Bitten (Book 1 - Book 4)

“That didn’t take long,” Uri said.

“No, it didn’t. I heard you were possibly heading to the club tonight.”

“It was requested. I don't know if I want to leave you home alone.”

“I might hear later about something,” she said. “Or I can go with you. Not the first time.”

“No, you can't go, especially now that you are on the Council.”

“Hum. Hiding things?”

“Men need to feel they have more of a voice. The Council has more women than usual with you.” “I know I took the place of one of the men, but our voice is for everyone. We don't discriminate based on sex.”

"Still, there should only be five women and four men. That's what the rules state.”

“The rules only state that there must be at least five women. It says nothing about how many men.” He shrugged.

“I'm sure the Council will find some place for me to be. People at the bank bothering you much?” she said.

He shrugged again.

“Not really as much as I thought. The number of managers we've been mentoring have stepped up to do their part. Everything is working well.”

“Nice to hear.”

“How's my little girl doing?”

“Quiet. A thinker. I think.”

“She'll be devious when she grows up. We'll have our hands full.”

Natalia laughed.

“Just like daddy.”

He nodded.

“I'm gong upstairs to check on her diaper,” Natalia said.

Uri followed along.

“Can I hold her for a while? You seem to be monopolizing her.”

“You can have her the rest of the day,” she said.

Natalia undid the wrap while they walked up the stairs

“Here. You can check her diaper, too.”

Uri took Victoria and went into the nursery.

Natalia headed for the master bathroom. The outfit was still a little tight and she wanted to change to her loose dress, but the order to be wearing knives stuck with her. She knew Uri was wearing his. “I just have to suck it in,” she said, laughing at her own pun.

She used the toilet, then washed her hands and face. When she returned to the nursery, Uri was sitting in the rocking chair. Victoria was propped against his knees. Uri seemed entranced by her. “She has good focus,” he said.

"Yes, she seems to be able to focus better than I thought at this age.”

“Has she talked to you much?”

“No. She's been rather quiet. Busy observing the world.”

“She hasn't been alerting you of danger?”

"We've been so hyper alert that I don't think she could be much more ahead of us. Besides, I haven't been drinking any more of that tea. We might not be hearing her.”

“The effects couldn't have worn off so soon.”

Victoria grabbed and held on to Uri's finger.

Natalia sat to watch them.

“Never thought I'd be sitting here,” he said.

“You didn't think you'd ever marry?”

“Trouble makers don't attract girls. I was quite a trouble maker.”

“You attracted Mina.”

He smiled.

“There has only been interest in the last few years. I don't know if that's my success at the bank or the knife.”

“With Mina it was the knife, I'm sure.”

“I didn’t have much to do with the girls. Oh, there was the occasional sex. Girls experimenting. But my mother made sure I focused on schooling. She pushed me, which I can now look back and see was a good thing. I didn’t have much time for girls. Never really saw any that I liked enough to make the time.”

He raised his eyes to her.

"Until I saw you.”

"And what did you see in me?”

“There's a look about you. Caught my eye immediately when I was assigned to watch you and protect you from the Church.”

“And Mina.”

He shrugged.

“Mina will never be of interest to me. If she hadn't figured out the right set of venoms to use on me, Umi wouldn't be here.”

"He looks very much like you.”

“I prefer my children come from you.”

“None of them will look like you coming from me.”

“They'll look better than me,” he said with a grin.

“You're probably right,” she said with a laugh.

Mag stepped up to the door.

"We're going to start painting next door today. We'd prefer if you were over there with us.” “We'll be right over, Mag,” Uri said.

"Go through the garage. We have all the other doors locked.”

Uri nodded and Mag left.

“We need to get a peacock,” he said.

"A what?”

“Peacock. They make great yard guards. And they're pretty. Unfortunately, we don't have the fencing up for the entire yard.”

“They're a bird. They fly.”

"Yes, but once you've trained them where food, water and shelter are, they rarely fly and if they do, they always come back.”

“You don't eat them?”

“Maybe peahens, but the cocks tend to be too stringy.”

Natalia rolled her eyes.

“You seem to eat anything that moves.”

He smiled.

“Not my sweet Victoria.”

He cooed in her face.

“I'm surprised there are still squirrels in our trees.”

“We don't have enough children around, yet,” he said.

"What? What do you mean?”

“They're the ones that'll eat the squirrels. I went after rabbits myself.”

"Oh, my word.”

“They skin up so nice.”

“Uri! I don't need to hear this.”

He shrugged.

"Better that than eating candy like the Undents to spoil their dinner.”

“My daughter is not eating raw squirrel or rabbit.”

“Not your choice,” he said. “Isn't that right, my sweet girl?”

"Ugh. Don't you encourage her.”

Natalia rose.

“Let's go see the colors they picked.”

She let him keep hold of Victoria while she led the way down the stairs and through the garage. “The floor is looking good,” she said.

“Yep. I might have the excavators out on Monday to finish the tunnel which is less tunneling and more trenching.”

“It should be dry enough.”

The patio furniture was arranged beneath a large umbrella. A pitcher of iced tea and glasses were on the table with cookies.

