook his head back and forth, trying to clear away the remaining fog.

Linnea rose to her feet. "I must go back in and prevent the others from coming out here." Touching Joanna's cheek she gave her a warm smile. "Conceal your thoughts, Joanna, It would inflame their jealousy and their l.u.s.t as well to discover your pregnancy. Both of you are in danger. Use caution, and stay with him." She moved her eyes to Colin, then looked back at Joanna before she turned to head back to the club.

Linnea reached to open the club door when a voice stopped her. She felt instant excitement, and at the same moment felt chilled to the bone.

"Linneaaaaaa..." She turned to face him.

"Tomas?"

Embracing, they slipped around the building to Tomas' waiting car.

The scent of perfume lingered in the air after Linnea left. Joanna took a deep breath and gave silent thanks to her friend for her help. Glancing back at Colin she saw he was aware and watching every move she made.

"Some Daddy you are, fainting at the first sound of your child." His face reddened with embarra.s.sment for just a moment, then he sat up beside her and put his arm around her shoulder.

"You married me, Jo, now you are both stuck with me!"

With a dramatic sigh she frowned and used her most pathetic tone of voice. "Oh Colin, how will I be able to stand it, being married to such a weak man?" Almost choking with suppressed laughter she watched her husband's face transform into a parody of hurt and bruised ego. It was wonderful to see some expression, while not too long ago he wore only a mask, giving no clue to his feelings.

Joanna found herself thrown into the back seat of their car, Colin leering down at her. "I shall show you how weak I am, wife!"

His lips crushed hers in a scalding kiss that left her breathless and wanting more. His clean scent filled her nostrils and she wondered how she could smell his sheer strength. At the same time he was gentle, unexpected from a fabled vampire. Now she was married to this creature, by blood and by human law, and she carried his child. A vampire child? A human child?

"Jo! We must return inside. The party goers have noticed our absence."

"Just one more kiss before we go." She wrapped her arms and legs around him and met his lips with a fiery pa.s.sion of her own.

Colin rose in one motion from the car, carrying her with him, never breaking the seal of their lips. Joanna's hands found their way inside his s.h.i.+rt and she delighted in the feel of his silky bare skin. Wanting to bury her face in the soft curls on his chest, she began to unb.u.t.ton his s.h.i.+rt. Halfway down, they were interrupted by Ben's booming voice from the doorway.

"Hey, you two, you'll have an eternity to do that after the party. Come on now, it's time to practice control!"

Colin groaned. "I'd like to practice control on his head." They chuckled together, tearing themselves apart to go back to their guests. As she pa.s.sed Ben Joanna glared at the blond fiend who'd been so rude to interrupt them. She had to laugh, though when he fell back against the door, clutching his heart, a look of dismay spread across his handsome young face.

"Oh, you wound me so, Joanna!" Falling to his knees he pressed his clenched fist against his aching heart. Without missing a step Colin ushered her through the door, keeping a straight face as he restrained his own laughter at his neophyte's antics.

"I believe that boy has lost all forms of reason, Joanna. Avoid him at all costs so no one will know we are a.s.sociated with him."

She spun around and waited to see Ben's reaction to Colin's taunt ... she knew he'd heard. She loved to see the two of them joking with each other, it was one of the few times they showed their affection for one another.

Ben surprised her with a dignified retort. "Who you callin' boy?" Colin sighed but did not respond. The undercurrent in the club distracted him ... suffocating! Invisible sparks filled the room, the power his clansmen emitted could make anyone's hair stand on end. But that was not all ... not by a long shot. Something else hovered, like poison in the air, pertaining to his wife. No doubt about it. He pulled her close to his side and sent out a mental torrent of his own to push the others back.

Oblivious to the danger swarming in the club, Joanna's mom approached the couple.

"It's time to cut the cake, you two." Joanna's mother advanced on the newlyweds. Rolling her eyes, Joanna clucked her tongue.

"Mom! I told you not to go to all that trouble. Neither one of us even like cake!"

"But it's not a reception without a cake, Joanna, and besides, all you have to eat is the piece Colin feeds to you from the first piece cut." Turning pleading eyes on Joanna, and then Colin, and then back to Joanna, Diane pushed her point home.

"Oh Mother! All right! Just let me go freshen up first." She pulled out of Colin's embrace, patting his arm when he frowned. "It's all right, I'll be right back."

The ladies room was pitch black inside and she groped along the wall for the switch. Even with her preternatural eyesight, she could see next to nothing in this total darkness.

An anxious feeling in the pit of her stomach spread throughout her body and the hair on the back of her neck and down both arms stood on end. Darting back toward the door she stopped to listen to faint, high-pitched squeaks echoing off the tile in the porcelain room. Colin's name formed on her lips but a powerful hand clamped over her nose and mouth. A strong oily smell filled her nostrils as she fought like a wild thing to get away. She heard a grunt of pain as her foot struck someone's body part and the grip lessened for a moment, but her knees buckled and she drifted to the floor like a kite without wind.

Blackness.