Filed to story: Sinful Mates (Imogen) Book by Jessica Hall
“So, what was the news?” I ask, turning back to Caroline again.
“The council wants to meet you, sooner rather than later. That’s not why we are here though. The council needs your birth documents, as you know humans aren’t usually mated to werewolves or vampires. The council wants to look up your lineage; they aren’t convinced you are a hundred percent human. If you are, you would be the first human ever mated to someone like them.” Josiah says, motioning toward Theo and Tobias.
“Okay, so that’s what shocked Theo?” I ask, looking towards his frozen posture sitting in the armchair.
Tobias growls. Josiah stands up, placing his hand on Tobias arm and squeezing it before letting him go. “That’s enough son, we can’t change the past, but your mother and I have sorted it. The documents will come soon in the mail, they said they would post them to this address.”
Tobias stares at me intently for a few seconds, I can feel worry and something else coming through the bond. I don’t have a chance to ask what documents they are talking about when Josiah turns to look at me.
“Imogen, do you still have your original birth certificate? I will also need a vial of your blood for the council.” I nod my head, knowing it is amongst the boxes that are in the office in the shed, along with the rest of my belongings that Theo has stored here.
“I think it is in a box in the shed,” I tell him, suddenly feeling nervous. I know it holds nothing about my so-called lineage. My mother’s name is the only one on the birth certificate. I never knew my father, don’t really want to either after he abandoned her to raise a child on her own.
“We will have to find it, but first finish your coffee, I need to speak to Tobias in private.” Tobias gets up and walks toward the kitchen, Josiah following behind him silently.
Something has Tobias on edge, and I glance back at Theo, who is still looking off, his eyes glazed over like he is there, but nobody is home. His eyes are burning bright red and hollow looking.
“Well, hopefully we find something that will help your case.” Caroline says.
I look at her. How will it help my case? “And if we don’t find anything?” I ask but I have a feeling I already know the answer.
“If there is nothing to be found, the council will probably give Tobias and Theo a time limit on when to change you, Imogen. I know you don’t want this, Tobias has made that very clear. Unfortunately, Tobias, taking that choice from you was very selfish and wrong of him to do so. He shouldn’t have marked you, but I also know my sons would never willingly put you in danger, the mate bond is that strong it would have happened eventually, he just should have spoken to the council first.” She tells me, glancing at Theo nervously. I watch as she stands up and walks over to him.
I
watch how she brushes his hair back like a mother would a child and at that moment, I can tell she truly does love her sons. It looks innocent like a doting mother would do. It suddenly makes me wish my mother would still be here. I feel saddened by the fact my mother would never again look at me the way Caroline gazes at Theo. But it does no good, he doesn’t even bat an eyelid.
I hear her sigh. “This is one of the things I hate about being a vampire, the rest is okay but once we become stuck like this, it’s always hard to come out of it. Consumed by one’s thoughts can sometimes be the worst sort of torture.” I hear her murmur, as her thumb brushes his cheek soothingly.
“May I ask how you became like this?” It’s something that I have wondered about because Theo doesn’t like talking about it.
“Did Theo tell you he is a twin?” She asks. I shake my head. This is the first time I have heard any mention of it. She nods, understandingly. “I had two sons Theodore and Benjamin,” she says, looking down at Theo. “They were identical twins, when the plague hit Benjamin didn’t survive. I couldn’t risk losing Theo or Tobias, so I spoke to who I thought was a doctor who reckoned he had a miracle cure for illness. I was scared for my other sons; I would have done anything for them. We weren’t aware that Tobias could change us back then, we didn’t realize because, him being a werewolf, was shocking enough and we were still learning about what it is he was.” She stares off absentmindedly like she has been thrown back to the time she is talking about.
“So, I met this man. He claimed to be some form of witch doctor. He was strikingly handsome and a little mad, very eccentric. But he said he could help. If I had known back then what he would do, I never would have agreed. So, I brought Theo and Josiah to him, he gave us some wine and we gave him a hefty sum of cash, literally everything we had. Tobias didn’t agree, he said something smelt off about him. It all happened so fast, Tobias was in shock and didn’t have time to react. Vampires are a lot quicker than werewolves, which I am sure you know already.”
Her gaze settles on me and I nod. I’ve witnessed it myself, Theo always gets to me faster.
“So, we accepted the wine, which at the time we didn’t know was actually laced with his blood. The next thing we saw was darkness. Tobias said he snapped our necks and started laughing like a madman. We woke up, not even realizing what it was we were. Well, that is until the hunger took over. Tobias dragged some drunk man in, and we couldn’t help ourselves – we killed him, draining him of his blood. We became monsters and for a long time Tobias had to cover up for us. Until we found the watchers, that is, and they introduced us to the council. We made an agreement with the watcher after saving one of their family members’ lives. He is one of Tom’s ancestors. In exchange for helping us, they get to live long lives, free of illness. In exchange they help cover our tracks when needed, which is rare with the council nowadays.”
“So, Tom’s family helped you back then, and because you saved a family member made the treaty that you still have today?”
“Yes, exactly. Tom’s family are called watchers. They originally worked under the council, but after Tom’s ancestor became ill and we found our blood had healing properties, we saved her and Richard. Tom’s ancestor asked to be permanently assigned our family, which was granted and in return, if someone falls ill, we help ensure they only die from old age and not before their time. With medical technology advancing over the years, we aren’t being required much, but the treaty still stands.”
“So, what happened to the vampire that changed you?” I ask.
“We never saw him again. Tobias tried to catch him, but he thought the madman killed us and panicked. When we woke up, Tobias was beside himself and we didn’t understand until Tobias explained what he did. It wasn’t long after we killed the drunk man and Theo was no longer human, that Tobias felt suddenly drawn to Theo like a moth to flame. Theo was the same. Back then, it was frowned upon for a man to love another man. They fought their own desires for years, until Tobias accidently lost control and marked Theo, making their bond stronger till they no longer cared what others thought.”
I look at Theo before getting up and walking over to him. “So, Tobias didn’t feel the bond until after Theo had been changed?” I ask.
“Correct, that’s why the council is wondering if there is more to you than meets the eye. No werewolf has ever had a bond with a human, they have fooled around with humans, even got a few pregnant, but never established a bond. It is unheard of. Did you know your father, Imogen?”
I shake my head. I know nothing of the man, don’t even know what he looks like, and from what I gathered, he isn’t worth knowing. I know my grandfather hated him because, I assume, of abandoning my mother. Mom never really spoke of him and if she did it was when she was extremely drunk. I know they knew each other for a while before she fell pregnant but that is it.
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