The Ing's Consort

The City

, Caitlin thought with disgust, staring listlessly out the window. This time, though, she wasn't asleep when they arrived, and could appreciate the swell of lights and sounds as they entered the lit streets. 'Appreciate' was a strong word in her current mood, but it distracted the other passengers well enough. Lev seemed to really enjoy himself when they merged onto the busy freeway.

Her mother had tried to console her after a time, but nothing helped, so she gave up. Janice looked as if she'd been rudely awakened for the journey while Marianne seemed more quiet than usual, though Caitlin assumed it was due to the severity of the situation. "Where are we going?" she finally asked Zakari, who was still as a statue throughout the journey, resting quietly in what looked like a relaxed, yet meditative pose.

He didn't answer for a long moment. The first sign of life was a deep breath, then he exhaled and opened his eyes slowly, glancing to her. "To the safe house."

Safe house

? Did he mean the same suite they'd stayed in during their first and only excursion to the city? Caitlin shuddered at the thought of returning, having done her best to forget that place.

Was it the same place?

Only Sara would know, and he wasn't exactly available to speak at the moment. She could see his bald head reflecting the city lights through the darkened glass, wishing he'd sat in the passenger compartment with them.

"Right," she finally said, not sure what to make of her newest escort.

The limousine took a vaguely familiar turn onto a vaguely familiar street. She realized, with growing dread, that it was indeed the place they'd stayed. At least this time it was nearer to midnight than morning, so Sara and Zakari would have no need to avoid the daylight. When the car stopped, Zakari was first out the door.

Sara, too, was at the entrance of the building, their bags already inside.

Zakari flanked their group as they entered, while Sara kept stray pedestrians from coming too close. His mere size had always warded away most humans. Now, they must have picked up on his predatory streak, because they remained well-clear of him now.

Caitlin was the last in the door, dipping her head with a small smile at Sara, who returned the gesture mirthlessly. When all were inside, Zakari locked the doors securely, though it wouldn't deter a vampire, if they were so inclined to enter.

Janice looked around the sparse, abandoned entryway. "Well, it's not much, is it?"

Caitlin rolled her eyes and paced to the elevators. "It's down here, mom."

Marianne and Edmund grabbed the spare suitcases and dragged them to the elevator. Lev insisted on helping the old man, who accepted with relief.

Everyone filed in, except for Zakari.

Caitlin held the elevator door open. "Are you coming?"

"In a moment. I'm going to get the security system set up." His brow was knit as he punched some numbers in a keypad near the entrance. "Go ahead."

She let the door go, then pressed the SB button, which made the elevator slide smoothly down the shaft. Caitlin felt Sara behind her, but refused to turn. They'd spoken only a few hours prior, and though she hadn't gotten all the answers she desired, she didn't want to push him, either. He was a man of few words and she could respect that.

Maybe, after this all blew over, he'd open up to her as a brother might.

The doors opened to a familiar suite, almost entirely unchanged from what she remembered. There was a kitchenette against the back wall, rich, earthy decorations that mimicked the mansion's grand presentation, and a couch across from a television set. There were only three rooms in this suite, though: the bedroom she'd used, an office, and Kalen's personal room. They'd have to learn to share, with so many people needing a place to sleep.

Marianne didn't hesitate to pull out the couch, which turned into a generously sized bed. "This'll fit two, and there's one extra cot in the hall closet. Caitlin, I believe your room is already prepared. You and your mother can share for now. That should fit everyone."

Except the Sara and Zakari, of course,

Caitlin thought, wondering what they would do for sleeping arrangements for a whole week... and food, too.

Someone had flipped on the television, while Janice got to setting up the cot for someone. The noise of the TV was too loud, so she adjourned to the office to be alone. Among her family and the people she loved, she was isolated from them. Sure, they'd all been uprooted in an instant right alongside her, but none of them quite understood what she was dealing with.

Caitlin sat into the chair heavily, kicking her feet up on the sparse desk as the doctor had suggested earlier. She closed her eyes for only a moment when she heard the distant hum of the elevator come to life again. The anxiety of their circumstance wore on her so she couldn't trust it was just Zakari, and had to check for herself.

