United Service (37 page)

“We don’t blame you for anything,” Sulie said.

“Of course not,” Dixon added. “We just need to give these families closure.”

Sulie handed Kekoa some tissue. “I’m betting we can find the other children near those five grave sites,” Sulie said.

Kekoa quickly looked up. “How many more are there?” he asked.

“We can’t account for over a dozen children.” Dixon answered. “Which direction from the camp is the grave site?”

“Straight north of the camp, a quarter mile from Victoria’s cabin,” Kekoa explained.

“We searched every building, but were there any other children we didn’t rescue? Anyone else not survive?” Alex asked.

“None. At least, that was everyone I knew of.”

“We found a box of address books. They are from multiple families, from all over the country,” Raymond said. “It appears that the Hands of God would take the address books from the victim’s families to use as a guide to find other vampires, but we still don’t know how she discovered our existence.”

“Victoria knew about us because she was one of us,” Kekoa replied. “Her parents were vampires, but she said she found the Lord and He saved her.”

“There is no cure for vampirism. No divine intervention to unturn you,” Dixon said.

Kekoa shook his head. “No. Her parents were vampires. She killed them while they slept. She said that she was saved by God because she never fell under the demonic plague that her parent suffered from.”

Brandon shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe they were foster parents or something.”

The vampires glanced around the table at one another. Sterling supplied the answer that they all knew. “My guess is that Victoria didn’t know about half–breeds. Together it is possible, although rare, that a human daughter can be produced from the pairing of two half–breeds.”

The reaction was slight, but Dixon’s face showed surprise as he wrote down the new information.

“Thank you, Kekoa. You were very helpful.” Raymond said, cutting off the discussion. He looked at his phone and checked an incoming text. “Your parents have landed and are on their way here to see you. They should be here in a few minutes.”

Alex stood up. “Kekoa, I’ll take you to a private sitting room so you can be reunited with them.” She walked to the door and waited for the young man to join her.

As Kekoa stood up, he looked at all the saviors sitting around the table. “I want to thank all of you for what you have done. I can’t tell you what it means to me that you did what you did.” He walked out the door with Alex.

Dixon then focused on Kate. “I’m reading the case files for the federal government vs. Mark Bailey. He never had a chance to talk to anyone and the only eyewitness we had, that placed him at the park with one of the kidnapped children, is you.” Dixon clicked a few times with the mouse and pulled up Kate’s original statement to the police and the FBI agent. “Kate, on the other hand, was quite verbose in her statement with the authorities.”

Kate blushed. “I’m sorry. I tried to give as much information as possible to the authorities.”

“It’s fine,” Dixon said. “We need the names of all agents and officers you spoke with so we can have this case disappear. I have a list of four names.” He slid the paper list over to Kate. “Please read the names and see if anyone is missing.”

Kate picked up the sheet of paper and eyed the list worriedly. “I don’t remember all the people.” She glanced around the table. “I’m sorry. This may be all of them, but I’m not sure.” She inspected the paper some more and then added, “I spoke with a woman, but I don’t remember her name.” She handed the paper back to Dixon.

“Kate, I’m here to help you remember,” Raymond said as he held out his hands. “I can help you focus back to the day you spoke with the authorities and I can read your mind for the names.”

She hesitated and glanced over to Sterling, who nodded in agreement. Sterling watched as Kate put her hand into Raymond’s hand and was told to close her eyes. Raymond talked about the day Tiffany had been kidnapped and of the following days when Kate had been questioned. She never uttered a sound, but when Raymond opened his eyes and let go of her hands, he wrote down an additional name on the sheet of paper. “Thank you, Kate,” he said as he handed the sheet back to Dixon.

Kate looked over at Sterling and whispered, “That was easy.”

Leaning in, Sterling replied, “You’re doing great.”

Dixon interrupted the two. “There is also the issue of Mark Bailey who is sitting in the federal prison right now awaiting trial.” He scanned along the computer screen. “He’s been through a psychiatric screening in the last 48 hours. He appears to have gone senile.”

Sulie now looked over at Sterling and Kate. “Which one of you lobotomized him?”

Kate tentatively raised her hand. “I didn’t mean to. I’m not good at compelling yet.”

“It’s just as well. He remembers nothing and hasn’t talked to anyone.” Raymond commented.

Brandon addressed the table, “Bailey was the one responsible for the death of Lenora Miller. His fingerprints were found on the murder weapon, as well as all over the house. The man was a clumsy ox when it came to crime. We’ve had to scrub the case file as well, and that was a doozy considering an arraignment had already been done and the authorities were ready for an indictment.”

Sulie now gazed over to her brother, Raymond. “Is Bailey a threat with his mind gone?”

Raymond stonily said, “He needs to befall some sort of deadly accident. Even just the word vampire could bring back all of his memories.”

Sulie looked over at Dixon. “Heart attack?” Dixon nodded. It wasn’t as if Mark Bailey would ever be right again, if he was ever right in his head to begin with. And, he was a threat who knew way too much. “What about the guards that were watching him during your visit, Kate? Did you compel them, and if so, do you know how they are fairing?”

Sterling cut in. “I arrived moments after she left. The guards are fine and shouldn’t need to have their memories erased. They don’t know who or what we are.”

“I also stopped the video recorder when I walked in,” Kate interrupted.

“The CCTV?” Dixon asked.

Kate looked over to Sterling, who nodded affirmatively to Dixon.

“Good. That means we don’t have to erase video.” Dixon typed some more on the computer and then looked up at Sterling and Kate. “I’ve texted Daniel to wipe the minds of the female officer you spoke with Kate. Sulie will handle the heart attack.” He nodded at Sulie, and she nodded back. Dixon typed some more. “So we’re done with your portion of the cleanup, Kate.”

