Chapter 12: Home Sweet Home
Roberto drove the long stretch of road that led to his families’ home. He talked to Crystal on the phone to help calm his nerves. He was going to have to pretend like nothing was wrong, not like a day ago he killed his best friend to save his half human and half dusker future wife and mother to their unborn child and it wasn’t going to be an easy task. Roberto was a terrible liar and even worse actor he didn’t know how he was going to pull this off. She reassured him that everything was going to be fine as long as he stuck to the plan and not try to go off script. He was to go in and meet with his father and get any information he could about the Eastside duke. He parked his car in the driveway that wrapped around in a U shaped pattern. There were two black town cars in the drive way as well. There were other royals here he thought, this wasn’t part of the plan. He said his goodbyes to Crystal and got out the car. The journey from his car to the front door of the massive mansion felt like a thousand steps. As he entered the door he was greeted by their family butler Jason. Jason was 6’5”, with brown eyes, chocolate complexion, and an inviting smile that would make anyone let down their guard. But don’t let the smile fool you, he is also Roberto’s father’s bodyguard as well, he was almost as strong as the king.
“Master Rob, how are you sir?” Jason said flashing his pearly whites.
“I’m good,” Roberto shut the door. “Is the all mighty king here?” Roberto said reluctantly.
“Indeed, he is in the study, but he is in a meeting with Duke Charles of the Eastside vampires and Duchess Sabrina of the Westside vampires.”
“This late?” Roberto looked at his watch.
“Yes, apparently they has been some in fighting with the werewolves, so they are trying to figure out what this could mean for the vampires.”
“Really, in fighting, well they are savage beast,” he chuckled, what happened with the wolves he thought, did some of them not like the plan of taking control of the Eastside.
“Yes, yes they are, would you care for something to drink.” Jason offered.
“No, I’m good thanks. But is my mother around?”
“In the kitchen with your brother.” Roberto made his way to through the enormous dining area that his mother spent up to a year and thousands of dollars decorating, the dining table alone costed over ten grand.
“Hey mom.” Roberto said as he entered the kitchen. His mother and brother were sitting at the kitchen island laughing and talking. Her eyes lit up seeing her baby boy, she got up and ran over to him giving him the biggest hug. Roberto mother was a petite and very lady like. She always wore a set of pearls and never had a hair out of place. She prided herself on her looks, she always said a queen had to represent the family just as much as the king.
“Mom you’re crushing me.” Roberto gasp for air.
“Oh I’m sorry son.” She said as she let her momma bear hug go. Roberto mother might not have looked it, but her strength and power rivaled his fathers.
“Little big bro, nice for you to show your face.” Roberto and his brother dapped it up.
“Mark what are you talking about I saw you last week.” Roberto said to his brother. Mark was a bit on the heavier side, he wasn’t in shape like Roberto and not as tall, but what he lacked in muscles and height he made up with charm and smarts. Mark was a ladies man, he always had some new girl every week, which his mother hated. You would think the amount of times his tires have been slashed he would slow down she would always say. Mark was also the next in line to take the throne once their father stepped down.
“I hope you can stay for a while?” Their mother said.
“I came to talk to dad, but Jason said he is in a meeting. But I can stay a bit.”
Roberto pulled up a chair and sat with them, they talked a couple hours about everything under the sun. Mostly their mother hounding them about settling down and having children. Roberto wanted to tell her so bad that she is about to be a grandmother, but he knew he couldn't give her the happy news without there being a fight. Crystal wasn’t a pure blooded vampire and that’s all his mom will care about.
Roberto and Crystal have had the talk about him turning her, but they agreed not to do it. Duskers age four times slower than humans when they reach the age of twenty-five because of their accelerated healing abilities, Crystal figured since she is half dusker it should be the same for her when she turns twenty-five in two years. If not they may just revisit him turning her.
"Master Roberto," Jason said from the entryway, "your father will see you now." Roberto gave his mother another hug and promised to call her later in the week and made plans with his brother to go to the range they had in their backyard to get some practice in. Roberto followed Jason to his father's study, when they reached the door Jason knocked. A few moments later they were told to enter.
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"Hey pops." His father sat at a large soiled oak desk, the walls of the study was aligned with bookshelves and everyone full of books. The lighting was dim and inviting. Aroma of cigars and whisky filled the room.
"Roberto, what a pleasure sit down son." Roberto was thankful that his father was in one of his rare good moods. Roberto sat in one of the leather chairs that was in front of his father's desk. Jason walked over to the bar that sat behind Roberto's father.
"Master Roberto would you care for a drink." Jason offered again as he poured King Juan another drink and sat it down in front of him. Roberto declined, so Jason excused himself and left the room, staying close by just in case he is needed again.
"You guys were meeting kind of late." Roberto referring to the Duke and Duchess.
"Yeah there has been an up rise in the werewolves, seems like a few of them attacked the king and some dusker earlier today." Roberto knew that Lamar was meeting the Chris today but he assumed everything was okay since he haven't heard from him. Now he was starting to worry.
