Blueblood

Story: Blueblood: V5H Exposed

Chapter 7 Planning A Big All Male Wedding

Author: Eric McQueen (mcqueen.richarderic@gmail.com)

Adult Readers, Sexual Situations, Sex

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Betty and Gabriella plan for a first, all male wedding.

Planning A Big, All Male Wedding

"You're sure you didn't overhear that?" George asked.

Ellis frowned. "I don't go `round telling porkies!"

"Lies, or fibs, George." I translated quickly knowing George was smart, but might not get it right away.

George shook his head waving his hands at Ellis in defense. "I'm not saying you are, but maybe you overheard and didn't realize?"

Ellis walked over to George. "I'll do you one betta'." He pointed to George. "You told me you were marrying im." He pointed to John. "So, don't be surprised that I can smell you with just a touch of im on you." He went to John. "I can smell you with a touch of George on you." He motioned to Amasis and Wayne. "You two, as well..." he was about turn away, then turned back and said, "you with touches of each other...not with George or John." He clarified and then he smiled at Colin and me, "But you..." he pointed at me, "I smell you two on each other, but I get more him in you? Would I be betraying anything if I said I know who bit you? Is it a secret?"

I shook my head. "They all know how and why."

Ellis nodded. "I know it was Colin that bit you." He said to me. He sniffed again. "I get the essence of Colin's venom in you. The further down the vampire, it's harder to detect." He waved at Ralph. "I get is scent and I detect is flavor in Wayne very strong. I detect Colin's flavor in you, Devon...very strong. That's how I know `e's the one." He folded his arms, knowing what he said was true. "Your flavor has become yours but made up of Colin's...venom."

"How do you keep the different scents separated?" George asked. "That much detail?"

"Wha'...'ow do you keep faces separated?" Ellis asked and waved again at Colin and me. "Other than the obvious size difference, they are both Caucasian men with black air with a nose and two eyes..." he shrugged, but waved at us, "it's just different! Our eyes can see different features. Our ears ear different voices and can keep them straight. I do it by the smell!" Ellis shrugged helplessly. "There are differences I detect."

I nodded with a smile; he was just...charming! I also could hear when he spoke on more serious matters, that Cockney took a backseat. When he got animated or excited, it came back to the forefront!

Kev nodded. "Also, keep in mind Ellis has been able to do this for a century. He's learned to tell very subtle differences apart...like Colin's venom in Devon."

Wayne shook his head. "It's a very smelly world. You must pick up on a lot of garbage and sewage." He wrinkled his nose thinking of it. "That must be unpleasant."

Ellis gave a shrugging nod. "I can't really say, but they are just smells to me."

"Your olfactory receptors and the part of the brain that processes them must be exceptionally active and refined." George pondered looking at Ellis. "I'd love to see them."

Ellis' eyes widened and pointed at his head. "You mean see in me ead!?" His Cockney coming back and more of the accent. "And ow can you do that? I sor' of use the ol' bread right now!"

"Bread?" John asked Ellis.

"Loaf of bread...me `ead." Ellis translated absently pointing at his head.

George shook his head chuckling. "I don't mean open it up, we have scans that I can do that will let us see on a monitor what's active there." He shook his own head looking at Ellis, but more at his head than Ellis. "I've noted that the neuropathways in the brain itself are increased in some of us. I can't imagine the extended pathways in your mind."

Kev nodded. "I suspected that happened." He looked at Ellis. "The venom stops the aging process and enhances other things."

"To make us better hunters." George nodded agreeing.

Watching the two doctors and scientists begin to discuss things scientifically and medically...they were so similar in focus and lost themselves to the surroundings and others as they spoke. John was right. The only affair George and Kev were having was taking place in those impressive brains of theirs.

John was shaking his head as his eyes rolled tolerantly. "While these two are enjoying time alone...can we go back to this Cockney thing a minute? Fireman's hose? Hampton wick? Bottle and glass? Loaf of bread!?" He threw his hands up. "I'm from England! I never heard any of this! Why not just say nose, dick, arse...or ass and head?"

I chuckled. "Did they even speak English back then? I remember studying Old English in my literature class, it didn't read or sound like English."

My comment got a glare from John. "It wasn't that long ago, Devon."

Colin chuckled patting John on the shoulder. "People that are..." he thought of a word to use, "repressed often have words they use to communicate with each other that wouldn't be generally understood." He shrugged. "Those in the South did it, too. Gullah and Geechee were developed for several generations." He smiled as I nodded knowing what he was saying. "My employees used it with each other and even me. I was warned a guest needs something to grease he mouth and he's got fast hands. They were telling me he was a liar and thief." He chuckled. "Of course, the accent was very different and if you didn't know it, you couldn't understand it." He chuckled again. "Hell, I didn't understand it most of the time."

"The reason was...they could communicate with each other right in front of..." I looked at Colin, "sorry, but...their masters," I touched Colin, "not you, baby...and the masters didn't know what they were talking about."

Ellis nodded. "Yeh, that's righ'." He looked at Colin. "Your plantation `ad slaves."

Colin sighed. "My father had slaves." He said holding his temper.

I put my hand on Colin's back. "Colin didn't believe in slaves. He was the very few that paid his employees." I looked at Colin. "Josiah taught you Gullah?"

"Enough." Colin nodded smiling. "He and his mother did."

"Josiah was born on the plantation?" I asked realizing something.

Colin looked at me. Again, we didn't read minds, but he and I communicated nonverbally just fine. "No, no...he wasn't a son of my father." He looked at Ellis. "Josiah and I grew up together. His mother was a servant in my home. People of African descent, yes, but that had lighter skin were used inside the house." He frowned. "It's not a good word at all, but...they were called House Niggers." He looked at me. "His mother came to us from another plantation where the owner had died and his property was sold. She already had Josiah who was a baby when she got there. Josiah was probably the son of that plantation owner. His father was white. There were only a few features told his was African." He waved at his own face. "His complexion was pretty white, but he was not my half-brother."

I shrugged. "I was just curious." I smiled at him. "Would it have mattered if he was? I've heard of worse."

Ellis nodded. "Uh huh." He looked at Iustina, Ralph and Repetate and shook his head and shrugged. "I don't know if I'd want m' hampton anging out all the time." He pointed. "No whickers or round ouse?"

I smiled as Colin was again not certain what Ellis had said but had an idea. "He means knickers and trousers."

Colin nodded slowly. "I thought so. Maybe we should have Stan download the rhyming slang into Buddy." He muttered.

George nodded at something else he and Kev were discussing. Looking up, he looked at everyone around him. "So, do we retire for the night? Or do you want to see the lab, Kev?"

We did take a quick look at the laboratory as the two were just amazed at what they saw.

It was later that night after as we were about to go to bed, my side pulled down and Colin again was patting my empty space beside him on the bed as I came out the bathroom having brushed teeth and all that.

"Not tonight, honey. I have a headache." I said and watched Colin's eyebrows rise in surprise. I chuckled as I slid over him not pushing him back, but he stretched out with me as I kissed him deeply, breaking it off just briefly. "I'd never say that to you seriously. You know I never tire of making love with you." I felt his hands and arms bring me closer as his chuckle rumbled. "I love you, Colin."

"I know," Colin said again. He said it every day but each time was of his complete understanding of that and sincere. "I love you, Devon."

"I know you do." I lowered over him as Colin rolled me over, his arms coming around me and...we again made love. No, I would never tire of loving him.

The next few days everyone was returning to the VUN. We introduced the other members of the VUN here in New York to Kev and Ellis. We also introduced Dr. William Canaday to them along with Sergeants Davis and McCall. Ellis was convinced to submit to the scanning of his brain after he was shown that odd looking mesh cap with the sensors he would have to wear.

"Fine." Ellis agreed, "But I keep me `ead." He said firmly.

George nodded with a chuckle. "You will keep it. No cutting or slicing of your...loaf of bread."

Ellis nodded. "Oh, yes...ha, ha. Very funny." He grimaced.

