Bonds of Immortality

Del Sol Valley: Groceries and Gossip at Sol Organics Market

Wheeling the rattly grocery cart around the corner, Fallon Barrett’s usual RBF lit up with recognition. The harsh fluorescent lights of the grocery store cast long shadows, but nothing could hide the immediate brightness in her smile when she saw the handsome young man standing in the produce aisle.

Ridge Sinclair, the young, kind-eyed doctor with brown hair and warm eyes, noticed her too. His genuine but withheld smile faded quickly, replaced by a look of surprise and a hint of reluctance, something most commonly known as the ‘oh sh*t’ expression. His white coat was missing, but his calm disposition and neatly pressed shirt gave away his medical profession.

“Doctor Sinclair, fancy meeting you here, kiddo! Where have you been? For a while, we thought you had moved in—you were over so much, and now it’s been… I don’t know how long. Two weeks? Are they keeping you this busy at the hospital?” she rambled on, her voice carrying the warmth of genuine curiosity and a touch of amusement.

Ridge’s smile vanished completely, replaced by a gloomy expression. The air between the aisles thickened with unspoken tension.

Fallon’s sharp, almond-shaped crystal light green eyes, always observant, caught the change immediately. “What’s wrong? A fight, is that it? Who fucked up? Oh, don’t answer that, I can guess. Do I need to talk to my daughter? God dammit, that girl.” Her voice, usually controlled and calm, now rang through the store with a slight edge, causing other shoppers to turn and look. However, a single glare from Fallon and her snapping into the round, “Oh as if you all never curse, bitchez puh-lease! Turn your judgmental faces back to your shopping!” with her angelic face and perfectly applied makeup, made them quickly mind their own business.

As the co-owner and active member of the personal security and investigation firm her husband Theodore “Bear” Barrett ran, Fallon was used to noticing the small details the minute she walked into a room. Her naturally heightened vampire senses only added to her acute perception. The sterile scent of the store’s cleaning agents mixed with the fresh aroma of fruits and vegetables did little to mask the subtle tension in Ridge’s demeanor.

Ridge took a deep breath, his calm disposition faltering slightly. “No, Fallon, thank you, but it’s nothing like that. It’s just… work has been overwhelming lately. The cases… they’re piling up.” His voice trailed off, heavy with the weight of unspoken burdens.

Fallon’s eyes narrowed. “Bullshit, Ridge. What’s really going on?”

Ridge’s expression grew tortured, his eyes reflecting a deep sadness. He hesitated before finally admitting, “Oh Gawd, I really thought you knew. It feels like I am speaking out of turn here, but, well …. Ava and I… we broke up. It wasn’t my idea, she surprised me by breaking the engagement. You really should talk to her about it.” His voice broke and he was clearly fighting his emotions.

Fallon’s heart softened at his visible pain. Despite her usual instincts to press for details, she saw how much this still hurt him. Unlike her usual tough girl ways, she hugged the young man. “I am so sorry, sweetie. I had no idea!”

She watched as he nodded in gratitude, his sad eyes showing relief mixed with lingering sorrow. Against her usual instincts, Fallon decided to let it go for now and headed straight home, determined to get the full story from Ava.

Del Sol Valley: Barrett Residence, Family Showdown

Storming through the front door, Fallon Barrett’s heels clicked sharply against the hardwood floor, her determined stride echoing through the hallway. She immediately spotted her daughter, Ava, sitting at the small bistro table in the kitchen, a scene of calm soon to be disrupted. Without hesitation, Fallon grabbed Ava’s arm, then Bear’s, her husband and Ava’s father, who was just pouring himself a cup of coffee. The sudden movement nearly caused him to spill his drink. She pulled both of them into the living room, where Ava’s twin brother, Leon, was watching TV, his expression turning from relaxed to bewildered at the sudden commotion.

“Turn that shit off!” Fallon ordered, her voice sharp.

“Why? I was here first. Can’t you go yell at Dad and Ava somewhere else?” Leon bemoaned, regretting his words instantly when one of Fallon’s dreaded death glares hit him.

