Chapter One Hundred Sixty-one They had debated things over and over. And it all ended up the same. Alex and Walter saying to go for it, Jess voicing an uncertainty. Something was gnawing in her gut, an uneasiness that she wasn't certain of the root cause. Was it a werewolf's instinct to be a top predator and not be hunted? Jealousy because there was something undeniably erotic about a vampire feeding on some primal level? So hoping she wouldn't be disturbing Bryn, she came over to her home. She let out a heavy breath and knocked on the door, wondering who would answer. It took several minutes for anyone to answer, mostly because they hadn't heard her over the commotion. Finally, after she knocked a second time, Bryn hurried to the door and answered it, wiping her hands on a towel. "Hi, Jess. Come on in. We're just finishing up the dishes." "Sorry to interrupt," Jess said. She seemed a bit uneasy as she stepped inside. She really didn't want to do this in front of Anton or Bryn's mother. "Can we talk for a few minutes alone?" Concerned, Bryn nodded. "Sure. Let's go in here." She led Jess in to the dining room, closing both the door to the foyer and to the kitchen. "Go ahead and sit down. Can I get you anything?" "Just a glass of water would be nice." Jess sat down, and decided to take the bull by the horns. "Anton stopped by earlier," she said. "He said that you needed some help practicing hunting, and asked us to help." "Oh." Bryn paused on her way to the kitchen, looking back at the werewolf. She hadn't expected Anton to ask them so quickly. And she couldn't read Jess's expression. "Let me get us some water and I'll be right back." Stepping in to the kitchen, she poured two glasses of ice water, letting Anton and her mother know that she was speaking with Jess. Then she headed back in to the quiet dining room. Setting Jess's glass in front of her, Bryn sat around the corner of the table {. "We only sort of discussed that in passing. I didn't know he would tell you already." "Oh." Jess twisted the glass before lifting it to take a sip. "Well, he mentioned that you needed some practice, and that we could help. I, ah, wanted to hear what you thought of the idea." Playing with the sleeves on her sweater, Bryn shrugged. "It would be really weird; I know that much." She looked up to meet Jess's gaze, her voice lowered a bit. "I don't really want my mom to know about this stuff. She doesn't even like watching me drink blood out of an ampoule. She would really freak out if she saw me hunt. Just imagine if she found out that I liked it." "Yeah," Jess agreed. The thought that it wasn't good to tell your potential prey also flashed through her mind. "Can I ask you something? Have you thought about who you'd hunt? I mean, I'm assuming you wouldn't take on all three of us at once." Bryn took a drink, her ice clinking against the glass. She shook her head as she set it down. "I couldn't take on all three of you. I'm barely certain I could take on one." She gave her a quickly-fleeting smile. "I guess...Alex or Walter. I need to have practice with whomever is the strongest. I know that no human will be that strong, but I'd still like to know that I could handle anyone." "I see," Jess said. "I have to admit I'm a little hesitant, Bryn. I'm worried about what might happen." It was silly, she knew, on most levels, but here was one or two concerns. "Anton mentioned the possibility of one of us being drained, but I'm more worried about... psychological reactions." She knew that she was being obscure, but looking at Bryn and knowing how devoted she was to Anton, she couldn't voice her jealousy …. Or at least not in that way. "I...I know it would be weird." She paused. "What exactly to you mean?" Jess took another deep breath before talking. "I'm phobic about being bitten, Bryn. Too many bad memories from Jake. And I've talked to Lindy some about it, and I know that biting is something she and Nate do..." She trailed off, her cheeks slowly turning red. "Right...but I already told you I most likely wouldn't hunt you. It would probably be Alex or Walter. And you wouldn't have to watch or anything." "I know," Jess said. Finally she just sucked it up and spat it out. "Look, I don't mean to insult you. I *know* deep down that you wouldn't cheat on Anton. Maybe it's just the territorial bitch in me coming out. But I just need to hear you say that this doesn't mean anything. That it's strictly about hunting and nothing else." Bryn sat back suddenly, her eyebrows raising high. "What? Jess--" She let out a soft sound, somewhere between a gasp and a laugh. "I would never, ever cheat on Anton. I love him so much, and if I thought for even a minute that he thought there was something else going on, I never would have agreed to it. But you..." She shook her head. "Maybe this isn't such a good idea. I mean, if you're worried about it, it would probably be best if we forget the whole thing." Jess put her hand up apologetically. "I'm sorry, Bryn. I didn't mean to insult you. And I know that you wouldn't hurt him that way. I just needed to hear you say it." "You didn't insult me, but you have me confused. You know Walter and Alex love you, or they never would have agreed to a wedding ceremony. They barely know me. They certainly aren't going to do anything...weird with me. They probably see me like some annoying little sister or something." "Who also