Using various samples of smells, we watched as the images of Ellis' brain were highlighted.

"Amazing!!" Kev said watching the screen. "This is simply...astounding!" He waved at the screen.

George nodded. "It is." He pointed to the screen. "What's interesting is...his Olfactory Receptors transmit by neurons to this part of his brain. The Olfactory Epithelium..." he explained to us.

"In English, George?" Colin interrupted quietly. "Not all of have your genius."

George smiled and nodded. "Sorry," he pointed to Ellis, "the molecules for odors are around us all the time. We just don't have the receptors to process it or the ability to transmit what is there to be processed in our brains." He waved at Ellis. "He does! Or should I say, the receptors...in his nose...has been reprogrammed...or added the program to understand so much more." He pointed to the part least active on the screen. "The more activity, the more the brain has to work to understand the scents. That's why having a brain work hard is not a good thing. The more wrinkled the brain, the less effort needed to process thought. His brain doesn't have to work hard to know what he's smelling! His neural pathways are established. He doesn't have to work it out. He knows! That's why he can identify so much." He waved at Colin. "Like you, your receptors for taste is far more developed than..." he hesitated, "well, than anyone I know. That's why you enjoy eating as much. You don't have to have your brain work hard; it knows what you're tasting." He waved at Ellis. "That's why he can detect so much more. I dare say, he has a greater ability to track scents even better than a dog or cat."

Kev nodded seeing for himself what George was explaining. He looked at Colin. "I don't even have to guess...you had a big meal right before you were bitten."

Colin's head went back a little surprised. "Well...yes. It was about an hour before I was bitten. I needed to walk it off. I really stuffed myself more than I should have. Why? Does that matter?"

"Of course!" Kev nodded waving what he saw was obvious. "Because your stomach hadn't shrunk down to its regular size yet." He smiled. "This...venom sort of...freezes time in the body. Keeping it exactly the same. You stop growing or gain weight, any hair loss," he looked at Colin's thick hair, "which wasn't a problem at the time." He touched the back of his own skull. "I was beginning to thin, but that stopped. You enjoyed eating before, I bet."

Colin nodded. "Sure, but it got better after I was on the serum...the taste."

"That love of food..." Kev concluded, "was enhanced after the bite, wasn't it? You eat so much because your stomach hadn't shrunk to its normal size!" Colin nodded.

"Sure!" I laughed bumped Colin lightly with my elbow. "That makes sense!"

George grinned at Kev. "And you figured all this out without much instrumentation or lab equipment?"

Kev nodded. "Mostly by cause and effect, but observations over the past century...I just came to that conclusion. It's just...logical." He shrugged and waved at the monitor. "It's nice to see those conclusions proven correct at last." He shook his head. "To have this sort of technology so we can see...this is extraordinary!" He didn't say extra ordinary as many mistakenly used, but the proper "extro din ary" as he looked at George. "I can't wait to see more!"

Ellis was happy to take that mesh cap off as he sighed seeing Kev and George now talking more in-depth.

John came over and patted Ellis on the arm. "You are probably familiar with being a science widow."

Ellis looked at John and sigh. "Yeh, I am." Then he laughed waving at George and Kev. "He's ardly ever been appier!"

"Hi!" Stan said happily coming in the lab with Mark right behind him.

I turned to hug Stan and brought him closer to Ellis. "Ellis, meet Stan Martin our...central brain that understands our computer system better than anyone. He even named it Buddy, not me." I hugged Stan again and then looked at Mark. "This is Mark Goddard, Stan's fiancé. They are also getting married this Spring! Guys, this is Ellis Thomas."

Ellis grinned holding his hand out. "Yeh?" Ellis looked at me quickly and leaned in whispering. "Just makin' sure, they know wha' we are, righ'?"

I chuckled and nodded. "Yes, they do."

Ellis shrugged. "Just makin' sure." He explained to Stan and Mark shaking their hands. "It seems we gingers are all over `ere!"

Mark was confused, but Stan smiled hearing Ellis. "Wow, you are English! Cockney! I love it!" Stan marveled. "Mary Poppins!"

I grinned hugging Stan. "Yes! You got it!"

Ellis frowned. "You have got to let me see this...Mary Poppins."

Introductions were done again when we could distract Kev enough to do it. Then we introduced the others in the family both for Colin and me with the others that were like family at the VUN.

Colin went to do the business of Holms' Laboratories and the VUN. Kev and George were in the lab. I had Ellis. I explained more about what we were doing and how we were not hiding anymore but had...in a limited fashion...let other people in the world know about us.

"...and they are not tryin' t kill us?" Ellis asked me surprised.

Shaking my head, I said. "Not for now. To do what we needed to do, we needed help from the many governments of the world to have greater access to their countries. We extended our knowledge to some great scientific minds in the world to help George. There are other dangers, though." I warned.

Ellis nodded with a light chuckle that held no amusement. "I believe that."

"We're making headway!" I assured him.

I pulled up Mary Poppins for him to see. When it was over he sat back shaking his head. "I love the big telly and that was a very entertaining...movie." He nodded. "But Bert was from London like I'm from the States!"

I chuckled. "You didn't think his accent was real?"

Ellis waved at the big screen we'd watched the movie on. "No! You ave to born English to speak righ', e was not." He grinned. "I say, `e did a good job, but...no."

I nodded. "I agree." I smiled at him. "I hope you and Kev stay with us."

Ellis nodded with a smile, his eyes lost his bubbling animated personality and became more...at ease. The Cockney all but disappeared. "I hope we're always welcome." He sat forward a little. "Kev and I were below in the Tubes a long, long time. When I saw the sun for the first time in over a hundred years, I felt...I can't describe it."

"I've seen it many times in almost every vampire here." I nodded.

"It was like I was coming home." He smiled at me. "Now, I feel I am home."

"Because you are home and always welcome."

It was only a few days adjustment for Kev and Ellis to become a part of the VUN. He met Mom and Willie...his look to me telling me he knew that Mom was like me. That Mom was made of Willie's venom, but he kept it to himself. Gabriella and Alex were introduced to them where Colin and I told them how Ellis was...not better; but could detect scents even more than they could. We received Dr. Kevin Baxter's and Ellis Thomas' passports that were sent by Director Maddingly of MI5. Ruben got the approval from his sources so Kev and Ellis could stay and work in the United States. It was not long before they were just a part of our family. The other teams even volunteered to take Ellis on patrol which we did while here. There were a few other adjustments that would be ongoing for a while. Like Ellis' attempt at being a gentleman. While he might have been aware of culture change...being a part of it...well, I heard about it when they came back from patrol.

"...I had him in my sights!" Shelly said a bit irritated putting her sun gun/serum pellet gun in the charger rougher than she would have. "I was perfectly fine!"

"I'm no' used to women chargin' int' `arm's way!" Ellis said loud. "I was tryin' to protect you!"

Shelly bowed and nodded patiently. "I understand that." She smiled and sighed turning to Ellis. "I am a trained federal agent. Trained in hand-to-hand combat and several other arts to protect myself. I've been doing this a number of years now. Believe me, I can handle it." She sighed and touched his face gently. "Thank you, but Ellis...let me do my job? I can handle myself. Okay?"

Ellis stared uncertainly as Shelly walked away to rejoin Amir. "I canno' figure this new world out!" He said to the air.

Colin laughed coming up next to Ellis. "It is a new world. Women have the vote now, too." Colin teased.

Ellis shook his head. "What's wrong with being protective?"

I walked over to Ellis and Colin. "Not a thing, but..." I said with a raised finger, "were you protective of any of the men in your party, or just her?"

"Yeh," Ellis said helplessly, "we were after this vampire I caught the scent of and..."

Gabriella came up followed by Alex. "It was one of those nonverbal wild ones which, by the way, I would have lost." She patted Ellis on the back. "He did not."

"And `e was about to attack us!" Ellis said loud. "I just did it!"

I looked puzzled. "You just did what?"