“Are you new? Turn the TV off!” Fallon’s voice escalated, filled with exasperation.

“What the actual… seriously…” Leon groaned.

“You heard your mother!” Bear finally spoke, his deep voice rumbling the walls, and Leon nearly dove for the remote. Bear raised an eyebrow at his wife, his expression one of resigned curiosity. Though he wasn’t a vampire, he never backed down from Fallon’s spirited ways—a quality that had drawn her to him in the first place. Bear was a man of few words, but when he spoke, people listened.

“Don’t look at me, look at your daughter. Ava, guess whom I ran into at the grocery store. Your fiancé, Ridge. Or shall I say EX-fiancé?”

“What?!” Bear’s voice turned deeper yet, his head snapping towards Ava, who clearly wanted to disappear into a hole in the ground. Leon’s interest piqued, his eyes glinting with curiosity. “Oh, this is gonna be good!”

“Shut up, Leon!” Ava hissed at him.

“Oh, so the cat didn’t get your tongue then. Well, if you can yell at your brother, you can answer me. What’s going on here? Why do I have to find out from your EX-fiancé that he is your EX-fiancé and why are you still wearing his ring?”

“That’s not even his ring. That’s the ring from the new guy!” Leon gloated, his tone dripping with glee. Ava shot him a glare, flipping him off as their parents turned to face him. Fallon’s fists were propped on her hips, her stance as unyielding as granite.

“Oh, so you KNEW about this. Well, come on and join the fun then, son! What is happening here? One of you better start filling in the blanks!”

“AVA!” Bear ranted, his voice shaking the room. Being the only non-vampire in the family, he often felt a step behind in the drama, a condition Fallon had been chipping away at changing. So far, Bear had remained steadfast in his decision not to join them in immortality, a choice Fallon couldn’t quite accept.

With all eyes on her and both parents pressing, Ava, visibly uncomfortable, looked at the ground. Her voice wavered as she spoke. “Okay, so Ridge is sweet, but… kinda boring. Then during the re-initiation feast, I met this guy, and it was like… sparks and angels singing and all that. We danced and we… well…”

“They went to screw in a crypt!” Leon added, receiving a tirade of cursing and increasingly harder hits from his sister, which he took, laughing, blocking most with ease, as he was well trained in various forms of self-defense, as he had been running the family business with his parents since graduating college.

“Knock it off you two idiots, you’re not 6 years old anymore. Ava did what? Fallon!!!!” Bear’s eyes widened in disbelief, pausing on his wife, who glared back at him, shaking her head.

The re-initiation feast had been a three-day party in Ravenwood some months past now, where all vampires, past and present, had gathered to celebrate those who had decided to rejoin the fold. Once the transformation was complete, the feast was thrown, but limited to only vampires, meaning Bear hadn’t been invited. Not that he would have attended anyway; he only participated in parties when someone in his immediate family threw one, and even then, only if he felt comfortable stepping away from his business.

“Fallon…Fallon…Fallon what?! Don’t you put this on me, Bear! Our kids are young adults, Bear. I didn’t realize I had to hold both their hands! You think they’ve never fucked anyone before at 22 years? Wake up, babe!”

“I am aware of how life goes, but not our daughter cheating on the man she was going to marry at a party under the eyes of her mother! And it better be a joke about the location, young lady! And what did you mean about it not being his ring, Leon?!”

“Well Dad, obviously the new guy gave her his ring. You didn’t notice it’s different? Getting old, old man. Losing your magic touch.” he teased, receiving an expected whack in the shoulder by Bear, only making the young man laugh.

“Of course we noticed. We thought Ridge got a raise or something and leveled up,” Fallon snapped, grabbing her daughter’s hand to inspect the ring, ignoring Ava’s futile attempts to pull it away. She held it up to Bear, who scrutinized it closely.

“That is an old ring. So, family heirloom?” Bear sounded as if he was interrogating a new client.

