Bitten (Book 1 - Book 4)

Natalia moved over by him. He took her in his arms, holding her tight as if he hadn't seen her in a long time.

“I don't ever want to throw a knife at you,” he said while he breathed into her hair. “I need you as much as I need air to breathe.”

“You didn’t miss,” she said.

“I never want to leave that to chance,” he said. “What if Mag had barged in right when I was to throw. Even I can be distracted.”

"Well, you were spot on. I know I don't have to worry about you in Hell.”

“Don't ever make me do that again.”

He renewed his hug.

“I won't,” she said, feeling bad, but now she knew his aim and coordination were back to normal. She wasn't feeling so bad about going to Hell with him

“Let's go to bed,” she said.

He released her. She fetched his knife, then grabbed his hand and led him back into the house. The ladies were still playing cards and hardly seemed to take notice of them.

"Are you going to give me a sip of tea?” he said, once they reached the bedroom.

“No. Moralis thought it was getting too strong from sitting in the keg. He thinks only I can handle it because I'm not Viperian. Besides, your senses are already good enough.”

“Okay,” he said, sounding a little disappointed.

They undressed and slid into bed.

She didn't think she would sleep at all, but Uri’s breathing was slow and calm like she remembered. He lulled her to sleep. The next thing she knew, he was whipping the covers off her.

“Time to get ready,” he said.

The house was quiet while they dressed. When they went downstairs, only Bonnie was there waiting. Natalia had no idea where the others were sleeping. She wondered if they were in the basement. Uri led the way out the front door.

The air was damp and fresh. It wasn't raining, but the ground was still wet. The humidity was high. Uri led them down to the end of the laneway. At exactly two-thirty, Moralis pulled up. Bonnie got in the front passenger side while Uri and she got in the back.

“Morning,” Moralis said

“Morning,” Uri said.

The rest of the trip was in silence. Moralis parked a block away from the entrance to Hell. They were the first to arrive. A few moments later, Tia and Grazie pulled up. Behind them came Mirren and Sophia. Natalia was surprised to see Char and Mina pull up in the same car. They all gathered around Moralis's car.

"Sophie leads. We'll do a sweep like we've done before. Everyone has a partner, except, Bonnie is Uri's partner this time. Tia is with Natalia. Char is with Grazie.”

Moralis waved a hand, and Sophie took the lead, followed by Mirren.

The gate into Hell was deserted. Natalia could already tell things were different. There was no music. There were no lights. It was dead quiet. There seemed to be no one around. Usually, there was a smell to Hell. Tonight, it seemed to have been washed away by the rain.

When they passed through the door in to Hell. Natalia noted the handle was still broken. Once inside, everyone spread out. There were even fewer streetlights working than she remembered. The streets were still strewn with garbage, but there was no other living creature than themselves. Natalia, Tia, Uri, and Bonnie were the only ones not searching buildings. They kept an eye on the street. Bonnie occasionally climbed to get a bird's eye view.

"Anything yet?” Natalia said.

“Nothing,” Bonnie said.

Their search was methodical and it was some time before they reached the main street. The cement truck was still there as was the flatbed trailer. The chair still sat on top surrounded by soggy discarded clothing. There were no bodies. There was hardly any evidence of the vendors other than the trash.

A few hours passed before they reached the warehouse where Moralis had stored his tea. The door to the building had been ripped off. Moralis and Sophie stepped in first, but then waved them all in. On the floor near the keg of tea were the first bodies. There were two dead men. They were Viperian. The keg of tea was smashed to pieces.

"Definitely don't let Uri have any of this tea,” Moralis said.

Bonnie turned the bodies over, giving them a close look.

“Red foam on the mouth,” she said.

"Yeah, what I suspected,” Moralis said. “I'd pour all that tea you have out, Nattie. The chemical formula has changed. It's not the same stuff. I'm suspecting that it is now a neural poison... at least for Viperians.”