happens to be very attractive, Bryn. It's not the human in me having trouble. It's the instinctive wolf who always has to worry about a rival coming in and taking over her role as alpha female." She shook her head. "I have to admit, Bryn. It sounds silly when I say it that way. But I do trust you." [Alpha female?] She was stuck on the thought, intrigued by the idea. She also had to admit that she was a bit tickled by the fact that Jess or her mates might think she was attractive. For a moment, she almost smiled...until she realized that was the wrong response. "Well...I guess I'm not sure what to do. Why don't we just agree to think about it for a while. I am curious, though. What do Alex and Walter say about this?" Jess rolled her eyes. "Oh, they're response was typical of any healthy red blooded male. They're all for it." Bryn blinked. "You make me sound like some kind of man-eater." "You're not, Bryn. But you're a very beautiful woman. Even before Anton Transformed you, so it's not a vampire's charisma thing." She leaned forward conspiratorially. "I was surprised to hear that he didn't have to beat out a dozen suitors to win your hand in marriage." Bryn blushed wildly. "Thank you, but he wouldn't have had to beat out anyone. I would have always chosen him. He's the one. The only one. I know you don't know it, but we've been together for over a millennium." "A millennium?" Jess repeated, looking stunned. "Bryn, I had no idea. How?" Bryn shrugged, still amazed by the idea herself. "I don't know. I guess I just followed him. You remember Zenobia? When she was here, I was hypnotized, and recalled that I have been every single one of Anton's wives. And his mother." She laughed softly. "Who knows, there may be more than that. I guess we'd have to have him hypnotized, too." "Yeah," Jess said with a slight laugh. "It's just hard to believe. I mean, there's supposed to be a great love of your life. I just didn't expect it to be the same person time and time again." Bryn smiled. "Now you know why I think you have nothing to worry about. I messed up in my last lifetime with Anton, and I hurt him very badly. I'm not taking that chance again. Ever." "Yeah. Neither would I." Jess had been visibly relaxing as she and Bryn spoke. She reached over and patted one of Bryn's hands. "Well, you've made me feel like a complete idiot for not trusting you. Whenever you're ready to give this a try, I'm sure Alex or Walter will be willing to help you." Bryn turned her palm up and placed her other hand on top of Jess's, leaning forward. "No, I really want you to think about it, Jess. I know I would feel very much the s éame way if our situations were reversed. I'm as territorial as you are when it comes to Anton. And I don't think it's idiotic...I think it's a very strong sign of devotion. So go home and think it over for a few days. So will I. And then we'll decide, okay?" "Okay, Bryn. I will." She squeezed their joined hands again, voice dropping so they couldn't be overheard. "I'm assuming you haven't told your mother about any of this. I won't say a word about it." "Thank you. She has no idea. And I'm not sure I want to know what her reaction would be. I think she would be more than happy just to pretend I was still human." "Well, to be honest, there's some day's I'm more than happy to pretend I am too." Jess slowly stood up. "I hate to say it, but I do have to get home. Manda's starting to look into where she wants to go to college and we're trying to figure out what classes she needs for her first sophomore semester. They make them have to figure this out way too early. Bryn C nodded, standing up as well. "I'm dreading that myself, and we still have a ways to go yet." Pulling Jess in to her embrace, she added, "I'll talk to you soon. Please tell Manda that she's welcome to come back for painting lessons any time." Jess returned the hug, her earlier awkwardness completely gone. "I'll let her know. I'm sure she'd like to do that." Starting towards the door back to the living room. "I'll let you know our decision in a day or two. But if you feel the need to talk to me before then, just call or come over." "Okay." Following Jess out to the foyer, she quickly stepped ahead of her and opened the door. "Have a good night." "You too." With that, Jess started home. Letting out a soft sigh, Bryn closed the door and locked it once more. Heading back to the living room, she paused briefly to turn up the thermostat just a bit. Then, walking up behind the couch, she wrapped her arms around Anton's shoulders and kissed his cheek. "I love you, sugar." Anton turned his head to nuzzle her slightly. It looked like their conversation had gone well. He had a good guess as to the werewolf's intent when she arrived. "I love you too, my dear. But one question," he asked as his hand came up to lightly hold on to her wrists. "What did I do to earn this display of affection?" "Everything and nothing at all. You take such good care of me...but I love you so much just for being you." She smooched him again, this time on the lips, and then walked around the couch to join him. Snuggling up against his side, she hugged him tightly. "Most of all, I love you for trusting me so much. I'm never going to abuse that." Anton wrapped an arm around her, pulling her in even closer. "I know, my dear. And I thank you for it. I will never give you a reason to distrust