It seemed everyone had taken on some task when she came back out. Edmund and Lev were in the kitchen, helping Marianne scrounge together a list of necessities, while her mother set herself to unpacking the few things they brought with them.

Sara stood facing the elevator, seeming to have also heard the whirr of machinery. His back was to everyone, tensed as if he was ready to knock the lights out of whoever stepped through.

As the doors slid open, he relaxed and let Zakari pass.

Zakari looked none-too-pleased at having to babysit. Surely, he wanted to be back at the mansion, where his company was assisting Kalen with Eamon's arrival.

Caitlin lingered by the office door for a second, then went back inside. As the door closed, she thought she saw a glimpse of Sara's blue eyes, watching her curiously with his head cocked. She let the door shut on its own, then paced to the desk again, refusing to sit.

The phone sat in its cradle on the desk and she had the deepest urge to ring the mansion. Her hand was on the phone before she changed her mind. Kalen had enough to deal with, without getting a call from her. And if he didn't answer, she'd only think the worst.

"Caitlin, honey?" A knock accompanied the timid voice. "Marianne is going out to get food. Is there anything you'd like her to pick up?"

She released the phone and sat down again. "No thanks, mom."

"Can I come in?" The door cracked open and Janice's curls peeked through the doorway, followed by Janice, herself. "We haven't talked in a while. I just hope- that you are doing alright."

She turned her face away. "I'm fine."

"Well, I'm not." Her mother entered anyway, shutting the door quietly behind herself. Her eyes were filled with worry and something else Caitlin couldn't place. "Marianne told me about your

brother

, Sara. Not that I couldn't have picked him out of a crowd. He's almost a spitting image of his father."

"Abraham was my father, too."

"Believe me, I know." Janice's eyes darkened, then she assessed Caitlin. "So, the big baddie scared us out of the mansion? Kalen's father, right?"

"Yes," Caitlin said without hesitation, then toyed with a steel pen that was left on the desk, clicking and unclicking it. "King Eamon. He's the one that took Amandine instead of me."

"Hm." Janice leaned against the desk, half-sitting on its surface. "And you think we're safe here? Because I don't. Men like that don't take 'no' for an answer."

Caitlin didn't answer right away, refusing to mention the horrible threats Eamon had made towards her and the child. She took a long breath to stifle the anxiety rising up in her core. "You don't have to tell me that."

"Right," Janice said, "because you're sleeping with the enemy." The silence that followed was enough for Janice to backpedal almost immediately. "I didn't mean-" She stood and rounded the table, vying for Caitlin to look at her. "Listen. I know you say you

love

him, but how much of that is infatuation? How much is he really manipulating you into thinking that? He stole you from us, and yes, I suppose he's got a finer house than most could hope for, but that doesn't matter if you're miserable. Love is overrated, honey. Don't forget that."

"Coming from you?" Caitlin sat up straight. "I know you always had issues with men but you had trouble loving me, too."

Janice's eyes widened. "No, honey, I-"

"Yeah," she interrupted, "you did. I remember going numb, living with you. I should have moved away a long time ago. But I waited for

Kalen

to make that decision for me. You were always disappointed in me, whatever I decided. And all I wanted was to make you happy." Caitlin stood up, her anger making her antsy. "I'm not in 'the business of' making you happy anymore, mom. That's why you hate Kalen so much, isn't it?"

Janice's lips were pursed together, making her almost look all of her sixty years. "I

hate

Kalen because he took you from us, did what he pleased with you,

hurt

you, then forced you to bear his child. Don't think I don't notice he's been feeding off you, too. You've never been so pale in your life. I should know, I'm your mother," she said as if Caitlin had forgotten. "And whether or not you believe it, I

do

love you, with all my heart. You were the only thing that redeemed me, after Abraham manipulated me and used me for his own gains. I don't think I could love another person as much as I love you."

Caitlin saw the sincerity in her mother's eyes and glanced away, ridden with guilt. "I love you too, mom. I just- I know you hate Kalen, but he isn't Abraham. Yeah, he lied to me about Sara, but I have my

brother

back because of him. He was just trying to protect me from Eamon."

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, Caitlin. How long will it take for him to turn into his father? Or for your child to become the monster you fear he'll be?"

