Gran asks, “You okay Eva?”
“Yeah. But I really wanted to kill them,” I admit.
“But you didn't. That took great restraint,” she told me
Katie said to me, “Hun, it will be over soon.”
I sigh, “All those people they killed, Katie. All of those innocent people.”
“You can't bring back the dead. Don't even try!” Katie says to me.
I feel so dejected, “If I'd known…”
“But you didn't. You suspected but never got proof,” Katie adds.
“I suspected vampires, yes but not one that was my boyfriend!” I yell in frustration.
Katie says, “He fooled many. How old is he anyways?”
“Not quite 400,” Gran answers.
Katie exclaims, “Holy shit!”
Eva explain, “Katie, Vincent was born in 1015.”
Katie yells, “No way!”
I nod.
Katie asks, “How old are you, Gran?”
“Not quite 600, I’m about the same age as Eric,” she tells Katie.
Sam explains, “Wolves don't live as long as vampires as we very gradually age once we reach maturity which is marked by our first haze.”
Katie asks, “Oh! Please tell me you have food? I've lived on takeout.”
We all shared a laugh, which was needed.
Gran answers, “You're at a pack house full of wolves of course there's food.”
Katie looks around, “Who is everyone? Are all wolves hot?”
I facepalm. I love her but she can be a bit much and this is one of those times.
Sam smiles at me before answering her, “Not all, Katie.”
“Are these all your family?” she asks him.
“No, a few are my brothers, my nephew, and my friends. There's also part of a visiting pack that stayed,” he explains.
“I'm Dean Kent,” Dean says as he offers to shake her hand.
“I'm his sister Kim. We're Alphas of our pack,” Kim says with a grin.
The others decide to introduce themselves as well.
He says with a wink, “I am Mike King, a childhood friend of the Fall brothers and a part of their pack.”
“I'm the youngest Fall brother and my name Chris,” he tells her as he offers her a hug.
“I'm Sam's fraternal twin, younger by a few minutes. My name is Simon,” he says as he extends his hand to Katie.
“Simon's my father. I'm Steven,” he shyly says.
Katie asks, “Where're the Fall women?”
“It's just myself and now Eva,” Gran tells her.
“Why?” Katie asks.
Sam explains, “Before anyone asks, yes she's always like this and that's why the vampires couldn't wait to end their babysitting duty.”
Mike asks, “Why? I think her curiosity is cute.”
I shrug, “Apparently you don't know Vincent and Eric well. They aren't big on answering the questions of inquiring minds.”
“At least you're not stuck with just them for mates,” Mike says.
I smile and roll my eyes, “They have their moments though.”
Sam chuckles, “And you yours.”
I smack him, “You want a cat in your pants too?”
He laughs, “Hell no!”
Katie seems confused, “What?”
I do my best to explain, “When you were occupied with the tiger earlier, I may have encouraged a cat to get into Vincent's pants.”
Katie giggles, “So that's why he was freaking out!”
I nod.
Katie continues, “Damn I shoulda recorded it! So what's the plan now?”
As I rub my belly, “Food, I need food.”
Gran laughs and winks at me, “l owe you a cake too. I was working on it when the vampires came.”
Steven asks, “We still have the blood debt too, right?”
Gran says, “Yes and the marriage ceremony.”
I look at Sam.
Gran gives Sam a look, “Let me guess it slipped your mind on your run?”
Sam blushes, “We...well…”
Gran asks, “That whole time?”
Sam looks down, “Yes, sorry.”
“Wait, you guys have weddings like humans do?” Katie asks.
Gran answers, “Yes, it's customary for mates to do it right after their first run.”
Katie asks, “What do you mean run?”
“They shift and runoff to fuck,” Steven bluntly tells her.
“Steven!” Gran chastizes him.
Steven defends himself, “What it's what they do.”
Gran explains to Steve, “There are ladies present you do not talk like that!”
Katie giggles, “Oh it's fine I haven't been a lady since I was 16.”
I facepalm. She just has no filter. I love and envy that about her. I wish that I could be so free.
“I like her,” Smon says.
Dean adds, “I can see why the vampires don't though.”
Chris says, “She's too open.”
I shake my head at her and this whole situation.
Katie asks, “So what do we need to do?”
Gran answers, “Well everyone but the Fall pack can help you Katie. Then once us Falls are done with the debt, we will join you.The list of preparations is on the fridge, I started on it the moment Eva arrived.”
Kim tells Katie, “So Miss Overshare, let's go.”
I giggle, “Good one Kim.”
Kim smiles, “No hard feelings?”
I nod, “I get it why you reacted as you did why I responded how I did.”
Kim grins, “Coulda been way worse for me!”
I tell everyone, “I don't enjoy killing but sometimes it's the only viable option.”
Dean takes my hand and shakes it, “We are good and your secret is safe with us.”
They head to the kitchen. The rest of us go to the firepit outside Steven removes his shirt and pants.
Gran starts, “Blood was spilled to spare the life of a member of this pack. The Fall pack is in debt.
Tonight we vow to repay this debt. This is a blood debt.”
They all repeat 'This is a blood debt'. I have never witnessed anything like
this. I have read about them in different cultures though. They all mean that the one carrying the debt is willing to spill as much of their blood as needed to protect the other. Since I risked my life to save Steven’s, he's willing to do the same for me and by the others accepting the debt means that they will too. I can't let anything happen to them. I just won't feel right if it does.
Gran says, “Eva, you saved my great-grandson, I owe you.”
Sam vows, “As Alpha, it was my job to protect my pack. You, Eva, protected Steven. I owe you.”
Chris says, “You fought and bled for my nephew, I owe you.”
Mike pledges, “You risked your life for Steven, I owe you.”
Simon nods to me, “Eva, you saved my son. I owe you.”
Steven concludes, “Eva I'm here because of you. I owe you. This is a blood debt. My blood is yours.”
He cut his arm. Blood droplets hit the ground by the fire pit. I gasp. I want to rush to help him but something tells me to wait.
“Let nature and the moon bare witness to my oath and the Earth solidify our bond. Eva, I will stand by you and fight for you until this debt is paid. Blood for blood we are bound. Do you accept my oath?” Steven asks me.
I know that if I don't accept it will show disrespect. They have welcomed me, so I must honor their
ways. I say, “I accept your oath Steven Fall.”
He goes to put the knife into the flame to seal the wound.
“Wait!” I yell.
I prick my finger on my canine and let a few drops of my blood go onto his wound. It seals up. I suck my finger and it heals.
Steven asks, “How's that possible?”
I explain, “I have vampiric regeneration that even works in the sun, so I figured it must be because of my blood.”
Gran explains, “A Luna is a natural healer, but this goes beyond any wolf’s abilities including The White Wolf’s. Well, only us and your mates should know that. We can't risk any using your Luna abilities for themselves!”
I nod, “Agreed.”
Luna abilities? There's more? I really need to start asking questions.