Bitten (Book 1 - Book 4)

“No, she isn't,” Uri said.

“Yes, I am,” Natalia said. “I still crave it.”

“You shouldnt be drinking it anymore. I finally found the documentation on this stuff and why it was banned so long ago. It's not well understood.”

“I can't stop drinking it, Moralis,” she said. “Not only do I crave it, but Victoria's heightened senses are saving us.”

“I hid what's left in the safe,” Uri said. “How are you getting some?”

“I know the combination,” she said. “I've gotten a sip every day. There's only one more left, I think.” “There's no research on what it does to a newborn, but the results don't look good for an adult. The cravings and the senses go into overdrive. You need to stop, Nattie.”

"Well, after today, there won't be any. Is that barrel still in Hell?”

“I'm not even going to say,” Moralis said.

"Well, you just did,” she said.

“There's no way either of us is going to Hell,” Uri said.

“You can't deny how her senses have helped us,” she said.

Their conversation ceased when Francie stepped out.

“Isn't she a doll?” Francie said, misconstruing Moralis's attention.

Natalia used a finger to straighten some of Victoria's hair.

“She looks just like Nattie,” Moralis said. “Sausages ready?”

He jumped up. Stacia came out with a large platter of hot dogs and sausages.

Uri was staring at her.

“Now, I have to change the combination,” he mouthed the words.

“I'll just have to crack it again,” she mouthed right back at him.

He grinned and shook his head.

“Do you want to come down by the water at all?” he said.

“No, I'm good up here. I can see everything.”

Grazie came back up.

“Moralis, you need help cooking those? You ever cooked sausages before?”

Moralis bumped him away from the grill.

“I have this, Grazie,” Moralis said with a laugh.

Uri rose to join Grazie in chiding Moralis about his cook skills.

Natalia moved her eyes to watch over the water. Tia stood on the dock, holding Grace. Everyone else was in the water. Tracy was pulling Grazon along on an inflated ring. He was splashing and making his usual motor noises.

She smiled, thinking of telling Grazie that his son might make a good limo driver instead of a dart player, since he seemed enthralled with engines.

Victoria fussed.

The engine sound of a boat filled her ears. Her eyes picked out the boat, but it was some distance off.

Victoria fussed more.

The boat was traveling fast, zipping through the other boat traffic with little regard.

Natalia stood as Victoria's fussing turned into a cry. Uri turned toward her before spinning to look out over the water. She had the feeling he also spied the same boat.

Uri bolted toward the dock.

“Out of the water,’ he said as he ran.

His Viperian voice got everyone's attention.

"We're not ready to eat, yet,” Francie said, showing she wasn't aware of what was happening. “Out,’ Uri said with such authority that not only did all the children turned to comply without hesitation, but even Bonnie complied.

He reached Tia and pushed her toward the deck. There was some uncertainty in her face, but a second push got her going. Uri then pulled Zean from the water.

“Up to the deck. Now.’

Zean ran to catch up with Tia.

Grazie must have realized something was up. He ran without regard to what or who was in his path. Everyone stepped out of his way. He brushed past Tia and onto the dock. Tracy and Grazon were the furthest away from the dock.

Uri helped Zena and Marian from the water. Jaina was close behind. Mag and Bonnie were next, ushering them up toward the dock with haste.

Grazie dove into the water. He surfaced by Tracy, who now had Grazon in her arms. He took Grazon from her, then pushed her toward the dock. Tracy didn’t seem aware of the danger. Grazon looked like he wanted to cry, clinging tightly to his father. Grazie's urgency caused Tracy to move faster with a growing sense of panic.

Uri moved to the end of the dock and waved his arms as if to ward off the boat.

“Oh, my word,” Stacia said, causing everyone to look.

“Veer off,” Uri said in a roaring voice, waving frantically.

Natalia watched in a panic while the boat headed right toward Uri.

Grazie and Tracy had reached the dock. He pushed her up before climbing up.

“Uri,” Natalia screamed.

