Marriage is Murder

Steven nodded and headed to his room and to bed. Jack finished his tea and placed it in the sink taking a deep breath he headed up to bed now feeling foolish but very tired as well . No sooner had his head touched the pillow he was sleeping soundly Jess smiled as she walked in after her hot shower and slid in next to him. " sleep well Jack" she said softly and fell asleep herself.

Jim stayed up a little longer before h went to his room though he didn't sleep just sat reading for most of the night but even he too sucome to sleep and slipped into his bed.

Khaat's fatigue wore off by about 2:30 am. While the rest of the house slept, she got up and dressed for work. She walked down the hall silently and went in to check on her children. The boys were sleeping peacefully. She went to the girls' room and saw the bat hanging on the window. She made a motion to him to go down to the next window.

She went to an empty guest room, closed the door, and opened the window. He flew in and changed form.

"You're alright," she said, relieved.

"I am immortal," he said dryly. "I am always alright." He brushed her hair aside and looked at the hideous bruises on her neck. "You should not have lived."

"I'm fine," she said.

"I am rather a specialist in necks," he smiled softly.

"Is it coming back?" she asked softly.

"Yes," he said, stroking her cheek. "And you cannot battle him in your condition."

"I can if I need to," she said, determined. "I will do whatever I need to do to protect my family."

"And they are lucky to have you. I will stand by you. If you battle the beast, you cannot do it alone. Your stone. It is magical, yes?"

"Yes," she said.

"Then do not take it off."

"Don't worry about that. I won't," she said. "Is he coming soon?"

"Yes. I believe so," he said quietly. "Very soon. Why are you dressed like that at this hour?"

"I have to work. People depend on me."

"While your guards sleep?" he frowned. "I will go with you."

"The beast wont' attack there," she said.

"You give him too much credit. He has the blood sickness, and your hospital has a lot of blood. He will go wherever he can find you. He has the taste of you in his system...."

"I wasn't bitten," she said. He yanked her collar away from her neck to show a claw mark.

"No, but you were clawed, and he liked the taste of what was on his claws. He has a taste for you. He will chase you until he gets his need filled."

"Unless I kill him first."

"We, Querida," he corrected. "We."

"Protect my children," she said very softly. "Please."

"You have guards for that. For now, I go with you. Shall we go?"

"You will not interfere?"

"For what end?" he frowned. "If I hunger, I presume you can find me a pint?"

"Of course," she sighed. He took her arm and ported out to St. Mungos.

Jack woke and listened he heard talking from the empty room next to theirs he lay for a moment then slipped out of bed his feet on the soft carpet as he moved to the wall and listened he sighed hearing Escobar's voice he wanted to run in and tear him apart but he heard Khaat's voice talking to him calmly and so staid put.Jim woke and moved to the bathroom seing the guest door shut he knocked and opened it standing for a moment he looked at Khaat and Escobar his eyes taking in the man but all he said was..

"You watch her like a hawk and protect her or i will come after you with an Oak stake. " he said and then closed the door again heading to the bathroom and back to his own

"He is a presumptuous little git, isn't he?" Escobar scowled, looking at Khaat. "Does he think I would hurt you?"

"I think he thinks you might," Khaat smiled.

"Never," Escobar said softly. Khaat knew that was true, at least as far as Escobar knew now. She also believed, though, that if she ever crossed him, Escobar would indeed kill her. He hadn't survived for hundreds of years with a reputation for collecting people and things ruthlessly for her to underestimate him.

She went with him to the hospital and set about working. She started to detect within a couple hours that he was getting a strong need to feed. She motioned him into a treatment room and took a large ceramic coffee mug and poured a generous supply of the blood reserved for vampires into the mug and handed it to him.

"Just like that?" he frowned, looking into the mug. "Just as easily as a cup of tea?"

"Yes," she said. "Its what we do. If I agree to feed our vampires from donated stores of fresh blood, then they don't attack. There is no need. We don't have issues with vampire attacks now."

"Really?" he frowned, trying to absorb the concept. He sniffed the blood and tasted it.

"Is it to your liking?"

"Body temperature is always better, but it is fresh, and that is more important. Well done. We really should do that in my country," he said. "So what is it you do?"

"I heal," she said.

"That's all?"

"More or less," she said. After he'd been with her a bit, he noticed they were calling her director.

"You do not heal. You run this hospital," he said.

"Yes, but people are my top concern," she told him as they went around a corner. The instant, they turned the corner, a photographer from one of the newspapers began flashing cameras in her face. Escobar hissed, showing his fangs, and reached out to snatch the photographers. "No," Khaat stopped him, clutching his arm. "Its alright. I'm used to it."

