Bitten (Book 1 - Book 4)

Natalia bolted upright.

'What?' Uri said.

“Bad dream,” she said in a hollow voice.

She panted, almost feeling as if she was still living it. Hell was back to being Hell with Lisa in the middle screaming. A group of Viperians with fangs bared were running after her. There was blood everywhere she looked. It was especially thick around three Viperian women who were casually chatting while consuming a goat. Anpu was running his hands over her and unfastening her clothing. Uri stood there glaring at her. Mirren, Sophie, and every other person she knew well and dear were yelling at her for showing them up by getting all of her properties rented

"You're just worried about the shop,’ he said, pulling her down and snuggling against her. “Overwhelmed with all that is happening.’

“It will all work out’

“With a rogue board member's wife?

“We're working on some things."

“Now, I'm really worried.’

She sat back up.

“What are you working on?’ she said with concern.

“Mommy?

"You woke someone up,’ he said.

"Yes, Victoria?’

“Wake time?’

“No. Go back to bed.’

It was still dark. She turned to look at the clock. It was four am.

“How can she be awake? She had no naps yesterday.’

"Yeah, but she crashed right after dinner,’ he said

Natalia now felt wide awake.

I'm not getting back to sleep,’ she said.

Uri ran a hand along her back.

“Don’t even think about it,’ she said. “What are you and Moralis up to? You know you can't jeopardize your position at the bank.’

“We're not doing anything illegal.’

“By whose rules?"

He chuckled.

I'm not getting any sleep, either. And I'm not going to win this argument.’

He rose and went into the bathroom.

“This isn't an argument,’ she said.

She slid out of bed and dressed. Victoria watched her from the doorway.

“Are those sensors even working? I think not. Someone is out of her room, and we didn't hear a thing."

“Maybe they woke you,’ he said, coming out of the bathroom to dress.

Natalia went into the bathroom, followed by Victoria.

“It's still dark out,’ Victoria said.

“We're up early. Did you wake us?’

Victoria shook her head.

“Do you need to go potty?’

Victoria nodded.

“I'll start some tea,’ Uri said, leaving the bedroom.

Natalia finished with Victoria. She was going to pick her up, but she ran off.

“Downstairs my independent girl,’ she said to her, but Victoria was already going down.

Tail was ahead of them with her tail held high like a flag they were supposed to follow.

Uri had set out mugs on the dining room table.

Up:

Natalia laughed at her daughter's command and lifted her up into her seat. A few minutes later, Uri brought out a teapot and a glass of milk.

“Do you want hot tea in your milk?" he said to Victoria.

She nodded.

He added milk to both of their mugs, then filled the half empty glass with hot tea.

“Is that too hot for her? Natalia said.

“No, the milk cooled it down."

He touched the glass to show her, then set it in front of Victoria.

“Sugar?’

Victoria nodded and he added a spoonful of sugar from the sugar bow! that was already on the table. Then he poured their tea and added sugar.

It's not often we're awake before Mag,’ she said.

Uri nodded.

This will be a surprise to find us peacefully drinking tea.”

Victoria giggled.

Natalia sighed. It was peaceful with them sitting there, sipping their tea.

Grrr.

Tail skidded up onto the table. All her fur was bristled up and she was staring in the direction of the patio door. She growled again.

'I heard something,’ Uri said, half turned toward the door.

"Yeah, so did I. It's not Mag. Tail wouldn't growl at Mag."

Natalia swore she heard the word intruder within the kitten's growl.

Uri rose.

Since their vision allowed them to see in the dark, they rarely ever turned on lights. Natalia knew that to an Undent the house was dark.

“Did the glass get replaced on the patio door?” she said.

“On order. It's a custom sized door.’

“Someone heard an alarm. Someone is coming through the basement.”

There were steps up the basement stairs. The door opened.

“We're in the dining room, Mag,’ Uri said

“Alarm went off,” Mag said from the door. “Someone is in the backyard.’

Natalia watched Victoria. Her eyes were tracking around the room as if she was seeing something. “They're moving to the side yard,’ Natalia said.

“Bonnie and Zena are coming around the front,” Mag said

"You stay put,’ Uri said.

He left to join Mag in the kitchen. She heard the patio door.

“How many?’ she said to Victoria.

Victoria shrugged.

“More than one?’

Victoria nodded.

Tail huffed

“Tail says three... or more.’

Natalia could see the seriousness on her face. It had been a long time since Victoria had exhibited some of her ultrasensitive senses. The last time she had helped with intruders around the house was when she was an infant. And while few believed her abilities, Natalia never doubted them.

Tail's eyes were now toward the garage.

A bang followed immediately by glass shattering caused Natalia to duck under the table and crawl to Victoria's chair. She moved it out just enough, so she could help Victoria slide beneath the table. More glass exploded. Natalia knew the front windows were being shot out.

Guns.

That worried her. She felt as if the entire front of the house was being riddled with bullets. Victoria huddled against her, holding Tail.

All the shooting ceased. There was just the tinkling of glass.

“Out,’ Victoria said, pushing away from her.