Gabriella didn't wait to put her hand on Ellis' shoulder. "He shoved Shelly behind him."

"I just did it!" Ellis defended again. "There was a danger and she was a lady...it's what we're taught as boys to do!"

Colin nodded understanding. "I see." He grinned at Ellis. "Treating her like a lady was very chivalrous, but they only want to be treated as ladies now and when they approve. Shelly is very good at fighting and could take you on. Now, they just want to be treated as equals."

"We're...men...and," Ellis looked at Colin, then to Gabriella and to me. "Well, `ow will I know when they approve?"

Alex groaned to say he commiserated and let out a sigh. "That, my friend, is a damned good question."

Gabriella chuckled. "When she's important to you." She waved as Amir was opening the door for Shelly who nodded appreciatively at Amir as they went back into the VUN proper. "See? Amir did something nice for her because she is important to Amir." She patted Ellis on the arm. "When she's important, not because she's female."

Mom came up with them. "That's right." She touched Willie who was beside her. "Willie does it, too." She laughed with him. "Really you and he are from the same period of time almost, he still wants to be the protector. There are times when that's nice, but I protected myself a while before I even knew him."

Gabriella nodded. "I'm from even further back and women still were strong enough to protect themselves. It's about time we were treated as simply human. We still have some ways to go."

Ellis moaned and held his head as a headache was forming. "I will neve' fit in round ere! It's a load of cobblers, I say." Ellis' Cockney more pronounced.

Colin looked at me with the not sure what Ellis said question.

"He doesn't agree," I said simply.

"I got that," Colin muttered and grimaced.

Willie patted Ellis on the shoulder chuckling. "Welcome to the world of the twenty-first century, son."

Alex nodded with an added snicker. "From what I've learned. It's been a question men have had for a long, long time."

"You aren't alone, Ellis." I smiled at him.

Ellis moaned again. "I need a pint!"

"How about a side of faggots?" I chuckled as Ellis' eyebrows rose. "They have them on the menu now in Vamps."

Ellis sighed. "Sure."

Colin took his arm. "Let's go." He threw his other arm around me. "We'll stop off in the lab and see if George and Kev can tear themselves away and join us."

There would be an adjustment period for Ellis and Kev. Professionally, George and Kev were very close. They were kindred spirits when it came to science. They both seemed to tunnel with whatever they were doing. Kev's century of learning about what we were was very...on topic and very accurate.

I worked with the boys every night. Showing them, using my laptop and other devices; showing them letters and words in hopes of teaching them to read as well as putting together sentences and understanding sentence structure itself. English was the chosen language as...well, that's what I spoke and almost everyone here at the VUN including Vlad knew. There was the Delkenzie program that was being used to translate their language where they used their expressions, but they needed a language to start with, even if it was in sign language. That was structure. They were learning quickly.

The overall change at the VUN was...now, it was very busy here! I didn't spend that much time in the office part of the VUN or for Holms' Laboratories before, but now it was impossible not to see that it was very active. Calls were coming in now from around the world. We had sent various extensions of our computers to various offices...all were parts of Buddy with his security and exclusive access to us, our data, and resources. The Language Buddy was in the beginning stages of being marketed to the public as a whole headed by Robert Cummings, who we met in Romania, was starting to head that up. I knew but didn't think about the business portions until now. There were many employees that worked for us that were not here but in other cities in other states. We had manufactured for the parts for our computers and other products. There were heads of these divisions that had say and control, to a point. All answered to Colin and George, but mostly Colin. I smiled thinking about all those people who didn't know they were working for vampires. There had to be the usual labor disputes and...let's be honest, there were lazy people in the world. Some people were just downright dishonest! Vampires were not all the pillars of communities either. We had some...not so nice ones and a few that were just plain evil ones; Iilya, Marissa were ready examples. Don't forget Brett Marshall, the vampire the bit and turned Colin and Gabriella...yes, he was truly evil. Insane! We were human! My life took place...in the upper offices? The vampire upper inner sanctum? That sounds too lofty and aloof to me. I don't know, but I was in the VUN part in control. George was in the VUN but in the medical and science part of the VUN/Holms' Laboratories. Colin was in all of it, but only in the business aspects of it all. I was grateful that Colin wasn't so...caught up in this "business" that he was this a workaholic that had to be so focused on business that was all he thought about. He and George were heads of an international conglomerate that had stocks, bonds, and holdings in the billions...business ventures in many things. When other men did that, having a limited time frame to do business, they became...obsessed with all of it. George was a genius, but so was Colin, but George's brilliance was medicine and science for which he got the rewards from the treatments he came up with. Colin was the business genius and managed the business, but there was no rush to get more quickly. That was a difference between them and other business moguls, CEOs, and those of that type.

I came into our apartment as Colin was on a business call. That was rare! He didn't really make or receive calls.

"...that's for you to handle," Colin said calmly. He never got angry when doing business. "Yes, I read their proposal you sent in the email, but no, I don't agree. It won't pay off in the long run. There are the initial profits, but that is short term. I'm saying no. That's my answer." He looked up and smiled at me. "Listen, I have to go. My husband just came in." He turned and sighed. "Okay, so we lose the million-dollar deal this time. There will be others..." I heard the raised voice, either because of my increased hearing or the other man was upset. I think it was both. "Because until your name is on the paychecks, I have the say so. Bye." He said pleasantly and disconnected the call and rose from his computer. "Hi, Baby!" He greeted kissing me with a hug.

I gave the kiss back readily but pulled back a little. "I don't think I've ever seen you...doing so much business."

Colin looked puzzled and then nodded. "I usually do business by the internet and emails, but there was a deal...Mr. Drake had that if we didn't pounce on it, we'd lose the potential for the extra money. He couldn't wait for the email response and called me." He frowned. "He knows I don't like calls unless it's an emergency. That was no emergency, but he's new."

"New?" I asked.

Colin nodded. "He's only been with us about five years."

I grinned. "Only. I guess that is new. Sometimes I forget this is big business and not just about vampires out in the world."

Colin nodded cuddling me closer to him. "Vampires came first." He chuckled. "The business came about because we needed money to do the vampire stuff." He chuckled as he admitted. "And to rebuild Wentworth."

"So, no shady deals or people eliminated or stuff like that?" I asked.

Colin looked surprised. "What!? No! Taxes paid and all that. No underhanded deals. I never wanted someone in authority to check on the business. That would have been foolish. No. No shady deals. Shady deals are the way to make a quick buck. I prefer the more solid deals that make a sure consistent dollar." He smiled.

"You're looking at a longer future," I said cautiously, but now aware of something else. "Most businessmen don't think that way. They can't afford to. They want to make money quickly or at least within thirty to forty years." I looked at him carefully. "You don't see how many would want this? To have a business that they could run for a century or more? Or even longer while they remain at the head of it? They won't have to think so much about making money quickly."

"I do now," Colin sighed. "This is just not something I wanted but was thrust on me." He shrugged. "I didn't have the choice."

"If you had a choice?" I asked.

"I can't see it." He admitted and then nodded at my unvoiced opinion about him not seeing it. "I know, some will want it. I can't forget that if we don't have the serum, we become what I was for so long. I never wanted even the possibility for you." He shook his head again. "However, at least business hasn't really changed. I always thought about the long-term. Somebody has something that others want or need, the one that has it tries to get it to those things wanted cheaper and with less input to have what they know is wanted or needed. As they did in the South. What better way than having employees they owned and didn't pay?"

"But you did."

Colin nodded. "I saw them as people, and I did pay them. That was an investment, they got part of the profits and it worked out better. Our crops increased, so our profits increased, the employees got more wages." He shrugged again. "Cutting back on staffing or pay is not a good investment. In the South and today in the modern business world, they think the same way. Perhaps in the short term, it might be better, but not in the future." He shook his head. "I don't let people go from my employ because a business fails, I relocate them to another job. I won't just let them go. It just...pays off in the long run. That is a good investment. The people remain loyal."