me, either." She smiled, groaning as she squeezed him tight. Settling her head on his shoulder, she watched as Max played and as Kat followed his every move with her eyes. The baby pushed herself up on her hands and knees, trying to move forward, but wobbled in place for a moment. Just when it looked like she was about to give up and start crying, her forward momentum made her stumble forward just a bit. Excited, Bryn sat forward. "Did you see that, Daddy?" "Yes I did. Although I'm not sure I believe it." Anton slid from the couch onto the floor, holding his arms out to his daughter. "Come on, Kat. Do it again." Kat burbled in happiness, delighted to be the center of attention. Wobbling back and forth once more, as if trying to get her engine started, she tried her hardest to get to her daddy's arms. "Come on... that's it..." Anton encouraged. "Keep going." When she managed to take another step he reached forward and caught her. "I'm so proud of you, Kat," he said. "And you too, my dear." Rubbing Katerina's back, Bryn quirked an eyebrow at him. "For what?" "For you being willing to go forward and move on. For how you're handling the situation." He leaned over and kissed her temple. "For you being you." She gave him a wide smile. "Thank you, sugar. I'm proud of you, too." She glanced at the clock. "And...I'd say it's about time you made that call to Hadrian, and let him know about your plans." Anton nodded. "I know. I should do that now." He took a deep breath and handed over Kat to Bryn. "And yet, I'm strangely reluctant to do so. It will just make things be too real." "And you'll put it off forever if I let you." Reaching behind her to the side table, she grabbed the cordless phone and handed it to him. "Get it over with. This is the easy part, Anton. You can worry about the rest later." Anton nodded. He dialed the switchboard and asked to be put through to Hadrian. There was a quietly voiced discussion that lasted about ten minutes before Anton hung up. "It's done," he said, looking at Bryn. "I'll be presented at the next Council meeting." "That's it?" She had expected Hadrian to be more...surprised or something. "He didn't have anything to say?" "I think he's in shock, Bryn," Anton said with a small grin. "I think he was expecting me to say no. Because he distinctly stuttered when I said yes." Leaning closer, she kissed his mouth, lingering there against his lips. [Now is when it starts getting scary.] Pulling back to look at him, she gave him a slightly shaky smile. "When is the next meeting? I'm going with you." "Three weeks from now. And irony of ironies, it's scheduled to be in Waikikki, so we get to kill two birds with one stone." "Hawaii? What do you mean by killing two birds with one stone? I thought you didn't want to go back there?" "Well, I'm going to have to face it one of these days." But still, the prospect of being on the same island where Lilith had intended for it to be the beginning of his ending wasn't too pleasing. "Maybe I should call Hadrian back and ask if he can change it to some place closer." Bryn settled her hand over his. "No...I think it's a good idea. In fact, I think we should head to Kauai a bit early. So that when the council comes around, you're completely comfortable there. Besides...your birthday is coming up, sugar. What better way to celebrate another year, than to go back there overcome those fears?" "Then I think we're settled, my dear. I'll get the details of when and where the Council is meeting, and then we'll all fly over early." He wrapped an arm around her shoulder, leaning against her. "You promise to keep me from becoming a giant chicken and avoiding this for a thousand years?" "I'll get you on that plane if I have to tie you up and kick your ass through the door." Anton thought about that before replying in a low voice. "My dear, I can guarantee that way I'll enjoy at least half of it." He was in an inexplicable mood as he set Liam down on the floor to play and got busy cleaning the kitchen. He'd been foul-tempered all afternoon, and not even Lindy's sweet caresses had been able to soothe him. So when she finally went in the bathroom to get ready for work, he decided to do something to take his mind off of his troubles. Even the troubles he hadn't wanted to put a name to. He knew that Anton would be over soon to give Lindy a ride to work. Inwardly groaning, Nate turned on the radio and grabbed a sponge. He arrived a bit earlier than usual, but not because he was in a hurry to get to work. Anton knew that he would have to speak to Nathaniel sooner or later, and that it might as well be sooner. His brother's attitude made it clear that he wasn't happy about the decision he had made to accept Hadrian's offer. But he felt that they needed to clear the air. Walking up to the door of the house, he knocked, wondering who would answer. "Lindy! Door!" Nate continued cleaning, full aware of who would be on the porch. But instead of hearing his wife walking down the stairs to answer the door, he heard her hair dryer turn on. Grumbling to himself, he tossed the sponge aside and stalked towards the foyer. He unlocked and opened the door in one move, barely glancing at Anton as he headed back to the kitchen. "She's still getting ready." "Thanks, Nathaniel," Anton said as he followed his brother into the house. Feeling oddly ill at ease and uncertain, he headed towards the kitchen. "Actually, I