Natalia followed her at a fast crawl toward the kitchen. Just as they reached it, there was an explosion. The kitchen door which had been propped open, slammed into her. It took her breath away.

“Mommy.

Natalia managed to crawl to her and take her in her arms. Then gunfire took out what remained of the patio doors. Glass shards skidded across the floor. She knew they would be okay if that was all they did. Cabinets protected them.

The gunfire stopped. It was an almost nerve wracking silence. Then there was more gunfire upfront. Victoria stiffened

“Daddy.’

Something passed through the backyard. Glass crunched underfoot when someone stepped into the kitchen. The person was holding a rifle.

Natalia held her breath. She didn't have a single knife on her.

“Are you okay?’ Anpu said.

“Scare,’ she said with a big sigh of relief.

She picked up Victoria when she rose. Victoria offered none of her usual resistance.

“Let's go,’ he said, waving her on with his hand.

He led the way. Midway around the house, he aimed and fired. The bang from a gun that near caused her to jump. Tail hissed and arched her back. Then, Natalia heard the sound of the body falling to the ground. She realized someone had been up on neighbor's roof across the street. This told her that burglary wasn't the goal of this endeavor. That scared her even more.

Anpu took off at a run. Natalia followed as best she could to the front of the house. Bonnie and Zena were stooped over a body.

Natalia almost fainted. There was blood everywhere. The body wasn't breathing.

“Daddy.’

Kate pulled up onto the lawn in a car. Bonnie and Zena carried Uri to the back seat. Bonnie got in with him. The car took off with a peal of tires.

Natalia stared after the car, feeling light headed. She didn't know whether to run after the car or find a car to follow. Breathing was hard, and she found she couldn't talk.

“I think the last one was the one on the roof,” Anpu said.

He and Zena did a slow spin.

“We probably better put the fire out before it spreads,” Zena said, taking off toward the house at a sprint.

Natalia turned to see something burning in the house.

“Where's Mag?’ she said in a whisper, feeling terrified that she didn't see her.

Tail ran over to some bushes. Anpu continued to watch around them. Natalia headed toward the bushes, dreading what she would find.

“Mag?’

I'm... I'm okay.’

She was on the ground.

Natalia didn’t think she was okay. She gave her a hand to help her up.

You've been hit.’

Mag waved it away as nothing, but she was unsteady on her feet. Natalia thought there was too much blood.

"Zena," she said, turning toward the house.

They needed help.

“She's busy putting out the fire,” Anpu said, joining them. “My car is down the block. Let's go.’ Natalia didn’t think she could hold up Mag and carry Victoria. She felt stupid and unable to figure out what to do. Anpu came up and helped Mag. Natalia followed staring at Anpu

He was dressed all in black with the rifle on his shoulder.

“Is that yours?’ she said.

“Is what mine?" he said.

The gun.’

“No. I took it off one of the Undents.’

There were now sirens in the distance.

“In the car,’ Anpu said while he helped Mag into the backseat.

Zena?’

“She'll let the police know what happened,’ he said.

He was staring at her.

“We have to get you two to the hospital.’

He opened the front car door for her. Natalia realized she was just standing there being stupid. She slid into the seat with Victoria.

Anpu shut the door, then ran around to put the rifle into the trunk. He slid into the driver's seat as fast as he could, starting the car and shutting his door in what seemed to be one fluid movement. Natalia felt herself instinctively hold on to the door handle, expecting him to take off fast, but he took off slowly. However, he continued to speed up. She heard his car warn him of police cars, which he avoided. While he drove, he brought out his phone and made a call.

“Arriving with two hurt packages.’

Natalia didn’t know what he meant. There weren't any packages.

He made a second call.

“Attack at Osrisca’s. Three hurt. Heading to hospital.’

Natalia had no idea who he had called, or who else had been hurt. She also had no idea how he could drive so fast with one hand on the steering wheel while he made the phone calls. He even took turns using only one hand. She kept a tight hold of the door and Victoria.

They reached Viperia in record time. However, Natalia thought the gates opened incredibly slow. As soon as a gate opened wide enough, Anpu drove through, going as fast as he could.

When they reached the emergency entrance at the hospital, people were waiting. Mag was the first one they helped out. She was lifted onto a gurney and wheeled into the hospital. Natalia followed them. However, a short way down the hallway, someone took her hand and led her another way. She found herself in an examination room.

“I'll take Victoria,” Anpu said, taking her from her arms.

Natalia wasn't sure about this.

“Lay down,” the doctor said.

“I'm fine,’ she said. “Where's Uri? How is Uri?’

“He's in surgery. How are you walking on that leg?"

Natalia looked down. Her entire left leg was covered in blood. She was leaving a bloody footprint where she walked

“Lay down. Are you dizzy?’

Yes.’

She didn't know why that was important, but Victoria looked distressed. The doctor pushed her onto an examination table. She wanted to resist and get Victoria, but the doctor and nurse were stronger than she was.

Anpu stepped over by her.

Natalia reached for Victoria's hand, but Anpu took it instead. She found herself immensely tired, too tired to resist. There was no more strength in her while she felt them cut off her jeans.

