Bitten (Book 1 - Book 4)

“I don't know if we do anything different than what you would do,” Tia said. “Talk. Eat. Although, tonight, we have a slightly different focus than just a gathering of mothers and babies.”

“I see you left Grace at home.”

"At six months, she's getting to be a handful. Let's keep tonight for the new babies that just sleep, eat and dirty a diaper.”

She noted that Tia was keeping an eye on her mirrors.

"We have any tails?”

“No, not yet at least.”

Her car notified them of one check point, but they didn't have to go that way. There were a few police cars in the area.

“Normal late afternoon traffic, so far,” Tia said.

"How's work doing without Uri and me?”

Tia rolled her eyes.

“Sometimes I just want to shake some people. They think it's the end of the world. Uri's still consulting and guiding through emails, so it's not like he’s totally out of the picture.”

Tia chuckled.

"Overall, we're doing just fine, Nattie. You had your department working so well when you left, that no one has even noticed you're gone.”

“My workers have. I get their emails. Some of it is so petty.”

“Don’t do too much, or Ursula will get mad. You're on maternity leave. Enjoy it.”

“Enjoy it?" Natalia said, giving her a look. “Let's me see. We've had beetles, intruders, vandals, house renovations, Uri getting hit in the head, and runs to Hell. Oh, I'm enjoying it.”

“Not to mention the garage cave-in.”

“Oh, I forgot that one.”

They both laughed.

Tia pulled up to the gate for Viperia and said the Viperian word for open. The gate opened almost as soon as she stopped. She pulled through.

“I've been past Mirren and Sophie's place, but never inside,” Natalia said.

“They're in a new section of development. All the homes are really looking good, now. At first I thought they were nuts because the neighborhood was a little run down. But they got a good deal and the neighborhood is really coming around.”

“I love it when old homes are renovated. They end up with so much character.”

Tia made a turn.

“Lots of people parking on the street. Laneways are much shorter here. Yeah, there's Mina’s car all the way down here. Parking is such an issue.”

Tia drove the entire length of the block before turning around.

“Looks like this is as close as we're going to get.”

Tia parallel parked into a spot as if she had eyes everywhere and no concern if she hit anything. However, she didn't even tap the curb. When Natalia slid from her seat, she could see that Tia was evenly parked between the cars in front and behind her.

Natalia opened the back door to unstrapped Victoria from the car seat.

"I feel naked without her here,” she said while she placed her in the wrap around her body.

Tia smiled and nodded.

“I did that with Grazon until he got too heavy.”

Natalia shut the door.

"Stay close. Up this way,” Tia said, starting out at a fast walk.

Natalia took two steps before spinning.

"Victoria's bag.”

She opened the car door and grabbed the bag. She hefted it up on a shoulder, shut the door and froze.

Tia was no longer in sight.

There were, however, three Viperian men heading her way. They were spread out with one on the sidewalk and two in the street. All their eyes were on her and they grinned when they realized she had seen them.

Natalia had a split second to make a decision. She didn't want a fight, not with Victoria strapped in front of her. They blocked her way up the street or across. There was only one way to go. She bolted down the block.

At the end of the block, she turned and ran full out. She felt as if she was flying fast, high on adrenaline that was now flowing through her like one of Uri's bites. In the middle of the block, she spied a brownstone building. She made another split second decision, digging out the flask from Victoria's bag and dropping it. Then she dropped the bag while she dashed to the other side of the brownstone building. She jumped as high as she could, grabbing onto the bricks with her fingers. Her fingers found purchase between the bricks. She pushed with her feet and climbed with her hands. The edge of the roof came as a surprise that she had actually scaled the building. She swung over the top, onto the flat roof, stepping away from the edge.

She was panting hard. Victoria was wide eyed, staring at her, but she remained silent. Down below, she could hear the men catch up. They had to have seen her climb, she thought, looking around to see where she needed to go next to evade them.

“Hey. Look.’

“I bet it's that pure tea. I hear they all drink it. Gives them superhuman powers.’

"Yeah, see how fast she ran?’

Natalia peered over the edge to see one pick up the flask and open it. They all gave it a sniff.

“Sort of smells like tea.’

“It's the pure stuff.

One tried to grab it.

“Me first.’

The man managed to swallow two sips before another grabbed the flask.

Natalia decided she couldnt watch any more and that it was time to find a way down. She walked across the roof to the other side of the building.

How the heck did they do it, she thought?

She peered over the edge. It looked like a long way down, and she had Victoria. A fall would be a bad thing. She swung a leg over, held her breath, and let herself over the edge, holding on to the bricks. Her fingers felt strained, but they held while she walked herself down, using her feet as brakes against the building. She felt relief when her foot hit the ground until a hand touched her. She jumped.

“It's just me,” Char said.

"Sorry. You scared me.”

"Tia lost you, so we went out looking for you.” She looked up. “That was pretty good for an Undent if you don’t mind me saying.”

“I don’t mind. It's amazing what one can do if you don't think too hard about it.”