I was surprised. "Have you had a business fail?"

Colin gave a shrugging nod. "I've had some I've had to...move or change a little to keep afloat, but...not really." He grinned. "Remember in the beginning...when I said about those hedge funds?"

"The very high risk," I said uncertainly.

"And the very high yield ones." He pointed out. "Not just for me. Those funds can be funneled into the businesses that are not doing as well...until we find a solution." He chuckled. "I don't have simpletons heading those businesses. I have a track record they can't argue with."

"Wow." I grinned. "You are not a pirate?"

Colin frowned. "No. Remember, the Marshalls were pirates and look where that got them!" He kissed me again gently. "Another part of my reputation is being honest and fair. Anyone that wants to do business with us, has to be the same or no deals."

"How do you know if they are?" I thought and then remembered his ability to tell. "Oh, yes...I forgot, you just know."

Colin chuckled. "Yes, I know." He smiled a little more. "I read people very well. I did with you." His voice rumbled.

"Did you?"

Colin nodded. "Oh, yes. From the very first moment, you stepped out of your car that hot Summer day." He smiled at me a little more...remembering what he saw. "I saw a kind, smart and extremely honest soul that I was drawn to. That attraction only grew as I got to know you." He shrugged. "I knew you were for me."

I slapped him lightly. "Why did it take you so long to do anything if you knew that?"

"I didn't want to hurt you, Devon." Colin frowned. "You know that. I was afraid I'd make you like me by accident." He defended. "What really got me, was even after you found out what I was, you were never afraid of me."

"I wasn't." I agreed. "I was shocked, but never afraid of you."

"That man in the sixties I told you about...he was frightened of me at first, but you never were. You trusted me. I saw that, so I was being careful because you meant something to me."

I loved him. You know that. He loved me. You know that, too. That love just kept growing more and more. "I love you, Colin."

He smiled kissing me gently. "I know. I love you, Devon."

"I know."

It was those, unplanned, impromptu lovemaking times that just happened were so...wonderful. They just...happened. We didn't have to ask each other. We just did it. Being connected was the most important thing for both of us.

Ellis and Kev were becoming solidly a part of the VUN. Patrols were still done almost every night and Ellis was the one leading a team alone now. There were others with him, but he was the tracker now. We did find the occasional vampire. Most were the wild, nonverbal vampire that was simply dealt with and destroyed. There were others that were still human, but criminals or their like and gotten rid of. I still had a problem with the "no trial, just execution" style. A person attacking another just because of the need to feed? No, that was criminal.

The plans for the upcoming weddings were now getting talked about more. I am sorry, but...weddings were primarily the focus of brides! Grooms were just there to be the one they marry. Yes, I know there are some guys that will say, "that's not true!" Really!? These weddings were...guys! Men. It is the bride that dictates the colors and what is worn...it's all about her! From the flowers used and even what the groom wears, she's the one saying what's worn and what style and color! The other truth about these weddings were Mark and Stan were the only ones legally marrying. Vlad, Gaius, George, and John should have been dead! Vlad and Gaius met, but they should have been buried centuries ago. George, if he was human and still alive, should have been an old man and never have even known John existed, but they were getting married. Sure, it was legal in that they now were known by the government...in a limited fashion. They would be legally married, but they should not even be! The marriages would be recorded and certificates filed, but who carries around their marriage licenses? I didn't, but again, I should never have even met Colin, but we were married!

We were in a private room in Vamps having another dinner together. Our numbers were now too big to have in our apartment.

"Are you going to tell them?" Vlad asked Mark as we ate. They had apparently had this discussion before.

Mark gave a grudging nod. "Sure, why not?" He looked around. "Everybody, we have decided, we are all getting married on the same day."

Mom looked up surprised. Gabriella put her fork down a little annoyed. "You don't think you deserve a day of your own?" She asked incredibly.

Stan shrugged. "Why?"

"Because it's special!" My mother stressed that point. "All of you will have the same service!?"

Gaius grinned. "It's just a ceremony. Vlad and I are married."

Vlad nodded in agreement. "We have been for centuries."

John smiled at George. "All I want is for George to tell everyone he belongs to me."

George grinned at his future husband. "That's very primordial of you, John."

To which John gave a primitive grunt. "You...mine!" He said gruffly.

Kev was smiling. "I find it still amazing that you can marry," Kev observed simply.

Ellis chuckled. "Yeh, but it's legal in England, too?" He shook his head. "That's ard to believe!" He reached over taking Kev's hand. "Kev and I ave been togetha for ruddy donkey years! I know I belong to im and e knows `e belongs to me!"

"It's what we do, Ellis," I said glancing at Colin. "Find someone and live a life together. It is just a ceremony, but it's a pretty important one. Colin and I knew we were going to be together, but it just added something to be able to tell others."

Kev smiled at Ellis. "I should ask you in private, but...would you like to do that?"

Ellis was not surprised, but being who he was. "Oh, you think you know what I'd say?" He said with his Cockney on full.

Kev smiled, not bothered at all bringing Ellis closer. "Yes, I do."

Ellis smiled. "Yeh, I'll marry you, Kev."

Kev looked at the various grooms at the table. "Would it be presumptuous for Ellis and I to join you at this alter?"

Stan and Mark nodded together. "Absolutely!" Mark agreed and Stan added. "The more the merrier!"

I had seen Amasis and Wayne talking softly to each other and Wayne smiled and nodded to Amasis. Amasis raised his finger. "If that's so, can Wayne and I be included?"

Okay, I was a little surprised. "Not to be indelicate, but...are you sure, Wayne? I mean, Amasis has been married so many times before." I raised my hand to Amasis. "I love you," I said quickly, "you know that. I love Wayne. He's been married but once, Amasis."

Wayne grinned. "I know that...Dad." He teased.

"Yes," Amasis said smiling. "I know that, too." He sighed sadly. "But this is the first for me." He saw the confused looks around the table. "When I married before, I was a god!" He shrugged. "I was pharaoh! Wayne is the first...person who is marrying me." He grinned. "I am no god. I am no longer pharaoh. I am just a man who was born in Egypt."

Wayne nodded taking Amasis' hand. "I told him before, I was with him because of the man he is, not the leader, god or pharaoh."

Amasis smiled. "He came to me with equal footing. He was from the beginning...just as I was. I didn't make him what he is. That is a first for me."

I shook my head. "Well, you both much older than me, so...what should I say? You're both adults." I grinned. "We'll just have one big, colossal wedding!" I looked at Shelly and Amir. "Unless there's another that wants to join."

Shelly shook her head. "No!" She saw Amir's hurt face. "Okay," she said to Amir, "one...you haven't asked me. Two, I'm a girl! I want my own damned wedding!"

Amir smiled. "Oh." He nodded. "I see."

See? I told you weddings were about the bride.

Colin chuckled. "I guess you'll be inviting Katy, Sean, and your grandchildren, Wayne."

"We're going to pull out all the stops!" I laughed excited about this turn of events. "This is going to be a huge, massive, gay, men-only-wedding the world has never seen! Five couples marrying on the same day!? Yes, this is going to be HUGE!!"

"And we're doing it at Wentworth!" Colin said firmly. "We have room for everyone."

Gabriella sighed. "Fine." She said resolutely and then pointed with her fork, "But Betty and I decorate!"

"Don't we have a say so?" Stan asked.

"Of course." Mom nodded, "But we coordinate!" She said firmly pointing at Gabriella. "No one's just going up and saying I do and be done with it." She looked at Gabriella. "We can decide the colors."

"Right, the groom couples should have their own color," Gabriella said nodded.

"But the same style in tuxedos," Mom added.

Willie chuckled as he looked at Colin and me. "And so it starts."

"Yep." I grinned as Mom and Gabriella were now talking to themselves. "The planning begins!"

The other personnel at the VUN were not forgotten. There were so many other additional people in the world now that we kept in touch with...including the President of the United States. The President was informed by General Edwards who was informed by Dr. William Canaday who was not forgotten but frequently ignored by George and Kev. Not because George and Kev were rude, but because they got caught up in their thoughts and findings that they simply forgot.