Victoria was now in a full cry.

Uri backed up, still waving his arms, then he spun and ran. A moment later, the boat clipped the dock, causing it to buckle and rock. It violently overturned, flipping Uri into the water. The boat traveled right through the swimming area and onto the shore with a sickening crash.

"Uri."

Natalia's voice roared over Victoria's screaming.

Moralis raced to the water. Grazie was picking himself off the ground. Grazon, still in Grazie's arms, was wailing. Tracy had maintained her footing, but looked like she wanted to cry with Grazon. Moralis passed them and jumped into the water.

"Uri," Natalia screamed again.

Moralis pulled Uri up and heaved him out of the water. Uri's head was streaming with blood. At first, he didn't seem conscious.

Natalia found herself hyperventilating and frozen to the spot.

Tia raced down with Bonnie and Mag close behind her.

She watched in horror while they helped Uri up to the deck. He could hardly walk and he was bleeding profusely from the right side of his head

“I'm okay,” he said to her when they helped him sit down.

"You're bleeding,” she said, not believing he was okay.

Victoria was still screaming.

Uri reached out and gave her his finger.

“Quiet

His voice and his finger curbed her voice, but she still whimpered with an occasional hiccup. Someone handed a towel to Uri for the gash in his head

"Ambulance is coming,” Bonnie said.

Grazon was now the only one crying.

“He's okay. Just scared. He got a big bump when Grazie fell over with the dock,” Tia said, holding him.

“Scraped my arm a little,” Grazie said.

Natalia could see the angry red streaks across his shoulder and arm where he had landed.

Zena was sitting with Tracy, who was wrapped in a towel. She had her arms around Tracy, who looked a little dazed. Her sisters were also sitting around her as if there was comfort in numbers. Moralis was staring at Natalia.

“Now you see?” she mouthed the words to him.

He nodded.

“You okay?"

The voice was from the water.

“Ursula, from the bank,” she said, recognizing the voice.

Ursula was with three other people in a boat that had pulled up.

Moralis went down as best he could since the dock was no longer in place.

Natalia didn't hear what he said to them. Other voices drew her attention to the boat crashed onto the shore. Both laughter and cries of agony emitted from the wreckage. She could see that no one seemed to care to go look since they were either tending to Uri or trying to soothe Grazon or Tracy. “They're drunk,” Mag said, sounding repulsed

She helped Uri adjust the towel to catch the bleeding.

Natalia felt her stomach churn as one woman was giggling and staring at her arm. It was bent in an unnatural way and dangling. Natalia had to look away.

"EMTs are here,” Zena said, leading them onto the deck and over by Uri.

They weren't Viperian.

"He has a gash,” Zena said, gesturing toward Uri.

No one said anything about the boat and its occupants.

Mag rose to allow the EMT to sit by Uri. The other seemed to have spied the crash and left to go check on the occupants.

“That's a deep gash. Will need a few stitches,” the EMT said.

Natalia noted the name on his shirt was Larry.

“Do you have skin glue?” Uri said.

“Looks pretty deep for glue,” Larry said.

“Glue will be all I need.”

“No. I think a few stitches and some glue.”

Larry opened a case and put on a pair of disposable gloves.

Uri had to shift so he could stay by Victoria but allow full access to the right side of his head. Victoria hiccuped.

Larry said nothing else, but focused on cleaning up Uri's gash.

The other EMT came back up.

“We have four drunks. Three injured and one dead,” the man said in a low voice.

"How do you know the fourth one is drunk if he's dead?”

“A beer bottle is embedded in his chest.”

Larry nodded.

"Yep, sounds drunk.”

Neither EMT seemed too excited. Natalia wondered how many scenes like this they had seen today. The other EMT left to go back to the ambulance. Natalia didn’t catch the name on his shirt.

Two police officers arrived. They were also not Viperian

Moralis stepped up and explained what happened.

The other EMT returned with a stretcher. Natalia could now see the name on his shirt was Nate. Nate explained to the police what he saw before they left to go down to the boat.

