The tension in the room was palpable as Ethan stared at Luc without speaking. Katrina looked at Ethan and then at Luc and wondered what the problem was. To his credit, Luc returned Ethan's stare without flinching and managed not to look away no matter how badly he wanted to. He knew that if he did that Ethan Sinclaire would never consider him worthy of his daughter. He felt Vanessa beside him and then felt a hand on his back lightly rubbing it, she had just chosen.
Luc had no doubt that Ethan would respect him but that respect would only be because he was another being. If it extended beyond that, it would be because of Vanessa. He wondered why Ethan was so angry and then he remembered that he and Rik had been investigated. Ethan knew about the countless women that he had dipped his cock into, that had to be it. What else could it be? But that was his and Vanessa's issue to talk about and not her father's.
Katrina stepped forward and made an attempt to diffuse the situation.
"Hello, I'm Katrina Sinclaire." she said politely, "and this is Ethan my husband."
Only then did Luc take his eyes from Ethan's. Both brothers stood and kissed Katrina's hand.
"I am Rik Gabriel and this is my brother Luc, it is a pleasure to meet you."
There was a tense silence as no one knew what to say or do next.
"Please sit down." Katrina said, "Can we offer you something to drink or eat?"
"No thanks." Veronica said, "We just came from the 'Red lobster."
Ethan's eyes slowly left Luc's face and went to Rik's but didn't stay there for long. He knew who they were and why they were here but wondered why neither of them stated their intent. Luc he could understand, after all he took off like a frightened rabbit when he was challenged in the girl's yard but the other one....
"We are here on a year's sabbatical." Rik said drawing Ethan's cool gaze from Luc back to him.
"How nice and how do you know our girls?" Katrina asked already knowing the answer but trying to help.
"We are staying in the house down the beach from them." Rik replied.
"I see," Katrina said watching Ethan from her peripheral vision and wondering why he was so angry, "and what are you taking a sabbatical from?" she asked.
Again it was Rik who spoke, "We are both physicians with various degrees in the sciences and mathematics."
Ethan had yet to speak which alarmed both Vanessa and Veronica, for him not to warmly greet a guest was unheard of unless......there was something wrong but these were their mates what could possibly be wrong?
Ethan suddenly stood up and looked at Rik.
"Follow me." he said and walked away fully expecting Rik to follow him.
Veronica looked at Katrina who was as confused as they were and stood up to follow Rik.
"Veronica, you can't go with him." Katrina said.
"But mom... what's wrong with him tonight?" she asked as she heard the door to the study quietly close
"I really don't know." Katrina said.
*******
"Have a seat." Ethan said to Rik, his eyes flashing in warning.
Rik sat down and gave Ethan a curious look and then spoke.
"It is quite obvious that you are angry with us and I would like to know why."
"This is more like it." Ethan thought to himself.
"I don't trust men who don't come out and say what they want; if I wanted to go on a fishing expedition then I would go fishing." Ethan replied his tone curt.
"I see." Rik said, "So because we are taking the time to become acquainted with you that makes us untrustworthy?"
Ethan was beginning to like this one but he wasn't finished yet.
"In my experience, yes." Ethan replied watching Rik's reaction.
"Please, explain this to me, how does this make me suspect of wrong doing?" Rik asked thoroughly enjoying what he considered to be a game but he kept his guard up, Ethan was as he had surmised a very dangerous vampire especially now that his daughters were involved.
"A man who hesitates to state his intentions is one of three things, a manipulator, dishonest or a combination of the two. Which of the three are you Mr. Gabriel?" Ethan asked as he leaned forward in his chair and looked directly into Rik's eyes and waited.
Rik leaned forward and met Ethan's gaze with one of his own, "I sir am none of those." he replied "I am simply a vampire on sabbatical who had the good fortune of finding his mate. Your daughter Veronica as you know is my mate. I apologize if you misunderstood my intentions when I did not immediately claim her as such but that is not the way of my family."
"Explain." Ethan said still staring at Rik impressed that he was pushing back as hard as he as being pushed.
"If a man does not take the time to get to know the family of his mate then the question is what is he hiding that he is in such a rush? So you see I was showing you that I had nothing to hide."
Ethan liked this young vampire.
"And what about my daughter?" he asked.
"She is mine to love and protect and I would die protecting her although I am certain that she could hold her own." Rik replied.
Ethan held back a smile.
"Even so...."
"Even so, her safety and happiness are my first concern." Rik interrupted, "everything else is secondary."
Ethan waited for several minutes before speaking.