“I only had one sip and it wasn't the same,” she said.

“Glad it didn't kill you,” he said.

Uri didn’t look very pleased.

Everyone spread out through the rest of the warehouse, but those were the only two bodies. "Don’t know them,” Bonnie said when they regrouped by the bodies.

“Nope,” Tia said, taking out her phone.

She took pictures of their faces.

Moralis led the way out of the warehouse.

At a faster pace, they did one more loop around Hell before heading back to their cars. The eastern sky was already light. The sun was just peaking between clouds.

“I've never seen that place so deserted,” Mina said.

“No,” Morals said. “It's never been that deserted.”

Natalia felt edgy.

“Maybe we better get home.”

Everyone nodded in agreement and there was a rush to pile into cars. She noted that Morals seemed to be driving faster than he should, but the car stated that there were no police in the area He pulled into the laneway and up to the door. The house looked normal.

“Want me to wait?” Moralis said.

“I'll flash the front light if all is okay,” Uri said.

“I'll respond with a headlight flash,” he said.

Bonnie led the way into the house and stood in the middle of the living room

“Pikers,’ she said in Viperian.

Mag stepped out of Uri's office. Natalia hadn't figured they would be staying in there.

"We're fine,” Mag said.

She was holding Victoria.

Zena and Kate came out behind her.

Uri opened the front door and hit the front light a number of times. Natalia could only assume he had received the response from Moralis.

Mag handed Victoria over.

"She fussed horribly over the bottle, but she finally took it when she realized there wasn't anything else.”

“My poor sweet girl,” Natalia said.

Victoria pouted.

“Nothing on security cameras?” Uri said.

"We watched them all night. Not a single alarm. We now have cameras over at the other house, too.”

“Good.”

“Breakfast or a nap?” Natalia said.

“I'm not tired,” he said. “But I will take some tea.”

“I'll put the kettle on,” Mag said.

“Let's change,” Natalia said.

Uri was changed and downstairs before her. She left Victoria in her crib and went to her office to grab two of the gallon jugs of tea. In the guest bedroom bathroom, she dumped them down the drain and rinsed the jugs. Victoria was fussing a little when Natalia went for the third jug. She checked her, but decided she was fussing only because she was alone. Once the last jug was empty and rinsed, she felt better.

I'm back, Victoria, sweet girl."

She wrapped her against her body before going downstairs. Uri was in his office. A cup of tea sat on the dining room table for her. She had only just sat and taken a sip...

“Nattie,” Uri said from his office.

She rose with her cup.

“Phone meeting,” he said once she arrived.

Two minutes later his phone rang

“Mirren and Sophie here.”

“Uri and Nattie here.”

“Grazie and Tia here.”

“Mina and Char here.”

There was a pause.

“Sorry. Moralis here. Baby's crying and I had to find a quiet room.”

“It doesn't look like Gussy is residing in Hell. He certainly cleared it out, though,” Mirren said.

“We found nothing in buildings,” Sophie said. “Even the few known crazy permanent residents were gone.”

“Last keg of tea is gone. Nattie?"

“I've already dumped what I had.”

She remembered the flask, making a mental note to empty that out.

“I'll put out a broadcast with the Drivers Guild to watch out for Gussy and any one else they think might hang with him,” Mirren said.

“I'll put a request out to search Viperian,” Tia said.

“I'm betting he dragged his party somewhere in A'ppollo,” Sophie said. “The only place we can't search.”

“I'm still waiting for an identification on the two dead,” Tia said. “I just sent the pictures to Corean. Paula is taking over her duties while on maternity leave, but she doesn't have same the skills as Corean.”

“I'm thinking we need a show of faces,” Mirren said. "Uri can you come to the club tonight?”

“Yes. With or without helmet?”

“Without, looking normal and healthy.”

“I can do. Are we squabbling tonight?”

Uri and Mirren liked to project the image of feuding father and son.