“And whose? We’re literally related in one way or another to most everyone at that feast. Do not tell me anything about incest now! I will immediately enroll you in some convent myself!” Fallon roared.

“He’s not family! What do you think of me!? He’s… special.”

“He’s gonna be deader than dead if Mom and Dad get a hold of him.” Leon gloated, receiving a whack on the head from his father.

“Son, go and get the reports started. You can take my car,” Bear ordered, tossing Leon the keys, which he caught with vampire reflexes.

“Later. I need to see this. This is good!” Leon snickered, but his amusement was cut short when his mother grabbed him and, with vampire speed, assisted him out the front door, slamming it shut behind him. She returned to her original spot in only seconds.

“There. Now talk.”

Ava’s shoulders sagged under the weight of her parents’ scrutiny. “Okay, his name is Lucian Petrescu. He is a vampire who takes care of Caterina’s family’s horses. He lives in this cool like medieval house with stables and all those horses downtown, and… he’s dreamy. Tall, dark, handsome, and he just knows things. And he knows all the best places, like hidden ones, ancient ones, he’s shown me so much cool stuff… magical almost.”

She stopped talking, staring at the floor when she realized her parents’ unimpressed expressions were far from amused.

Ravenwood: Confrontation at Conacul Hergheliei

Fallon and Bear Barrett arrived in Ravenwood under a sky heavy with mist, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and ancient secrets. The dense forest loomed around them, its towering trees shrouded in fog. The gravel path crunched under their feet as they approached Conacul Hergheliei (Stud Farm Manor), the small, century-old home of Lucian Petrescu. The house stood proudly amidst the rolling mist, its elegant structure illuminated by exterior lights that highlighted its architectural details. Enclosed by a stone wall, the property included well-maintained gardens, fields, and the stables where the horses were kept. The occasional snort of a horse and the earthy scent of hay and animals permeated the air, adding to the sense of timelessness.

Ava walked ahead of them, her posture tense but resolute. She had insisted on coming along, and Fallon, against her better judgment, had agreed. The stark contrast between their upscale life in Del Sol Valley and the eerie, backwoods charm of Ravenwood was not lost on her. Here, history seeped from every stone and shadow, making the modernity of their DSV life feel like a distant memory.

Fallon’s sharp eyes took in every detail of the surroundings, her natural vigilance heightened. The mist parted as they approached the front door, which creaked open before they could knock. Lucian stood there, his figure tall and imposing. His dark, slightly tousled hair framed a face that seemed both youthful and timeless. His bright blue eyes, like twin sapphires, held a depth of wisdom and emotion that belied his youthful appearance. Dressed in a black shirt with an open collar, he exuded a quiet confidence.

“Good evening,” he said, his voice a deep, melodic rumble that seemed to resonate with the very ground they stood on.

“Lucian Petrescu?” Bear stepped forward, his tone firm but civil, even as he towered over the young-looking vampire.

“That is me,” Lucian replied, his gaze shifting to Fallon and Bear before settling on Ava, giving her a certain smile that made her giddy, as she rushed into his arms, he caught her, kissed her, his eyes never leaving her parents. “Please, come in.” he said, an arm still wrapped tightly around Ava, as he now turned to lead the way.

“No thanks. Out here is just fine. Wouldn’t wanna take up much of your time.” Bear decided, with a raised eyebrow Lucian turned back to him.

“So, imagine our surprise when I had to find our from our daughter’s ex-fiance that she’s been hiding a secret engagement from us?” Fallon’s voice was sharp, cutting through the heavy silence.

“To a man who raises livestock for a living and whom we never met. She left a young doctor with a promising future for you, for this. So, go on, son, amaze us.” Bear added, his tone unamused, nodding at the horses in the stables.

“Livestock? Oh, Lady Caterina Dimitrescu would not be pleased hearing you refer to her priced, beloved steeds as mere livestock, Mr. Barrett. Well, were you one of us, good Sir, you would have met me already. I remember you, Mrs. Barrett. Quite the vision in that daring black gown. Brave of your husband to let you out of his sight like that.” his tone left no doubt that he was one of the vampires who considered their kind superior to humans, which instantly angered Bear, his face darkened, but he said nothing, unlike Fallon, who was fiercely protective of her husband.

