FicWad

Caroline spoke softly to her driver then climbed into the backseat of the limo with Casey and Marcus.

Casey reached over for Marcus’s hand. She could feel the tension in his body and hear the confusion in his mind.

“Well” Caroline said settling back against the leather seat. “That was interesting.”

Marcus looked over Casey’s head. “Interesting?”

Caroline nodded, “I have not attended a Healers party in years. So yes, it was interesting.”

Casey tried not to smile but it was hard. In her mind she could hear Marcus cursing a blue streak.

Caroline looked into Casey’s eyes. “He is still very upset with me, isn’t he?”

Before Casey could answer Marcus spoke up. “I’m right here you know. You could just ask me.”

Casey squeezed his hand tightly trying to calm him down.

Caroline laughed, “That’s true, Marcus. So are you still angry with me?”

Marcus’s eyes narrowed, “I never said I was angry.”

This caused Casey to lift her hand trying to hide the giggle that threatened to erupt.

“What?” Marcus asked staring at her.

“Oh nothing.” Casey said quickly.

Caroline understood he would not reveal his true feeling because she was present. “Marcus, I understand you did not want to share.” By saying this she was giving him an acceptable reason to be angry.

“No, I didn’t.” Marcus said slowly, “However I understand perfectly well that what I wanted didn’t matter.”

Casey, who could also hear Caroline’s thought, felt trapped. She couldn’t reveal Caroline’s motives but at the same time she hated that Marcus was upsetting the older Pure. Just another fact she couldn’t reveal.

“I did not mind.” Casey said softly. “Caroline is a wise and kind Pure.”

Angrily Marcus pulled his hand from hers. “Whatever.” He turned to stare out the window.

Caroline spoke to Casey without words.

Until the car stopped no other words were spoken out loud.

As the driver opened the door Marcus glanced over at Caroline. “You’re staying in the same hotel?”

“No.” Caroline said softly. “I had my driver bring you here to your hotel. If I do not see you again have a pleasant stay.”

Marcus was surprised yet pleased. He wanted nothing more than to get Casey alone. He started to get out of the car but not before he turned to see Casey lean over and kiss Caroline gently.

“Thank you.” She whispered against her lips.

“Be well.” Caroline answered with a smile.

As soon as Casey took Marcus’s hand he’d extended the driver closed the door. They stood watching as the limo disappeared from sight.

Marcus quickly began to pull Casey towards the hotel entrance. Casey knew he was so angry he wasn’t even thinking about the fact she could hear his thoughts.

The minute they were in their suite Marcus turned on her. “Okay I want to know that the fuck is going on.”

Ignoring this out burst Casey slipped off her high heels. She crossed the room moving towards the large glass windows which looked out over the city.

“Casey.’ Marcus’s voice was rough. “Tell me now.”

She reached up to slip the thin straps of her dress off her shoulders. As the sheer material fell revealing her breasts she smiled.

Marcus crossed the room. “Stop it. I don’t want to fuck you, I want answers.”

Her voice was low and sultry, “Yes, you do want to fuck me. I can feel your Healer blood coursing through your body. It is invading your thoughts.”

He grabbed her arm. “Damn it. Why are you doing this to me?”

“Marcus, I need to do this. I need to understand the Healer blood. I need to experience every aspect of it. Through your thoughts and emotions that’s what I’m doing.”

He stared at her a minute then dropped his hand. “Why?” He whispered shaking his head.

Casey knew by his thoughts what he really was asking. “Marcus I’m not like other mortals. I do not judge the way Healers view the world. I understand it is a part of them, it is their nature. What happened tonight doesn’t shame me.”

He closed his eyes a moment trying to regain his control. At this moment his body wanted to throw her on the floor and fuck her yet his mind filled with emotions he still at times despised didn’t want that. It wanted to love her. It wanted to understand.

Hearing and feeling his turmoil Casey moved a step closer to him. “Marcus, I know you didn’t want me bound to Caroline.”

“I had no choice.”

She nodded, “Yes, I understand. But when I said I didn’t mind I truly meant it. Once bonded with her I could feel her emotions, hear her thoughts. She is truly a wise Pure. One who despises many of the things now part of the Healer world.”

That caught his attention. “What things?”

Sadly Casey looked away. “To reveal that to you would be to wrong.”

“Wrong?”

