Vampire by B.A. Stretke

 

CHAPTER ONE

Master Emmanuel Cabot has ruled his Coven for the past two hundred and fifty years. Located on the Old Mission Peninsula, it was referred to as the Mission Coven. The Coven proper resided in the old mission that centuries ago housed a cloister of devout monks. It had been abandoned and was rundown, empty for years when Emmanuel purchased and renovated it along with the massively overgrown vineyard. With the vine stock he brought with him from the great vineyard of Provence, he saw the potential of this area and a livelihood for his people. Through heritage and hybrid, his vineyard would thrive.

That investment had grown over the centuries into a multi-million dollar operation and produced some of the finest wines in the nation. Emmanuel acquired his skills in wine making in Provence, one of France's oldest wine-producing regions. It was a way for him to relax and find solace after each battle, and there were many battles. He found the vineyards quiet, and its heady aroma renewed and invigorated him. He spent many centuries trying to prove himself and his value to a father who, in the end, would betray him for another.

He hadn’t had the need to engage in hand-to-hand combat in many years, but he was always ready. A soldier never let their guard down, not completely. The tall, lithe, sophisticated gentleman and owner of the Cabot Winery was only the veneer. Beneath that veneer was the warrior trained, battered, and built to be the next ruler of the Provence Coven, following in the steps of his illustrious father. But that was not to be. As it turned out, Emmanuel turned his back on his father and coven and charted a new life across the sea. Often the greatest skill of any warrior is knowing when to walk away.

He turned away from the window and his memories and stepped over to his desk just as there came a knock on his office door. “Come in.” He stated, and Grigori, his second, burst into the room, followed closely by his nephew Sam. He gave them both a hard stare and then motioned for Grigori to speak.

“We would do better to have the wine event at a venue not owned and operated by a bunch of rank wolves. We’ve never held it there before.” Grigori spewed while throwing Sam an angry dismissive look.

“The Indigo is perfect, and the rooms and services available are of a caliber befitting our stature and product. The location is central and easy to find along with upscale rooms available for those who chose to stay.” Sam defended his suggestion. “Grigori would have us pitch a tent in the park or something just as unsavory.” He hit back with sarcasm, and Emmanuel resisted a smile as he always appreciated targeted sarcasm.

“What do you see as problems in having the event at the Indigo apart from the hotel being owned and operated by the wolf pack?” Emmanuel enquired as he walked around his desk to stand in front of them and waited for Grigori to answer.

“There are other places just as suitable and without the added unpleasantness of dealing with those wolves,” Grigori stated but controlled his tone as Emmanuel was standing in front of him.

“So, you have no complaint other than the venue is operated by the Bay Harbor Wolf Pack,” Emmanuel responded to Grigori’s non-answer.

“Isn’t it enough that we provide them skilled labor? Do we have to patronize them as well? They’re animals, base and disgusting animals, and I want nothing to do with them.” Grigori was pushing.

“Any member of my Coven who works for the Pack does so of their own free will. I do not provide Alpha Henrik with skilled labor.” Emmanuel reminded tersely, and Grigori flinched slightly at the pointed retort.

“The Pack pays us all well, and they’re fair with their employees, be they wolf or vampire, and that’s more than I can say for the businesses you’re running. That coffee shop of yours can’t keep help that turnover is constant, and your coffee sucks.” Sam landed a body blow with that comment. Grigori visibly bristled and held his fists tight at his sides.

Sam was getting off sharp verbal shots at Grigori, and Emmanuel knew that, although entertaining, he needed to bring this conversation to an end. Of course, they were equally matched in many ways, but this was his Second and his nephew, and they needed to be civil with one another.

“The event stays at the Indigo as long as Sam can arrange it as discussed.” Emmanuel dismissed Grigori’s argument as pure prejudice and not based on practical matters. “Sam will take over all planning and preparation. I give you a free hand to make it impressive and profitable.” Sam gave a sharp nod with the satisfaction of someone who had the confidence to carry this out.

“We need to distance ourselves from these interlopers. They are not our equals and to continue working with them is a mistake. They should never have been allowed to put down roots. They should have been run out like the others.” Grigori continued to harp on until Emmanuel ended it.

“Enough.” He said with all the force of the Master, and everyone in the room fell immediately silent. “I made my decision, and you will stand by it.”

“Yes, Master Cabot,” Grigori responded formally and stepped back.

“Your complaint and your prejudice have been noted,” Emmanuel added with the same force, and Grigori nodded and left the room.