“Well, don’t you worry about what my great-aunt Caterina would think. Oh yeah, did you miss that part, where I am actually kin to your employer? And you know, you weren’t so memorable to me, Lucian, nor are you now, seeing how you prey on young inexperienced vampire girls at parties where booze flows freely! And FYI, I don’t need my husband’s constant supervision, I can take care of myself, and I know whom I belong to! It’s called integrity. My legs open for one man, and one man only, thanks for your concern, you misogynistic…” she snapped.

“Mom! Stop it!” Ava exclaimed horrified.

Lucian’s eyes never wavered as he met Fallon’s gaze. “Your daughter might be young, especially by our count, Mrs. Barrett, but she is a vampire and for us, relationships ALWAYS go a little different. We also possess heightened senses, and we do not need months or years to know if we found our Soulmate. It took one look at Ava and I knew I loved her, and I wish to make her my wife. The feeling is mutual.”

Bear’s eyes narrowed. “You have some nerve, son!”

“Son? Oh hardly, Mr. Barrett. I am many times your senior. That’s not anything strange among my kind, Ava’s kind, your wife’s kind, something you wouldn’t understand. Mortal’s minds are very limited. Always have been, always will be.” Lucian’s voice was calm, measured. “I have lived for hundreds of years, seen many lifetimes. But in Ava, I have found something timeless. I know it, she knows it.”

Fallon’s eyes flashed with anger. “You know what I know, Lucian? For one that if you talk down to my husband one more time, you will find out that age is but a number, even among our kind. I will kick your ass back in time to the day you were born, so maybe this time around your parents can teach you respect!”

Lucian’s expression remained composed, but his tone softened. “Mrs. Barrett, as amusing as I find your feistiness, I meant no disrespect. Apologies. I only wanted to acknowledge the complexities of our world. Ava and I are not human; therefore, we should not be held to the silly ways of your husband’s kind. Beyond me why you try to adhere to them, but to each their own.”

Ava stepped between them, her eyes blazing. “ENOUGH! Stop it, all of you! Mom, Dad, I love Lucian. This isn’t just a passing thing. Ridge is sweet, but not for me. I am sorry you liked him so, but this is MY life. I am too much like both of you, guys, I can’t live with someone who is too … who is a normie. I don’t want a mortal. I don’t want to spend my life hiding who and what I am. Lucian is special, like me, but different, he’s shown me a world I never knew, embracing those differences and I want to be a part of it—with him. I was born with fangs, and I chose this life again, that means I should live accordingly. Mom, you KNOW what I mean with when you meet the right guy, you know. We know. Our kind has different senses. Dad might not understand it, but I know YOU do, Mom.”

Fallon’s gaze softened as she looked at her daughter, the fierce protectiveness she felt warring with her understanding of Ava’s sincerity. She knew that if they pressed this, they might push their daughter further into this man’s arms, maybe losing her. Bear, too, seemed to wrestle with his emotions, his jaw tightening and relaxing as he processed the scene.

“Alright,” Bear said finally, his voice a low rumble. “Fine. I always knew there are some differences I will always have to deal with when I married Fallon. Guess this is one of them. But understand this, young man. I protect my family. Mortal or otherwise, we Barretts protect our own. If you ever hurt her, I don’t care how ancient or immortal you are, I will make you pay …”

“Mr. Barrett, it seems we got off on the wrong foot. Please, I meant no offense, I merely stated facts, you are unlike us, that is not meant insulting. Please know, nothing is further from my intention than hurting Ava, I would never dream of it,” Lucian replied, his voice resolute. “Ava’s happiness is paramount to me. I love her.”

“And I love him. I mean it. Mom, dad, this is real. The real deal. Seriously guys! I knew you both would freak out just like you have, so I didn’t know how to tell you. I was going to, eventually, I swear. Just wanted to live the dream with Lucian a little longer before facing the drama.”

