Thane, Harry and Eddy - 2. Part 2 - Here's Eddy

The next two hundred years passed with little happening. The only snag with Harry and I was the fact we couldn’t communicate with our minds. Jackson had asked us about the ability early on and was surprised when we didn’t know what he was talking about. After a lot of talking we decided it must be due to my being only half vampire and settle into our new life.

Then one day I was assigned as a bodyguard to a visiting Vampire lecturer from the High Council, High Councilor Terrance Smidge – or Terry to his friends.

Terry liked history and he was eager to meet the new history teacher for the vampire children’s night school. We slipped into the classroom halfway through a class and took a seat at the back as quietly as possible.

The teacher, a witch called Edmund Stone, flicked a look at us before returning his attention to his class.

The lesson was over within half-an-hour and when the class had left Terry and I made our way to the front of the classroom.

“Mr. Stone, this is High Council Member Terrance Smidge,” I said, then I stepped back as they shook hands.

“Welcome Sir. Please call me Eddy, everyone else does,” Edmund said smiling.

“Well you have to call me Terry then.”

The two men were soon chatting about things I could only guess at. I had lived through a lot of history in two hundred years but they were talking about stuff that had happened on the mainland, and I had never taken much notice of the mainland—after all I didn’t live there or have to go there.

I was absorbed in staring at a piece of art work one of the younger children had done, I wasn’t sure what I was meant to be but it was colorful and seemed like the child had to have had fun doing it. A hand landed on my shoulder making me jump.

“Sorry I didn’t mean to startle you,” Eddy said smiling. He nodded at the picture, “It’s supposed to be a waterfall, if you were wondering.”

I looked again, if I squinted, I could sort of make the picture look like water. “I think I see it,” I commented, making him laugh.

“I’m Eddy, and you are?” he asked holding his hand out.

Taking his hand I had to mask my shock as I answered, “I’m Thane. I’m just here to guard your visitor.”

I looked around and saw Terry was inspecting the children’s work displays much as I had been doing. When I had touched Eddy’s hand I had felt a shock too much like the shock I still got every time Harry touched my bare skin. I needed to get out of there and talk to Harry, quickly.

As though he had been summoned Harry knocked and entered the room. He barely paused when he saw me.

“Ah, Mr. Stone, Senior Elder Jackson Langman said you needed an assistant for some of your classes. He thought I may be a good fit. My name is Harold, I’m a second on the council. Jackson knows I have an interest in history.” Harry held his hand out to Eddy and before I could react Eddy had taken it. Harry couldn’t mask the shock that went through him and he stared at Eddy and then at me.

I turned quickly knowing that Harry had a reason for being there and I didn’t want to do anything to ruin whatever his task was. If he could he would fill me in properly later.

“Terry, I think it is time we left Mr. Stone to his work.”

Terry nodded as he joined me and we took our leave.

As I passed Harry I used the sign language he had taught me, We need to talk, dear.

I’ll see you at home in two hours, he replied.

***

Later we sat eating some dinner I had rustled up.

“Well what’s happening?” I asked after another long silence.

“I don’t know, I need to talk to Jackson but he’s out of town ‘til later tonight,” Harry answered. “But I do know that Eddy Stone is going to be very close to us somehow.”

I sighed.

Harry patted my hand. “Look, I left a message for Jackson to call us as soon as he could. You know he’s fond of you so he’ll call soon.” I knew Harry was trying to make me relax but I couldn’t. How could we both be reacting to Eddy when we already had each other?

Harry was right about Jackson though. The Senior Vampire had taken me under his wing from our first meeting. Apparently he didn’t like the fact that my adoptive siblings had just cast me aside without a care for how I would survive. He had always been there for me, during my training, and at any time I needed an older person to talk to.

We both started when the phone suddenly rang, Harry answered and nodded to me to show it was Jackson.

I sat there listening to only one half of the conversation as Harry explained what had happened and asked what it meant. By the time he hung up I was on tenterhooks to find out what Jackson had said.

“Well?” I asked talking quickly and getting up to pace the floor, “What did he say? It’s just an aberration, isn’t it? There’s nothing to worry about, is there?”

“STOP!” shouted Harry, I froze immediately.

“Now when you’ve quite finished panicking I will tell you what Jackson said.” He looked at me and waited for me to nod.

