Bitten (Book 1 - Book 4) novel Chapter 48

The limo pulled up to Moralis’s house. The porch light was on as were a few other lights in the house. Cars lined the street.

“I don’t know why he likes paying his electric bill,” Mina said, getting out of the limo.

“Makes him fit into the neighborhood,” Natalia said.

She could see that every other house had lights on.

“I take it this is an Undent neighborhood?”

“I guess,” Mina said.

They hurried up to the door. It opened as soon as they reached the first step.

“Come in,” Moralis said. “Everyone’s here.”

No one started to remove their coats until Moralis had shut the door. He moved them into the dining room. Everyone was there; Tia, Grazie, Mirren, and Sophia.

“Evening,” Mirren said.

“I know we don’t have much time, so I’ll start,” Mina said after everyone found chairs. “On Tuesday, we confiscated a sliver letter that was en route to Anna. I’ve opened it.”

Mina held up the note. From one end, she pulled out what looked like a thread. She blew on it gently, and it expanded to almost a full-size sheet of paper that was so thin it was almost transparent. She pulled another thread from another end of the note and did the same.

“You have to put them together to read the note,” she said. “Very crafty way of doing it, but I’ve seen this before. Let me read this to you.”

Mina cleared her throat.

“Dear Sweet Anna, I miss you so much. Our days of sweet love seem so long ago. I will soon have you free, and we will spend our days in the sun with more money than you’d ever dreamed. The Drivers Guild is no longer a tool for us, but your lovely band of teens is working out just fine. They think I am just a stupid old man delivering your instructions. Everything is almost packed in the shipping crates. We will soon be together, sailing away. Hold strong my love. Alfie.”

There were a few moments of stunned silence.

“What the fuck?” Sophie said, looking shocked. “Alfie is what? Sixty years old?”

“Sixty-five, actually. Anna is sixteen,” Tia said.

“Shipping crates,” Uri said, looking at Moralis. “The blood we’re no longer getting… the blood meal is going on shipping crates.”

Moralis nodded.

“Maybe it isn’t just blood meal being bagged and put in the crates,” he said.

“I have more,” Mina said.

Everyone quieted.

“This note seems to have come from Sherri. Anna was expecting it. Cora, Alfie’s Cora, has been the only one, aside from Tia and Corean, to have regular contact with Anna.”

“This is not making sense,” Mirren said.

“Agreed,” Mina said. “Also, since Uri had asked me to help protect him, I decided to do it from the other side. I’ve been following John. I’ve seen no contact with him and Alfie. However, the other officers are complaining about the systems not working and odd behavior by John and Alfie. There is a split of opinions about things on the force.”

“They seem to be keeping close tabs on me,” Uri said.

“From what I hear, they were told directly to harass you, giving some stupid reason about getting away with tickets despite that last limo incident and that there were no tickets,” Mina said. “You should be finding that they are waving you around check points.”

“They are.”

“In fact, the officers at check points are doing the opposite of their orders and they are waving around all Viperians cars at check points.”

“Looks like things are in our favor for once,” Uri said.

“Anything else?” Mirren said.

“We just have questions to answer,” Mina said.

“Uri and Moralis. Shipping crates,” Mirren said.

They both nodded.

“Grazie and Tia. You’re supposed to be on Sherri watch.”

“Neither Cora nor Alfie has been at the house,” Grazie said.

“Rogue teenagers,” Mirren said.

“Sherri isn’t even letting the girls socialize with their friends,” Grazie said.

“I’ve seen nothing as well,” Tia said.

“You two need to question the girls and find some answers,” Mirren said.

“We’ll need Nattie,” Tia said.

Natalia felt puzzled.

“Tracy likes you. You might be a good one to talk with her,” Tia said in explanation.

Natalia nodded.

Mirren stood. He still had his coat on. He pulled out a rolled up towel and handed it to Uri.

“I don’t know how these got into your hands,” Mirren said.

Uri nodded and put them into his coat pocket.

Natalia had an idea of what was wrapped in the towel.

“Anything else,” Mirren said.

“Who is close enough to talk to Cora?” Tia said. “I don’t know her well. She stays behind the scene and doesn’t go to Wednesday meetings much.”

There was a long silence.

“Who are her closest friends?” Sophie said.

“Mina, find this out,” Mirren said. “Anything else?”

There were five seconds of silence.

“Get out of here,” Moralis said.

Everyone grabbed coats and bundled up. Natalia saw Grazie and Tia head for the back door. Everyone else went through the front. By the time, Natalia was in the limo, most of the cars were already gone.

Natalia refrained from talking on the ride home. Uri remained silent as well. She wondered what Bonnie was thinking.

Once home, they said their goodnights to Bonnie and went into the house. Tea and cookies were on the coffee table, but Uri led her up stairs.

“Let’s change,” he said in a quiet voice.

Natalia put on some lounging pajamas and her robe. Uri threw on some jeans and a t-shirt. They went down to sit in the living room where they sipped tea and ate cookies.

Mag came in and looked startled.

“Sorry. I thought you had gone to bed since it was so quiet.”

“Just a long day,” Uri said.

Mag nodded and returned to the kitchen.

Uri smiled.

“What’s that for?” Natalia said.

“She usually can hear you walking, but you’re getting quieter. She can’t hear me.”

“Oh, I didn’t know or realize.”

“We might go running amok this weekend.”

“You need to show me those sheaths. They must be awfully thin. And did Mirren give you your… you know what back?”

“Yes and yes,” he said.

“We now have two full sets.”

“Yes,” he said.

Natalia chuckled as his one word answers.

“You are not running amok tonight, are you? You need some sleep.”

“Tomorrow morning,” Uri said. “We’ll use the cover of building the curling sheets. I’ve already put out the call. There will be lots of people there.”

“That’s also lots of eyes watching you,” she said.

“No, the call went out to our people. There will be lots of eyes watching out for me. Big difference,” he said.

“How are you going to keep me warm?”

“Snowsuit. Very warm.”

“Hum.”

He smiled.

“Have I ever lied to you?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “Can I bite you?”

Uri grinned wide.

“I do the biting,” he said, leaning in to rub her cheek.

He slid his hand down the front of her pajamas.

“I think we need to get you out of these,” he said, pulling her up and leading her upstairs.

“Can I brush my teeth?”

“Hum. No. I like the smell and taste of cookies and tea.”

He smelled deep in her hair while he unbuttoned the front of her pajamas.

“You are fattening up quite nicely,” he said while he touched her breasts.

“That’s not something you say to most women,” she said.

“It’s a compliment to a Viperian woman,” he said. “Especially…“

He leaned down to lick her breasts.

“Especially when she’s pregnant. Means you’re healthy and doing well.”

He slipped her top off then pulled down her bottoms. She helped him pull off his shirt and pants.

“I don’t know if I like you having multiple wives,” she said.

He was now kissing down her belly.

“You’re the only one for me,” he said. “But, as I said, it’s good to be on Mina’s good side. A compliment her way will go far.”

Natalia took a few steps back toward the bed.

Uri straightened and smiled.

Natalia took his hand and pulled him to the bed, then she pushed him down. She straddled him.

“You’re getting stronger,” he said.

“All the reason to stay on my good side,” she said, feeling him get hard beneath her.

He smiled, then he took hold of her hips and lifted, then slid himself into her.

“Why do you feel so good?” she said.