"They have no right," he said, angrily. He looked at them and deliberately looked particularly fierce and hissed at them. They scattered in fear. Khaat said nothing, but knew that hissing at reporters wasn't generally helpful for her. But she understood he hadn't experienced it and didnt know what to do with it.

Jess was at her post with a patient when she saw Khaat and a tall man walking down the corridor she chuckled as she saw the reporters scatter " thanks they have been hanging around here for hours " she said and walked up to them both not even bating an eye lid at the mans vampiric appearance. she held a clip board and held it out to Khaat " we need these signing there discharge papers for three patients and one death certificate" she said and turned each page one by one she smiled at Escobar but looked down at the board just to check each one as Khaat signed it. " nice to finally meet you Escobar" she said "

He merely nodded rather formally to Jess, watching to be sure the reporters didnt come back. Khaat took the charts and began to read them.

"Did they seriously think I would be here in the middle of the night?" Khaat frowned. "You know they usually show up if they think they can get some sort of a scoop on my father or me."

"Scoop?" Escobar echoed.

"Juicy news story," Khaat explained.

"Gossip, you mean," he said.

"In essence, yes," she laughed. "And little more."

"Waste of time," he said.

"Indeed it is. And it is annoying," she said.

"They shall not annoy you."

"If you continue to look like you'd prefer to eat them, then, no, they won't annoy me. They'll be too afraid."

"Eat them?" he asked. "Vampires do not eat people."

"Another misconception, I'm afraid." She signed the charts. She looked at Jess. "He has much to learn about mortal culture. If he hangs around here long enough, he should learn plenty."

"But I presumed you'd prefer my human form," he said, "Would you rather I hung from one of the lights, perhaps?"

"Um...no...Hanging around. Its slang....um....No, human is fine," Khaat said, not realizing he didn't know slang.

"Slang. I do not know the current slang," he said.

"Clearly not. We will try to not use it, won't we, Jess?"

Jess chuckled and nodded to Khaat " he really does need to modernize his vocabulary " she said and chuckled as she looked at him " speech has come along way since your time I am guessing , I have a book of modern slang words in the healers room" she said turning to the last page for Khaat to sign . " I think Jack said he would come this afternoon for his shift. " she said Taking the clip board and passing it to a junior " make sure this is filed correct I found six in the wrong place this morning" she said and the young man nodded as he moved off to the small office down the corridor. Jess shook her head " not sure hes listening half the time" she said then looked at Khaat " its good to see you up again, and good to meet you Escobar, your not as frightening up close." she chuckled and nodded to Khaat as she walked down to the same office.

"Do I not blend in?" he asked Khaat. She looked at his very elegant suit that had a somewhat old school feel to it of what people who had immense money and power a few generations back might have worn.

"No, you blend in just fine," Khaat reassured him, deciding that his old fashioned but very elegant clothes suited him well..

"You have odd robes here," He remarked, watching the healers.

"They're more efficient for us," she said simply.

"I should read the book on your new slang," he said.

"It would be a start, but as you know, slang changes constantly," she smiled. Escobar listened to Jess say he wasn't so frightening.

"I should be more intimidating," he said decisively.

"It was meant as a compliment. It merely means she's learned that you will not harm me," Khaat said. "I am quite sure you will intimidate anyone that tries to be inappropriate."

He thought a moment. "Good. That is as it should be, then," he replied.

Jess chuckled as she walked away hearing his words behind her she stopped for a moment and smiled " that is exactly what I meant to say " she said " now excuse me I have work to do I'll meet up with you for your rounds " she told Khaat " ow I placed some tea in your room and something for your gust " she smiled and disappeared . Back at the house Jack walked to the nursery to help Cassidy tend to the children who were running around laughing as they played a chasing game.

" daddy play" said Caitlin as she chuckled as she ran around his legs Jack bent down and picked her up and she giggled loudly, " no fare, you big I small" she said and hugged him tight.

Brian had found out hours ago that Khaat had gone to work without him. He and Robert ate and prepared to go to work.

"Daddy?" Abbey asked. "Where you go?"

"To work. Like I always do," Brian said. "You know that."

"I thought you no go when Bat goes with Mama," she said.

"Huh?" he frowned. "What? Where's the bat?" Brian asked.

"He go with Mama. He not here," Abbey said.

"How do you know that?"

"I no know," she shrugged. "You stay home and play with me?" Brian looked at Robert.

"Any of the rest of you know about this?" Robert asked.