“Right, sit.” He pointed to the couch and joined me once I had sat down. He put an arm round my shoulders and started talking, “Jackson said he has heard of this happening but only rarely. In his seventeen-hundred or more years he has only personally seen this manifesting twice before. It seems you and I were right when we spoke a few decades ago about adding a third for some fun. What we didn’t realize was that actually our need for someone else was actually our bond’s way of telling us we were missing someone. Eddy is the missing part. Our problem is convincing him of that. He’s a witch and Jackson says that they may not feel the same wanting that we do.”

I sat there in shock and just stared at him. Yes we had talked about adding a third but only for play, not permanently. If what he said was true I would have to get used to sharing Harry for the rest of our lives. On the plus side, I suddenly realized I wouldn’t be alone when he had to travel out of the community for his work. Although when he had started he had only working round town, Jackson had soon promoted him to a second on the council and often sent him traveling, checking out the surrounding communities to make sure there was no unrest nearby. His easy manner and years as a con man made sure that people trusted him easily and he made some good allies for the community.

I realized Harry was waving his hand in front of my face and I swatted it away.

“So how do we convince him?” I asked and enjoyed the look of shock on Harry’s face. He had expected me to argue that we were okay just the two of us. “What dear?” I asked trying to look innocent.

He threw a cushion at me and shook his head, “You are too much sometimes.”

“Well to be honest I have been feeling lonely recently. Since you were promoted you’re out of town a lot and that leaves me on my own. And I’ve been feeling that something is missing for a while as you know. I love you more than anything but I keep feeling there’s something more out there.”

Harry looked thoughtful and then nodded, “I know what you mean. I think it’s worth trying to get to know him. But how do we do that without us sounding crazy? What we going to say? Hi, Eddy we’re mates and we think you’re our third mate?”

“Well I assume you’re checking him out anyway, for Jackson?” At Harry’s nod I continued, “Well then. You can get to know him and you can introduce me as your mate. Maybe we can invite him round for dinner. You know a getting to know your workmate kind of thing?”

“Alright we’ll try it your way and see how it goes.”

***

Harry spent a week trying to convince Eddy to meet up with us. Harry had gone to help with his class but had trouble getting Eddy alone for long enough to really work on the witch.

I thought it was hilarious to watch my super confident mate get evaded time and time again. He was so used to getting everything he wanted, he didn’t know how to react.

In the end it was me that got to see Eddy alone first…

***

Harry was out of town one snowy night and I was relaxing at home, when the phone rang.

“Hello,” I said as I answered.

“Thane, is that you?” a voice asked.

“Yes, who’s this?” I frowned, the voice sounded familiar but there was something wrong with it.

“It’s Eddy, I need your help. My car broke down on my way home. I tried to walk the rest of the way but the snow got heavier, and I slipped, and I think I’ve hurt my ankle, and I didn’t know who to call, and Harry gave me this number. He said to call if I ever needed anyone, and I don’t—”

“Eddy. Where are you?” I interrupted.

“About halfway between the school and the Council Building. On the road that passes the pharmacist. I found an open café to use their phone.”

“I know where you mean. Stay there I’ll come and get you!”

I hung up the phone and grabbed my coat and shoes on my way to Harry’s car. Once inside I carefully pulled out of our driveway and headed toward where Eddy was.

***

I found a very cold and shivering Eddy sitting by the outside a closed cafe. I pulled a spare blanket from the back on the car and bundled him up before settling him into the seat. I swore when Eddy told me the café had closed and told him he would have to wait outside for me to arrive. After I had finished making a note of the café’s name so I could report them to Jackson – I mean who lets someone use their phone and then leaves them sitting outside with a hurt ankle in the freezing cold? – I got in and started the car.

“Right where to?” I asked my passenger, I wanted to take him home with me but I didn’t want to press my luck.

Eddy looked down, “I think I lost my keys in the fall so I don’t know where to go.”

“That’s easy then, you’re coming home with me. I’ll wrap your foot and I have a spare room you can get some rest in.”

Eddy tried to refuse but I overrode him and pulled back out onto the snowy road.

“So what were you doing out on a night like this?” I asked curiously

Eddy glanced at me in the half light from the passing street lamps, and he frowned before answering. “I had to finish some marking. I thought I could get it finished and get home before the weather got too bad. But I fell asleep at my desk and this is what I woke up to.” He gestured at the snow outside the window.

