When Sin's Deep in My Blood; You'll Be the One to Fall

The Rev leaned in the doorway of Luna’s room and observed the female as she lay on the large bed in the centre. Her long black hair spread like a dark halo over the creamy cushions. There were tears glistening on her smooth cheeks.

“James...” Her voice trembled.

He shifted in the doorway feeling slightly uncomfortable seeing her at her most vulnerable. It felt too intimate somehow; however, he didn’t leave. He felt for the female, even though he would never have admitted it out loud. At any rate, she was mated notwithstanding the fact that her husband was not of their species.

Luna turned her eyes to where he stood.

“James...damn it, Jimmy...he looked so...he still looks the same...”

The Rev cleared his throat rubbing at a tooth.

“He’s been Marked. But, I guess you didn’t see that...”

“No...he was wolfed...”

The lanky vamp nodded slowly. Luna shivered wrapping her arms around one of the large silken cushions.

“How long...?”

The Rev scowled.

“As long as he lives, Luna.”

She wiped at her eyes then glanced to the vanity; as she did Matthew materialised by the full-length mirror, now fully dressed. His shades firmly in place, there was no way for Luna to read his emotions. He frowned, eyebrows drawing down behind the lenses.

“James. Where’s Baker?”

The Rev shrugged. Luna swallowed hard before answering softly.

“He left a while ago...Jimmy came after he left...”

Matthew growled low.

“Damn it. I need Zachary to...” He paused looking at his sister. Then he sighed. “I need him to check on Johnny.”

Her eyes widened and she sat up holding the cushion to her breasts.

“Is...is he alright?”

“Relax, sis. He’ll be fine.” Matthew breathed out roughly. “I’ll just have to find V first.”

He smeared his hands over his face and turned to go, but then stopped and looked between The Rev and his sister.

“Oh, before I forget. Luna, I’ll have to figure out what to do with you.”

“Pardon?” Luna frowned, shifting uncomfortably on the bed. The master vampire stiffened, brow furrowing even more.

“You cannot stay here.”

“What?” Luna trembled then stood up anger flashing across her face. “You cannot send me away. Is it not enough you take my family from me? Now you wish to be rid of me as well?”

Matthew’s jaw tightened and his voice came out in a low snarl.

“I cannot have you and your son in the same building. It will never work.”

Luna shook her head hard, her heart rate increasing.

“I...I’ll keep away from him. Please...I did not go to him before...and you can tell him not to come near me.” She began to sob, “Please don’t send me away...I’ll have nowhere to go...”

Matthew groaned. He had to admit he hated seeing his sister in distress. In all honesty, she was the only other person in his life that he felt for to some degree.

“Damn it, Luna. Do not make this any more difficult than it already is.” He removed his shades and moved to sit next to her on the large bed. She sniffled, wiping at her eyes.

“Where would I go, Mattie?”

The master vampire blinked slowly, his hazel eyes unusually warm.

“Relatives in Canada.”

Luna trembled.

“Canada? Who do we know there?”

Matthew just shook his head.

“Not relatives on the vampire side...”

Luna’s features took on an astonished cast.

“You mean...you would allow me to reside with my husband’s kin?” She bit at her bottom lip. “How do you know of their existence?”

Matthew smiled weakly.

“The war...”

“Oh, of course...” Luna rolled her eyes, an edge to her tone. “Research so you can destroy them.”

“That was before. I will not reach out that far to destroy them. It is not...feasible.”

Luna’s eyes narrowed, as did the Rev’s. The elder vampire was still propped up in the doorway watching the siblings’ interactions.

“What?” Matthew raised his eyebrows at them. His sister flushed but spoke her mind.

“If I did not know any better I’d think that you were going soft.” She smiled. “Perhaps you do care just a little.”

Matthew’s jaw tightened slightly but then went lax as he nodded his head weariness coming over him.

“I am sick to death of this war, Luna.” He fell back against the bed, the firm mattress giving beneath his muscular frame. “I assure you...when Brian returns...that will be the end. To the bloodshed at least.”