“What are we officially going to call this house? It's not really the neighbor's house any more,” she said, taking a seat.

“Not a guest house either,” Uri said.

“The maids’ quarters is too demeaning.”

“The West Wing,” Mag said, coming out. “We have to make a run to the hardware store for more tarps and brushes.”

"West Wing?" Natalia said.

“We're to the west of the other house.”

“Ladies lounge,” he said.

“Can I come with?” Natalia said. “Uri's babysitting.”

“Sure. Bonnie and Kate can watch Uri,” Mag said.

Natalia followed her out to the garage. Zena was waiting.

"So what would you call this new house?” Natalia said.

Mag drove. They were using Kate's car.

“We're pretty used to calling where we are the guesthouse,” Zena said.

“We keep referring to the new house as the new guesthouse,” Mag said.

“Guesthouse it is, then.”

Natalia saw the symbol that told her the hardware store was Viperian owned.

“I can tell this is a Viperian store without even seeing the sign,” Natalia said. “Beetle cages.” "Yeah, you don't see those in the Undent stores.”

Zena led the way, knowing where they needed to go. They passed a young man who was stocking shelves. He wore a dark blue shirt with the store name on it.

“Shit,” he said in a low hiss, drawing Natalia's attention.

He looked scared and disappeared.

Mag and Zena didn’t seem to have noticed. Natalia decided to ignore what she saw.

"Get more rollers, too,” Mag said. “You like to paint?”

“I'd be more than happy to help,” Natalia said.

They filled a basket with items.

“I had a special order,” Zena said. “That one fluorescent color.”

“Fluorescent color?”

“Thought it would be great for the tunnel. Lighten it up and make it less dreary.”

Zena stepped up to the counter. Natalia moved over to the color swatches. Another young man, wearing the shirt showing he was an employee, turned up the aisle where she stood. He stopped abruptly. She looked up at him. He looked wide eyed and scared while he backed up and left. “Mag?”

“Hum, yes?"

“Do I look scary? That's two guys who saw me and looked scared.”

“You look fine.”

“I don't have Victoria, so it's not the Specter issue.”

Mag shrugged.

“Are they not used to Undents in the store?”

“That's not the case.”

Natalia watched a couple step up to another paint color display. They were obviously not Viperian. “I have the paint. Anything else,” Zena said.

"We're good,” Mag said.

They headed up to the checkout counter. The first young man that Natalia had seen was now helping another customer; an older Undent gentleman. Natalia caught his eye. He seemed to freeze as if he didn't know what he was to do.

"Where is that again?” the customer he was helping asked.

“I-I'll show you,” the young man said, but he turned the wrong way and into a display.

It crashed onto the floor.

Natalia skirted around it, watching the young man who seemed totally flustered.

“That was really weird,” Natalia said to Mag when they reached the checkout.

There was a young woman checking them out. She was fast and efficient. They were soon back in the car heading home. Traffic didn't seem unusual.

“The guesthouse,” Natalia said when they pulled up the laneway and into the drive.

“Once it's painted, it'll be pretty nice,” Mag said. “A lot more room than the other guesthouse.” They stepped into the house. The house was full of the screams of Victoria.

Uri hurried up to her.

"Someone didn't like you gone,” he said.

“Mommy here,’ Natalia said, taking Victoria.

Victoria cried a little more before she sniffled and hushed. Her face was flushed and tears stained her cheeks.

"Did she cry long?”

“The moment the car pulled out of the laneway,” he said. “We checked her diaper. We offered her a pacifier. No milk. She's too small to bite.”

“Bite?”

“The calming bite,” he said

“Don't tell me you bite children.”

"Only if they're having a tantrum,” Kate said.

"Oh, my word,” Natalia said. “You bite him back if he bites you, Victoria.”

Uri chuckled.

“I'm just glad you're back.”

“Let's sit outside while she settles.”

He poured tea for them.

“My poor, sweet girl. You need to spend more time with her, Uri.”

“You need to leave her in a crib,” Uri said. “She's so used to being wrapped to you.”

She nodded in agreement to that.

Her phone rang.

"Hi, Tia. What's up.”

"Checking to see how things are going.”

“All is fine. We're at the new guesthouse. The ladies are doing some painting.”

“I'm sure you look forward to that project being done.”

Yes”

“This evening, you are to ride with Uri to the club, but you won't be going to the club. Bonnie will know where to take you once you are there.”

“Secret location?”

“I think it's still being decided.”

“ will do that then. Thanks."

The call ended.

“Looks like I'm riding with you to the club, but then Bonnie's taking me somewhere.”

He nodded.

Mag stepped out.

“Uri. Come in and help in moving this cabinet.”

He rose and went inside.

Natalia looked down at Victoria. She was now sleeping peacefully, yet Natalia felt slightly irritated. There was no reason to be so. She sipped her tea, then decided to call Tia back.

"Hi, Nattie,” Tia said, answering.

“I noted something today. I went with the ladies to the hardware store. Two young men seemed scared of me.”

There was a long pause.

“Scared?”

“Terrified. They spied me and got bugged eyes. One avoided me. One I saw twice and the second time he panicked and he ran into a display.”