“One bullet in the thigh. Just missed the artery. Still a lot of blood loss.’

“How did I get shot?’

No one answered her. The doctor and nurse chatted to each other while they put compression on her leg. She was vaguely aware of an IV being setup.

Natalia didn’t know why she couldn't feel any pain. She decided she had to be in shock. Her only explanation on how she was shot was that a bullet from the front of the house had hit her in the dining room. Nothing could have reached her in the kitchen, and Anpu had fired the only shot when they went outside.

She felt her heart pounding in her ears. Someone was holding her hand, but she couldn't remember who. She wondered if she would need to be bitten with the calming venom, but then she felt a prick on her arm, and her body relaxed. A needle, not a bite, she thought. She closed her eyes.

The last thing she remembered was someone talking.

Is that a cat?’

When she opened her eyes, she found she was in a hospital room in a bed. It was all vaguely familiar from her last visit to the hospital when Uri had his head injury. She could feel the bandage around her leg. Sleeping next to her on the bed was Victoria. She felt comfort from the heat of her small body.

She turned her head. Sitting next to her in a chair and holding her hand was Anpu. She pulled her hand away.

“Where is Uri?

“Surgery.’

“Is he still alive?’

“As far as I know,” Anpu said. “No one wants him dead.’

Natalia stared at him.

“Not even me,’ he added.

"You certainly seem to want what he has.’

“I wanted you and asked for you in the beginning, but there was more of an advantage to have Uri take you.’

He leaned back in his chair now that he was no longer holding her hand.

“What happened? Back at the house?’

“A planned assault. Of the five we saw and smelled, only one got away.’

Why?

He shrugged.

“I'm sorry to say, but I think Uri was the target. This was a planned assassination. Five men with assault rifles don’t show up by chance.’

“Undents or Viperians?"

“Not Viperians. At the moment, Uri is the most important person in all of Viperia because of his position at the Bank. The second most important person... is you.’

Why?"

“The Bank.’

“The Bank?"

“The Council has been working for years to get full control of the Bank. They are now so close because of you and Uri. Which is why he needed you.’

"He loved me.’

Yes, that, too. But to have a wife that wasn't Viperian and didn't look Viperian was important. It created the more wholesome image that they thought was necessary.’

He looked into her eyes.

"You have accomplished more than they ever thought possible. You survived being bitten. You gained position on the Council and had Victoria. You earned knives. You've pulled in the clout of Undent women that the Council never thought were worth it."

I don't think I'm really a full member of the Council.

He shrugged.

“Probably not. But you are very powerful.’

“The Council is very manipulative. I thought Sherri was too manipulative.’

“Sherri was as good or as bad as any of them,” he said. “She would have still been on the Council if she hadn't gone over the edge. I'm sure the Council didn't foresee that.’

“How is Mag?’ she said as she remembered.

“She's fine. She's next door. Bonnie and Kate are over there with her.’

“She was shot.’

“She will survive, Nattie, despite two bullet holes. While we aren't bulletproof, we're still hard to kill." “It only took one knife to kill Gussy."

Anpu smiled.

"Yeah, but look who threw the knife. You are powerful, Nattie."

He paused to watch her.

“I would still take you in a heartbeat. I love you. But that is not the will of the Council."

Natalia actually found his words disturbing. It wasn't the fact he loved her, but the controlling nature of the Council

She took a deep breath

'I need to know about Uri."

Anpu rose and left the room.

Natalia turned her gaze to Victoria. Her daughter looked peaceful.

“Where is Tail?"

Meerup.

Natalia looked up and behind herself. Tail was perched at the top of the bed.

“Glad we haven't lost you."

There was a clock in the room. It wasn't even seven am.

Quiet voices in the hall reached her.

I'm awake,’ she said.

Bonnie and Kate stepped in.

“How are you doing?’ Bonnie said.

I'm breathing. How is Uri?"

“In surgery.’

Natalia was hoping with all her heart that those two words really meant he was in surgery and not dead.

“I got him breathing again on the way to the hospital, Bonnie said as if that would reassure her. 'Is Zena still at the house?’

Yes. Sounds like it's a terrible mess.’

“Uri will love it. It will give him a reason to remodel,” Natalia said, knowing she sounded sarcastic. Kate almost laughed.

"How is Mag?’

“She finally has a legitimate reason for complaining,’ Kate said. “She's doing fine. She'll be on light duty for a while.’

'Viperians do heal quickly.’

“I thought we were done with all the violent stuff,” Bonnie said.

'We still have Undents,” Natalia said. “Someone really doesn’t want Uri to be the Bank President.’ Bonnie nodded.

Kate said nothing.

“Can I get up to see Mag?"

“No,’ Bonnie said. “You need to stay off the leg.’

'I don't have a phone,’ Natalia said

She didn't even see one in the hospital room.

'I should call the Council."

“No need,’ Bonnie said. “They're all downstairs.’

They're waiting,’ Kate said.

“Waiting for what?"

“The same thing you're waiting for. To find out whether Uri is dead or alive.’