came to speak with you," he said. Nate rolled his eyes, which was wasted given that Anton couldn't see him. Plucking Liam off the floor, Nate settled the boy on his hip and turned to look at his brother. "What do you want?" "I wanted to get things cleared between the two of us," he said. "You don't have to like my decision. I know that you don't. But I don't want it to drive a wedge between us. Not when I've already been a stubborn fool for the last nine hundred years." "No one ever said it had to, Anton. If you want to do something boneheaded and get yourself killed--again--be my guest. That's what's going to drive the wedge between us. Your death. Not your idiotic decisions." On some level he knew he deserved that. But it still didn't make it any easier to deal with. "So I'm both stupid and suicidal now, Nathaniel? There's not a chance that I might not know what I'm doing?" "If you knew what you were doing, you wouldn't be doing this. Do you like being that close to death? You must, if you're willing to take on that damned council again. I can't believe you honestly think that cutting off the head of the snake will kill it. It doesn't matter if Lilith is gone. They're still following her orders, and they always will." "And so what am I supposed to do? Sit back and just let things go on the way they have? Not try to make any changes to the system that almost took my life? Hide in the darkness and hope everyone forgets me or that what almost happened to me could have easily happened to them?" "Why is it your responsibility to fix everything, Anton? Do you see Carl Dane charging in there to take over the lead? No. He has just a much right to--maybe even more so--but he doesn't, because he's not crazy. Hell, even Vandala knew she couldn't take over Lilith's power. The best she could ever do was mess up some of the Empress's plans and piss her off. What makes you think this is your job, alone?" "There's a big difference between Carl Dane and I. He wasn't raised to rule. I was. Ivan trained me to do this, Nathaniel. No, not take over the whole Empire, but there was an understanding that if something happened to him, if he was called to serve Lilith personally." He paused for a second, looking defeated. "But there's nothing I can really say that will reassure you, is there?" "No, not really. But tell me how you would feel, if the situation were reversed. Because I know you can't tell me you'd be all for it if I were the one rushing in to this. You'd be so pissed you'd probably disown me." Anton's brow furrowed at that. "I may be pissed, as you put it. But I wouldn't disown you. I thought we were past that." One eyebrow raised. "Are you ready to disown me?" Nate sighed heavily. "I don't honestly think it would make a difference if I did. You'd still do whatever the hell you please, so why bother? But I am making it known that I seriously object to what you're doing, and I'm not helping you. You're on your own this time." "I see." He had hoped that he and Nathaniel would have been able to work out their differences. But it looked like they wouldn't. And Nathaniel had made several valid points. But still, Anton would have to do what he felt was right. He started towards the door, not wanting to make more of a fight. "Tell Lindy I'll wait for her outside." "You never know the right answer, butt-for-brains." Anton looked back over his shoulder, hand on the doorknob. "What did you just call me?" "You heard me. Or maybe you didn't, with your head up your ass and all." "Why you little son of a bitch," Anton said. "So now because you don't like the decision I've made, we're going to resort to name calling?" Nate set Liam down on the floor, stepping forward. "Just stating facts, bro. But don't forget, I'm a husband of a bitch, too." Anton didn't back down from the challenge. He stepped forward. "You've always resorted to name calling when you didn't get things your way. Afraid to have to back your words with action?" "Nope." And with that, Nate let loose the first swing, punching Anton right in his smug chin. He didn't expect Nathaniel to actually swing on him. So Anton was forced to absorb the full brunt of the blow to his jaw, teeth clicking together from the impact. Without anything that resembled a conscious decision, he swung in response, aiming his blow for the side of Nate's face. Although Nate ducked, he wasn't quite successful in avoiding all of Anton's fist...especially when he almost tripped over Liam. Growling, he charged forward, shoving his brother into the wall, landing another blow to Anton's midsection. Anton grunted as the air was knocked out from him. Reaching down, he grabbed the back of Nate's shirt and pulled it over his head. He only got to land two blows to his stomach when he heard Lindy's screech. "What the hell are you two doing?" Both vampires let go of each other. And pointed to each other as well as the same words were said. "He started it!" Backing up a step, Nate struggled to right his shirt and still maintain his glare in Anton's direction. It wasn't easy, especially when Lindy smacked him. "Ow! What the fuck? Hit him! He's the dumb ass!" Lindy smacked him again. "That's for using that language in front of our son," she said calmly. And it was followed by a smack on Anton's arm as well. "But--" "I don't want to hear it, Anton," she said. "Go home." "But he--" "I said 'go home.'" He