Mated & Blooded, A Blood Ties Novel, Book 1 (25 page)

Now that doesn't mean they weren't intimate.
It turns out that as long as Nikoli and Kalli are near each other
their souls are happy and content. They dance like every normal
vampire couple. As vampires we really don't require the sex to be
intimate just our soul blending and whola we are happy. Well, I
would have to imagine she was a lucky girl getting the best of both
worlds.

Lucas and Nikoli were actually very friendly
which had most people raising their eyebrows. In fact Lucas trusted
Nikoli enough that he actually made him his beta. Who would have
ever thought that a vampire could be a wolf packs beta? It was true
though, they actually fought side by side against rouges and
intruding packs that thought they were weak.

I approached the pack house and could barely
contain my excitement. I couldn't wait to visit with the kids. The
oldest boy Nathan was my favorite. He was always so happy and full
of energy. He just loved to sniff up trouble to amuse himself and
his siblings.

The younger boy Liam was quiet and tended to
over think things before he took action. Typical of so many of my
race, I guess he got more from us than just his looks. But the
little girl Natalie owned my heart and soul. She was the sweetest
most precious little girl. In fact I knew that aside from my own
beloved I had never cared for a female as much as my little
Natalie. Even my own daughter Ena had not managed to pull at my
heart strings the way Natalie had managed to. I knocked once and
was surprised when Marie threw the door open. It was so reminiscent
of the first birth I couldn't help but say

"Well woman, are you going to continue to
stand their ogling me or would you mind moving aside so I can go
upstairs and be of service to the birthing beloved?"

Marie started laughing and pulled me in for
an embrace. I'd gotten close to Marie during my time at BlueRidge.
When the pups had been born I stayed for the first three years of
their lives. I had grown to love the wolves at BlueRidge. Their
passion and joy of life reignited my own love of life.

I most recently have been staying with
Lucas's brother Ryan at Rockledge getting to know that pack a bit
better. His mate just had her third litter. They were now proud
parents of six pups. The wolves were such a delicate but
sophisticated race. I truly had come to appreciate them and there
way of thinking. Marie pulled out of my embrace and said

"Kenyan it is so wonderful to have you back.
How is Rockledge pack? How are Ryan and Lily? The babes? Don't tell
me you like staying with them as much as us?"

She tossed question after question at me as
we moved towards the parlor and continued to talk. The kids must
have sniffed me out because I was suddenly assaulted by three brats
all at once

"Uncle Kenyan" they shouted then proceeded to
play pile on the vampire.

One after the other they jumped into my
embrace until I was holding all three of them. I looked down
smiling at them and started to place fast kisses on their cheeks
while I told them of how I missed them. I finally put them down and
looked at Nathan.

“My goodness Nathan you are really filling
out. I cant believe you are only eight years old. You have the
muscles and body of a human of twelve or thirteen. My god boy what
is your father doing to make you grow like that?"

Nathan looked up at me with such pride on his
face and said

"Uncle Kenyan, you know I'm gonna be an alpha
like my daddy, I just grow bigger cause I'm posed to. Besides, I
aint got no super speed like Liam I need to grow big and strong
just to keep up with him" he said pointing over at his smaller
younger brother.

"Yeah, you know that Uncle Kenyan" said
Liam

"He may be taller and wider but I'm still
stronger than him and Natalie together" he said with the biggest
smile.

I couldn't help but reach out and pinch his
little cheek. Natalie took that time to make sure she had my full
attention. She was standing straight and tell with her little hands
on her hips.

"Who cares how big Liam or Nathan is Uncle
Kenyan. Neither one of them are as pretty as me are they?" she
said

I couldn't help myself I reached out and
lifted her high in the air and said

"Of course not princess. There isn't anyone
walking the earth that is as pretty as you are"

I started rough housing with the kids and
just having a good time when I heard Kalli shout out

"Mom, get Lucas and Nikoli its time"

The kids tore out of the house yelling at the
top of their lungs

"Dad! Uncle Nik! Mommies having the babies
now! Hurry up and come home"

The birthing process went much the same as
last time except now we had three youngins in the room vying for
attention and a chance to look at the new babies as they were born.
Kalli and Lucas became parents to four more pups. This time three
of the four appeared to more vampire than wolf pups. I couldn't
help but wonder how the blood exchanges between Nikoli and Kalli
might have been influencing that.