“Yes, Caroline understood what being blood bound to me meant. She understood that in doing so I would be privy to all her true thoughts and emotions. She shared those with me. It would be wrong for me to share those with you.”

“Fuck.” Marcus muttered feeling so conflicted. The Healer blood was still pulling at him. It was demanding he make this mortal bend to his will and yet that was something he could not make himself do. Taking a step back he shook his head. “Casey, I don’t know what to think anymore.”

She smiled at him. “I know how difficult this is for you. Centuries of being in control is a hard thing to change. But you do not need to control me. Try to look beyond what the Healer blood tells you is right. Know that I am with you because I love you, because it is what I choose. Yes, I am now blood bound to another Pure but for us that changes nothing. My heart, mind and soul belong to you.”

“Maybe we could return to the island.’ He said grasping for a way to deal with everything he was feeling. “Stay away from…”

Casey cut him off. “We can’t hide from the Healer world no more than we can hide from the mortal world.”

“Why not?” He demanded.

She took a deep breath. “Because I must learn everything about your world if I’m to join it.”

His eyes flashed topaz. “Damn it woman.” He turned from her.

Casey moved to stand behind him. Slipping her arms around his waist she molded her body to him laying her cheek on his back. “I understand.” She said softly.

He sighed, “You understand that just thinking about draining your blood, ending your life as a mortal does this to me. How wrong it that?”

“That is the Healer blood, Marcus. You can’t change it.”

“And yet I want to change it." He whispered. “I always believed I was in control but now I see the blood was in control.”

Casey had to make him understand. Removing her arms she gently turned his body so that he was facing her. “The way you are thinking about the blood is wrong. Yes, it can control but never forget what else it can do. The Healer blood can save mortals. That is a beautiful gift.”

Suddenly a thought nudged it’s way into his brain. “You knew Caroline would be there tonight."

Casey was shocked when she’d heard the thought enter her mind. “What?”

“You knew.”

“No.” She said shaking her head. “I didn’t. I did not even know of her existence until tonight.”

He glared at her. “Well you certainly do now.”

“Oh.”

Marcus’s eyes narrowed, “Oh?”

“You are jealous. Just another strong Healer emotion. One you don’t mind dealing with at all because that particular emotion is accepted by Healers.”

“Fuck yes, we feel jealousy.”

Casey smiled, “Okay lets deal with that one. Tell me why you are jealous.”

He stared at her as if she’d lost her mind. “Why? You’re kidding right?”

“I want to hear you say it.”

After firing off another line of curses he ended with “You are my blood bound I should not have to share you with anyone.”

“Still can’t admit the truth, can you?”

Fury filled his whole body. Grabbing her arm he roughly pulled her to him tearing the dress from her body. Casey made no move to stop him when he painfully pulled her hair to bare her neck. She remained still as his fangs pierced her skin.

“It is because you love me.’ She whispered.

Marcus stilled.

Gently she caressed his back.

Tearing his lips away he looked into her eyes. Time seemed to stand still until he finally whispered. “Yes, because I love you.”

__________________________________________

Gerard gently carried Elena across the room towards the bed. He settled her down next to Anna then climbed in beside them.

“I’ve fed her but she’s still fussy.”

Anna touched the infant’s cheek with her fingertip.

Gerard leaned back against the pillows feeling completely content. While he and Anna both were still dealing with the uncertainty of raising the Pure for now their lives were settling into a calm existence.

“You are smiling.” Anna whispered.

“I’m happy.” He nodded. “I’m with my girls.”

Anna’s smile faded, “One of your girls is truly yours.”

He understood. “And one is ours for now. But while she’s a baby what’s wrong with believing she is truly ours?”

"Because she is not." Anna answered sadly.

“Sugar I know times moves so quickly. But at moments like this I just want to savor each second. This life we have now is wonderful. One day we will move into another life, I get that. But as long as you and I are together whatever that life brings will be wonderful.”

Anna leaned back against her pillows. “That is true.” She thought a moment. “Maybe tomorrow we can take the baby into town.”

Gerard had to ask a question that had been bothering him. “What if someone notices she really isn’t breathing?”

Anna smiled, “I doubt that will happen but you know if it did we can make them see she is breathing.”

He nodded, “Yeah, that’s true. I think going into town is a great idea. We’ll take the stroller with us. We can explore all the little shops.”