recognized the tone in her voice. With one last glare at Nate, he turned around and walked out the door. And knew that by the time he got back home, Bryn would be apprised of the situation. With a sigh, Lindy picked up the phone, but she didn't dial it yet. "You want to tell me what happened?" she asked with an arched eyebrow. "Not if you're gonna hit me again." Lindy rolled her eyes and made a show of tucking her hands under her arms. "Now will you tell me?" He took a deep breath before spinning in to his rant. "That stupid ass came over here and had the nerve to tell me I can't back up my threats. Well I showed him! I socked him right in the mouth and I'd do it again. The dumb ass. It's not my fault he's as smart as a post. If he wants to go and get himself killed, let him! I don't give a shit. And I'm sure as hell not helping his sorry ass." "Okay," Lindy said, arms still crossed over her chest. "Now that you've taught our son a new cuss word, are you going to tell me what's really bothering you?" "I just did!" He threw his hands up in the air, before stomping off to resume cleaning the kitchen. "Make your damned phone call. I'm not stopping you. Maybe she'll beat up on him like you did to me." Lindy put down the phone and walked up behind him. "You're worried about him making a stupid mistake. I am too," she admitted. "But we can't try to control him. We have to hope that he knows what he's doing." He ground his teeth together. "That sounds almost as stupid as he does, because he obviously doesn't know what he's doing. Or he wouldn't be doing it. He's a reckless moron!" "And is this going to help? Telling him he's a moron, no matter how true it is, isn't going to make him change his mind." She reached out to rub his shoulders. "I know you're worried about him. I am too, especially since we almost just lost him. And it's got to be worse for you, since you two have just made up." Dipping his chin, he squeezed the sponge he was holding. "I don't really want to talk about it, Lindy. The more I think about it, the angrier I get." "Okay," Lindy said, still rubbing his shoulders. She continued her massage for a few more minutes before whispering in his ear. "You want me to stay home tonight?" "I don't know that I'd be very good company. In fact, it might be a good idea to take Liam over to visit your parents for a while." Lindy frowned, tongue pressing against the inside of her lip. "I'll take Liam over," she said. "But I'm not going to let you mope alone. We're going to figure out how to talk some sense into him." He let out a quiet sigh, knowing there was no way to distract her once she made up her mind. "All right. I guess I might as well start something to eat." Lindy nodded and scooped Liam up off the floor. She could feel the boy stiffen in her arms, reacting to the tension in the air. "Why don't you give him a kiss goodbye and then we'll go see Grandma and Grampa's?" Swallowing heavily as he tried to screen the anger from his expression, Nate leaned forward and kissed Liam on the cheek. "I'll see you later, buddy. Have fun." Liam still looked uncertain as he leaned against his father for a moment. "Come on, Liam," she said putting him on the floor. She took his hand and guided him towards the door. "I'm sure Grandma has some cookies for you." Waiting for Lindy and Liam to leave, Nate walked over to sink and dropped the sponge. Gripping the rim hard, he squeezed as hard as he could, until his forearm muscles screamed for relief. He only wished he could do the same with his mouth. He was healing, but wouldn't heal fast enough to avoid notice. Leaving his brother's home, Anton could feel the bruise on his chin forming and trying to heal simultaneously. Deciding he needed to ice it before leaving for work, he headed towards the back of the house, hoping to cut into the kitchen without being seen. But the odds were good that Bryn or Bernadette would catch sight of him. Maybe he could hide it by holding his hand to his chin in an effort to look thoughtful as he tried to remember where he put his keys, he mused. Rocking Kat in her arms, Bryn walked in to the kitchen to empty out the remains of her bottle. The baby was already asleep and wouldn't drink the rest. Stopping at the sink, she noticed movement on the patio and froze, worried about who or what might be lingering outside. But as she saw Anton's silhouette, she walked over to open the door. "Forget something?" Half way into the light, he tried not to wince guiltily when he heard Bryn's voice. "My keys, my dear," Anton said, trying his thoughtful look bluff. "You didn't happen to see them in the living room?" "They're probably on the table in the hall." Leaving the door open for him to come in, she walked back to the sink to unscrew the nipple from the bottle. "Why did you come in the back door?" "I thought Kat or Max might be napping, and I didn't want to disturb them." It was a weak lie, but the best he could come up with on short notice. "I might have left them upstairs," he said, hoping Bryn would offer to run to their bedroom and check "Maybe." Turning on the faucet, she ran some water in the bottle to rinse it out. Looking back at him, she arched an eyebrow. "You look like my dad used to whenever he'd get a tooth ache. What's wrong with you?" He was caught and he knew it. Anton let out a sigh. "I went over to talk with Nathaniel about the Council situation