I kept my opinion to myself though since they
all seemed to be happy with the results. There were three girls and
one boy. The girls were all hybrids like their mom; the boy looked
like he was a pure wolf. They named the kids alphabetically in
order of birth Laura, Leona, Linda, and Noah.

I stayed on at BlueRidge for several weeks
while the pups were young and they needed and extra set of hands.
Eventually I realized I had outstayed my welcome and knew it was
time to move on. I was going to miss being with them again. I had
some of the best day of my life since my beloved had passed away
living at BlueRidge. These people and this wolf pack were the most
loving accepting people I had ever known. The managed to make sure
that they lived every single day like it was their last. I was
amazed at how easily they all interacted with each other.

On my last day at BlueRidge it occurred to me
that Kalli looked like she hadn't aged a day since the first time I
met her and we were approaching ten years since I first met her.
Yet today she still looked like a young girl of seventeen or
eighteen. I looked over at Lucas and could tell that while he had
aged minimally, he had aged.

I kissed them all goodbye and promised to
come back for monthly visits for as long as I stayed at Rockledge.
I couldn't help but wonder if Kalli, had more in common with my
race than we had first thought.

I chuckled hard to myself when I realized
every single child that shared vampire qualities they
subconsciously chose an L name for like Lucas, those included Liam,
Laura, Leona and Linda but the children who were clearly wolves
were given N names like Nikoli giving us Nathan, Natalie and now
Noah.

“Good evening Ladies and Gentleman, can I
have you all settle down please.”

I looked around at my pack and smiled
brightly. It was hard to believe we had grown so much over the past
thirty years. The BlueRidge pack had certainly come into its
own.

The pack had flourished during my reign. I
looked out and knew we had over seventy five mated couples and tons
of kids. I’d been lucky that through all the years and attacks I
had never lost a single pack member due to violence. I was proud of
that and even prouder that tonight I was turning the reigns of the
pack over to my son Nathan. It was time; in fact it was long
overdue.

“Now, as you all know it is time for me to
step down as alpha of this pack. My son Nathan is a fine young man
and is going to be a fantastic alpha to all of you. As most of you
already know, he’s chosen my other son Liam to be his beta”

I heard the crowd rumble in excitement and
waited patiently for them to get quiet again.

“As you also all know, tonight is also a
farewell party since we will be leaving early tomorrow morning. My
Luna and I want to spend some time traveling and since Nikoli is
always with one of us of course he too will be coming.”

Again the crowd got loud with cheers and
excitement. I watched as Nikoli raised his hands in the air and the
crowd got quiet again so I continued

“We have dedicated far more years than most
alpha couples to this pack. Please welcome my son and wish Kalli,
myself and Nikoli many more happy years together.”

The crowd erupted in rowdy clapping and
cheers. I watched as my son Nathan stood up and said the most
natural and traditional words any alpha could say

“I Nathan Madison do hear by claim myself as
Alpha of the BlueRidge wolf pack. Any who oppose me say so now and
prepare for a death challenge. Otherwise bow now and pledge
allegiance to me!”

I watched as my pack bowed down to my son
with pleasure on their faces. Then as a group including myself,
mate Kalli and my beta Nikoli tilted our heads exposing our necks
to Nathan. I listened as Nathan growled loudly then howled. As a
pack we all howled back. Then, as was tradition, we all shifted and
ran our territory boundaries.

We ran four several hours before finally
heading back to the pack house for a rowdy party. The party went on
for hours and hours and each and every single pack member made sure
to give Kalli, myself and Nikoli their personal thank you and good
luck comments. I looked over and noticed that Kalli had started
rubbing her eyes and knew that it was time for us to call it a
night and get some rest.