Mom and Gabriella were busy! We had five months before this wedding was going to happen. The ladies talked with each couple, but really getting nothing from these...men. The men wanted to marry, yes but weren't really concerned about...all that wedding stuff. A band was chosen, by Mom. The catering was planned by Gabriella. A person to perform the ceremony was planned for all. There were several faiths involved from Eastern Orthodox to Amasis' pre-Christian beliefs so this was thought to be the best way. I hadn't thought about it, but Mark was Catholic, Stan was from a non-denominational background. Wayne was Presbyterian and John had been raised in the Church of England before coming to the Colonies! Kev was also of the Church of England, while Ellis really had not been brought up going to any church. It was chaos if we brought any religion!

Colin and I had an old antebellum-Southern-themed wedding. Gabriella had a wedding where the main color was blue! That was her favorite color. I couldn't wait to see what they came up with. What was really interesting was Colin and I were asked to be Best Men for all of them! I mean every single groom! That had never been done, that I knew of! Groomsmen were Amir and Nick for their fathers. They were the sons of two of the ten grooms, stepsons to two others. Not one single bridesmaid! Even the person performing the wedding was male. It was decided that no women would be up there. Katy is Wayne's daughter, but Wayne said she understood, but would be there. No, this was not going to be a traditional wedding at all. Gabriella and Mom decided all the grooms were wearing white tuxedos with short coats. All of them were wearing white, even Amasis. He had been married countless times, but this was his first wedding as just a man, so white was appropriate. Colin and I were fitted and measured for the tuxedos, but as Best Men, ours had the light charcoal colored jackets, white pants and vests, and longer coats to set us apart and to distinguish us from all the men! Even Amir and Nick were to wear a darker tux but had short jackets like the grooms.

In the corridor, I saw Gabriella come out of a room where she had been talking to Vlad and Gaius. She gave a frustrated groan and said. "Men!"

I'm sure my eyebrows rose. "Is there a problem?"

Gabriella flung her hand back at the door she had come out of. "They are no help!" She said exasperatedly.

"No help? With what?" I asked.

"Everything!" Gabriella said helplessly. "Nothing about what flowers I should use, what color the cummerbunds should be! Nothing."

I smiled at her nodding. "I understand." I patted her hand. "Yeah, but remember, they're men." I shrugged simply as that explained everything. "Do you see Vlad or Gaius with so much as a single rose? They won't care about the flowers. None of them will!"

Gabriella shook her head. "Well, you and Daddy had a nice wedding." She said in defense.

I nodded. "Which was really planned by you and Mom." I reminded her. "Flowers are nice, but really all they might need are those little rose thingies for their lapels."

"Boutonnieres," Gabriella said almost absently as she thought. "Men...boys." She and then smiled. "Blue is for boys! I'll have them dyed like the ones for my wedding!" She pondered out loud to herself more than me. "No ribbons or things like that, but really some should go up if for no other reason than to mark the aisle." She grunted again in frustration. "No candles during the wedding...we need a carpet runner..."

"Right...go with that." I encouraged trying to get her thoughts to go further. I sighed and said. "Gabby," I said using her father's pet name for her, "all I wanted was to marry your father." I shrugged. "I remember the wedding, but not really about what flowers or anything that was there." I saw her look was almost hurt. "I do remember the wedding! I remember Colin! They don't really care about all that stuff. They just want to get married. They're wearing traditional clothes. The wedding itself doesn't have to be so...pretty." I chuckled and pointed out. "Now, the reception!" I paused hoping she would go with it hoping she would take off again, but...

"What about it? We're doing the food and cake." She finally asked looking at me helpless. "Help me!" She begged.

"Amasis is from a world that is over two thousand years ago culture wise, while Stan and Mark are men of the Twenty-first Century. Maybe things at the reception could reflect the different cultures that are coming together." I shrugged again. "Almost everybody there knows they are vampires, except for maybe Stan's and Mark's family, perhaps something from each of those cultures?"

"What do I do with all those different eras!?" Gabriella moaned.

"Really!?" I asked her. "You know about the internet! Do a search! Some of these men, for the most part, are warriors! Amasis was a warrior pharaoh! Vlad and Gaius were warriors...George and Kev are doctors. Most, but for Stan and Mark, are vampires. There are only two things they all have in common; they are all male and wanting to start a new life with that someone special," and then I thought about that, "maybe you shouldn't include that warrior part as Vlad would rather forget that part of his life, but they are Romanian! Wallachian really. Ellis and Kev are from Victorian England! Wayne is from the 1970s, but English. John was English way back before there was a United States, but there is something you can include with each."

You almost saw the wheels turning in her head! "Yes! The reception!" She was about to leave and turned back. "Wait! Have they sent any formal invitations? Do they even have invitations? Who is coming?"

I again, looking with widened eyes. "Who do we send them to?" I waved a hand a what I thought was absurd. "Other than Mark's or Stan's family, who needs an invitation? If we send one to them, do we include the four other couples getting married? Nicolae and Helga know already, Amir knows already! Sean, Katy, Karen, Scott, Kelly. Stan's and Mark's family...we know they're coming, no RSVP needed." I thought. "Of course, Nicolae, Helga, and Gaius' grandchildren...perhaps Mitch and a guest or two of his..." I chuckled, imagining one opened in the Oval Office and the scowl on that face. "Perhaps we should send invitations to the President and Vice-President to really shake them up, but if they came that would mean more security and..."

Gabriella shook her head interrupting. "An invitation is something that can be kept by them to remember their special day!"

"For each couple!?" I shook my head. "Why not something else, like a plague or something?"

Gabriella wasn't hearing me now as her mind again worked. "I need to find your mother!" She said and quickly walked off.

I smirked. "That was so helpful, Devon! Thank you so much, Devon." I said mockingly to myself and went to find somebody...anybody not distracted. I felt sorry for Gabriella. She was trying to make this a traditional wedding, thinking like a bride and she would, but that didn't apply here.

My search for someone wasn't because I had nothing to do, but Colin was busy at the moment and even though he wouldn't mind or even think about stopping what he was doing if I needed something or even if I wanted nothing but to see him, he would stop to spend time with me. My recent exposure to Colin's responsibilities and business...I felt it best to let him do that. Things at the VUN here basically nocturnal for us, if not twenty-four hours because of the time differences in the three major countries who were part of the VUN International. It would be sunset in a few hours in this part of the world and I would again be with Repetate, Iustina and Ralph trying to teach them more language and just generally socializing with them. They had been alive so long; I was not prepared for how much they retained and understood. However, they were THE vampires, so sunup to sunset, they were asleep. I went by the labs, where Ellis was talking with Kev before Ellis went out for his nightly patrol. The few inches difference between them they were used to as they spoke in soft voices to each other. Ellis bent in and gave Kev a kiss that was more than just a "see you later" kiss. They were a handsome couple! They were still a little wary of people around them as they did, but...really? Here!? They were surrounded by male couples, why hide what they feel? I looked at them, smiling at their new sense of freedom where it wasn't bizarre at all. It looked very natural to me. Who objects to love!? They were both handsome men. I don't think there was a man here that wasn't handsome. Colin, hands down just blew my mind! But you knew that. From the day I met him, I just knew he would be irresistible to other people. Who would say no to being close to him? I didn't! I was relishing in the idea that Colin loved me. He sincerely said he loved me many times a day! He proved it to me all the time in how he treated me. I was the first thing on his mind when he woke up and the last thing he saw or thought of before he went to sleep. He was for me! And sometimes, not even when I went to sleep as I would often dream about him!

I continued on to where Stan usually worked on Buddy. He was getting things ready to monitor the teams that went out that night. We now had three teams doing patrols throughout the subways and tunnels below Manhattan. Stan did it very well, but I knew he paid very close attention to one particular FBI agent.