"I never said-"

"You didn't have to say anything." Janice put a hand on her hip. "You think I don't know what's going on in that brain of yours? We're not so different, you and I. You were just knocked up much younger than me. That's all."

Caitlin laughed under her breath. Her situation was

nothing

like her mother's, from what she knew. She crossed her arms over her chest in irritation. "Is that what you came in here to tell me?"

Janice looked her over before speaking, appraising her with a scrutinous eye. "I hope you know what you're doing because

all

our lives depend on you having made the right choice."

She wanted to give a sharp retort, but the words stuck in her throat. Whether or not she was willing to admit it, Janice was correct. Suddenly, all the anxiety she'd been keeping at bay came rushing in, forcing a mirror to her actions. With stark clarity, she could recall everything decision that led her to this point. Kalen was off on some hunt for his father, while she and her mother - who should never have gotten involved in the first place - were penned in the sub-basement, waiting for a verdict. Her breath hitched and she gasped for air, clutching at her stomach.

Janice said nothing more, closing the distance and catching Caitlin before she fell. She eased her down on her knees and stroked her back while a wave of dread crashed into her. Her breathing increased and, in her unfocused vision, she noticed the door opened on its own. The shadow in the doorway was large, larger than Kalen.

Sara

, she thought, closing her eyes and letting her mother bear her weight. Caitlin didn't want them to see her this way. She was so... weak. So frail.

Not queenly at all.

Her mother didn't mind Sara as she continued to console her silently, mocking a big breath for her to emulate. Soon, her breathing did slow. Her face, red from the panic attack, burned with the excess blood so she wiped at her cheek with a sleeve. "I'm sorry." She looked up at her mother. "You're right. This is my fault you're here."

Janice's pursed lips trembled slightly before she pulled her into a big hug. "Oh, honey. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now. I should be the one apologizing." Her hand pressed Caitlin tighter in the hug, and all she could smell was the sweet fragrance of her mother's soap. "I

am

sorry. I know that, after, well, coming

here

, you've been prone to attacks. I shouldn't have pushed you."

Caitlin sniffed, catching hold of her mother's shoulder and burrowing her face in. Janice's touch was gentle, reassuring. Common sense began to return and she realized she was resting far too heavily on her mother. She broke away, not wanting to overburden her.

Janice didn't comment, easing up from her sitting position with a groan. Sara held out a hand to her and she looked up at him. "You understand why I might be hesitant?"

Sara only gave a succinct nod, leaving his hand outstretched.

Her mother sighed, then accepted the meaty thing, allowing him to assist her up before he offered Caitlin a hand, too.

Caitlin smiled and shook her head, using the desk for leverage. "I'm not an invalid yet," she said, straightening her back despite her stretched stomach.

He shook his head and let a small smile form. "Stubborn."

"Blame

her

for that one." Caitlin thumbed over at her mother, who guffawed. "What? You're practically proud of it, mom."

Sara shot them both an amused glance, then the solemn mood was back. He opened the door for them, inviting them out to the living area.

Caitlin's cheeks were still burning from the panic attack, but she forgot just as soon as she entered the room. Marianne seemed to have found a fold-out table and several chairs. Upon the table was a wide spread of food that was pungent with all sorts of new flavors. They'd only been in the room a handful of minutes. Caitlin couldn't quite process how the servants had gotten it all done.

"Ordering out is so convenient in the city," Marianne said as if she saw the disbelief in her eyes. She smiled as she dried her hands on a towel, tossing it over her shoulder when she was finished. "And Zakari went out and got it all. Took him about, what, three minutes?"

"Two and a half," he said, giving the servant a bland look.

"Two and a half." She gave a nod. Lev was already waiting at the table looking famished. She scrubbed his mess of hair before waving them over. "Take your seats and eat up, or Lev's going to do it for us."

Caitlin did, more apprehensively than Janice. Everything smelled delicious, but it was up to her taste buds to decide if she was going to keep it down or not.

The constant anxiety hadn't gone away entirely after the panic attack, and she couldn't relax with Kalen potentially in the heat of battle with his father that very moment. But she sat and did her best to act like nothing had changed. They could have been in the dining hall, eating dinner like they did every night.