Natalia could see that Grazie, Mag and Bonnie were fixing the dock. Zena seemed to be standing on the deck as if she was a guard or directing traffic. Tracy and her sisters remained huddled together. Victoria hiccuped again.

“Stacia. Check the grills,” Natalia said.

Stacia had been standing there, looking totally shocked. Natalia's order caused her to snap out of her stupor and to go flip sausages and hot dogs so they didn't burn.

Larry seemed to be picking out splinters from Uri“s gash.

The bleeding had slowed.

"Are you seeing a lot of this?” Natalia said.

"Fourth crash today,” Larry said. “That I've come to. I hear there have been more.”

A police officer and Nate passed by with a stretcher, carrying the woman with the broken arm. “Yo got in our way,” the woman said when they passed.

Larry shook his head.

"Good thing you were about to eat,” Larry said. “The children were out of the way.”

"We weren't about to eat,” Uri said. “I had to race pretty fast to get the children to safety.”

“Their boat almost hit him,” Natalia said.

“I think the bank is going to pull funding for the new public marina if the city doesn't crack down,” Uri said.

“You think you have that clout?” Larry said.

He concentrated on his work and never paused.

“I'm the Controller at the bank. I have the clout.”

Larry threaded a needle.

“Sounds like you do have the clout. There will be a little poke here.”

He tied three stitches.

“The rest I'll use glue,” Larry said.

The bleeding was now stopped. Natalia felt some of the anxiety sweep from her. She took a deep breath.

Victoria pursed her lips and also took a deep breath.

“Daddy's all good,’ Uri said

Larry put a bandage on the gash.

"Stay out of the water for the rest of the day. Have your doctor give that a check on Monday or whenever you can get in.”

"Okay," Uri said.

“Let me see those scrapes.”

Larry pulled off his gloves and put on new ones.

Tia was pulling Grazie over to sit by the EMT.

“They're nothing,” Grazie said.

“Let's get that cleaned up. I'd also stay out of the water for the rest of the day as well,” Larry said A second stretcher went by. The man on the stretcher wasn't moving, but Natalia didn't think he was dead.

Larry sprayed wound cleaner on Grazie's scrapes. He worked quickly and with a light hand

“There. You're cleaned up,” Larry said, finishing with a spray of antiseptic.

He closed his case, then wrapped all the trash in his gloves when he took them off.

“Thanks,” Grazie said.

Grazon was no longer crying. When Tia put him in Grazie's lap, he hung on as if his life depended on it.

“My little boy,’ Tia said to comfort him.

She kissed his cheek.

"You're okay,’ Grazie said. "You were brave with daddy."

Moralis was taking all of the meat off the grill. Stacia was finishing setting out plates, chips, cups and dishes for their meal on a table by the house. Moralis put the platter of meat on the table and covered it.

“Ursula. Can I get you a drink?” Tia said.

Natalia hadn't even realized she was there with the other three occupants of her boat.

“No, thanks. We'll just stay a moment longer.”

Ursula sat by Natalia. It was an obvious cue. Natalia handed over Victoria.

“Oh, my word. She has your coloring,” Ursula said, taking her into her arms.

Victoria didn't even fuss.

“She's probably tired with all the chaos,” Natalia said.

“There goes our relaxing day at the lake,” Mag said, sitting on the other side of Ursula.

“The Undent boaters are just out of control,” Ursula said.

“We have a proposal before us for funding the new marina,” Uri said. “It might come with some conditions.”

The two police officers came walking through.

“Alcohol?”

“No alcohol. We have children to tend to,” Francie said, almost looking offended.

Natalia figured the officers were looking for the typical cooler that most people had that tended to be full of alcohol. There were pitchers of iced tea out on tables. There were two coolers. An officer checked them.

“Kabobs. Soda and tea,” he said to the other.

The EMTs went through the area with another stretcher. This person was covered. Natalia figured this was the dead guy.

“She's beautiful, Nattie,” Ursula said.

