Marriage is Murder

Jack laughed and spoke out " more like 100" he said and grinned " hey we would if we could tear him aaway even for an hour " he said and stood up " Hey what about now, your doing nothing steven and I could take you or the girls " he said and folded his arms across his chesy as sSteven walked in "hey fancy taking Marcus here shopping for clothes that arn't taylored?" he asked him Steven looked up at Jack.

"Did you ask him he he wanted to go and you go if you want I'll stay here , Take Jess with you" he said as she looked up from her book and looked at them all.

"You do realize Khaat has asked me to do the same thing, don't you?" Marcus asked "And I suppose I really should go get a sweater. I probably won't wear it, but it will get her to stop asking me. However, there is something you should know. Khaat seems to be picking up on something tonight. She is very restless and uncomfortable."

"She's got a crushed shoulder," Edward said. "Uncomfortable probably doesn't even describe that well."

"No," Marcus said. "I mean she has some distinct feelings of negative energies approaching or trying to."

"That sounds like a fancy way of saying she feels somebody's coming," Angus said, frowning.

"That's what I said, isn't it?" Marcus asked.

"Are they coming or are they here?" Edward asked. "I hadn't felt anything in particular."

"Brian asked that. She seems to think they're coming. She doesn't seem to think they're here yet."

Edward looked at them. "I don't know if that means we're going to have company tonight or not. Is there any chance at all that we've been breeched or that there is a weakness in our protection spells? And, do we need to postpone shopping, do you think?"

Steven walked over to Edward " ther eis no breech I and several men checked but to be honest I fel it to like a shift,Im suprised you haven't felt it Jack " he said and Jack looked at him and shook his head.

"Sorry, don't use that side any more," He said softly though part of him did seem unsettled. "Guess it won't harm to puspone it for a night" he said to Marcus "just to play safe" he added and looekd to Steven who was on his way back out the door. Cassidy at his heels as they disapeared out the door. Jess looekd to Edward and then to Jack who stood and moved around the room then up threw the house to check all doors and windows were locked and bolted for now. Jess sighed as she saw all the they were doing.

"Theres no garentee that she is feeling anything right, right now escobar is out side and hes ,she could be feeling him return from what ever it is hes doing" she said " we should not over think this" she said

"Its not a guarantee that just because she has a feeling that there is anything wrong tonight," Edward said. "Sometimes a gut feeling just isn't enough. It can mean that someone will come, but isn't here yet. And there isn't always a way to know when it will come. Sometimes a gut instinct doesn't give enough information. Checking the grounds is good, but we really should not overreact. As far as Escobar goes, I seriously doubt she's getting that negative vibe from him. She sees him as a ally right now. There would be no reason for her to see him as bad. My guess is, though, that if there is something out there, he might well be aware of it."

He let them go to check the grounds.

"If you don't need me, I'll go back upstairs," Marcus said. "Just as a precaution."

"Certainly," Edward said, "Jess and Jack, do please go check on the kids. They would be great pawns if the house were to be breeched. Belby, do please alert Robert and Kate. Oh, and Michael if you see him. Let's be cautious, shall we?"

"Yes, Sir," Marcus said, putting the cup down and going upstairs.

Jess and Jack both nodded but it was Jess who stood up and moved upstairs finding Cassidy with the kids already " stay alert Khaats sensing trouble " she told her and Cassidy nodded gathering them all in a cercle so she could keep and eye on them. Jess sat in the rocking chair and read a book to Jaylen. Jack finished his food and headed up to make sure the house was secure finding all safe he moved to the nursary. Finding all fine he smiled and moved abck down to Edward.

"All locked up and safe " he told him " Jess and cassidy are with the kids, Cassidy has them singing nursary rhymes." he said with a chuckle.

When Marcus got back upstairs, Brian had made sure Khaat had her evening dose of pain medication. He had soothed her nerves for the moment, and she had slipped into a light sleep due to the potion.

"Will you be alright if I shower?" Brian asked Marcus softly.

"Of course, Sir," Marcus said. Brian nodded and headed for the shower. A moment later, and Marcus heard the water running. The room was quiet except for the sound of the shower in the bathroom.

He turned to check the lock on the windows and saw a face looking from the window in at him. He jumped and saw Escobar looking eye to eye with him. Escobar was hanging upside down from the roofline.

"You jackass," Marcus sighed. "I ought to leave you there." He opened the window to let the vampire in. Escobar glided in and landed on his feet. Marcus was about to lecture Escobar when Khaat woke up sharply, startled, from a dream.

Escobar turned and saw her fear. He reached his hand over and caressed her cheek.

"Querida," he said gently, "you were sleeping. It was just a dream."

She took a moment before she spoke, not wanting to talk about it. "Of course it was," she finally managed.

"Is everything alright outside?" Marcus asked him.

"Yes," Escobar said. "Is there a reason it should not be?"

Jess and Cassidy both looked at each other knowing Escobar was back in the house but they didn't make a move. Jack stood up and moved to Khaats room where he heard talking he knocked then pushed it open and then spoke as he saw Escobar. "Everything okay in here?" he asked looking from Marcus back to escobar.

Jess walked from the nursary to Khaats room motioning for Jack to head back down as she smiled to Escobar "Welcome back did you sleep well?" she asked moving to check on Khaat but said nothing in the drain in her energy level even though she had vastly improved from the last time she hd checked on her.

"You humans fail to understand the benefits of hanging upside down," Escobar said, as Marcus scowled at him. "Helps to clear your head."

"That's because it sends your brain cells up from your..." Marcus began.

"Hey," Escobar scowled at him. "Don't be rude. You do realize I wouldn't have to let you get away with your odd sense of humor."

"We're fine so far," Marcus told Jess. "Escobar is being typically weird."

"I am who I am," Escobar said. "I think Khaat is a bit jumpy tonight. She's had a bit of a nightmare--and apparently does not want to talk about it."

"If its just a nightmare, it doesn't matter, right?" Khaat asked quietly.

Jess looked at Marcus as he started to talk then Jess gasped but was glad he didn't finish his words. " well some people do think it does clear the mind , proven fact " she told Marcus and looked at Khaat " dreams can also be a warning too" she said softly " and do those two always bicker like that " Jess just chuckled and lokd at them both " okay I'll go back to the nursary , please do not tare each other apart " she said and shook her head chukaling as she walked between them both back to the nursary.

"They do," Khaat answered Jess. Escobar was not accustomed to being with anyone who had the nerve to stand up to him, and Marcus knew it. He was completely enjoying standing up to him and harassing the daylights out of him because he knew how much it irked the vampire. And Khaat was figuring that Escobar was finding some element of amusement in it, or he'd have gotten vicious a long time ago.

Marcus knew Khaat entirely too well. "Okay," he said to her, "This little dream of yours. What was it?"

"Nothing," she said.

"Yeah, so if its nothing, then tell me," he said.

"I saw...death. My father was standing up to something...protecting someone....And someone died. It felt...bad," she said, quietly.

"Querida," Escobar said, "I have seen your father fight. If he's taking a stand against something, and is fighting, I would be far more concerned about who he's taking on. Your father can certainly take care of himself. Did you see him die?"

"No," she admitted. "It was dark."

"Then, get it off your mind. Besides, if he does decide to defend something, is there the slightest chance you will talk him out of it?"

"No," she said definitely.

"So, then, what good will worrying do you?"

"You have a point," she admitted.