He got his coffee ready to watch the screens, but I saw him frown at something he saw...hit something on the glossy black surface and sat down to look at...whatever caught his attention closer.

"Hi, Stan." I greeted my friend. "Is there a problem?"

Stan looked up suddenly and beamed his smile at me. "What? No." He shook his head and then frowned again. "Buddy's just telling me someone's trying to sneak a peek in." He gave a ,

"Not hack in," I clarified.

"Nooo," Stan shook his head at that near impossibility. "That could happen, no system is foolproof, but I have enough firewalls and protections up...not to mention my Sentry Buddies!" He waggled his eyebrows.

"Your what?" I grinned back.

"My Sentry Buddies," Stan said back a little firmer, but happy. "Like guard dogs that bark at a potential intruder. One's barking now. The Sentry Buddies don't do anything except warn me if someone's sniffing around out there." He waved at the computer. "People try to hack in all the time, but..." he raised that finger and frowned again, shaking his head as he looked at the screen. "These...whatevers...aren't trying to hack in but sending scouts...or spies to see what we're doing. They're hunting dogs if you will."

I frowned now, too. "To see what we're doing?"

Stan nodded. "Sure." He shrugged. "Come on, Devon. We came out more to the world! There were some smart people invited here recently. A lot of very smart people. Who knows if they kept it quiet. Who knows who in the many governments would love to find out more about what we're doing and were not given access but want that access us anyway." He smiled. "I was prepared for this. That's when I put those Sentry Buddies out there to keep this from happening. I'm not surprised." He patted the black glass lightly. "No one will break into Buddy without a fight. The FBI, CIA, NSA, MI5 or Romanian Intelligence...no one gets in!" He chuckled. "The FBI tried, but my guard dogs bite!" He said proudly. "I sent them sort of a worm virus." He saw my raised eyebrows and held his hands up. "Don't worry, it was a simple thing to get rid of. That was a way for me to tell them I know what they were doing and to keep out and stay back! The worm/virus isn't difficult to find...I made it easy to find, but like a worm, it scurries about in and worms it's in their system never staying in one place. They can get rid of it easily, but not without shutting things down an hour or two. If they are a whole agency or individual, they will have to explain to their IT guys why they have to shut down a while. Agencies like the NSA and CIA will have a devil of a time if they have to do that. There will be questions demanded if done by just a single agent."

I know my eyes were wide now. "Damn, Stan! I'm glad you're on our side!" I patted his back appreciatively. "I almost feel sorry for the FBI!"

"They were trying to see what Ruben and we are doing!" Stan protested as he waved at his computer. "If they wanted information, they should go through proper channels and have clearance...or just politely ask! Don't try to be sneaky."

I squeezed Stan's shoulder affectionately. "Not about what you did, Stan." I smiled at my friend. "I am not feeling sorry because you did it. The FBI didn't appreciate you, Stan! They had to let you go because you were marrying Mark and because it's against their rules for married agents to work together." I put my arms around his shoulders as he smiled. "So, we got you instead!" I hugged him where he was sitting. "You're a genius and should ask for another raise!"

"Hey!" We heard the lighthearted objection and turned as Mark strode in ready for patrol, grinning at us. "Hugging my husband!?"

I nodded. "I did, and I'll do it again!" I said hugging Stan again and then turned and grabbed Mark and did the same to him. "I love you guys!"

Mark chuckled as he hugged me back. "What can I say? I love the fringe benefits here. Free hugs. Who doesn't like those?"

Stan laughed at Mark. "Technically, I'm not your husband yet, Mark."

"Oh!" I said parting from Mark a moment. "Speaking of weddings...please, tell Mom and Gabriella a preference! I don't care what it is. I had a conversation with Gabriella in the hall not long ago. She's sort of freaking out planning the wedding for you."

Mark groaned. "The wedding is months away!"

I nodded understanding. "Yes, but Mom and Gabriella are planning it and want it to be special for each of you. There is some planning to be done and you know it. Women like to do that. I remember mine, the cake, flower arrangements..."

"Flower arrang..." Mark balked and then nodded. "I've been measured for the suit! So, has Stan! I assume there's a place to stand when we tell everyone we want to do this."

I nodded. "There is, but they want it to be special for you. I do, too." I reasoned. "Mom and Gabriella love you; this is their way of showing everyone that you mean something to us. Just go with it." I begged lightly.

"I was tol' to see you, Stan." Ellis announced before entering the office. "Somethin' about this bloody...whateva' bugger George put in me!" He entered working his left shoulder to relieve soreness or perhaps to regain feeling he'd lost where the little tracking capsule was inserted. He instantly smiled at all of us as he saw us. "Me mates!"

Stan nodded and looked at his screen. "You're PDT is working fine."

Ellis looked with a blank look.

Stan chuckled and pointed to Ellis' chest. "Your Personal Data Transfer Unit." He pointed his own chest where his was. "PDT...it's working."

Ellis was working it out. "So, this little bugger will tell you where I am?"

Stan nodded. "Where you are and whether you alive or not, even measures your heart rate, body temperature..."

Ellis' eyes grew. "Even when I'm below!?"

Stan nodded again. "Underground or from anywhere in the world! Yes."

"When I'm on the other side of the world!?" Ellis balked again. "Right now, if I were in China, you could see that?"

Stan chuckled. "That's right. It's more of a security thing. Like, when Devon was kidnapped, we knew where he was and got him back."

"Blimey." Ellis said quietly, almost in reverence and then brightened. "I don't understand it, but then again, I didn't understand the wireless when it came out. I just knew it worked!" He looked at me with a frown. "You were kidnapped?"

"Twice! We didn't have the PDTs the first time, but I did the second time. They came and got me pretty quickly." I smiled at Ellis. "We want everyone safe."

Ellis nodded. "Sure. I understand that."

"Now, about your wedding." I smiled watching Ellis' eyes roll.

"I know, Colin's daughter and your Mum 'ave been asking me." He shook his head. "I don't know what to plan! I know they want proper knees up party, but...I don't know wha' to plan for!" He threw his arms out in frustration. "Kev and I ave been together for a long time, I never thought about marrying im before! No vicar would do it! Then we get ere, everyone ere was getting married. Kev asked...I couldn't say no. I love the bloke! I just don't know wha' I want!"

I chuckled understanding. "Well, just think about it, talk to Kev and give Gabriella and Mom some ideas."

"Yeh." Ellis nodded a little uncertain as he rubbed his chest where the PDT was inserted. "I'll get with Kev."

"Ellis," I began, "I know this is new, but I hope you realize how much we all like having you and Kev with us."

Ellis smiled and I was not surprised when his Cockney took a back seat. "Yes, I know that." He nodded. "Kev and I lost a lot during those years below in the Tubes...friends mostly." He nodded at me. "It's nice to feel so welcome."

"You're one of us," I said simply. "I don't mean the venom or vampire part, but because of who you two are." I squeezed Mark's shoulder. "They don't have a drop of venom but believe me. They are part of us, too. Just as you and Kev now are now."

Ellis smiled at me, but this time because he had moisture in him and in his eyes, I saw a tear form as he hugged me. "Thank you, Devon." Then he was back to being his happy Cockney self. "Well, time to pop off below again." He put his arm around Mark's neck and shoulders. "So, kiss the ol' trouble and strife ta ta."

Mark was staring at him a second and then shook his head quickly. "What!?" He smiled at him. "I know you speak English, Ellis!" He pointed to Stan and me. "We all just heard you!"

"'ow is that fun?" Ellis wasn't bothered a bit. "I said, kiss yer husband goodbye and we need to go! We've got some lost souls to find out there." He thumbed over his shoulder and pointed to the floor meaning the subways and Manhattan as a whole. "And that was English! There is absolutely nothin' wrong with the way I talk." He said poking Mark lightly on the chest. "It's you Yanks that talk funny."