“I'm sure we can think of something.”

“Nattie, can you come to a women's gathering tonight? Bring Victoria of course. We'll have lots of babies,” Sophie said. “Come to our house in Viperia. Four pm.”

"Okay. What is this going to do?"

"Hopefully give us something to work with. See if Gussy is watching you guys but at a further distance.”

“I'll come to pick you up,” Tia said. “That way you can leave your house fully staffed.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Natalia said

“One last thing,” Mirren said. “Everyone who has knives, please be wearing them. Any other questions?”

There were five seconds of silence.

"Have a good day,” Mirren said, ending the call

Natalia watched Uri.

“So, having us go out and about might flush Gussy or have him show his hand?” she said.

He nodded.

“Gussy's not had much luck attacking us at the house. Look at how many times he's tried. I think having us show up out in public, might set something in action.”

"Have your helmet in the car, just in case,” she said.

“I have to look normal and healthy. Almost there,” he said. “I had no problems tonight running around Hell. No headache. I even climbed a building.”

“Glad to hear. Take a nap today.”

“Yes, ma'am, but only if you join me.”

She smiled.

“You sound healthy.”

He chuckled.

“We're just napping,” he said.

He rose, heading to the kitchen.

“Mag. What's for breakfast? We need some protein here.”

Natalia smiled. Uri was acting like his old self.

“It's cooking,” Mag said. “Out of the kitchen.”

Natalia settled at the table with her tea. Victoria fussed.

"You want momma milk via momma. Here you go,” she said, exposing a breast.

Uri went back to his office, but soon joined her. She could see he had just gone to fetch his cup of tea.

“Tea?” he said.

“Don't rile Mag,” she said.

“I just want tea.”

“You sound like your old demanding self,” she said.

He grinned.

Mag came out with plates.

"Eggs and bacon. Thanks, Mag,” Natalia said.

“About time,” Uri said.

Mag smiled when she returned to the kitchen.

After breakfast, the day wasn't quiet.

“We need to clean,” Mag said.

Uri was in his office and they were trying to get him out.

“There are no beetles in here,” he said.

“Out,” Mag said

“If you help move furniture, it will go faster,” Natalia said.

“They'll disrupt my piles,” he said.

“Move the piles methodically, and you'll keep everything in order.”

Natalia escaped upstairs while Uri continued to complain. She could hear their voices quite clearly and could even tell when they started to move furniture.

“The desk is too heavy because of the safe,” he said.

“I thought there were no beetles in here,” Mag said

Natalia chuckled to herself.

“Where?” Uri said.

“Right there. Five of them.”

Natalia couldn't resist. She rose and went to the railing.

"Are they dead or alive?” she said, calling down.

“Dead.”

“And Uri didn’t smell them?”

“My office always smells off,” he said.

“Because you don't let us clean it,” Mag said.

It was a few hours before the office was clean and Uri stopped complaining.

Right before lunch, Natalia checked which outfit she wanted to wear. She tried on one of her old ones that had the knife sheaths sewn in. It was snug but wearable.

"Amazing how quick I'm settling back to where I was and I'm only a week out,” she said to Victoria who seemed to be watching from her crib. “Must be all this running around I'm doing. Or the fact I was already putting on the weight before I got these outfits.”

She rummaged through Victoria's bag and added another diaper.

“I think I'm ready.”

She felt like she was forgetting something.

Mag's voice rose from below.

“Lunch.”

She picked up Victoria and went down. Uri was coming out of his office.

Lunch was leisurely and on the patio.

“Humid,” she said, looking down at Victoria who was sleeping.

“I love it,” Uri said.

He seemed to melt in his chair as if he had no intention of ever moving.

“Must be in your blood since Viperians are originally from the tropics.”

“Not sure why we settled this far north,” he said. “Might be just because there are so many people, we can blend in."

“It is the biggest city.”

