Bitten (Book 1 - Book 4) novel Chapter 107

Natalia skidded when she reached the basement door.

“Victoria.”

‘Mommy.’

Natalia took the stairs two at a time. A growl hastened her descent.

At the bottom of the stairs, she found Victoria. In front of her was Tail. All the fur on Tail was sticking straight up. Her back was arched. In front of her was a man prone on the ground. He was Undent, but he wasn’t one of Yiggy’s people.

‘Are you okay?’

‘Fine,’ Victoria said.

That is when Natalia realized the man was bleeding from scratch marks across his face and on his hands.

“What are you doing here?” she said.

“Get that thing away from me,” he said, pointing at Tail.

Lisa and Kimi joined her.

“Who is that?” Kimi said.

“I don’t know. What are you doing here?” she said to the man again.

Natalia noticed a bra hanging from one of his pockets.

“What kind of pervert are you? Are you stealing women’s clothing?”

He shook his head.

Growl.

Every time he moved, Tail growled at him. Natalia was amazed that such a big growl was coming from such a small animal. Every time Tail growled, the man quivered on the ground with his hands by his face as if he was going to ward off the next attack.

“Good, Tail,” Natalia said.

‘Attack kitty,’ Victoria said with a big grin. “Good, Tail.”

“Grandma said that thing was vicious. Good thing, too,” Kimi said.

“Who are you?”

The man refused to say, just shaking his head.

Natalia brought out her phone to call Uri.

“We have an intruder at the shop. In the basement.”

“I’ll be right over,” he said.

‘We’ll need a Viperian woman,’ she said, switching languages.

‘Understood.’

“Uri will be over,” Natalia said, ending the call.

The smell of food was now wafting down.

“Smells like lunch is ready,” Kimi said.

She ran up the stairs, looking like she was eager to get away.

“Don’t leave me here alone with him,” Natalia said to Lisa.

She knew she could handle him, but she had some suspicions and decided it wouldn’t be wise to be alone with him.

“No problem. He’s no match for three girls and a kitten.”

Natalia almost laughed. Lisa smiled at her.

Tail growled again.

There were the sounds of people walking overhead, but she knew they weren’t Viperian.

“If this is a sample of the food I can eat for free...”

Lisa took a deep breath.

“I’m going to gain a lot of weight.”

Natalia smiled.

“She has a good kitchen.”

It was fifteen minutes later that Natalia heard the footsteps that told her they were Viperian. She was surprised to see Mirren and Sophie coming down the stairs. Uri was right behind them.

“Go on up. I have my reinforcements. I’ll join you shortly,” Natalia said to Lisa.

Lisa trotted up the stairs. All the communication switched to Viperian.

‘He won’t talk,’ Natalia said.

‘He’s bleeding,’ Uri sai.

‘Tail attacked him. I can only think he got too close to Victoria.’

‘Attack, kitty,’ Victoria said.

‘That’s a pretty cat,’ Sophie said. ‘I’m surprised it’s still alive.’

‘Everyone is, but Victoria is very protective of it. Looks like the kitten is protective of Victoria,’ Natalia said.

‘I assume you want a bite?’ Sophie said.

‘It would be nice to know why he’s here, and who sent him.’

‘There’s a bra hanging out of his pocket,’ Uri said.

‘I’m betting that isn’t his,’ she said. ‘What are you doing in the area?’

She aimed that question at Mirren and Sophie.

‘You’re showing everyone up. We were looking at the properties I own to see what needs to be done,’ Mirren said.

‘She has this entire building occupied and two apartments next door rented,’ Uri said.

‘Damn,’ Mirren said.

‘Victoria, pick up your kitty. We’re going to talk to this man,’ Sophie said.

‘Tail,’ Victoria said.

The kitten backed up and sat beside Victoria.

Sophie approached the man.

“On your feet.”

The man was eyeing the kitten.

“The cat is the least of your worries,” Sophie said. “Stand.”

The man gingerly got to his feet. As soon as he did, Sophie lunged in and grabbed his throat. He seemed shocked at the action and froze. She took advantage of his paralysis and bit him. The moment she did, she released him and backed up.

Natalia almost thought it was a double jerk which was a mix of two venoms.