The other people with Ursula nodded in agreement.

“Thanks,” Natalia said, thankful for the distraction.

Everyone reached out to touch Victoria.

“I've never seen such fine hair,” Ursula said.

Everyone reached out to touch Victoria's hair.

Victoria remained sleeping throughout the exhibition.

Ursula handed her back over.

“We'll let you get some of your day back.”

“You be careful in the boat,” Natalia said.

"Yeah, we can see this isn't the day to be boating. We're heading right back.”

Morals walked with them down to the dock.

Natalia could see that the buoys and rope were back in place.

A big boat with Police written on it appeared.

“I hope they're here to get the wreck out,” Francie said.

She was rubbing her belly and looking uncomfortable.

“Looks like it,” Natalia said.

People were surrounding the wreck and placing buoys on it. Then they attached a rope and towed it back out into the water.

"We'll have a little landscaping to fix,” Francie said.

Moralis returned and sat by her.

"Just rocks to put back in place,” he said. “That's about all we can do with the shoreline down there. You okay?”

Francie nodded.

The police boat left towing the wreck. The police stopped by to chat with Morals, finishing up. They left with the EMTs. An odd quiet settled over them. No one was down on the dock anymore despite it was back in place.

"Any damage on the dock?" Natalia said, looking hard.

“One whole section is trashed,” Moralis said.

“But it looks like the whole dock is back and it looks fine.”

“I had an extra section of dock that I used to replaced the damaged section. You can't see the damaged section right now because it's over by the boathouse. The dock, when we bought the house, was originally forty feet, but new rules limit it to thirty. There was ten feet I had pulled off.” “Lucky you kept the old section.”

Moralis shrugged

“I was going to use it over by the boathouse, on the other side, in case we needed extra boat space. Sort of like today, when Ursula stopped by.”

“Let's eat,” Francie said, looking uneasy.

The motion of doing something familiar seemed to sooth everyone

Uri stayed in his chair. Moralis brought him a plate.

“Watch him, Nattie.”

“I'm good,” Uri said, but he just balanced the plate in his lap while he sipped iced tea.

Mag brought a plate over to Natalia.

“Thanks, Mag.”

The aroma of food rose up. It smelled delicious. She picked up a sausage, but noted that everyone was watching Uri.

"Do we need to swing by Viperia? Hospital?” Natalia said.

Bonnie nodded her head.

“No, I'm fine,” Uri said.

Natalia only ate about half her food even though it was very good. The girls seemed to be recovering and were now chatting. Grazon was excitedly snarfing a sausage. Grazie's scrapes seemed to be fading already.

The lake, however, seemed just as chaotic. The crash seemed to have had little affect on the boaters on the lake.

“Oh,” Zena jumped.

“Yeah, I saw that. Near miss,” Mag said.

“The lake is so quiet on a weekday,” Francie said. “That's when we should have people over.” “When's our next Viperian holiday?” Grazie said.

A few laughed.

“Is there one?” Natalia said.

Tia chuckled while she shook her head.

Bonnie gave a warning nod to Natalia with a glance at Uri.

“We should be going. I'm getting tired,” Natalia said.

“You're not fully recovered from having Victoria, yet. Thanks for coming,” Francie said.

There were hugs and goodbyes exchanged.

Everyone watched Uri head to the limo. Bonnie had pulled right up to the door. Mag followed him closely. He seemed unsteady on his feet.

Natalia strapped in Victoria, then let Bonnie know they were set. The limo moved.

“I'm alright,” Uri said.

“I'm not. I'm tired and sore,” she said.

"Oh," he said

"We've had enough sun,” Mag said.

There was no more conversation while the limo headed to Viperia. Uri didn’t seem to notice when they passed through the gates. Bonnie pulled up to the Emergency area of the hospital.

A wheelchair and a nurse were waiting for them.

Mag and Zena helped Uri out and into the chair. He said nothing as they wheeled him in. Natalia followed, getting more and more worried as they went. It certainly wasn't like him to be so compliant.