Fallon sighed, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly. “Oh, please, not this sickening sappy shit now too. Fine, you are over 18, if he,” she gestured first at Lucian, then around at the courtyard, house and stables, “if THIS is what you want, we can’t stop you. Just know that we’ll be watching. Especially you, Lucian. You may be older than me in years, but I think you know who I am related to. You know my mother is Scarlett Vannucci Cameron, my grandfather is Cesare, the leader of all of us, and you know my Uncle Caelan. I wouldn’t fuck with me or Bear if I were you. That never once ended well for anybody. And if you haven’t noticed, I am not shy and I don’t take shit from anyone.”

“And I don’t need fangs to make my point.” Bear grumbled.

As they left Conacul Hergheliei, the mist seemed to close in around them, the ancient trees whispering secrets only the wind could understand. Fallon and Bear exchanged glances, their minds a whirlwind of thoughts. The last image her parents saw when Fallon grabbed Bear to port back home, without their daughter, who wanted to stay with Lucian for a while longer, was Ava’s hand slipping into Lucian’s, a gesture of solidarity and defiance.

Del Sol Valley: Nightfall at Home

Back home, the night was calm and still, only disturbed by the occasional rustle of leaves outside their bedroom window. Fallon and Bear Barrett lay together in bed, the room dimly lit by the soft glow of a bedside lamp. Once work was handed over to the night manager, their son Leon, Fallon turned her head to face Bear, laying on his arm, playing with his hairy chest.

“I hate this,” Fallon sighed, her fingers tracing absent patterns on his skin. “Our son can’t settle on a girl to save his life, he hasn’t been serious about anyone since high school, unless you count that strange girl, bigmouth Jasper Hargrave’s ex. Our Leon deserves better than picking up other boys’ sloppy seconds and I don’t like her with that high-pitched-screechy voice, that stupid giggle and her Barbie hair and bright-ass clothing that barely covers anything, like a stripper on her way to work! And that tree name. What was it again? Piney? Palmy? Aspen?”

“Oakley,” Bear chuckled.

“Yeah, Oakley, that was it. Can you imagine a daughter-in-law named Oakley Barrett? Sounds like some cheap gas station booze. No, never. YUCK! And that voice of hers, eesh, I wanna slap her when she only greets me. And now Ava dumps Dr. Ridge Sinclair for that prick from Ravenwood. Now here we are with that wild card. Arrogant bastard, that Lucian. If I didn’t know my Uncle Caelan, or one of the other coven enforcers would definitely track my ass down, I’d just eliminate that idiot and have her go back to the drawing board for relationships. I get it, so Ridge wasn’t it for her, it’s her life, but can you imagine that Lucian as our future son-in-law? I’d rather have a rabid raccoon in my underwear that deal with that!”

Bear chuckled, his deep voice resonating in the quiet room. “Yeah, doesn’t exactly give me the warm and fuzzies either. Our sweet Ava with this old vamp with the fingernails-on-chalkboard personality, who dares to emasculate her father right in front of her and her mother? If I didn’t know I have zero chance against a vamp, if he were a regular man, he’d be laying in some ditch bleeding out now and be off our radar. That fool is so high on my shitlist, he soars high above it. Wondering if the rules are different for non-vampires. Maybe we could invite your creepy uncle over and I borrow his magic sword for a minute to take care of business. Chop, and that arrogant mouth will never spew nonsense again. Maybe we should send your dad over to meet him. Blaine would probably send him packing. Then again, he’s an arrogant prick too, your dad, he might just love him.” He paused, frowning. “Just what is it with girls and stableboys? I don’t see the enticement, but first our largest account, the Henford-royals, where the oldest princess, Victoria, keeps getting into all sorts of trouble because of their stableboy, drove me nuts. And not only was that dangerous, but I constantly had to deal with that cowboy, Jack, whom the king and queen keep as some sort of pet, and that delusional bastard somehow feels like he has any say about their kids. I know he laced the ears of one of the other princesses, but not Victoria, yet there he was, always interfering with my work, harassing our men. And if he wasn’t, the Royal Guards were. And on top of all is said stableboy now one of those Royal Guards, just like a bad penny, that kid keeps coming back. I know AG is your cousin, but honestly Fall, I have come THIS close to dropping them as customers many times. Now our own daughter lost her damn mind over a stableboy. I don’t get it.” Bear made a chopping motion with his free arm, his frustration evident.