"My daughters mean more to me than my own life." Ethan said, "I will kill anyone and I mean anyone who harms them in any way whether it be a stranger, friend or mate. Do you understand what I'm saying to you? If I entrust Veronica to your care you'd damn well better make sure that she is cared for and protected in every way possible. If you cannot make this promise to me then I will not allow her to mate with you."
Rik took a deep breath, he was about to push the envelope.
"With all due respect, it is not for you to decide whether Veronica and I mate. It has already been decided and as formidable as I know you to be, not even you can change that. The only one who can send me away is Veronica, now, having said that I am fully prepared to swear to you that I will always love and protect Veronica even at the cost of my own life. I swear to you that she will want for nothing and that there isn't anything that I will not do to ensure her happiness."
When he was finished, Rik sat back and waited.
Ethan looked at Rik and then said, "So have you seen her temper yet?"
"Oui-yes!" Rik exclaimed.
"Ethan laughed, "I will tell you this, there will never be a dull moment."
"I look forward to all of those moments." Rik replied.
"Yes well remember what I told you." Ethan said standing up and extending his hand, "welcome."
*********
Vanessa held Luc's hand on one side and Veronica's hand on the other. Rik had been in Ethan's study for almost twenty minutes.
"What is he doing to him?" Veronica asked nervously.
"Just getting acquainted." Katrina said although she was getting a little concerned herself. She had decided to give it another five minutes and if Rik wasn't out of the office by then, she would go and check on him.
Luc held Vanessa's hand, he knew that Ethan didn't like him although he wasn't sure of why. While it was true that he had been very sexually active he had never hurt anyone or forced anyone to sleep with him. Could he have been more discreet? Luc wondered, possibly no not possibly, yes he admitted to himself. But there was more to it than that and from what Rik told him about Ethan Sinclaire he would respect a man who changed and was honest about his past. So what was it?
There was one thing that he understood about Ethan Sinclaire and that was he-Luc couldn't back down; it would be seen as a sign of weakness. He knew that Veronica was worried about Rik but there was no need for the worry, chances were that by now Ethan and Rik were chatting like old friends. Rik always did have a way with other beings that Luc could only hope to emulate. Vanessa he noticed had the same quality, she like Rik was slow to anger but when it hit one had to duck while Veronica was more like him. He wondered what that meant but it really didn't matter much in the scheme of things, he had to get past the interview with Ethan.
Luc's stomach did a flip. While he knew that Ethan couldn't forbid the mating, he could simply accept him as Vanessa's mate and that's as far as it would go unless he proved himself. He looked over at Vanessa, "she is as beautiful as her mother" he thought as he gave her hand a little squeeze.
After what seemed to be an eternity, the door to the study opened and voices wafted down the hall. They all anxiously waited for Rik and Ethan to come to the living room.
Ethan and Rik walked in side by side both of them smiling, there was no sign of the stern expression that Ethan had left the living room with. In fact he was downright relaxed until his eyes met Luc's and that cold look was back in his eyes.
"Damn it!" Luc thought to himself as Ethan put a hand on Rik's shoulder.
"Katrina sweetheart, meet Rik mate to our Veronica."
Katrina stood up and walked over to Rik.
"Welcome to our family Rik."
Rik took Katrina's hand and kissed the back of it, "I am pleased and honored to be accepted into your family." Rik said, "Thank you."
Rik released Katrina's hand and extended his hand to Ethan who accepted it without hesitation.
"Remember my warning." Ethan said as he shook Rik's hand, "Now go to my daughter, your mate."
Rik smiled, released Ethan's hand and went to Veronica who was smiling happily. She was really nervous for Rik and realized that she didn't need to be. She took his hand as soon as he was sitting next to her on the couch and glanced over at Vanessa. For some reason Ethan didn't like Luc and Veronica was nervous for both Vanessa and Luc. As she felt Rik's arm go around her she wondered what it was that her father knew about Luc that elicited such a strong dislike.
Ethan smiled at Veronica pleased that she was happy and then looked at Luc.
"My study, now." he said in a tone so cold that Vanessa shivered.
She had only seen this anger a few times in her life and the recipient of that anger never made the same mistake again but what was it that Luc did? She wondered. She gave Luc's hand a reassuring squeeze and whispered a silent prayer that whatever it was that had her father so angry would be resolved. He would never deny her happiness with her mate but Luc would have a hard time of it.
She watched as Luc followed Ethan down the hall toward the study, she jumped when she heard the study door close firmly.
"Vanessa, why is he so mad at Luc?" Veronica asked.
"I wish I knew." Vanessa murmured.