Mark shook his head again but turned to Stan. "See you later, Baby." Ellis and I pulled away a bit to give them space and some privacy. He said leaning in and kissing Stan gently, but it was heartfelt as it lingered a little. That vampire hearing, I heard it all. So did Ellis.

Stan's fingers went into Mark's dark hair as he rested his forehead against Mark's. "Be careful. I am going to marry you, but that means you have to be here. Stay safe, please?"

Mark's smile I didn't have to see to know it was there. "I will." He kissed Stan again and stood up. "I'll be in contact with you the whole night!" He tapped his earpiece with the little throat mic. "Don't lose me!"

Stan smiled back. "Never." He swore.

Ellis suddenly looked up and stated. "I need to see Kev again!"

Chuckling, I nodded understanding fully. "I need to see Colin." I took Ellis' arm pulling him toward the door. "Then I am going to spend time with the boys."

"You really like them, don't you?" Ellis asked as we walked down the hall and I nodded to his question. "What are you trying to do with them?"

"I'm trying to get them to understand the world a little more," I said simply and shrugged. "Until now, their lives have been the same every night. They wake up hungry and find blood, feed, and rest again at sunup and do it again. I am trying to get them to see who they are and who we, who the victims are."

Ellis nodded. "How is that going?"

"They communicate so differently, getting them to make sentences and be understood is hard, while at the same time they don't seem to realize what they are versus what we are." I saw his confusion when I said that. Sighing I tried to explain. "There is one primary need for them. Blood. I mean, they wake up and search for blood. The victim is just the means to the end. The ends justify the means. I don't know that they realize what they do or the consequences of what they do."

Ellis looked at me surprised. "They don't know what they're doing or why?"

I shrugged again. "I can't say, but the hunger is the thing that needs satisfying. That is the only important thing in their lives. That one need drowns everything else." I smiled at Ellis. "Now that need is more easily met, with no deaths...they are just...children!" I punched him lightly in the arm. "Now..." I grinned, "you are capable of speaking so you're understood. Why the accent?"

Ellis chuckled, bowing his head a little guiltily. "Well, I can be understood." He shrugged. "It's more of habit now." He smiled as he remembered. "When I started working for Kev, he was so...serious!" He grudgingly nodded. "A lot of times, just sad. I made it my mission to make him laugh!" He brightened. "I did it!" He said triumphantly. "Then I caught him on a few occasions looking at me..." he got closer to share something in more confidence, "that way." He shook his head and went into the act again. "'e was a proper gentleman, `e was!" Then he dropped the accent again. "If looking at me made him happy, I didn't care. He did so much for me. He never treated me like simple labor." He laughed. "He offered to tutor me in things like how to read more." He looked at me. "I could read! I dropped out about the fifth or sixth year. I could read, but not that well. He would sit and teach me to read better. He taught me more than just reading, but history and science. I began to think he was doing more than just to be nice. He seemed to like being around me. After a few weeks, I realized I loved him." He said helplessly. "He was so shy! He would never start anything, but I did."

"That was punishable then! That was very dangerous." I said incredibly not knowing much about it, but I knew from history the English were very conscious of class. A man, Cockney from the East End, and a doctor from Chelsea!? That was a lot of why My Fair Lady was about! Those two worlds should never have gotten together, much less fall in love! Never two men! "He could have had you arrested and put in jail!"

"I thought he was worth the risk," Ellis said shrugging simply. "I didn't think he would have me arrested. The first time I kissed him, my heart was pounding, but I kissed him. He didn't get upset but said we couldn't do that." He went into a near perfect imitation of Kev's proper English and accent. "Things like that just aren't done." He laughed again. "He didn't have me arrested and didn't fire me! So, I kept it up, but not so obvious. Then one night, I worked late and I hurt myself. I cut myself on my right side, making a nasty cut which bled and bled." He indicated his chest down toward his right side. He was remembering something fondly. "He was a doctor, so...he took care of it. I took my shirt off and well...he kissed me that time!" He laughed again. "We had a great night. It was worth the loss of blood!"

"Okay, so what about the accent?"

He nodded. "Well, back then it was me naturally, but...he had guilt after that night and well, I did it to cheer him up. I don't know if you noticed, but Kev is a really deep thinker. Many times, he would get depressed...dark and moody, it became a reflex. I would make him smile or even just laugh. That look he gave me from those eyes when I did that made my heart melt. I knew we were in love." We slowed our pace as he frowned. "The night he and I were bitten and we became what we were...I just had to keep it up." He said helplessly. "It was my turn. I took care of him. He wanted to step out in the sun almost immediately, but I wouldn't let him." He stopped and looked at me. "There were ways to handle what we'd become other than killing ourselves so we wouldn't feed on people...there were plenty of rats!"

I chuckled again. "They are not an endangered species."

"Hardly," Ellis said in laughing agreement. "The accent just became a habit."

I hugged him. "No, I don't think so. It's just who you are." I patted his arm as we got the door of the lab. "Swear not to change."

Ellis looked surprised. "I don't think I could." He looked up and into the lab and smiled softer. "Just look at him." He said looking fondly.

I looked where Ellis saw Kev as Kev was studying something on the lab table. Kev was a handsome man, I won't lie, but I didn't feel what Ellis did. Turning back to Ellis. "I'm afraid, I don't see what you do. I see a handsome, good, smart man, but I think his charms only work that way," I poked Ellis lightly on the chest, "on you. That is love."

"Yeh." Ellis went in the lab and turned Kev around suddenly and kissed him, but this time it was more intense and deep. Kev was surprised half a second but gave in quickly returning the kiss with equal passion. Now, I really had to see Colin...badly. I went quickly to Colin's and my apartment, I found him looking at the computer again, typing something. All the love in the air just made my desire for him intensify. I did what Ellis did to Kev. Going up behind him, I turned Colin around in that swivel chair and kissed him deeply. He didn't resist at all but returned it instantly. Probing, hungry with desire from both of us. I often felt it, but this time was that familiar swoon came quickly as I felt those arms come around me bringing me even closer to him. Our breaths shortened and quickened and only when air became absolutely necessary, did we part even a fraction.

"Do I need to ask?" Colin chuckled as his voice rumbled. "That's no complaint."

"I just felt I needed that," I said simply. "And to tell you, I love you," I said looking those beautiful emerald colored eyes.

Colin's eyebrows rose. "If I had any doubts," he held his finger up, "which I don't and never did have any. I couldn't deny it now." He rose from the chair. "I love you, too."

"I know you do!" I smiled and walked back toward the door.

"Hey!" Colin objected holding my hand and not letting go. "You kiss me like you did and leave!? You can't leave!"

Coming back to him I slipped my arms around him again. "Baby, there is nothing more important to me than you. We are connected in a way so few human beings ever are." I smiled kissing him again. "We will connect again, in a few hours." I looked out at the terrace and the light was fading. "However, I have work to do." I kissed him again patting him on the back. "You do, too."

"Which I can do any time."

I nodded. "Yes, but I can't."

Colin nodded understanding. "Okay. You're going back with the boys."

"Repetate, Iustina, and Ralph are coming along," I said explaining. "I like to be there when they wake up, give them their blood and start telling them more about their world." I shrugged. "It gives continuity to them if I do. For the first time in their long, long life they are feeling secure. They trust me! They are learning." I chuckled. "That's kind of exciting."

He smiled nodding. "Okay." He brought me in putting his forehead against mine. "But afterward, we eat and come right here."

"Count on it," I assured kissing him again more gently. "Never forget how important you are to me."

Colin grinned. "As long as you are the same for me."

I got to the door of Repetate's, Iustina's, and Ralph's room just as a guard was about to open it and give them the cooler of blood. Thanking him, I took it with the smiles of all three greeting me. No anxiousness about finding blood, but secure in knowing it would be there.

"Hi, Devon!" I heard the three simulated voices greet me as they all signed the same thing.