He pressed his hands over his eyes breathing slowly.

“Still...you cannot stay here...”

Luna sighed deeply observing her brother’s tense body. The hard muscles taut. She hesitantly reached a hand to rest against his left bicep; it was so tight she could feel the corded length of muscle twitching slightly.

“Mattie...just...just tell me when...”

He didn’t move. She slid her hand up to his and gently peeled it away from his face.

“Please.”

Matthew looked up at her solemnly. Then he sat up muscles bunching as he leaned his elbows on his knees.

“Soon.”

“Soon?”

“As soon as possible.” Matthew rumbled in his throat. “I am sorry for this, sister.”

A wry smile played across her lips.

“Well, at least you’ll let me live.”

The master vampire smirked darkly.

“You just have to bring our mother into this.”

Luna snorted.

“I said nothing about her.”

“No. But, that’s what you were implying.” The smile faded as he glowered at her. She just sighed.

“Would it help if I told you I forgave you that, decades ago?”

Matthew stared at her, something inside him shifting. He bit at his bottom lip, his fangs protruding. Then he turned his face away abruptly, squeezing his eyes shut tight. Luna shivered a little then reached out to place a hand on his broad shoulder.

“Mattie...”

He tensed even more; he did not want to break down especially not in front of The Rev. The elder vampire appeared to sense this and he cleared his throat.

“If you’ll excuse me...I...have some things I need to do.”

Brother and sister nodded slightly without looking to the doorway. The Rev vanished. As soon as he’d gone, Matthew allowed his shoulders to slump and his head to drop as if it were too heavy to carry.

“Luna...” His voice rasped like steel against steel. His large body shook slightly. She moved closer and slowly wrapped her arms around his shoulders, leaning her face close to his.

“Mattie.”

The master vampire gritted his teeth; then ground them together harshly.

“I do not deserve your forgiveness, sister. I killed our mother in cold blood.”

“Matthew.”

“No.” He jerked away from her. “No. Do not forgive me. I feel nothing for her. You need to understand that. I...I killed her without a thought. So. How can I accept your forgiveness?”

Luna grabbed hold of his face and turned it to hers, staring deep into his eyes; her own dilating hugely until he felt he could drown in them.

“My forgiveness means everything to you, whether you will admit it or not, Matthew.” She bit her lip hard staring intently at him. “You may not need or accept it now, brother...but...in the future...in the future...”

Luna halted, visions blurring in her mind; visions of times known only to her.

She moved forward and pressed her forehead against his.

“Oh, Mattie...you will need forgiveness one day...and I give it to you now...all of it...for every deed you will ever commit...”

Matthew felt a chill flush through his whole body, a chill that had nothing to do with the temperature in the chamber. Then a sense of overwhelming love and forgiveness flooded him and he did not understand why or how his sister could have so much of the emotion for him.

He had a feeling that his future held many terrible happenings, beyond everything that he had already done. Beyond anything, he could ever imagine. Yet, somehow, his sister knew what his future held and she was giving him something he needed...something he would need.

“Luna?” There was a question in his tone, so many questions; yet, she just shook her head and gently traced her fingertips along his jaw line.

“And...perhaps you’ll accept this little forgiveness from me...”

“For what?”

Luna bit her lip drawing back slightly.

“For making my son your slave...”

Matthew inhaled deeply then blew the air out in a rush.

“My only other choice...” He allowed his voice to trail off as his sister looked sadly at him.

“I know, Mattie. I know.” She breathed slowly a serene calm cloaking her. “So. Canada you say.”

Matthew huffed gently.

“Yes. I will send word to your relatives this afternoon.”

Luna nodded sitting back and folding her hands in her lap.

“Well then, I should get ready.” She paused then looked at her brother. “Would you tell Jimmy I wish to speak with him before I leave?”

Matthew allowed a slightly evil smirk to flicker across his lips.

“Of course.”

Luna caught the look and frowned.