before going to work. He had a lot to say too. With his fists." During the last words, his hand dropped away from his jaw, revealing a bruise that was starting to fade. She gasped, walking closer. Not able to see very well, she grabbed his wrist and dragged him under the light. "Oh my God. He hit you? What the hell was he thinking?" He let himself be repositioned, wincing slightly as Bryn reached up to touch the mark. "He was very clear about what he was thinking - that I was a stubborn idiot for even entertaining the Council's offer." "You stay right here." With those words, she turned and headed back to the living room. Putting the baby down for her nap, she made sure her mother was watching over the kids. Then, she walked back in the kitchen and began making an ice pack for Anton's chin. He probably wouldn't need it, but it made her feel better. "I can't believe he hit you. What did you do?" "I... uh..." He braced for the inevitable reaction. "Hit him back." "You did what? Anton!" She whacked him on the arm, hard. "Why would you do that?" "Ow!" Anton rubbed the spot she had hit him, which was the exact same spot Lindy had earlier. "It was self-defense." He didn't like the note of pleading whine that had crept into his voice. "Oh bullshit." Gathering up the ends of the towel, she tied them together and then handed him the ice pack. "You could have easily just left. I really doubt he would have followed you. He's not doing this to get a chance to beat you up. He wants you to listen to him. He's hurting, Anton." "I went over there to talk to him, Bryn. He was the one who swung on me." Anton gingerly placed the icepack along his jaw. "You must not have been doing very much listening if he started throwing punches." She leaned back against the island, facing him. "I know you don't really want to hear what he has to say...because he doesn't agree with you, and you probably don't want him to talk you out of doing this. But that doesn't mean that you can just ignore his feelings. His opinion should mean just as much to you as mine does. He's family, sugar. And he's terrified of losing you again." "I was listening," Anton protested, shifting the icepack. "And I know he's scared of losing me. And his opinion does mean a lot to me. But there was no reason to become physically aggressive." Bryn crossed her arms over her chest. "And why did he become aggressive?" Anton was starting to feel like a little boy being scolded by his mother. And given their discoveries about her past lives, he might not be that far off. "I accused him of name calling when he didn't get his way." She rolled her eyes. "This sounds like a totally mature discussion. I'm sure glad you went over to talk to him." Walking around the island, she said, "I'll get your keys, so you don't get Max all excited again." She wasn't happy with him, and Anton knew she was about to be less happy. "Uh Bryn," he said as his free hand delved into his pocket. It came out clutching the keys he had been using as an excuse. "Don't worry about them." She turned and looked at him, her eyelids narrowing. "Go to work, Anton." He was about to explain that it was only a ruse to get her out of the room so he could ice his newly healed jaw. But he sensed that would have been the wrong thing to do. "I'll see you later tonight, Bryn," he said as he ducked back out the door. Irritated, she leaned against the counter and watched him go. For a while, she debated calling Nate, but realized he was probably too angry to listen to her, too. She could only hope that Anton's conscience got the best of him. After attempting to comfort Nate, Lindy headed over to Anton and Bryn's home. Seeing that she was going to get no where with her husband, she'd see if she'd have any chance with Bryn's. Not that she wouldn't end up probably chewing him out as well. Bryn was slouched on the couch, finally starting to relax again now that Anton was gone. Kat was asleep, Max was quietly playing, and her mother was busy on the computer. For once, she wasn't asking questions about how to do something online. And for a moment, with the stillness in the air, Bryn almost started to fall asleep. Until the knock on the door. [I knew it was too good to be true.] Shushing Petunia when she started to bark, Bryn stood up, stretched, and headed for the door. Lindy waited, wondering if this was a good idea. She hoped to have a chance to chew out Anton herself, but since his car was gone, she doubted he would have the chance. But maybe she'd talk to Bryn instead to see if she had any ideas about how to fix the mess they were now in. So when the door opened, she gave him a tremulous smile. "Hey there." Bryn arched an eyebrow. "Anton didn't take you to work? Of course, I wouldn't want to ride with his childish ass, either, so I can't really say I blame you." Stepping out of the way, she gestured for Lindy to precede her. "Come in." Lindy gave her a little smirk. "So I take it that you know what happened over at our place?" she asked as she crossed the threshold. Bryn grunted. "Yeah, unfortunately." She shut the door and led Lindy in to the kitchen. "How about some hot chocolate?" "Sounds good," Lindy said with a weak smile. "So what do you know? Nate is pretty upset with him, and I'm not that far behind. And from the look of things, so are you." Bryn cringed slightly as she turned to pull two mugs out of the cabinet. "Well, you