“I know he’s always loathed shifters, but he has taken a particular dislike to the Bay Harbor Wolves over the years and for no reason that I am aware,” Sam commented after Grigori’s exit.

“They’ve been successful, and their pack has grown stronger and more stable with that success. Grigori is a soldier, and he sees their growth as a threat.” Emmanuel knew that the hate went deeper than that but did not explain further.

“Do you see them as a threat?” Sam asked. Emmanuel walked over and placed his hand on Sam’s shoulder, and eyed him squarely.

“No, they live their lives, and we live ours. This Coven is old and trained and structured to take on any aggressor and any threat. I fear no one.” Emmanuel stated and his face darkening.

“We fear no one.” Sam stood a little straighter as he repeated the words, and Emmanuel patted his shoulder and then turned back towards the window.

“Follow through with the plans for the 23^rd and secure the venue. I agree with you regarding the time and location. It’s convenient and comfortable.”

“Thank you, Uncle,” Sam stated and left the room.

His nephew Sam and his second Grigori handled most of Emmanuel’s face-to-face interactions outside of the Coven. Over the years, Emmanuel had grown tired of the common and gradually isolated himself from the outside world. He knew the score and knew who to trust and who to avoid. The business world was an open book to him, but travel and interaction outside his coven had become tedious and bland.

He had been on this earth for nearly five hundred years, and still, he was alone and most likely would stay that way until his end. It was rare that a vampire bonded at his age, although he had many years left. A vampire could live for a very long time depending upon his lifestyle. The longest living vampire that he knew had lived beyond a thousand years, although most pass on after eight hundred and, of course, bonded vampires lived longer.

But Emmanuel was alone. He was alone in that part of a paranormal's life that made the centuries bearable, the part that fulfilled and excited. That emptiness was made all the more present when Sam told him of the flurry of mate bonds that were occurring in the wolf pack. Jealousy was beneath him, but it was hard not to want what they had.

He didn’t resent their good fortune; Henrik and his people deserved to flourish. They weren’t the first wolf pack in the area, but they were the only ones to work hard enough and battle long enough to make it their home. They controlled much of Eastport proper, but not all; the Coven had its interests as well. He and Henrik were not friends, but they had a respect and an understanding of one another that made life peaceful, safe, and profitable for both. It was an arrangement that had worked for decades, and Emmanuel looked forward to many more decades of cooperative existence in the city of Eastport.

…

“Master Cabot is requesting use of the main ballroom at the Indigo for a wine tasting event on the 23^rd. Sam gave me the request and asked me to deliver it to you.”  Javier, reported to Alpha Henrik. “His people would need access to the room the day before and the day after, and he’s also asking for staff.” These were paranormals, so the request had to go to the Alpha, not just one of the event managers.

“Why didn’t Sam just ask me himself?” Henrik looked up from his desk at Javier, one of the Pack enforcers that was on duty at the Hotel this night.

Javier took a seat opposite the desk. “You know Sam, he’s a stickler for protocol like all vampires. In his world, bartenders don’t send direct requests to leadership.”

“He needs to lighten up,” Henrik commented while tossing a cold beer to Javier.

“I’ll tell him that.” Javier joked and caught the can of beer and popped it open, taking a long swig.

“Sit for a while,” Henrik stated. “I could use a break.” Henrik rounded his desk to take a seat on the sofa by the wall, where he relaxed and took a sip of his beer before setting it on the side table. Javier moved to a plush seat across from him.

“I want to discuss Taylor,” Henrik told him. “He’s nineteen, and he has proven his loyalty and his strength; he has matured into a fine man and shows considerable talent as a soldier for the pack.

“Which is made all the more impressive considering he started out as that snot-nosed fourteen-year-old who nearly got himself killed for putting your mate in danger,” Javier commented.

“Taylor has proven himself and then some many times over. He’s a strong and loyal young wolf. I’m glad Max stopped me from ending him.” Henrik half smiled and then took another sip of his beer.

“You weren’t going to end him.” Javier challenged. “You just wanted him good and scared for the shit he pulled.”

“He’s applied here for a bartending job at the Black Dog. I think it’s a good move for him. He’s training as a soldier with the aspiration of becoming a guard. I’d like for his training to be specifically for a security position here at the Indigo. He has talent; even Derek agrees that Taylor will be a valuable member of the team in time.” Henrik rubbed his chin and scrunched his eyebrows.

“What are you asking?” Javier wasn’t following.