“Don’t you get any ideas. I am a married woman.”

Matthew laughed.

“Of course, but you do fancy him. In fact, I swear you were besotted with him when we were younger.”

Luna growled grabbing a cushion and hurling at him.

“You.”

The master vampire laughed some more but then became serious as he rose to his feet.

“Well, I will send him in...and then I will come check on you later.” He rubbed his cheek and mumbled as he made to leave, “Need to find Zachary...”

* * * * *

The Rev materialised by the large four-poster bed; Luna was in a foetal position, tears wet on her cheeks. He bit at his bottom lip, sat on the edge of the bed, and waited for her to notice his presence. It took several long minutes but she finally turned her face his way.

“Jimmy...” Her throat tightened and she sounded as if she were being strangled. “Jimmy...” she repeated his name hopelessly.

He shifted to lie next to her and hesitantly reached a hand to stroke her hair. She stared into his blue-grey eyes and sniffled softly. He continued to caress her hair lightly, not saying anything. Just allowing her some space.

Luna turned her head into his touch breathing slowly before talking quietly.

“He’s sending me away...but...I know we will see each other again one day.”

The Rev’s chest tightened.

“Do you know when?”

Luna licked her lips.

“The future is hazy. But, I do know...that the five of you...”

“Five?” The Rev looked confused. She peered at him.

“My son will be with you...”

The older vampire nodded and played with several long strands of her hair.

“So, the five of us then...what do you see?”

“We will meet again...and...my brother..oh, Jimmy...terrible things will have happened...so much pain and suffering...and fear...and death...”

Luna sat up abruptly rubbing at her eyes.

“Matthew will have a son...and the mother...” She shook her hair from her face and stared hard at The Rev. “You must promise me one thing, Jimmy.”

The Rev frowned.

“You know I only make promises to your brother...I am loyal only to him.”

Luna smiled grimly, “Then promise me this for my brother’s sake.”

Blue eyes narrowed, the male nodded. The female clasped her hands together.

“Promise that you’ll remind Mattie that...I love him...no matter what he does...and that...that he’s not a bad person...just because humans label our kind as evil...he...he is not...please...remind him always...that he does have a heart...whatever happens.”

The Rev tilted his head wondering at her request.

“Why, Luna?”

“I do not know. But, he needs you to be there for him. Hell, I need you to be there for him. Through everything, he has always trusted you, as do I. But, the future brings things that only I can see...and...he will need you more than ever.” She trembled. The Rev shifted his weight on the mattress.

“What...things?”

“All those things I mentioned...”

“A son? Matthew will have a son?”

Luna smiled wryly.

“Well, he’s not impotent. He is very male, Jimmy, I know he will find a female for himself.”

“But, you say there will be pain and suffering...does he lose the child?”

Luna shook her head as tears began to fall.

“This is why I ask you for this promise...the pain...Matthew will cause...I do not know how or why...I cannot see everything.”

The Rev growled low the emotions emanating from the female almost causing his brittle heart to break. He leaned in close, sliding his long arms around her delicate frame, holding her against his body.

“He is not evil, Jimmy.” Luna whispered into his slim chest. “He is not evil...”

He held her tighter beginning to rock her slowly.

“Shhh...I know, sweetie...he is not evil...”

“But, evil will come for him, Jimmy...” Luna’s breath hitched. “The Devil himself...” She trembled more and The Rev swore he heard her heart breaking. He pressed his face into her hair.

“I will protect him...”

“His heart, Jimmy...you must protect his heart...”

“Always...I swear it upon the names of our Ancestors.”

Luna let out a soft sigh, relief evident in the lines of her face. She peeked up at him and smiled weakly before closing her eyes and snuggling into his lean body falling asleep. The Rev gazed upon her slumbering form before adding as an afterthought, even though he knew she could not hear him.

“And I swear to protect your son as well...no matter what happens...I swear it.”

Then he laid his head next to hers and remained awake watching over her as she slept a dreamless sleep.

Notes