I didn't hold back the chuckle as I greeted them all. "Hello!" I said opening the cooler. "I have the beginning meal for you," I said holding out a bag for each. They enjoyed their blood and watched some cartoons a while. It was time I began to work again with them. Getting them to understand things and what we called them was not hard if it was an object. Concepts were difficult, such as time, for instance. A day was sunset to sunup for them. I had gotten across time we had been away using that timeframe. Now, going back in time was a challenge. There was little to...mark that past time...memory wise. "Do you remember before here?" I asked them. "When you were with Vlad...or Dragon?" I looked at Ralph. "Or when you were in the caves before you arrived here?"

"Before here," Iustina said simply.

I nodded. "Yes, before. Do you remember being out, before you arrived to Vlad?"

"Yes," Repetate answered. "Hunger."

"Do you remember where you were with the hunger?" I asked.

"Out," Iustina answered.

Now, came the fun. I had used a visual image of them in previous...lessons. I didn't know if they had a concept of self. Would they recognize themselves? For the following days after they got here, I had shown them images of themselves. They quickly got to know who they were on the screen. They never looked at themselves before. They simply were. I used the camera part of the laptop and it reflected what they saw themselves do on the screen. A dog would get upset at a reflection of itself thinking that reflection was another dog and bark at this new dog. Primates took a little while to realize the reflection was of themselves. The Old Ones understood after a few seconds when what they did was reflected on the screen and some testing was done to see if what they did, the image of themselves did the same thing. They knew what the images were when I showed them. I had prepared something for them to see. "So, where are you now?"

I saw three confused faces. "We are here!" Iustina said simply.

I nodded. "Where is that?"

"Here." Ralph again said firmly and I tell you...the translator and program even made it sound a little irritated.

I had to laugh a little. To tell him what he expressed was irritation and was a feeling was another concept I would have to teach them, but later. Knowing what he felt and giving it a name was going to be another challenge, but right now, I wanted them to get a sense of where they were and names for what it is called. And time. I switched to a file, where a recording was done by me where I left them, went down the hall they knew from going to shower. I wasn't showing the way out, but where they were. They didn't seem to be wanting to be out at all! Why? They no longer had to hunt for blood or find new shelter. No cartoons!? No, they weren't going to try to escape. They quit trying to seek a way out weeks ago. They knew what they had was good. On that clip, I went to the elevator and up to the roof where the sun blazed down. They did react to that but sensed no harm so relaxed again. From there I got in a helicopter which rose in the air. I couldn't personally go high enough but switched to footage from a weather balloon where the eye kept going and going up, fast forwarded through the clouds higher until the curve of the Earth was seen. A switch to a space probe where the eye kept going up and up until the fact that the world was a ball was clearly seen. The satellite image of the Earth until it was small. Flat Earth people were screwballs. I went back on the clip to the room they shared. "This is your room," I said and pointed to the floor. "Here." I showed the image of the hall and roof. I showed the image of the roof receding and all of Manhattan was seen below. "The room is here." I pointed to the VUN building which they saw the eye rise from. I was watching as what I said was getting through and their eyes were widening. It showed the image of greater Manhattan with Long Island stretching out next to Manhattan, below New York City was New Jersey that could be seen. "The room is here." I pointed to the image where the building was. The curve the Earth. "This room is here." The image of the whole Earth. "The room is here. This round ball is the Earth. That's our world. You are here."

"Big," Repetate said. "Small."

Now, I was confused.

"Here, big." He pointed to the room and then to the image of the Earth. "Here, small."

"Yes!" I nearly shouted. "That's right! You got it!" I was happy he got it, I looked at the other two. "Do you get it?" They nodded. Now to teach them about time. The rest of the night I showed them various images of the earth, the solar system, and rotation and how we developed the concept of time. The night seemed to fly by now. What I was extremely pleased with...they forgot the cartoons and like sponges took everything I taught with rapt attention. They were fascinated. They had never really learned things except for a new area and how to hunt for the next meal. They knew to look for shelter for when the sun came up, but they remembered!

I was a little annoyed when I noticed they were getting sluggish and realized the sun was about to rise. The door to their room opened and Colin came in smiling.

"Hi, Colin!" They greeted, but a little weary now. That also was conveyed by their translators.

"Hi." Colin greeted them and smiled at me. "My goodness." He said looking at the screen I had up showing the Earth as it rotated. "What are you teaching them?"

"What a day is, what a week is...a year," I said grinning. "What the Earth is. Where it is. Where they are now." I rubbed Iustina's head who was growing more groggy but smiled as I toyed with his one remaining ear. "And they understand!" I said happily.

Colin's eyes grew. "They do?"

I looked at them. "Where are you?"

"New York!" They all said together.

"City." Ralph added and then Ralph looked a little worried. "Need sleep now."

I laughed knowing they couldn't help it. "Okay, okay." I got up and went to them. "We'll start again tomorrow," I said kissing each on the head as always. "Go to sleep. I'll be back." They just relaxed and laid down and it wouldn't take long as the sun was breaking the horizon.

Colin grinned at me as I stood next to him. "Good night, boys." Colin waved to which he got a wave, no words. Colin chuckled and escorted me to the door with his arm around me. Once in the hall, he leaned in as his voice rumbled. "We have a date."

I chuckled. "Yes, we do." I nodded. "Every single day for the rest of our lives," I said kissing him as we walked.

"What you're doing it..." he looked back as the guards were changing and the Old Ones would be kept safely secured, "is unbelievable. You want them to understand time."

"Instead of sunset to sundown, I will get them to understand weeks and then years. One finger can be a day or a week or a year. I hope they can remember the first sunset and sunrise. They might be able to tell what happened in the past if they know how far to go back." I sighed. "Then again, they may associate memories by where they were. The past for them now is Romania...and England for Ralph. I hope to take them back further for memories of others like them if there were any. I'm sure they saw them more in the past. This will take time."

Colin nodded. "We have time." He said holding his stomach, "But first, a meal." He grinned.

I took his hand and led him faster down the hall chuckling. "Let's not waste time. You will need your strength for later!"

We got to Vamps and everyone had returned from patrol. There were many conversations going on at once. What I was pleased with, was Dr. William Canaday was there and his two lab assistants at the big table. I was also wary of that fact. As far as I knew, they only knew George, John, Wayne, Amasis, Colin and I were vampires. Commander William Canaday was eating breakfast as were his two assistants, but everyone else was eating dinner.

Wayne looked up seeing me and said happily. "Dad!" He teased me again. He pointed to the empty chairs near him. "I saved you two a couple of seats."

Sargent Davis looked at us confused as his dark brows came together. "Okay, I know time for you guys is a little different and I know what happens, but..." he pointed at me and asked Wayne. "Is he your father?" Colin and I looked at each other as we sat at the table.

Wayne chuckled nodding. "Emotionally." He grinned hugging me.

Sargent Davis nodded. "I know of six here that have the venom in you for sure." He reasoned. "So, Devon Wentworth could be your father." He said. "If he fathered a child before he got the venom and you got it later..." He shrugged. "We were told there were others that had the venom here."

I grinned and nodded. "There are, but you can't tell who has it. I can say, not everyone here at this table has the venom." I shook my head. "There is a mother and father here, and a child or two, one child who shouldn't be the age they are and be that child but is."

"It will give you a headache if we told you all the familial connections." Colin chuckled. "Believe me, you're better off not knowing."

Sargent McCall smiled. "There are a few I suspect. By the terms they use that are sort of old fashioned." She looked at Sargent Davis. "We are here to work on the venom and serum."

"She's right," Bill said. "They have been forthcoming telling us they are here and helping us deal with this. This a new sort of Don't Ask, Don't Tell situation." He shrugged as he ate some of his pancakes. "If you hear or see anything to raise suspicion, don't ask about it." He waved his fork at us. "And no one tells. That's an order."

Colin leaned closer to me. "This was bound to happen." He whispered to me. "Our two newest members are sort of obvious at times."

I nodded and whispered back. "They're coming along. It won't be too long before we merge with the different centuries." Both Kev and Ellis had that vampire hearing and glanced at us smiling but gave no other indication.