"What happened to them?" Roberto asked with a bit of worry in his voice. His father noticed the change in his tone but ignored it.
"They are fine from what I know. I'm having some of my sources dig deeper into it. If the werewolves are going to be a problem we might have to get rid of them."
"That's a bit much don't you think? Besides what about the treaty you all signed, this could mean a war like no other if you go after the wolves."
"Do you think I care about that? That a fear a bunch of mutts!" Like a flip of the switch King Juan's pleasant demeanor was now gone. Roberto guard was up now, he knew his father could snap at any moment, he thought he better be careful for now on what he said so he won’t make him anymore angry.
"No my king, I don't think that at all." Roberto knew it was best to play to his father's ego by using his title. Which seemed to work because King Juan calmed down. Roberto plan was to tell him about Crystal and the baby, he'd known his father has had human mistresses in the past so he figured it might not be that big of a deal. But with the reaction he just gave was his answer to keep this secret longer. Besides she wasn’t a vampire and if she was she wasn’t a pure blood.
“You’re friends with the duke’s son right, Carl is his name.” Roberto throat tighten. He wanted to talk about Duke Charles but not like this and especially not about Carl.
“Yeah, why do you ask?”
“Apparently he is missing, have you heard from him?” The king took a sip of his drink.
“Missing? I mean I talked to him the other day, I didn’t know he was missing.”
“His father said he was supposed to meet him this morning and he never showed, he been calling his phone and it’s going straight to voicemail. It must be off because they cannot even track it. He wants me to use my contact in the police department to see if they can see the last place he used his phone.”
Shit Roberto thought, it was out in front of his condo, they are going to know he was at his place.
“Where did they say the last place he was?”
“I haven’t asked yet, to be honest I don’t know if I am, I can care less about that worthless trash to use up a favor.” Roberto knew that his father didn’t care for Carl but for him to not to even try to help out was surprising. He was king of all the vampires in the area but you’d think he would want to keep his duke on his side.
“What about the engagement to his daughter?” Roberto asked.
“What about it, you’re still going to marry her to keep the bloodline pure.”
Roberto phone rang, he excused himself and went to his old room to take the call in private, his room was sound proof so he was able to speak freely without worrying that someone was listening in. It was a number he didn’t recognize he hesitated before he answered.
“Hello.”
“We need to meet are you free tonight?” Mycal said from the other end. Roberto was a bit shocked that Mycal was the one that was calling him and not Lamar.
“Yeah I can meet you guys. Is everything okay? I heard about the fight with the wolves.”
“We’ll talk then, just meet us at Elle’s around midnight, and bring Crystal too.”
“Why?” Roberto didn’t want her involved any further. He wanted to keep her safe.
“Just bring her.” Mycal hung up.
Roberto left without saying anything to his father, he just told Jason to tell him he had to take care of something. He never even got the answers he came looking for, there was no point he thought for all he know the fight with the wolves could mean the plan is off. As he got in the car he called Crystal.
“There was a fight with the wolves.” He said not even saying hello back when she answered.
“What do you mean?”
“I’m not sure, but you know the asshole dusker Mycal, he just called me and told me. He didn’t go into any other detail, he just said that we needed to meet, and oh he wanted you to come as well.”
“Why me?” She asked confused.
“I don’t know he wouldn’t say, he just said to bring you.”
“I don’t like this,” Crystal didn’t want to go.
“I don’t either, but we are meeting in a public place so we should be fine.”
“What place?”
“Elle’s.”
“The damn dusker diner, how s that a safe place for us to be surrounded by a bunch of duskers?” Crystal was annoyed.
“You know I didn’t think about that.” Roberto admitted.
“Will Lamar and Sean be there?”
“Yes, I’m assuming so. But I don’t want you to go, whatever they need to talk to you about they can tell me and I’ll let you know. I’m going to make sure you are safe.” Roberto was firm on this, he wasn’t going to put Crystal in anymore danger.
“They know where you live.” Crystal said quietly.
“Why does that matter.”
“I’m not safe there if they know where you live, I might as well just go there is no point of me not to.”
“There is no point for you to go either.” Roberto answered.
“It’ll be fine just come and get me and will go meet them.” Roberto wanted to argue about it and tell her she wasn’t going. He knew if he did that he wasn’t going to win.
Fine I’ll see you in a bit.”
Roberto drove for another twenty minutes going over scenarios in his head of what could go wrong at this meeting and how he could react, his only concern was getting Crystal out of there if something did go wrong. As he pulled up to the condo Crystal was already outside waiting on him. She was dressed in sweats and sneakers. Her hair was tied up into a ponytail, she was also was wearing large gold rings on each finger and was wearing a large cross body bag. She got into the car and gave Roberto a kiss.
“Um this is a new look.” Roberto said.
“Just wanted to be comfortable is all.” She responded.
“You got a gun in that bag don’t you?”
“Yup.”