Marianne introduced her to several new types of food she'd never tried before. She was cautious, but soon found herself enjoying the 'fried rice' very much. And the curry, though it was too spicy for her sensitive palate.

Dinner, to her surprise, was relaxed.

Sara even sat with them, though he didn't touch the food, and soon the mood changed to something inviting. There was an amity amongst them, which Caitlin did her best not to sour with her own worries. Despite their differences, these were the people she loved.

She caught her mom's eye, who winked at her and kept chatting away with Edmund. Lev, with the help of Marianne, was able to participate in most of the conversation. Even Sara focused on learning some sign, and he started practicing with the boy, picking it up faster than Caitlin ever did.

Zakari, ever the guardian, remained at the elevator door. He was an assassin, she realized, and wondered if he had any family of his own. From what she could tell, vampires didn't have much in the way of 'family' with the exception of the royal lineage. Maybe he was married to his work.

She banished the train of thought, content to involve herself in the game of signs between Sara and Lev, laughing with them when Sara bungled one and the boy slapped his hand playfully.

Despite the oncoming storm, Caitlin wouldn't have chosen to be anywhere else, either.

This

was her family as much as Kalen and as much as this child.

Caitlin just hoped he'd made the right decision in sending them away.

*

When Caitlin woke suddenly and in a cold sweat, she did her best not to wake her mother upon rising. She calmed her breath, realizing after a moment where she was.

In the suite.

Right

, she thought, scrubbing her burning eyes, orienting herself to the darkened room. Her mother had been sleeping next to her in the oversized bed. Janice's face was serene in sleep, haloed by a mass of graying golden curls.

She smiled at her mother for a moment before a wave of nausea hit her and she bolted to the bathroom. The morning sickness was becoming less frequent, which was a blessing to her, and probably all the vampiric ears who had to overhear her retching.

But the nausea left as suddenly as it'd come, making her dizzy with vertigo. She managed to navigate the strange bathroom, then found herself peeking out into the social area of the suite. Edmund was wrapped in a gray blanket on the couch while Lev, with his mouth hanging open, snored soundly on the cot against the wall. Neither Sara nor Zakari were anywhere in sight but she could feel that they were somewhere on the floor above.

Only Marianne was still up, scrubbing away at the previous night's dishes.

"Good morning," Caitlin whispered, knowing it probably wasn't morning yet.

Marianne didn't say anything, still scrubbing away, hoisting her elbow high in the air to scour a particularly stubborn pan.

She cleared her throat in case the servant hadn't heard her. "Good morning." Caitlin got closer and reached for Marianne, who whipped around before she made contact, startling them both.

"Caitlin!" she said all too loud, then lowered her tone. The only reaction was a hitch in Edmund's light snoring. "You shouldn't be up at this hour."

"I- couldn't sleep. I wanted to see if you heard anything from Kalen yet."

Marianne's eyes, she noticed, were red, as if she'd been crying. Sweat beaded on her forehead and she wiped it away with a wet sleeve. "No." She shook her head fervently. "Nothing from him, I- I called earlier and there was no answer, dear." The servant turned back to her dishes, scrubbing at the pan madly.

Caitlin opened her mouth to say something, then shut it, having never seen Marianne in such a state. Maybe she

had

heard something and was protecting Caitlin from the awful truth. Would her world have ended while she slept? Without her even knowing it? The thought sped her pace as she marched back into the office, picking up the phone and dialing the number Kalen made her memorize.

The line rang once, twice, thrice, and on the fourth time, it cut out to the voicemail system. She tried again and got no response, but this time it only rang twice. Which made her feel far more apprehensive. Surely,

someone

could pick up the phone, and if not...

Heavy steps interrupted her thoughts, then a light knock on the door.

"Come in."

She was leaned against the empty desk when Marianne entered the doorway, looking hardly less frazzled than in the kitchen. "Did you try to call him?" She tossed a drying towel over her shoulder, fiddling with the hem. "Any news?"

Caitlin only shook her head.

"Right." Marianne glanced to the handset, then to her. The servant's eyes seemed clearer, somehow, more focused. "I need to grab a few more things for the suite and I don't want to rely on Zakari for everything. Would it be too much to ask you to come with? It's right down the street, here, on third."