“I would say this is a result of Mole’s work, but it's too soon. He's not working on that until this evening.”

“And they were hardware store employees, not lowlifes.”

"Huh. Might be worth watching them, though. Did you note names?”

“No. I didn’t see any names.”

“They were Viperian?”

Yes”

“Thanks, Nattie. I'll have someone look into this.”

Natalia put her phone down and sipped her tea. Was Mole already spreading his rumor in places he shouldn't? Or was this something else? Was the Specter fear being transferred onto her? Since she was the mother?

Uri came back out and sat down.

“I don't know if I should have let them pick the colors,” he said.

“Fluorescent paint in the tunnel?” she said, guessing.

“Yeah,” he said.

"A tunnel tends to be gloomy. This will spruce it up.”

He didn’t look like he believed her.

"What time are we leaving this afternoon?”

"We'll head to the club about a quarter to five,” he said.

“We're just going to call this the guesthouse,” she said.

“We already have a guesthouse.”

“This is the new guesthouse, soon to be just the guesthouse once you tear the other one down. Or have plans changed?”

"No."

“You'll get used to the colors. Besides, you're not the one who will be traipsing through it.”

He still didn’t look happy.

“Be happy we still have them working for us with all that goes on around here.”

“I guess you're right,” he said with resignation.

“Here, take Victoria back. She can spend sometime away from me. I'll go check if the ladies want me to make lunch.”

Victoria didn't fuss when she handed her over.

She found all the ladies upstairs painting a bedroom.

"Want me to make you lunch?”

“No,” Kate said. “Zena and I made up somethings earlier. We'll bring out lunch once were done with this room.”

The room was a peach color.

“Nice and bright,” Natalia said.

Lunch came and went. Natalia helped paint one room.

“So glad the weather is holding,” Mag said. “I love that we can leave windows open while this dries.” Natalia heard Victoria fuss.

“That was almost two hours she stayed with Uri and didn't fuss.”

She trotted down the stairs.

“Diaper. I got this,” he said.

The rest of the afternoon was quiet. Uri wrapped Victoria to himself and carted her around.

“I can now say I am pregnant,” he said with a laugh.

“You now know what I was carrying around for ten months.”

Around four, Natalia checked Victoria's bag.

“I'll take her back now.”

“I have to change clothes anyway,” he said, handing her over.

He was in shorts.

“You can't be too leisurely dressed for club night. This is business,” he said.

Natalia sat on the patio of the guesthouse until it was time to go.

“Bonnie's out front of the main house,” Uri said when she came in through the garage.

“Figured that. Ready to go?”

Yes”

She was glad the ride to Viperia was uneventful.

“Have a good evening,” he said, giving her a kiss.

“Behave yourself,” she said.

He grinned and closed the door to the limo.

“Where we going?’ Natalia said to Bonnie while she watched Uri go into the building.

“Looks like we're going to a party.’

The limo headed toward Uri's house in Viperia.

Across the street from the house was a pond. The whole park was decorated with tiny lights strung up in the trees. The place looked like fairies had decorated it.

The limo pulled up to the house. Char opened the door.

Join the party.’

Natalia stepped out and Bonnie drove off.

“What's the occasion?

“Ladies night.”

Natalia had never heard of such an event.

“Do these often?’

“When we get the mood.’

There were dozens of women. Since this was high summer, all of them were scantily clad. Char, herself, was in tight, buttock revealing shorts and a halter top that barely contained her breasts. Her hair was spiked but with pink fluorescent gel this time.

'I feel over dressed,’ Natalia said.

Char chuckled.

"You're married. The rest of us are playing.’

There were only three Viperian men in sight. All were surrounded by women who seemed to be teasing them.

This many women and only three men?’

“There will be more,’ Char said.

Then she smiled slyly.

“A little bite can keep them going for quite a while.’

Natalia knew most of the women, having met them at the Wednesday evening women’s meeting. However, none of them had seen Victoria.

“Oh, my word.’

“Can I touch her?

Natalia found herself the center of attention while everyone surrounded her to see Victoria. No one seemed scared of her.

Victoria slept through it all with hardly a wrinkle of her nose.

Char brought her a glass of iced tea.

'We have stronger stuff, but not for a nursing mother,’ she said.

'l wouldn't want it anyway.

A few more men appeared. They weren't wearing shirts or shoes.

“Practice?’ Natalia said.

Char laughed

"You might say that. They're hopefuls. Our way of mingling and finding out what everyone is doing. Still too young.’

“They're not a Grazie."

'If they'd take Grazie's advice about taking care of children, they'd find more women wanting them.’ 'Uri mentioned that."

“Boys don't learn very fast. I'm surprised he knows that.’

"He mentioned his mother.’

“Rayna would know. She might have stayed with Mirren, I hear. He was doing well, but then got into some trouble, so she distanced herself from him. Now, she wouldn't mind being back with him, but Sophie's grabbed him.’

Char headed back to the house.

Natalia settled in a chair by the pond. Unfortunately, this gave her a good view of two women undressing one of the men. She looked away.

Victoria fussed.

Natalia stood and did a slow spin.

Victoria was now awake and fussing more.