“Just like a true married couple with a baby.” Anna said once more gazing at the now sleeping baby.

“For now that is what we are.” Gerard reminded her softly. “It’s only right to enjoy this time.”

________________________________________

Marcus gently swept the damp hair from Casey’s face. They were still wrapped in each other’s arms after making love. “You’re so beautiful.” He whispered.

Casey brushed her lips against his cheek, “You think that because you love me.”

“I think that because I love you and because it’s true.” He gently pulled his arms away to roll over on his back. For several minutes he stared at the ceiling.

“Why do you do that?”

He looked over at her. “What?”

Casey smiled, “Well you’re laying there thinking, your mind is full of thoughts. You know I can hear them so why not just ask?”

“Damn I wish I could be in your head.” He admitted. “I wish I could hear all your thoughts.”

“Once you are my Maker you will be able to feel my emotions.” She reminded him gently.

The smile left his face. “I don’t want to talk about that.”

“I know.” Casey sighed, “You keep pushing the thought of turning me away. Every time it creeps up in your brain you push it away.”

“And you know why.”

“Yes, I do but do you really understand?”

He gave her a shocked look, “Well of course I do. I’m afraid it won’t work. I’m afraid I’ll lose you.” Even now it was hard for him to admit anything frightened him.

“That’s not the only reason.” Casey said softly as she brushed her fingertips across his bare chest. “Now you understand the torment Anna went through.”

“What?”

“Marcus, why won’t you admit you’re not just afraid I won’t return. You’re afraid I will be what it considered a “Rightly turned Healer.” That I will lose the love I feel for you now.”

“You will be turned right.” He sighed.

Casey smiled, “Once again that strong Pure blood speaks. You can’t imagine turning someone wrong.”

He knew he had to tell her the truth. “Casey, I’ve turned others.”

She nodded, “Yes, I know.”

“You know? How could you know? I’ve never told Anna or Gerard. Hell, I don’t think I ever told Jacob for that matter.”

“No, but His Excellence knows. You have two children you’ve turned. Both male. But what I wonder is why you do not have contact with them?”

“It was so long ago.” Marcus said letting the memories return. “The first was when I had only been on this earth for thirty years. At that time there was no council, I did not need another’s permission to do what I believed was right.”

“And the other? How old were you then?”

Marcus’s voice grew soft, “That happened about a hundred years later. Michael was a young boy I found dying after a battle. I could not stop his death yet I felt deep inside his death was wrong. I can’t explain it any better that that.”

Casey touched his cheek, “And you loved them both.”

He looked into her eyes. “Yes, as their Maker I still do. Yet I have seen neither for hundreds of years.”

“They both are respected Healers.” Casey said.

“That is what His Excellence told you?”

She nodded, “Yes”

He sighed, “So you understand that you will be turned correctly.”

“His Excellence explained much of the history of the Healers with me. I understand how different it was when the world was young.”

“Before we had councils.”

Casey nodded, “Before Healers began to let the mortal world make them question their actions.”

He frowned, “The mortals do not make us question anything we do.”

She knew this was a lie but for now she remained silent on that subject. “So were do we go from here?”

The question confused him. “What?”

Casey laughed, “Well Moscow is nice but there is so much more of the world I want to see.”

“Oh.” He said slowly. A moment before they were having a deep discussion and now she was talking about traveling.

“We will go wherever you want.”

Casey closed her eyes and she snuggled up to him. “You decide. Take me someplace you enjoy.”

He was lost in thought when he heard her sigh. “What?”

“Marcus, there is no place on earth where there isn’t Healers.”

“I wasn’t thinking that.” He automatically said without even thought.

“Uh, sorry but I can hear your thoughts. Look, I understand what happened tonight was hard for you but I’ve told you it’s important I spend time among the Healers.”

He couldn’t stop the anger that washed over him. “Because that’s what His Excellence wants, right?”

“It is what he wants but it’s what I want too. The Healer World will become my world. I want to understand it. I want to feel what it will be like to be a part of that world for all time.” When he remained silent she listened to his thoughts. “I want to tell you something Caroline did tell me tonight.”

“What?”

“She said you didn’t have to worry about what happened tonight happening again.”

“Oh and how would she know that?” There was anger in his voice.

‘Because she will let it be known that since I am bound to both of you, I will not be shared."