Fallon shook her head, a mix of exasperation and affection in her eyes. “Oh babe, what you need is to quit being so stubborn and let me turn you. How many more times do you need to get shot in the line of duty to realize you are neither invincible nor immortal? But you could be.”

Bear grinned, his blue eyes twinkling. “How many times have I died when getting shot? Exactly. I don’t need fangs. I am tough.”

“You were lucky, Bear! Has nothing to do with tough,” Fallon insisted, her voice soft but determined. “Imagine you could just port over to some perp and talk sense into him before he could fire a single shot. Instant defusal of potential danger. BAM! Or you just kick them into oblivion if you are tired of their bullshit. So much potential.”

“Fallon, we have had this discussion a million times. I believe in the circle of life. Were we both vampires, there won’t be a circle. Just an endless line. Not for me.”

“Vampires can die. Just not of natural causes. So, you can make your own circle, if you must. Or piss off my creepy Uncle Caelan enough and he will end it for you.”

“Fallon…”

“Bear…”

With an annoyed grunt, Bear closed his eyes and exhaled dramatically. Fallon rolled on top of him, the feeling of her naked, still pristine and untouched by aging body against his bare skin instantly raising his spirit. He opened his blue eyes to look into her green ones.

“Bear, just say you’ll think about it. And mean it. For me.”

His smirk already told her there would be no serious conversation possible now, and his words confirmed it. “Why don’t you give me a good reason to consider it. You know what I like. Could turn the odds in your favor…”

“Swear it!” Fallon demanded, her voice low but firm.

“Every damn day, babe.” Bear grinned, pulling her closer.

“No!” Fallon pushed back on him, halting his clearly romantic intentions. “After today, I need more from you. I want you fanged. Willing or not. Either you give me what you need, conditions, or I will put them on you. How about this, next time you get shot in the line of duty, no matter how minor the injury, I get to turn you. There.”

Bear groaned, running a hand through his hair. “You are blue-balling me into submission? That’s low, even for you, Fall.”

“Agree or those blue balls will be the new normal, and I might start wearing hot pants to work,” Fallon threatened, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

“Don’t you dare, woman! The type of men we work with in this line of job are already walking mounds of testosterone, which is why I nixed the idea of having our daughter help out in the office. The hot wife of the boss strutting her killer bod now is gonna derail them all. I am already not happy about you flaunting your boobies so much, all my staff can’t think for at least half an hour afterwards. The type of men we need for this are not that easily bridled. They are not office workers you can hold to codes of conduct. No hot pants, and no more low-cut tops!”

“Then agree or deal with the consequences! I might just go to work Joan-of-Arc-ing it!” Fallon’s tone left no room for argument.

“Fine. Okay. Next time I get shot in the line of duty, you get to turn me. There. Now, can I please make love to my wife? I need that after the day we had.”

“If you let me turn you, you can lay out my work clothes for me.” she grinned.

“Okay, fine. Deal. Now come here you! Enough of this,” Bear reached for her.

Fallon didn’t have to be told twice. She pulled out all the stops, until her husband fell into a deep, relaxed slumber with a relaxed and exhausted smile on his face.

Del Sol Valley: The Turning Point

Two days later, they were at a hold-up. A famous heiress client of Barrett Security, who had hired them when her ex kept making death threats was being held at gunpoint by him. While she normally avoided using her vampiric powers unless a situation couldn’t be handled safely without them, this time she made an exception.