It didn’t take long for me to drive us slowly back to mine and Harry’s place. After a few false starts at trying to get Eddy out the car and into the house, I just scooped him up and carried him in, much to his embarrassment.

He weighed next to nothing and by the feel of him through his clothes he was slim but well built. He had short ginger hair and a few freckles over his nose that were standing out at that moment because he was blushing.

“You know you go an adorable shade of red,” I told the small man in my arms.

“Shut up,” he muttered, as I carried him in to the main room and set him down on the couch.

“Right let’s get your shoes off and get that ankle looked at.”

I helped him to get his shoes and socks off and after a careful examination I was fairly certain the ankle was just sprained. I wrapped it tight and we settled in, with a hot chocolate, to watch a DVD for the remainder of the night.

We chatted as he started open up to me, and I actually started to find out things about him. I found out he was thirty years old and that he had no family left due to a sickness that passed through his town. He moved to Chapmistres for a fresh start and to see if he could find someone to settle down with. He said he took after his dad in looks but his mum in height. His dad had been six foot eight, his mum was only five foot three and he was five foot four.

That made him a foot shorter than my six foot four and made him the same height as Harry.

After he made a comment about my strength I told him that because I was half vampire and bonded to a vampire I got to share a few of their characteristics, including, immunity to most illnesses and increased strength, sight and hearing.

When it seemed he couldn’t stay awake any longer I carried him to the spare room and got him settled with access to a pair of Harry’s unused pajamas, before wishing him a good sleep.

***

“You’ll never guess who I managed to get into bed.” I joked to Harry later on the phone as I lay in our bed.

“What do you mean you got someone into bed? Who’s there?” Harry demanded and I stifled a chuckle.

“Oh, didn’t you know? I always have people round when you’re not here…Well, you will leave me here all cold and alone.” I wanted to push it further but Harry caught on to my tone.

“You little tease. So tell me what have you really been up to tonight?”

“Well, I had to go out earlier and rescue Eddy from falling over in the snow. Then I brought him back here and we chatted –“

“What! Is he alright? And what do you meant you brought him back to our place?” Harry interrupted, suddenly I had his undivided attention.

“As I said he had fallen in the snow and he had hurt his ankle. So I brought him back here, wrapped his ankle and settled him in our spare room.”

“What was he doing walking around at night in the snow?” Harry demanded, I grinned at his possessive tone. It seemed my older mate was already getting very attached to Eddy.

I explained the whole evening to him and laughed as Harry wished he was home instead of at least four hours away. I bid him sleep tight when I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer.

***

I was making coffee the next night when Eddy came limping out in just pajama pants and rubbing his eyes.

He looked adorable with his hair all askew and I noticed that I had been right about what was under his clothes – well under his shirt anyway – his chest had good definition to it, he must work out a bit.

“Hello, Sleepyhead.” I smiled and watched as he jumped slightly.

He moved his hands and seemed to peer at me a moment before blinking and nodding, “Hi.”

He looked so cute and confused that I wanted to take him in my arms and never let him go.

“Coffee?” I asked to cover my thoughts as I turned back to the counter.

Eddy nodded and sat down at the breakfast bar.

I placed the coffee in front of him and then added a jug of milk and a sugar bowl to the counter. I frowned when I saw him trying pick up the spoon from the sugar bowl but missing it. He seemed to always be closing his hand too soon to touch the spoon.

“What’s wrong? Are your hands hurt from the cold last night or something?” I asked worried.

Eddy shook his head but wouldn’t meet my eyes, “No, it’s just that the spell I had on my eyes last night has worn off and I don’t have my glasses with me. I have a cream that is spelled, I rub it into my eyes each morning and I can see for seven hours. Then I have to switch to glasses ‘til the next night. I can barely see clearly more than a few inches in front of my own nose.”

I covered his hands with mine and picked up the sugar.

“How much and do you want milk too?” I asked, ignoring his blush.

“Milk and two sugars please,” he said quietly.

“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about you know,” I said as I fixed his coffee and went to put some toast down. “Harry used to wear glasses as well, but he was lucky and found a witch who could correct his vison completely. But I must admit to missing Harry’s glasses sometimes. He looked like a teacher with them on and I could really get into playing the naughty schoolboy.”