“The Black Dog can be raw and rowdy at times and should be a good training ground to hone some of Taylor's mental and physical skills and timing.” Henrik took a deep breath and then continued. “Am I wasting his talent putting him to work in the bar? Should I give him responsibility right from the jump, perhaps put him on one of Seamus’s security teams?” Javier smiled and shook his head.

“Ever since Taylor’s parents left to join their older son in his new pack, you’ve taken a special interest in him, which he needed, and I believe that has helped make him the man he is. I’m actually surprised his brother, that traitorous piece of shit, was able to find another pack that would accept him.” Javier and many others still held a hard grievance against those who had attempted to overthrow their Alpha. “I agree with Derek; you should have killed them all, kicking them out was too lenient.”

“They weren’t all of like mind with their leaders. Some were just plain stupid and incapable of seeing where their actions were headed. It was peer pressure and ego for many. The bombing of the Pack House startled them, as did learning of the attempt on Derek’s life, and they were beginning to step back. They were stupid, and as their Alpha, I did not feel that warranted a death sentence. But with that said, they will never be welcome back or acknowledged.” Henrik clarified

“I was surprised when Taylor chose not to go with his parents considering he was not yet sixteen. It would have ended his punishment here, but he didn’t. He stayed and finished his punishment.” Javier drained his beer, and Henrik motioned for him to grab another and get one for him as well. Alcohol didn’t have much of an effect on wolves, but it did relax them to a degree.

“I am his Alpha, and with his family leaving, he became my responsibility as my ward until he reached eighteen, just as any young one left alone would come under my care and control. But he’s an adult and has been for some time. He makes his own decisions. I just want to present him with the best path forward.” Henrik explained, but he cared for Taylor on a deeper level than just an Alpha’s responsibility. The boy and the man never cowered or bent as he fought his way back to honor and respectability within the Pack, and for that, he held Henrik’s admiration.

“Why don’t you put him under Sam? He’s the head bartender, so it would make sense. Make Sam his direct supervisor. He’ll teach him the ropes and observe him. He’ll let you know if he thinks Taylor’s ready for the security team, and you can decide from there. Besides, after the incident with Toby, I doubt you would want Taylor under Mike’s control.” Javier referred to an affair between Mike, the Bar Manager, and Toby, a dishwasher that turned out poorly for everyone involved.

“They were of age, and the affair was consensual, but still, it left a bad taste for everyone. Just unseemly and unbecoming of a management-level employee.” If it hadn’t been for the fact that Mike lost his girlfriend and his family abandoned him following the discovery of the illicit affair with a male subordinate, Henrik would have fired him. But he couldn’t kick a man when he was down, so Mike remained manager of the Black Dog, and Toby left them and joined a pack in California.

“Taylor would never be taken in by such idiocy, but I think having Sam teach him the business and observe his handling of some the Black Dog’s worst would be wise. Taylor still has a tendency to be too nice, so we need to work on that. Working with Sam would allow him to get the most out of the experience, and then depending on the outcome, he could decide where he wants to go from there.” Henrik admired Taylor’s intellect as well as his strength and fighting prowess.

“Arrange it with Sam and have Taylor on the schedule by Monday. Give Sam a twenty-five percent pay increase for his trouble.” Henrik knew that financial incentives always brought out the best in his staff.

“I have another concern I wanted to discuss.” Henrik changed the subject. “I’ve gotten several notices from the IT department that someone may be trying to hack into the computer system here at the Indigo. I’m assuming they’re looking for customer information, credit cards, and such. So I had them put up a wall between this system and the Pack system. We don’t want pack info getting out into the public.”

“That’s pretty serious.” Javier sat up a little straighter and set his beer aside.

“Yeah, it is, or it could be, but my experts tell me that the possible breach is just here at the hotel. I’d like you to investigate and find me everything. Talk to everyone in the department and get me a full picture.”

“On it.” He said and left the office.

…

Taylor finished weeding the back garden and was just putting his clippers and gloves away in the shed when Edward walked in. Edward Barnaby took care of the household and supervised Taylor for two years from the age of fourteen to sixteen as he worked off his crime in service to the Alpha and the Pack. He was now a fully vested member of the Bay Harbor Pack, and most of all, he was trusted, and it was a trust he would go to any length to never damage or violate.

“I appreciate you continuing to tend the plants and shrubbery, but you finished your punishment long ago, Taylor. Therefore, you are not expected to continue all the chores for which you were previously responsible.” Edward commented.

“And you’re not required to bake but you do so to the enjoyment of us all.” Taylor shot back.

“Touché.” Edward smiled.