Bear was crouching behind some barricades, shouting orders at his strategically placed men, when he realized Fallon wasn’t next to him. Worried, he looked around, standing upright just as a shot was fired. As if in slow-motion, he heard it, snapping his head to the side. He saw the gunfire blaze up in a window, heard his men shouting and returning fire, when the bullet hit his shoulder, grazing it, leaving a long scratch bleeding profusely and burning like fire, throwing him backward, stumbling, until he felt free falling, then being caught and guided softly to the ground. Within seconds, an EMT was present, addressing his wound. While they were evaluating him, he saw his wife clean her gun. Their eyes met, and her smile and shrug told him everything.

“You beast!” Bear exclaimed, pain and admiration mixed in his voice.

“I know not what you mean, babe. Must have been the assailant shooting at you from the window that got you all confused,” Fallon replied, her tone cool and confident.

“The assailant, yeah, sure, right. You kill him?” Bear winced, shifting his position slightly.

“Nope. He’s hog-tied neatly upstairs, our client is drama-queening it on TikTok, and my sweet husband is going to start a new life soon. Check-Mate, babe. The jackpot goes to me. I play to win.”

“You cheated. This wasn’t the deal! Don’t even deny it, Fall, I am not an idiot, so don’t treat me like one. I saw you cleaning your gun. You don’t clean it unless you used it. You shot at me.” Bear’s eyes flashed with a mix of anger and disbelief.

“Oh, my poor vulnerable husband getting shot in the line of duty had me all confused. Besides, there were no disclaimers that the shot had to come from the perp. Not to mention I am an excellent markswoman, I don’t miss. I hit exactly what I aim for. Including grazing bullets on arms, totally harmless. Just a scratch, babe.”

“My own wife … well, you’re right, we did make a deal and I didn’t stipulate WHO should shoot me, but I really didn’t think I had to exclude friendly fire. Joke might just be on you, sweetheart. We’ll see if you get this BS past your strict grandpa. He might not approve this, and you shot me for nothing, babe.”

“Hush now, with all the medics around, they might just treat you for severe shock as you are imagining things. I was down here next to you the entire time, that’s how I caught you when the mean assailant shot you. And you think I am a rookie? I had grandpa dearest’s approval to turn you for years. YOU were the only holdup, acting like a naked nun at a war camp. Spread ’em wide, baby, this is gonna be intense.”

“You are such a bitch, babe. Can’t believe my own wife would trick me like that. Injure me to get her way.” Bear’s tone softened, a begrudging respect in his eyes, while the med staff scurried away. This kind of conversation was just not for them and Bear was patched up enough and already refused to be hospitalized ‘for a little scratch’.

“Well, helps you remember what it feels like to not be invincible. Once I am done with my end of the deal, next time you get shot, all it will do is sting a little and piss you off, while you pull out the bullet and shove it up whoever shot you’s rear. You’re welcome.”

“I’ll remember that for my revenge,” Bear muttered, a wry smile tugging at his lips.

“Oh, I am not worried. Bring it on, baby, I can take whatever you throw my way. At least I won’t have to fear you getting killed anymore. So worth you being pouty and grumpy. Then again, you are always pouty and grumpy.”

“Isn’t what you are planning to do to me effectively going to kill me too? You have no heartbeat, neither do our kids. Most would consider a beating heart the basic qualifier for being considered living.” Bear stated, his gaze locking onto hers.

“Do I look dead to you, Bear?” Fallon purred, then approached, running her hand across his body in a very sensual way, lingering at certain strategic spots. “Does that feel dead to you? Cos your body is telling me a very alive story right now.”

“Only my crazy wife would shoot me, then sexually harass me in public while discussing killing me so I can have fangs. Joking aside, while on topic will THAT still feel right afterwards? Will I feel it at all?” he took her hand and put it back on his crotch, which had not remained unaffected by her blunt flirting. Most women would have shied away, but not Fallon, she closed her hand and started kissing on him in a very demonstrative way, right there in public, then whispered in his ear.