“So what happened?”

“Ran into some no goods. They're on the other side of the building finding out about bad tea.” "Oh, well, let's go see what they found out.”

“I dropped Victoria's bag over there, too. Would be nice to get it back.”

Char led the way.

“This wasn't the bad stuff... the same as in the warehouse was it?"

“Yeah,” Natalia said.

"Oh, they're not going to like what they find.”

Natalia smiled to herself. Char had an innocent way of stating the obvious.

Char took the last turn with caution. Natalia expected to find nothing, thinking the men would have moved on, but there were three bodies on the ground. One was quivering as if taking his last breath.

"Didn“t find what you were looking for, did you?” Char said, walking right up to the bodies.

The one quivering looked terrified. Then he choked and breathed his last. All three had red foam around their mouths.

“I didn't know it worked that fast,” Char said. “I think I'll have a chat with Moralis and learn more about this stuff.”

She kicked the flask away from the last man’s hand.

Natalia picked it up and emptied the remaining tea onto the grass.

“That's the end of that.”

"Oh, my word, Nattie,” Tia said, running up with Mina. “I'm so sorry. I thought you were right behind me."

"Sorry, I forgot Victoria's bag. I thought I only took a moment to grab it, but... it was long enough.” Natalia grabbed up the bag off the ground and slung it over her shoulder. She slid the flask in. "What got them?” Mina said, looking somewhat confused.

“I had the last bit of bad tea in a flask. I threw it as a distraction. It worked rather well,” Natalia said. “I'd say,” Mina said. “I'll call for a clean up.”

“Damn. In broad daylight,” Tia said, looking upset.

“You could have used a knife,” Char said. “I thought you had them?”

“I do, but all I could think of was to get Victoria away,” she said.

“Mommy instinct kicked in, but fleeing isn't always the answer,” Mina said, putting her phone away. "At least we're in Viperia. Cleanup will be here pretty fast.”

“I thought she did awesome,” Char said. “She scaled a building and came down almost like a Viperian.”

"She's as close to Viperian as one can get without Viperian parents,” Tia said.

Natalia felt weird, like they were friends who had suddenly ran into each other and were chatting about the weather, around three dead bodies. The situation felt rather surreal.

"You okay?” Tia said.

"Yes. Victoria was a very good girl. She never even cried.”

A car pulled up. Three women got out. They all walked up and looked at the bodies.

“Poison. Take care,” Mina said.

“Damn, Nattie. You're as bad as Uri,” one said.

Natalia couldn't remember her name.

il

Tia nudged her.

“That was a compliment,” Tia said in a quiet voice.

“Oh.”

“We got this,” the woman said.

Tia took Natalia's hand.

“Let's go.”

The four of them headed up the block.

"We'll see who Corean thinks they are. I took pictures,” Tia said.

“It would have been nice to question one,” Mina said.

"How did they know so fast where she was?” Char said.

“This might have been pure coincidence,” Tia said.

"Or not,” Mina said. “There are lots of eyes in Viperia when you need them.”

“Let me take that,” Tia said, taking Victoria's bag off Natalia's shoulder. “You have enough of a load.” “Thanks.”

Mina and Char stayed to the rear while Tia led the way. When they reached Sophie's house, she was waiting at the door.

No one said anything until they were all inside and standing in the kitchen with Corean.

"What the hell,” Sophie said. “We got results already?”

Natalia told her what happened.

“I know these three,” Corean said. “Not the nicest of guys. They've formed their own little bachelor house just outside of Viperia. We keep an eye on them. Those other two that you sent me are part of the same group.”

"Males who are never going to breed,” Char said with distaste.

Sophie poured drinks.

Natalia didn’t take notice of the orange colored drink until she took a sip.

“Wow. What is this?”

“Soursop,” Sophie said.

“I love Soursop. Where did you get it?” Corean said.

“When Mirren and Moralis were doing all that research during the sanguine tea shortage, looking for blood meal to import, they stumbled across a supplier of Soursop. It's not usually exported,” Sophie said.

“A fruit from the tropics,” Char said to Natalia.

"Sort of apple, strawberry... hard to pin down,” Natalia said.

"Will heal whatever ails you,” Sophie said.

“As long as you're a woman,” Corean said. “Doesn't seem to do a damn thing for men.”

"A few sips of this after having a baby, and you can run through Hell and scale buildings,” Mina said with a chuckle.

“Nattie can do that and she’s never had any,” Char said. “Maybe we need to add a secondary definition to what it takes to be Viperian.”

There was a long moment of silence.

“I've been thinking about that,” Tia said.

“I've not been privy with what the Council has decided to do,” Natalia said.

“No decision has been made. Only recommendations,” Tia said. “And a million suggestions.” “Where are the babies?” Natalia said, noting she was the only one who had her baby strapped to her.

Mina jerked her head over to an alcove in the kitchen. There were three baby car seats lined up. “They're pretty quiet right now,” Sophie said.

"Alaina is always quiet,” Corean said.