know, he's more than grown and has to take responsibility for his own crap. I tried to tell him what I thought the problem was, and he pretty much denied it. So I guess that's that." "Classic Anton," Lindy said with a shake of his head. "If he's not careful, they're going to become estranged again. Bryn, Nate's really scared that he's going to lose Anton because of this damn Council appointment." "I know. He's not the only one." Filling a pitcher with water, she put it in the microwave to heat. "As much as I believe Anton can do this, and as much as I want to support him, this scares the crap out of me. I don't honestly think he realizes what it's going to do to our family. To all of us. But I'm not going to tell him not to do it, because he wants it. It would be different, I think, if he was just resuming his duties with the Council. But he wants to be the frigging emperor. What am I supposed to say to that?" "How about, 'You're nucking futs if you think you can pull this off without endangering the family?' I'm serious, Bryn." Lindy steepled her fingers in front of her, an unconscious imitation of one of Jess' habits. "He's been the eldest, and the 'wisest' for so long, it's easy to just go along with what he wants. But I think he needs a hard reality check on this one. And we're going to have to be the ones who do it." Bryn let out a sigh. "Lindy, you didn't deal with all of the nightmares and fear he had after what happened in Australia. He wasn't himself for a really long time. In fact, he's still not completely himself. But when he started thinking about taking this position, he got happier and more motivated than he's been in a months. He's had something to look forward to. And yeah, he's bit a bit scared about it, but I think it's been in a good way." She turned when the microwave beeped. "I really don't want to be the one who crushes his dreams." "Bryn, this isn't his dream. This is what he thinks his dream would be. Think about it," she said. "He's never been in a leadership position where he was up front or sought one. He's always been in a supporting role or leading from the background. The warehouse is the closest thing, but there he's more of the father figure than a CEO." Without realizing it, she slipped into Russian. "Even when leading his father's troops, he always looked to Ivan for guidance and direction. He was the power aiding the throne, never on throne itself." "Then how do you know it isn't what he wants now? Just because he's played the same role in the past doesn't mean he doesn't want more. He always knew there was a chance Ivan might be gone one day, and he would take control. Only that chance never came, because he was forced to flee with me." Lindy took a deep breath as she resumed in English. "Bryn, I'm going to say something that I don't mean as an insult. But I've known Anton longer, or at least I have in the recent past. Just hear me out on this." She took another breath as she searched for the words. "He's trying to protect himself on some level. He's afraid of being hurt, and on some subconscious level, might be afraid whoever they pick as the new Emperor or Empress will decide to carry out the executions that Lilith ordered. So what better way to prevent that if he's the Emperor himself?" Although the words hadn't been meant as an insult, they still cut to the quick. "Don't you think I know that? I've been with him for over a thousand years. I gave birth to him, for God's sake! I know exactly how his mind works." "I know, I know," Lindy said, trying to placate her. "I just figured that because we were a little too close to the situation, that we all love him so damn much, we couldn't see the problem clearly. Nate, on the other hand, still has some distance. He's the one whose been right all along." Dipping her chin, Bryn blinked away a wave of tears. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get bitchy. I just..." She lifted her head, her tears falling anyway. "I don't know what to do. I don't know how to make him feel safe. I don't know how to get him past this and I'm scared to death that he's never going to be the same again." "I know Bryn." Lindy leaned across the table as best she could to put her arms around Bryn's shoulders. "We'll get this figured out somehow. We can always ask Mulder to speak with him. Or maybe Mack. Maybe if enough people say it, it'll finally sink in through his thick skull." Hugging Lindy in return, Bryn kissed her cheek and squeezed her tightly. "Ya lyublya teba." "Ya lyublya teba, Bryn." She squeezed her back. "We'll get though this somehow," she said with a confidence she didn't quite feel. "But I should get back and check on Nate. He's upset and doesn't have a place to vent except to me. And trust me, he's venting so much he's making what happened on Mt. St. Helens look like a burp." Bryn winced. "Tell him I'm sorry. He shouldn't have had to take on Anton's stubbornness all by himself." Pouring the cocoa mix in to the water, she stirred it quickly. "You can take this with you. Lemme add some whipped cream and chocolate shavings." "Well, maybe I could stay for a little while longer..." Laughing, Bryn walked to the fridge. "Do you want to take some for Nate, too? You two can always share with Liam...if you're feeling generous." Before Lindy could answer her, she turned and said, "Do you think I should call him? I was really nasty to