“What a question! Vamps feel things more intensely, we have heightened senses, that includes screwing. Oh, you will like THAT even more after your transformation. Plus, we don’t really get tired. And you won’t get old. Well, older. You’re already kind of old,” She wiggled her eyebrows, while he raised his healthy arm up, wrapping it around her waist, pulling her down to kiss her.

“Fine, you lil bitch, you won the fight and the war. You get your way then. Just remember, you did this to yourself if you find that an eternity with old, grumpy and pouty me wasn’t quite what you wanted, cos that’s what you will get.” Bear’s deep voice resonated.

Fallon let out a delighted squeal, doing an unusual-for-her happy dance, eyed suspiciously by the medics, who were probably wondering why this couple seemed not only in a very sensual mood, but also so happy after he got shot at work. Fallon’s eyes sparkled with triumph, and Bear couldn’t help but smile at her infectious energy, despite the throbbing pain in his shoulder.

“Just remember,” Bear added, his tone softening as he pulled her close, “an eternity with you is exactly what I want now. I won’t let you go, Fall. You can still turn back and leave things as they are now, and then one day, you’ll be rid of me, but once you did what you wanna do, it’s gonna be too late to change your mind.”

Fallon’s smile widened, her heart swelling with love and determination. “Oh, don’t you worry about me, babe, I am very much liking the idea of you stuck with me, forever. And YOU just remember, I always play to win. Took me 20 years, but I just won this one too. That’s the beauty of being what I am and what you will be; time really becomes inconsequential.”

Del Sol Valley: A New Beginning

Weeks later, back in their home in Del Sol Valley, the morning sun filtered softly through the curtains. Fallon was in the kitchen, pouring herself a cup of coffee. The familiar aroma filled the room, bringing a sense of normalcy. As she filled her cup, Bear entered the kitchen, his steps silent but purposeful. Fallon smiled and poured him a cup as well.

When Bear took the cup from her, their hands brushed, and they shared a knowing smile. Both sets of eyes sparkled, competing with the gleam of their fangs, an unmistakable sign that the transformation was complete, and Bear had finished his basic training as a vampire. Despite the peaceful morning, the playful tension between them remained.

“You know,” Bear said, his voice low and teasing, “I’m still not done with you for shooting me. One day, you’ll pay for that. When you least expect it.”

Fallon smirked, leaning in to plant a kiss on his cheek. “Bring it on, tough guy. Just remember, I always play to win. And as far as vampirism goes, mine definitely is bigger than yours, babe, cos I was born this way and have many years on you being it.”

Just then, their 22-year-old twins, Leon and Ava, stumbled into the kitchen. Disheveled and drowsy, they looked every bit the typical post-college crowd who moved back home to ‘hotel mommy & daddy’. Good, but spoiled kids. Leon rubbed his eyes, while Ava yawned widely.

“Ugh, do you guys have to be so lovey-dovey this early? Just nasty. Keep that in your bedroom.” Leon groaned, pulling a face.

“Seriously, it’s gross, Old people smooching. Eww.” Ava added, wrinkling her nose.

Fallon, never one to miss an opportunity, grabbed Ava first, planting a big kiss on her daughter’s cheek. Ava squealed in protest, wiping her face. Fallon then turned to Leon, who tried to back away, but she caught him and planted a kiss right on his lips. He wiped his mouth, grimacing.

“EEW! Mom, that’s disgusting! I am too old that that trailer trash crap! YUCK!” Leon complained.

Fallon, with a mischievous glint in her eye, picked up her coffee mug and headed out of the kitchen. “Oh, you think that’s gross now, but you don’t even know where my lips were earlier, while still in bed with your father. Have a nice day trying to get THAT image out of your head, kiddos.”

Leon and Ava exchanged horrified looks. Screaming, Ava ran off to her room to “scrub her face with Lysol and steel wool,” as she proclaimed, followed by her brother making gagging sounds, shouting something about being sick now, while Bear laughed loudly, shaking his head. “Yup, my wifey is her daddy’s daughter… that was a Blaine move right there.”