“I wish Raphie was. He's got lungs,” Sophie said.

“So does Umi,” Mina said.

“Mirren and Uri bloodline,” Natalia said.

There were chuckles all around.

"Except, Victoria is pretty quiet. With three aunty maids and her strapped to me, she hardly is wanting for anything.”

“She's wide awake right now,” Tia said.

"Are her eyes going to stay that blue?” Char said.

“Probably,” Natalia said.

“So pretty.”

“I'll let Mirren know we already got results,” Sophie said, stepping out of the kitchen with her phone. "With five dead, how many are left at that bachelor house?” Char said.

“We last had twelve living there,” Corean said. “However, the numbers and faces can change rapidly.”

"We should mark those rogue boys,” Mina said.

“I think that violates a few rights,” Tia said. “Unless you fall under one of the exceptions, like Uri. But even he isn't tracked any more.”

“I'm tracked,” Char said

“Those who weld knives and use them are tracked,” Tia said. “Except for the retired ones.”

“I don't think Uri and I will ever be fully retired,” Natalia said.

“For how horrible and blood thirsty the Undents think we are, it's pretty hard to find someone willing to kill within our population,” Mina said.

"Are there any bad girl bachelor houses?” Natalia said.

Char chuckled.

"Rogue ladies? Like the boys? No. Rarely.”

“What about Anna?”

There were a few moments of silence.

"Anna was an exception,” Tia said. “We didn't know she was bad. She hid it well. We never had any clues. She was doing well in her schooling. Besides, she never made it to a bachelor house since she was so young.”

“If we find any girl lagging behind or having problems, we work with them,” Corean said. “I know the ladies seem to work more with the girls than men do with the boys. The men seem to think the boys will grow out of it. Some do. Some don't.”

“We have a few special programs that are just for the boys,” Tia said.

“The boys seemed to need a little more instruction and some real world experience,” Corean said. “The bootcamp we established is doing the trick.”

Char chuckled.

"I did a stint doing that. Girls teaching the boys. It knocks them down a peg or two. Makes them realize us girls won't have anything to do with them while they're acting stupid.”

Sophie returned and took out a tray from the fridge.

“Sophie,” Corean said. “Soursop bars?”

“Have to do something with the pulp,” Sophie said.

Natalia accepted one and took a bite. It was sweet and melted in her mouth.

“Delicious,” she said.

There was only the sound of everyone eating. It didn't take long for all the bars to disappear.

A baby fussed.

“That sounds like Raphie,” Sophie said. “Let's gather them up and go the nursery.”

The three carriers were grabbed up. Natalia followed them. At a door, everyone took off their shoes. A few went barefoot. The room she found herself in contained little furniture. There were blankets and pillows scattered on the floor. Everyone settled on the floor and took babies out of the carriers. Natalia unwrapped Victoria

“You should have brought Grace,” Sophie said to Tia.

“I'm thinking this is my time. I get enough of Grace when I go home. As soon as I open the door, Grazie hands her over.”

“I bet he has Tracy tend to her most of the day,” Mina said.

Natalia watched Umi. She thought he was looking more and more like Uri every time she saw him. “I know Tracy is busy with her sisters and does her best, but even she needs some time off.”

"So nice to have this type of nursery,” Mina said. “I made a similar spot in the basement, but it's not the same as this.”

“Men have their dens. Women need their nursery rooms,” Sophie said. “I made sure we had one when we renovated this house. It'll become the play room when he grows older.”

"We'll be coming here a lot with all the kids,” Mina said with a laugh.

Natalia's phone rang.

"Yes?"

“You alright?” Uri said in a quiet concerned voice.

"Yes, you heard?”

"Yes, just making sure. All quiet on my end.”

“Good.”

“See you later tonight.”

The call ended.

“That was just Uri checking up on me,” she said.

“Mirren said he would let him know,” Sophie said. “I think the club is doing a foray to that bachelor house to check on things. They didn't send Uri, so don't worry.”

“That's good to hear.”

“I know we have about six men watching this house,” Sophie said.

“They didn't see those three that chased me?”

“They just started watching after that happened. We didn't really think anything would happen so soon and right here. And in broad daylight.”

"Gussy is chicken. He's going after you because he’s afraid of Uri,” Mina said.

"He needs to be afraid of Nattie,” Char said.

Everyone nodded their heads.

“I just wish I didn't have Victoria with me the next time they come around,” she said.

“I don't know. The mother edge can be deadly,” Mina said. "People just look at me, and I feel like growling at them when I'm out with Umi.”

Sophie chuckled.

"Down, Mina. Probably the only reason Gussy isn't going after you, is because of your reputation.” "We need to up Natalia's reputation,” Char said.

Victoria fussed.

Natalia picked her up to let her nurse.

“I don't need to broadcast my abilities,” Natalia said. “I'd like to take them unaware.”

Mina pursed her lips in thought and nodded.

“I don't know,” Tia said. “Maybe we should start a rumor.”