him when he came home." "Nah, let Anton stew for a while longer. He's in the wrong, and it's such a rare occasion that we deserve to enjoy it." Lindy's eyebrow arched. "And what makes you think that I'd share with Nate, let alone Liam?" Bryn smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. Spraying a large dollop of whipped cream on top of each mug, she added chocolate shavings and handed Lindy a spoon. Sitting across from her friend, she spooned a bit of the whipped cream in to her mouth. "I'm feeling guilty...and I don't know if it's because I got mad at Anton, or because I encouraged him to pursue this...or because I got upset with you for saying that you knew him longer. Maybe all three." She let out a soft sigh. "I haven't felt jealous in so long. I don't know why it's back. Maybe it's because you were right. I knew he was scared...but I didn't want to acknowledge that. It's hard knowing that, and knowing that I can't do anything about it. My love is hurting and I can't help him." Lindy took a sip of the hot chocolate, almost moaning at how good the chocolate tasted. "But Bryn, you *can* help him." She reached over and patted her free hand reassuringly. "It's not going to be easy, but we need to stand firm and help him see the truth. He will thank us for that." "I don't think he will," Bryn said, softly. "He will," Lindy repeated firmly. "Maybe not right away. Hell, definitely not right away. But he will. Eventually." He just hoped that it wasn't like him eventually forgiving Nate. A nine hundred year separation wasn't what any of them needed. Taking a long drink of her hot chocolate, Bryn swallowed and sighed. It was inevitable that he would be angry with her. She supposed she had better get used to the fact. "I'm tired. I feel like an old woman. I'm so sick of cleaning up Lilith's messes." "Yeah, and we shouldn't be the ones doing it." Lindy took another sip of chocolate. "Hopefully there won't be any more messes of hers to clean up. There are days where I worry about us, about my parents, about Seth...." Bryn nodded, listening only absently. "I want you to let me talk to Anton. This should really come from me. I don't want everyone ganging up on him at once." Lindy nodded. "Okay. I'll tell Nate about it, but not to say anything until you've told us it's okay." She took one last swallow from the cup, draining it completely. "Speaking of who, I should get back home. Nate's probably wondering where I disappeared to." Nodding, Bryn stayed seated. "I'll talk to you later." Lindy stood up and walked around to where she Bryn was sitting. "It'll be okay," she said, hugging her tight. "We'll get through this." "Lindy...no, 'we' won't. I will. I'm the one who has to deal with his disappointment when he realizes I never really supported him after all. And I'm the one who will have to deal with his anger when I tell him that *no one* thinks this is a good idea. So you just go home to Nate and don't worry about it. I'll fix it. And I'll make him feel unsafe all over again." "I'll go home to Nate, but I can't promise that I won't worry about it." But the thing was, that Bryn was right. This wasn't something she could take on for Bryn. "I'll check in with you later," she said, giving Bryn one last squeeze. Bryn watched her go, feeling bitterly disappointed and angry. Much like she was sure her husband would feel later that night. Lindy let out a heavy sigh as she stepped out into the cool night air. And her steps were uncharacteristically heavy as she walked back to her home. Smiling as she saw Liam playing on the floor with the long suffering Montel, she walked behind the chair that Nate was standing in. Leaning over it, she hugged him tightly from behind. "You were right," she whispered in his ear before kissing his cheek. He turned to look at her, almost asking her what she meant, when her smile confirmed it for him. "I know! Thank you! It's about damned time someone acknowledged it." "Well, two of us acknowledged it." She rested her crossed arms on the back of the chair. "I just had a heart to heart with Bryn. She thinks you're right too, and is going to talk to Anton. Which she is not looking forward to. And doesn't want us to talk to him before she does." Nate frowned. "I hadn't planned on it. If he wants to 'talk' again, he can come to me." "You bet he can," Lindy teased. Maybe it was the sugar rush from the whipped cream and hot chocolate, but she was in a teasing mood. "Because I'm married to a big, bad vampire." He rolled his eyes. "Yeah. Remember that the next time you slap me upside the head for no reason." "One problem with that. Not only did you marry a big, bad vampire, but a former big, bad werewolf." "That still doesn't explain why you keep smacking me when I'm so obviously in the right. And you *still* haven't apologized for it." Lindy let out a theatrical sigh. "I am sorry I smacked you the first time since you were in the right. But I'm not apologizing for the second when you cussed in front of Liam." Nate rolled his eyes. "As if he even heard me. Or understood what I was saying, for that matter." As if to prove his father wrong, Liam looked up and smiled. "Dumb ass," he said cheerfully. Lindy merely smiled and cocked an eyebrow in Nate's direction. "Hey, young man. You save that kind of talk for when Marrok visits." End Chapter One Hundred Sixty-one <- Previous Chapter | Home | Next Chapter ->