“There are others older than her.”

“Yes, that’s true. But do you know of any that would exercise their right to take what is hers?”

He sighed, “No, can’t think of any. Caroline is very old and very respected. Shit, I couldn’t believe she was there tonight. It’s been hundreds of years since I’ve seen her.”

Casey leaned up on her elbow so she could look down into his face. When his eyes opened she spoke softly, “And don’t think for one moment that I wasn’t jealous.”

“Jealous?”

“Yes, of your memories.”

He looked sheepish, “Oh.”

“Once you and Caroline were very close. I definitely got that.”

“Casey, Caroline and I are both Pures. When we would meet we enjoyed each other’s company.”

She touched his cheek, “Uh yeah. I know.”

He looked deeply into her eyes, “Tonight I didn’t want that.”

Her smile spoke volumes, “I know that too. You only wanted me.”

“Yes, I wanted only you.”

She closed her eyes and was silent so long he believed she’d fallen asleep. So he was shocked when she said, “Do you feel you are wrong for loving me like you do?”

The question caused great conflict in his mind. This was something he didn’t want to discuss; he didn’t want to think about. He knew if he admitted his true feelings she would be hurt but of course he knew she was already listening to his thoughts. “Can we talk about something else?”

“Too late." She leaned up on her elbow again. “You do think it’s wrong for a Pure to feel the love you have for me.”

He sighed, “It is wrong. Pures are not meant to feel human love.”

“And yet you do.”

“It is because you are Ingredior Utriusque.” He said firmly. “That is the only explanation.”

“Oh, so since I am Ingredior Utriusque and have the blood of a Pure running through my veins that is the why.”

He wished desperately he could hear her thoughts. He nodded.

Casey’s eyes narrowed, “So you’re saying it I wasn’t Ingredior Utriusque, if I was simply a mortal you would not love me.”

He hated that she made him question himself. “Yes, that is true.” He finally said.

“You love me because I am Ingredior Utriusque." She said softly. “Loving a Ingredior Utriusque is acceptable.” She looked into his eyes, “That must be why you loved my mother, right?”

“Oh fuck.” He pulled his arm out from under her then slid out of bed. “I never said I loved you mother. Yes, I had feelings for her, she was blood bound to me but…”

Casey shook her head, “You felt human love for her. That is why you let her go. Because you put her happiness above your own.”

The woman was driving him insane. “What do you want me to say?”

“I want you to admit the truth.” She said sitting up and glaring at him.

“What difference does this make? Your mother died years ago.” He shouted losing his temper.

Casey’s eyes immediately teared up.

Marcus turned and when he saw the tears he sighed, “I’m sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry.” Casey said softly. She laid back down then rolled onto her side away from him.

Marcus crawled into bed next to her. Gently he took her into his arms. “Look, I did have strong feelings for your mother. I’d never met anyone like Christa before. But you have to believe me when I saw the love I feel for you is so much stronger. This feeling is something I’ve never felt before.”

“I know.” She whispered.

“And I know I’ve hurt you by saying if you were not Ingredior Utriusque I would not feel this for you.” He slipped his arms around her molding his body to hers. “But Casey the fact that you are Ingredior Utriusque can be the only reason I feel his. I am a Pure. I was born without the ability to feel human love.”

“How did you know?”

The question confused him. “How did I know?”

“How did you know you couldn’t feel human love?”

“Because I am a Pure.”

“And Pures just know this?”

He frowned, “Of course.”

“Marcus, who cared for you when you were born?”

“Another Pure and his blood bound.” He answered hoping she would not question him further about this topic.

“Why don’t you want to talk about it?”

Marcus closed his eyes. “It was so long ago. Sometimes when I stop and think about how long ago I grow weary. I have walked his earth for so long.”

Casey rolled over to face him. “Okay. I’ll stop asking questions. I’m sorry I upset you.”

He smiled, “You do try my patience at times.”

She nodded, “I know. I understand how difficult it can be at time for you to deal with me.”

“Deal with you?’ He chucked, “I don’t mind dealing with you. You make each day for me a new adventure. You have brought something into my life I never had before. I love you, Casey.”

“Love you too.” She said yawing then closing her eyes.

Long after she was asleep Marcus watched her. He realized that someday if she was turned and returned to him she would understand him so much better. But that fact only caused sadness to fill his heart and mind.