"Which makes it so easy for Gussy to hide,” he said. “I told them they should have marked him, but they didn't.”

“Mark him?"

“Tag him when he was last in prison. Put a tracking device on him that he can’t remove. I think they're doing that now with trouble makers. It greatly reduces their future misdeeds.”

“I don't hear of any trouble makers,” she said. “Other than you.”

He ignored her last comment.

“There aren't many when your whole culture discourages it. Our teens finish high school with the high hopes of getting into a bachelor house and going to college. But once there, they find out it's just like being at home but with more responsibilities. It's their introduction to becoming an adult.” “I always think of a bachelor house as a party house.”

Uri chuckled.

“Nope. Bachelor house members must be approved. That's one of the topics we handle at club night. You don't see that. There must always be a senior member who is the boss. There's always a mix of ages. Moralis is a year old than me, and we were in the same bachelor house.”

“I haven't heard much about your house in Viperia that you turned into a bachelor house.”

“It's doing well. There are five ladies living there. Char is one of them.”

“I sensed a bit of rivalry between Mina and Char.”

He nodded.

“Typical for sisters. In fact, there's five of them. All full sisters. Mina's mother stayed with the same man for all five of her children. Mina is the oldest. Char is third. The other two are still too young to be out. Pansy, the second oldest, is going to college to be a doctor.”

“That explains a few things. Between Mina and Char.”

He now looked half asleep.

“Are you snoozing out here?” she said

“Are you going upstairs?”

“Yeah. Too warm for me.”

“I'll follow,” he said.

Once upstairs, Natalia placed Victoria in the crib.

“Mommy nap time."

She slid in beside Uri and cuddled up to him. He was very warm to the touch since he had been in the sun. It didn't stop her from falling asleep.

"Victoria is fussing,” Uri said, waking her.

She rolled over. The clock showed it was three in the afternoon.

"A good alarm clock. I have to be ready by four.”

She picked Victoria up and sat on the bed to nurse.

Uri rose and left.

“That flask. I have to remember to empty the flash,” she said to herself when the memory rose in her mind.

Victoria finished. Natalia changed her diaper, then wrapped her against her body. She slid the flask out, but heard Uri coming up. She dropped it into Victoria's bag to keep it out of sight even thought he now knew it was poison.

“I didn't even realize you had napped with your knives,” he said. “I just have to change shirts. Bonnie will drive me but come back to the house.”

"Okay. Sounds good.”

She picked up the bag and went down stairs.

“I'll clean your office tonight,” Mag said to her.

"Okay. Thanks. The house feels so fresh and clean. I never thought it was dirty before.”

"When you have a million beetles running about and a tayra, it becomes filthy fast,” Mag said. “Is Victoria's bag all set?”

"Yes. Fully stocked.”

Natalia set it by the front door.

Uri came trotting down the stairs.

"We rearranged my office a little. Come look,” he said.

The desk was in the same spot, but the table, chairs and shelves were spread out.

“Does feel a little roomier,” she said.

"Zena's suggestion,” he said.

“Better for card games,” Natalia said with a smile.

“That's where I figured the idea came from. But this is my office, not a rec hall.”

“It is during these times,” she said.

Mag stepped to the door.

“Tia just pulled up.”

“Okay. I have to go. You take care.”

Uri hugged her, breathing in her hair.

“Don’t get any ideas,” she said in a whisper.

“I already have,” he said, whispering back.

“You're going to squish Victoria.”

"Never."

He released her.

Natalia headed toward the door. She grabbed Victoria's bag. Tia was just getting out of her car. “I'm ready,” Natalia said.

“Car seat is in the back,” Tia said.

Natalia tossed Victoria's bag on the floor in the back, then unwrapped her from her body.

“No fuss, sweet girl".

Victoria seemed to hardly wake while Natalia strapped her in.

Natalia slid into the front seat.

“So, what do Viperian women do when they get together?”

Tia smiled.