“The Alpha took me in and gave me a home here when my family left, and for that, I owe my share of duty to the upkeep of this household. Besides, I like taking care of the plants, and I find it relaxing.” Taylor stated and took the bottle of water Edward offered and drank down half of it. “Thanks.”

“The grounds have always been beautiful, but since you took them over, they have been raised to a level of perfection and artistry.” Edward appeared to be thinking as he took in the area and then swung his gaze back to Taylor. “I’m taking you off any and all kitchen duties, and you can continue to care for the grounds as you see fit. Agreed?” Edward stuck out his hand, and Taylor took it with a broad smile.

“Agreed.”

…

Taylor had been on the job at the Black Dog for two weeks now, and he was getting the hang of things. Sam was an excellent trainer with the patience of a saint. He said that he got paid extra to train him so not to sweat it, but Taylor appreciated his time.

Sam taught him to mix drinks, serve even the most irritating customer with a smile, and taught him how to read people, especially humans. That was probably something he would use for the rest of his life. Bar life was like real-world life, but in a smaller court, so most things could be applied directly.

The drama was the worst part. Taylor hated drama, but that was a near-constant at the Black Dog. Always someone with an issue and someone wanting to cure the issue. Besides that, he loved the job and considered it a place he wouldn’t mind staying. He also planned to continue his guard training and maybe work his way up in the pack hierarchy. But he wanted a real, meaningful place in the pack, so he needed to start making some life decisions.

He wasn’t great at reading people yet, but he was getting better and more decisive. Taylor still had the tendency to be too nice and take more shit than was expected of an employee. The customer is not always right; common sense and the bottom line ruled was Sam’s favorite retort. He followed this with, “and if all else fails, you just adjusted their memories.” Sam said that with an evil smile that Taylor envied.

“I don’t have that particular skill, but I sure wish that I did.” Taylor lamented. “My life so far has been shaped by stupid mistakes. It would have been nice to have just wiped some minds, and pretended I never did the things that I did. Unfortunately, paying the piper has been a bitch.” He laughed while filling the shelves beneath the bar with clean glasses in preparation for the evening rush.

“I think you’ve turned out just fine, so whatever you did and however you were forced to pay has benefited you in the end,” Sam told him, and Taylor was struck by the fact that his background and misdeeds were not common knowledge. It was good to know that pack business remained pack business.

“It was some stupid shit that I regretted immediately but took years to work off.” He smiled and left it there, and Sam did not ask for more. They worked side by side for the entirety of the evening, with Taylor keeping up and following Sam’s every direction. He was told he’d be working under Sam for a few months. He also looked forward to being on his own and proving his worth.

Taylor enjoyed working with Sam and learning the business from the best. Even Derek said that Sam was the best, and he never complimented anyone. He also liked to listen when Sam talked about the Coven vineyards and the winery. The vineyards sounded amazing how Sam described them and the lengths his uncle went to secure the best vines. It was a complicated and lengthy process that resulted in the finest of wines from Old Mission Peninsula.

Taylor liked listening to Sam’s family history and how one generation gave to the next. Taylor’s parents had cut themselves off from extended family due to differences, and Taylor never knew any of them. However, once his parents left to join his brother down south, he was left on his own, so close family was something he admired.

Sam had even mentioned that he might be able to take him out to Old Mission Peninsula and give him a limited tour of the vineyards and taste some of the wines that they produce. He didn’t give him a timetable because gaining entry to the Coven proper took permission and time. But Taylor was just impressed that Sam would even offer.

The Coven was super secretive and getting permission to visit would be quite the achievement. That evening as he and Sam were cleaning up, Sam started talking about his uncle. Taylor didn’t really know much about vampires even though the two cultures existed side by side just a few miles apart for many years.

“My Uncle oversees all production at every level.” Sam smiled.  “Others, including myself, handle most of the matters that requires travel or meetings, but he keeps a tight hold and control of business otherwise. Uncle doesn’t trust easily, and he doesn’t trust many, so he may not always be physically present, but he’s the one calling the shots and making the decisions.”

Sam sounded proud of his uncle, and why wouldn’t he be. The man single-handedly established the Mission Coven and built a profitable business that has been in operation for a couple of centuries. There was nothing here but wild country when he arrived. It took skill, courage, and plenty of muscle to get where he and his people are now.

Taylor thought about trying his hand at nurturing a few vines of his own. The Pack greenhouse might be satisfactory for such an endeavor. The area wasn’t as perfect and didn’t get the sunlight like Old Mission Peninsula, but he would give it a go. He might even try making some wine once he had enough raw product, which would take a few years.