*******

There was a file folder in front of Brandon. He retrieved two forms from it and slid one across the table to Sterling, the other to Kate. He focused his attention on Sterling and the first document. “This is the form declaring Kate formally as your mate, Sterling.”

Sterling held the document in his hands, carefully looking at it. “When I helped the government pen this document in 1867 I never expected to sign it.” He looked over to Kate who smiled at him. Her hand caressed his arm as he smiled back at her.

“I filled out everything. I need you to read and sign it.” He handed Sterling a pen.

After quickly scanning through the document, Sterling paused. This was a huge moment for him. He noticed on the form the “vampire” section was filled out instead of the “human” one. In his wildest imagination of ever having an opportunity to fill out this form, he never expected the vampire portion to be filled in. He never thought he’d marry a vampire, if he ever married at all.

Sterling read on the form where it declared Kate as a mate, not as a wife. “Brandon, Kate and I plan to marry. This box needs to be filled in.” He pointed to the box on the form and showed the error to the man.

“Can’t check the box unless you have a marriage certificate. We’ll amend the form once you two are married.” Brandon hesitated, and then added. “Sterling, you need to read the text right below that box very carefully.”

Sterling scanned down on the form. The section Brandon referred to indicated that if Sterling did provide a marriage certificate and claimed a wife that he would forfeit any and all mates, both prior and future, while his wife still lived. Sterling looked up at the man. “It’s fine, Brandon. I agree. We’ll provide a marriage certificate as soon as we get one.” Sterling signed the paper and handed the pen over to Kate.

Kate quietly studied her contract. It too had been filled out by Brandon. “Kate, I need you to fill out an estimate of how much blood you consume in a week. I only need an estimate, and we can modify the amount if we need to.” He watched her fill out the section about blood delivery. “The next section deals with any children you have prior to becoming Sterling’s mate. I didn’t know …”

She cut him off. “No children.” She marked the box indicating no prior children and skipped over that section of the form. The next question asked if she was currently pregnant, so she marked no on that one as well. She grimaced when she saw the section about all pregnancies required paternity testing.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” Sterling asked.

“Paternity tests didn’t exist in the 1800s when you drafted this form,” she said coldly. “You want me to submit to paternity tests when I’m pregnant?”

He forgot he had amended the form a while back, and her hurt expression cut him deeply. “Please understand. I wrote that section decades ago, when I didn’t trust women and never thought I’d ever fill this form out unless someone claimed to be having my child.” When she still looked unsure, he added, “I trust you Kate. I added that section so I wouldn’t be trapped. That’s all.”

Her eyes softened as he gazed into them. “You were a mess before me. You know that, right?” She marked through several sections on the form. “I’m going to change a few things.”

Sterling waved his hand. “Fine.”

The pen marked through an entire page. “
One
mate. Not three,” she said, stressing the word
one
. Scanning further down the page she began reading a clause aloud, “‘In regard to traveling without his intended mates, Sterling is allowed to …” Her eyes grew wide as her voice trailed off. “Oh, no, no, no.
THAT
ain’t happening.” The pen now marked across an additional page.

Kate continued reading the form. It contained multiple pages, but half was for being a human and the other half for being a vampire. She finally arrived at the security section and needed to put checks next to quite a few boxes. The government would do a thorough background check on her; she’d have to get a retina scan done, fingerprint scans, have her voice recorded … it was so much to do just to be allowed access to live in the private and secure mansion.

Sterling noticed her indicate she had no plans to join the Colony in any official capacity and was relieved. He didn’t want her risking her life out in the field. He wanted her to stay at home safe and sound, pursuing her academics. As she was about to sign the document, Sterling stopped her. “Brandon, we need something indicating some sort of travel arrangements for Kate if I’m away on assignment. Not in an official capacity of course, more
personal
.”

Brandon nodded. “I understand. That would not belong on the mate contract. We will have to append your personal travel documents, and get Kate a set of her own. Since you and some team members will be flying to Europe with the President this week, I can have those papers ready for you later today, as well as an expedited passport for her.”

Sterling grimaced inside. He had forgotten about the meeting with the Prime Minister of England. But, on the flip side, he wondered if Kate had ever been to Europe before.

Kate signed the mating document and slid the paperwork back to Brandon. He glanced over all the forms and handed them to Raymond for his approval as leader of the Colony.

Raymond sat silently throughout the entire event, and signed both documents with a huge smile on his face before handing the forms back to Brandon.

Brandon returned the forms to their folder. “Congratulations on your engagement.” He reached over and shook both Sterling’s and Kate’s hands. “Kate, we need to get those security scans done. If you have some time now we can do them, and then if you all are free at five o’clock I’d like to buy you all a drink at McGreggor’s to celebrate.”

“Sure,” Sterling said. “We’re going to visit Jackie and William’s new baby girl, Hannah, but we can do that after the scans are done.” He glanced over to Kate to see if she was ready to leave. She had a pensive look about her. Her eyes were furrowed and her lips pinched. “You okay?” he asked.

Kate took a deep breath before she looked over to Sterling with a sly smile on her face. “Do you think we could get something to eat first? I’m starving.”

She had already fed this morning, but Sterling agreed. “Sure. I have blood in the car. William and Jackie will have more blood at their place as well.”

Her bright blue eyes held a twinkle. With a great big smile, she said, “I’m thinking more of a hamburger.”

“Your father’s an ass!” Sterling said as he entered Fang Manor and walked into the living room. Since it was movie night, the occupants of the house, and even the members of the team who did not call the mansion home, were all present to witness Sterling’s frustration.