Hunter's Soulmate

4

The next week was close to the same as the first day. But Gregory did not have to introduce himself after the first day. But Saturday was different. We had to survive Gregory coming to invade our home. We had to act like nothing was different, like it is a regular day. Which seems extremely weird to me. But the day was coming faster than we want it to.

That day was a cleaning day. We cleaned all day and by noon the house was clean. Not that it was dirty. In fact, it was pretty clean compared with when there were multiple babies that the same time under the same roof. But by the time it was four, we were all setting around or occupying ourselves with something It was quite relaxing. Even fun.

By the time the doorbell rung, Quinn and I had forgot what was happening today. The two of us raced to the door. But when I opened it, because I won the race, and Gregory and a stranger was standing on the doorstep. It whipped the smile off my face.

“Hello, Gregory,” I was still having a funny feeling when I look at him.

He replies, “Hey, Ivory, Quinn.”

Was there jealously in his tone? It would be funny if there was. But Aunt Cat and Uncle Ian was there moving us out of the way.

We started whispering after twenty minutes of watching Aunt Cat fuss and Uncle Ian fight with Jade and Ryker. “Ivory, how long will we have to do this thing? Did they say anything to you? This is starting to feel funny to me.”

“I know, I can’t figure out what’s up with this. I don’t’ like the feelings either. Do you know anything that might be withheld from me?”

He said, “No, I don’t know anything. But…”

Aunt Cat came over to us and said, “You two should stop whispering to each other. There’s company and you two should talk to the others. Not just to yourselves. Involve yourselves.”

Now that was so unexpected that we did what she wanted. Not that we wouldn’t do it anyway. But I hung out with family until I could get to the phone.

I called Blair. I said, “Hey, Blair. Can you come over?”

The reply was quick, “Why? Are they there?”

“Yes. So, can you?”

“Oh, yeah. There are no way you guys are going to be there by yourselves. Give me a few minutes to get there. Do you want me to call the others?”

“No, just you. Thanks. I’ll let Quinn know. Later.”

“Later.”

I went up to Quinn and pulled him out to the porch. I relied the info, “Blair is coming. Do you want to call the others?”

He said, “No just the three of us should be good. If anything happens we can call the others. When is she going to be here?”

“In a few. She just left her house.”

He bowed his head in a gesture of respect, “Thank you. Let’s get back inside.”

Quinn and I went back inside and waited for Blair to come. By the time that she finally came, Quinn and Gregory had finally went for each other’s throats. But thankfully, I was the only one that was in the room, so I stopped them from hurting each other. But then the door rang, and James yelled out through the house to tell us it was Blair.

I told Quinn, “Go get Blair and go to my room. I’ll be there in a minute.” When he hesitated, I barked, “Now!”

When he was out of the room, I looked at Gregory and found him looking at me funny. I said, “What are you looking at?”

“I was looking at you. You don’t seem as strong as you are. You kept Quinn and me a part. That and I have a feeling that we are meant to be with each other. Do you have a weird feeling about me? A tickle in your stomach anytime I look at you?”

I was wary when I answered, “Yes. Why is that, Greg?”

“Greg? Did you just call me Greg?” he asks, amused.

I shrugged, “Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t. Why? Does it bother you?”

He thinks about my question for a few minutes before replying, “No, it doesn’t bother me. In fact, its cute when you call me that.”

I raise an eyebrow at him in response. He shrugs and grins at me.

“You didn’t answer my question, Greg. Why do I get butterflies in my stomach anytime your around?”

“Do you know what I am?” He asks me.

“Yeah. You’re a vampire. What does that have to do with anything?”

Greg sighs, “Because vampires have soul mates. They are the other half of the vampire. I’m sorry. I am not explaining this right. Soul mates are whatever their mates need. For instance, I have had friends that found their mates when they where young, children. They start out as friends and protectors. Then they graduate to companions before they try a romantic relationship. Few would turn away from their mates. I believe that you are my mate.”

“What are you saying? That I need jump in the sack with you to have s*x? How does the two species even mate?” I question sharply.

He quickly shakes his head, “No, we do not have to have any type of physical relationship until we are both ready. What I am trying to say is that we are connected. We have a relationship that in untainted by hate, as some mated couples can come to feel, but we have room to learn about each other. And I would guess that you might need some vampire blood in you. Do you? Who are your parents? Surely not Catharyne and Ian.”

“No, they are my guardians. My aunt and uncle. My mom and dad died in a fight with vampires. That’s how I know what you are. They were vampire hunters They were named Savannah and Brett.”

He looked at me a minute while he thought about those names. But when he remembered, he said, “They have vampire blood in them. Any hunter does. That stuff they make you drank before you can really hunt is vampire blood. So, if two hunters have kids thy get he blood and if they go into the hunter business they reinforce their vampire blood. So, let me guess, you’re a hunter. As is Quinn and your friends.”

“Yeah we are. Okay, well, why don’t we go to my room? That way I can keep an eye on you and have a meeting of a sort. Well, come on.” I mumble.

I led the way to my room. When we got there Quinn was pacing and Blair was sitting on my bed. I said, “Quinn stop and sit. It wouldn’t hurt. Gregory go set on the chair over there,” I pointed to the opposite side of the room from Quinn.