I grinned as Eddy let out a small gasp and I saw a blush spreading down his chest. Then I had an idea.

“Hey, where do you keep your glasses?” I asked thinking fast about what I could try.

“They’re in my car in a case under the passenger seat. I keep them there in case I finish late at the school and the spell wears off before I get home.”

“Okay, let me try something.” I closed my eyes and concentrated. I had never tried to bring something to me that belonged to someone else before, it had always been my own things. I muttered the spell and waited, after what felt like minutes, but was actually only a few seconds, there was a small pop. I found I was holding a small oblong box and I opened it to reveal a small pair of wire rimmed glasses. They looked tiny and fragile compared to my big hands so I carefully set them on the table in front on Eddy.

Eddy stared at them in wonder and his hand was shaking as he reached out for them. I think he thought they would disappear before he could pick them up.

“How did you do that?” he asked, looking up at me after he had put them on. “You said you’re a vampire.”

I caught my breath, I had thought he was cute before but with those glasses on he was downright sexy. I moved behind the counter to conceal the effect he had on me and answered his question.

“I said I’m half vampire, I’m also half witch. My adoptive mother taught me a few useful tricks as I was always forgetting things. Over the last two hundred years or so I perfected the spell, but…”

Eddy’s mouth opened in an o and we settled down to toast and coffee, while I answered his questions about my life. Although his face when I’d mentioned my age had been a picture.

***

The snow stayed bad but word reached us that the witches had found the problem with the spell and that it would stop by the morning. I talked Eddy into staying with me, pointing out that taking a car out would be asking for another accident.

We watched TV and he beat me a most of the board games we owned.

The snow stopped just as we were considering turning in for the day. Because both of us were used to working nights daytime was always our time to sleep.

I was just locking up when I heard a car pull into the driveway. Looking out the window I saw it was Harry and I threw open the door to pull him inside.

“I wasn’t expecting you till later. You shouldn’t be driving in this.” I said as I helped him strip off his coat and shoes.

“I couldn’t resist driving straight through, in the hope that our guest was still here.”

We turned at a noise in the hallway and saw Eddy standing at his bedroom door.

“Hey, Eddy. I heard you tried to drive in worse snow than this.” Harry called out.

Eddy flushed and looked down. I elbowed Harry before Eddy looked back to make him behave himself.

“Right, bedtime I think. Eddy and I have worn ourselves out with movies and games all night and you mister”—I poked Harry—“have been driving all night.”

They both agreed and Eddy headed back into his room. Harry and I were soon cuddled up and Harry was soon snoring up a storm to rival the one that had just finished outside.

***

The next night I was first up and putting on the coffee when Eddy came limping in—although his ankle seemed to be better than the night before.

“I got to get going fairly soon,” he said round a yawn. “I need to get home showered and changed then get to work.”

“I can let you have some of Harry’s clothes, then you can shower here, and Harry can take you to work. I expect he wants to come join your class again tonight as he loves history and hasn’t stopped talking about how much you know.”

I watched Eddy go a deep red. “If you’re sure he won’t mind me borrowing his clothes then that would be good. I think I would be cutting it very close to get home and then get someone to come give me lift to get to work.”

“Let’s ask the man himself,” I said as I saw Harry entering the kitchen. As usual he was in just his tight boxers and Eddy immediately looked at the table top as though it held all the answers to everything.

“Ask me what?” Harry asked as he reached up to kiss me then helped himself to coffee.

I fixed Eddy’s coffee and put it in front of him before answering. “Eddy needs to borrow some clothes and yours would fit him fine. So can he borrow off you, so he can shower and get to work?”

“Course, I think I like the idea of dressing this little cutie.” Harry gave me a nudge and I rolled my eyes as Eddy’s startled gaze flicked up to us.

“Ah, that made you look up did it?” Harry crowed and Eddy immediately looked back down.

“Harry, you leave out guest alone this instant. Now go and find him something appropriate to wear—and I do stress the word appropriate—then get dressed yourself. You’re taking him to work as I assume you want to sit in on his class again?” At Harry’s nod I continued. “Well good, which means I can get his car towed and looked at on my way into the office. Jackson hasn’t got any assignments for me at the moment so I’ll just be hanging around the Council Offices and running errands for the administrators.”