I nudged Nikoli with my hip and pointed over
at Kalli. He took the hint and immediately started to clear the
crowd out. I was exhausted but still felt amazingly well for a man
of my age. Technically, while wolves live a bit longer than an
average human I should look a lot older by now.

I am quickly approaching fifty and I know I
still look in my mid to late thirties. Even more apparent is that
my beautiful and amazingly wonderful mate hasn’t aged a day since
I’ve known her.

They think I don’t know, but I do. Nikoli
started feeding me his blood years ago. Right around the time we
made peace with each other. I know that he does it because he can’t
bear the thought of losing Kalli or I. It was odd how much I really
understood and appreciated him as a friend. I let them keep it to
themselves, but honestly I am glad that I have had so many
wonderful years with them and I’m not ready for them to come to an
end anytime soon.

It’s hard to believe that the one man who
could have stolen my mates love and attention ended up being a
great friend to both Kalli and I. Nikoli was a man who was above
reproach. He was good to his word and was the most faithful and
honest person I had ever known. He swore to protect Kalli, myself
and our family and he has proven his word good time after time.

When he swore he would honor Kalli and my
mated bond I knew he would and we never again talked of it. He has
been with us every step of the way building the pack and raising
our kids. He’s been with us through the good times, the bad times
and the really hard times. He had become more of a true brother to
me than Ryan or Rob.

Once Nikoli managed to shoo everyone out of
the pack house we were surrounded by the kids. They wanted some
time with us alone so that we could go through the arrangements
again before we left in the morning. I looked over at my two oldest
boys Nathan the new alpha and Liam his beta and couldn’t help but
chuckle.

They looked so young and reminded me so much
of myself and Nikoli. Nathan looked so much like me with his dark
wide body and broody looks. Liam could have been Nikoli’s child
with his light complexion and tall lanky build, I chuckled thinking
again how strange nature was. The wolf and vampire Alpha and Beta
pair leading BlueRidge pack. Only now the pair wasn’t Nikoli and I
it was my boys and I couldn’t be more proud of them.

Kalli plopped down on the couch in the parlor
and patted at the cushion next to her for me to join her. I sat
down and placed a loving kiss on my mark at the juncture up her
neck and shoulder. She shivered and smiled lovingly at me.

Nikoli sat on her left and we all looked at
the kids. We couldn’t wait to head out and see the world, but the
seven faces staring at us made us feel like we were dying not going
to explore the world. As usual, our Laura took command of the
family meeting. Nathan might be the wolf alpha but Laura acted as
the family Godfather or Godmother as the case was.

“Now, all of you need to understand some very
important ground rules before you all start running around out
there in the real world. Stay close to each other and pay attention
to your surroundings. Never trust a stranger and for god’s sake
stay away from other packs territory.” She looked pointedly at me
then continued

“Most packs have heard of you and Uncle Nik
and like to challenge you guys for the sheer fun of it.”

She shifted around and looked at my mate

“Mom, I want you to have fun, but remember
dad is starting to look like he’s twice you age so keep the kinky
stuff private. Oh and make sure that you set aside plenty of time
for dad to get some sun. He’s starting to look as pale as you and
Uncle Nik.” Then she turned towards Nikoli

“Uncle, you make sure you have some fun too!
Don’t just stay in the background watching. Try to live a
little.“

The her face changes and her voice got really
soft as she leaned in closer to Nikoli.

“Well, do some of that watching stuff because
we need you to please bring my mom and dad home safe. I know you
have always been the one who has made sure they both are okay and I
am counting on you”

Tears started to flow down her cheeks and I
watched Nik reach out and wipe it away. I was ready to say
something and opened my mouth with just that intention when I
realized that Kalli and Nikoli had the same idea. Hearing Kalli’s
voice, both Nikoli shut up and let her say her peace.