‘Smells good up there,’ Uri said.

‘We eat for free. Part of the lease agreement,’ Natalia said.

‘Hungry,’ Victoria said.

Natalia felt some growing concern that Victoria was still there and was witnessing this.

‘She’s Viperian, Nattie,’ Sophie said as if she knew what Natalia was thinking. ‘She’ll enjoy this.’

Natalia looked to Victoria who was now petting Tail. Tail wasn’t fluffed up any more.

‘Eventually, you can use her for bites,’ Sophie said. ‘But don’t forget, you have some venom in your saliva’

Natalia wanted to refute ever needing to do that with Victoria, but thought better of it. She also never wanted to think she would be in a position to bite anyone. However, Sophie was right about one thing. Victoria was Viperian. Natalia knew she had to stop thinking of suppressing what was natural for her daughter no matter how unnatural she herself thought it was.

The man was starting to shake. Then he collapsed. The agony was clear on his face, but he seemed to be unable to express his pain.

‘What else did you bite him with?’ Natalia said.

Sophie gave a secretive smile.

‘We don’t need screaming down here.’

The man finally stopped shaking.

“What is your name?” Sophie said.

He appeared to be in great pain before he answered.

“Duncan Vancer.”

His body stiffened when he spoke, then relaxed once he was done.

“Why are you here?”

His face contorted.

Everyone waited.

“To… to… I was instructed to make it look like I was having an affair with...”

He pointed at Natalia.

“Her.”

‘So that is why he has a bra,’ Natalia said with a roll of her eyes.

“Who sent you?”

The man choked.

“Who sent you?” Sophie prompted again.

“B-b-biffy.”

‘What the hell,’ Uri said.

“Biffy who?” Sophie said.

“Biffy Standack,” he said.

‘Who is Biffy?’ Mirren said.

‘Biffy Standack is the wife of Hewie, a member of the board at the bank,’ Uri said. ‘I’m thinking someone doesn’t want me to get nominated as the President’s replacement.’

‘What do we do with him?’ Natalia said.

‘If it wasn’t banned, I’d say grubbies,’ Mirren said. ‘But considering two Council members are here, that isn’t an option.’

‘He’s not going to remember what happened here once the venom wears off,’ Sophie said.

“What do you do for a living?” Natalia said.

“Landscaper.”

‘He does have some muscles,’ Sophie said.

‘Can we put him to work? We have a lot of cleaning next door,’ Natalia said.

‘He’ll obey you with the threat of the kitten until the venom wears off.’

‘I’ll take him. Grazie will put him to work,’ Uri said. ‘Natalia shouldn’t be around him.’

Uri grabbed the man and hoisted him to his feet. He then pushed him toward the stairs.

‘Thanks, Sophie,’ Natalia said, watching them go.

‘No problem.’

‘Stop renting apartments. Let me catch up,’ Mirren said.

‘No chance,’ Natalia said.

With a laugh, Mirren and Sophie headed up the stairs. Natalia waved for Victoria to go. Tail dashed up ahead of them. Victoria was a little slower.

By the time Natalia reached the top of the stairs, she remembered that Mirren might know about Anpu and why the Council assigned him. However, he was nowhere in sight. She had hoped that he and Sophie might stop for lunch.

Lisa was sitting at a table munching on a fried vegetable roll.

Natalia did a quick look in the front room, but they were gone.

‘Hungry,’ Victoria said.

‘Let’s have some lunch,’ she said to Victoria.

“Where’s Kate? Is she still over at the apartment?” she said to Lisa.

“No, she stepped out, but she’s on her way,” Lisa said.

Natalia sat and put Victoria on a seat.

“We don’t have a booster seat.”

Victoria’s head was just above the table.

‘I ok.’

“She’s so quiet,” Lisa said.

“She can chatter,” Natalia said.

Wang Fang served them soup. There was also a platter of fried vegetable rolls and a bowl of rice. Natalia dished out rice for Victoria and cut up a roll.

“Spoon.”

She handed her a spoon, knowing full well she would remember that word.

“Spoon,” Victoria said, taking the spoon and scooping up rice.

Kimi appeared with a booster seat.