I look at Blair and said, “Do you know how hard it is to keep boys in line?” I look at both boys, “Of all species. Now the two of you are going to stay right were you are. No moving unnecessarily.”

I ask Blair, “Can you help keep the kids at bay?” I used the joke that we have, that all boys are little kids all throughout life. It’s actually funny. Anyway, I look at Quinn and Gregory and see them glaring at each other. I sigh. Then said, “Blair, you get Quinn and I get Gregory.”

Blair nods and says, “Sure. Come on, Quinn, we’re hanging out with the others. I’ll tell Cat and Ian some made up story. COME ON, Quinn.”

With that, Quinn and Blair left the room. I sank on the bed, while Gregory watched there in his little corner. I looked at him and motioned him over to my bed.

He said, “Sorry for all the trouble I have cost you. I didn’t mean to go after your cousin. But he invoked it.”

“How did my cousin invoke you? AN all-powerful vampire? And on that note if a mate to a vampire is human, what does that vampire do?”

“They change their mates. And your cousin did invoke me. He looks at you like he owns you. Have you not noticed it? It drives me insane to have to watch him look at you in such a way. What if a girl or woman looked at me like he does you? How would you react?”

I looked at him and thought about that for a few minutes, “Well, I have a thing called self-control,” I tease him, “But if in all honesty, I would have to say, I would not know that answer. But I doubt if I would have attacked the person.”

We were quite for a couple of minutes and I got up and started to pace. Feeling like a caged tiger. It was annoying. But one has to have such feelings to be human. So, I asked, “Can we go downstairs, or will you attack him again?”

He looked ashamed, “I won’t attack if he doesn’t.”

“Keep the glaring and the bad looks to yourself. Please.”

He nodded, and we went downstairs into the living room. And asked Amber where Blair and Quinn were, and she replied with, “They’re in the dining room. Talking I think, but they kicked us out. So, I don’t really know.”

“Thanks,” I mumble distractedly.

I squint at Gregory before going to find Quinn to get answers. Quinn and Blair are in the dining room, sitting side by side, waiting on us to come in. I look around and ask, “What are you to up to?” They look too innocent.

They look at each other before looking back at me, quickly answering, “Nothing.”

I didn’t believe them for a minute. “You called the others, didn’t you? Quinn, it’s just fine with the three of us here. And we will get into trouble with just Blair coming over as it is. So why did you do it?”

They didn’t answer the questions. In fact, they completely ignored me. I loathe when they do that. So, I sat with Quinn and he put his arm around my shoulders. Boys! I eye them warily and said, “If the two of you have something to say, say it.” And boy, did they do just that.

Quinn said, “Gregory, why did you tell Ivory about the mating?”

“Because the rest of you were supposed to when you saw the way the two of us were reacting to each other. But you didn’t. In fact, no one told her about mating, did you? You left her completely ignorant about it. So much so, she came in here to talk to you about it because she does not believe me,” Greg gritted out angrily.

“We did not tell her because no one is going to force her into a mating like they did to my Aunt Savannah and Uncle Brett. Or my parents.”

“Savannah didn’t mind after she got used to Brett and the mating. Did she confess to loving him eventually? And Brett? Did he not confide in you that he had always loved Savannah?” Greg asked logically.

Quinn glared and yelled, “No one is going to force her into the mating!”

I stared stupefied at Quinn and Gregory. They both knew that my parents were a mated pair. Would that make Dad a vampire? And the rest of my family? How many vampires am I actually related to? Why am I the last person to know this?

I breathed, “How long have you known about my parents? That my dad was a vampire? Who else are vampires? Mated pairs?”

Quinn froze beside me. “I’m so sorry, Iv,” he whispers, “I was given that knowledge a long time ago and was told that I couldn’t tell you until you were ready for the information or if you became a mated pair. As for other vampire relatives, most of our older male relatives are vampires.”

The only sound in the room for a while was our breaths. I was about to start crying and when they boys saw, Greg started to come to me and Quinn held my trembling body.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to think that you were responsible for their deaths any more than you already do. You were so wary of anything to do with vampires that I just didn’t think that you wanted to know. Then, Gregory came along. He is your mate. Most of the hunters get mated to vampires. It just did not come up before now. And I have known since they told me when we were nine years old. They would have told you had they thought you were ready. They were already having a hard time getting you used to the academy. I wasn’t having such a hard time. Then, they died and left a letter to me. It said that I was to tell you when you were ready.”

We just sat in silence for a few more moments. Then, I was shifted into Gregory’s arms and he held me while I silently cried. When I calm down, I said, “Did Aunt Cat know that Gregory was my mate and that is why he was invited over to get to know our family? Did you tell them, Quinn?”

He nodded, “Mom and Dad know now. And yes, I had to tell them. That way if something happens…” He glares daggers at Gregory.

“I would never do that to Ivory. Not unless she is ready. Never before!”

“Whatever you say. Anyway, they could stop it before it got out of hand. You can see were that led Mom and Dad and Aunt Savannah and Uncle Brett.”

He sounded bored with what he was telling me. It was a little scary and a lot unnerving. I look up and say that I’m going to my room. As I was leaving the table, Gregory’s hand reacted out for mine and I let him come with me. I don’t know if it was an impulse or what. But I let him lead me to my room, where he stayed to comfort me late into the night.