“Oh, don’t go out of your way.” Eddy exclaimed.

“No trouble. No trouble at all. You just keep my mate here in line and come home with him after work. I’ll have your car delivered here and you can join us for dinner.”

My tone left no room for him to refuse, so I wasn’t surprised when he just smiled and nodded shyly.

***

The next few weeks saw me and Harry using every excuse in the book to keep Eddy coming over to our house for some reason or another.

Harry asked for his input on assignments Jackson was giving of him. He said he needed help with researching the histories of the communities he was being sent to and, of course, he thought Eddy was the best person to help him with that.

I on the other hand decided to surprise Eddy. Not many people know but I love to cook, so I kept calling Eddy saying Harry was occupied working late and could he please come round after work to taste test whatever I was cooking. And of course once I had him at the house Harry would miraculously come home earlier than expected and we would of course insist that Eddy had to stay and have a proper meal with us. Harry would then start going on about work and they would be off on one of their history discussions. The night would fly by and before Eddy knew what was happening it was morning and he was heading home for bed, only for us to start the same thing the next night.

If Harry was out of town then I would give Eddy the sob story of being lonely and could he please come and watch TV with me. He almost always said yes.

The turning point was one Friday when I had convinced Eddy to accompany me to a Council event. Jackson had decided to have a party for the staff and Harry was out of town, not due back ‘til near the end of the event. So I pleaded and pouted ‘til Eddy agreed to come.

I have to say until then I had thought Eddy was shy but once he got out on the make shift dance floor, he was a completely different guy. The sexy way he moved had me half hard all evening and when the band did a slow song I didn’t give him a chance to object before I had him in my arms, swaying to the music. Suddenly Eddy stiffened and I lifted my head from his shoulder to see Harry dancing behind him.

I smiled and pulled Eddy even closer, Harry slipped his arms around Eddy’s waist until we were both holding him sandwiched in between us. We kept in time with the music and slowly Eddy started to relax again. By the end he was swaying with us and we all jolted when everyone started clapping in appreciation for the musicians.

Harry and I took one of Eddy’s hands each so he couldn’t escape as we guided him to a secluded table in a dark corner of the room.

“What’s going on?” Eddy asked, looking between us apprehensively.

“Eddy, surely you know by now that we both want you to stay with us?” Harry asked.

I rolled my eyes at my mate’s bluntness, especially as Eddy just looked more panicked.

“Nice going dear, you’ll scare him away. Why don’t you just threaten to kidnap him like you did me all those years ago?”

Harry growled low at my teasing but with the focus off of him I saw Eddy start to relax slowly.

“I did not threaten to kidnap you. You just didn’t listen to what I was saying.” Harry declared, and Eddy giggled at his indignant tone.

I just grinned at Harry and winked at Eddy, causing him to giggle even more.

I reached out and turned Eddy’s face so he looked me in the eye. “Joking aside, Harry’s telling you truth. You know that vampires know their mates the moment they touch them, I’ve heard Harry talking to you about the subject. Harry and I know that you’re our mate. You’re the third part of us and we want you to join us.”

Eddy’s eyes had gone wide but he hadn’t run so I counted that a success. The upper most emotions seemed to be shock and fear. But there also seemed to a bit of curious interest mixed in.

“Tell me you don’t feel a pull to us and we’ll leave you alone,” Harry said confidently. I wanted to punch him. He was giving Eddy a way out and I didn’t want him to have an escape route.

Eddy looked between us nibbling his bottom lip. “Okay I can’t lie and say I don’t feel anything for you both but I thought you two were mates? How can I be your mate as well?”

“I spoke to Jackson after we met you and realized the possibility of what we felt around you. He said it’s rare for there to be tri-mating’s with vampires but not unheard of. There are not currently any in Chapmistres but there are some in other communities.” I was staring at Harry as he spoke. I knew he had spoken to Jackson and that Jackson had said threesomes were not unheard of but I didn’t know Harry knew of others.

Recovering from my small shock and promising myself I would talk to Harry as soon as we were alone I turned to Eddy.

“Let us take you home and give us a chance to prove all three of us can work together.” I asked, holding out my hand for him to take.

Eddy was silent so long I thought for sure I’d pushed too far, too fast, but he smiled shyly and took my hand. Harry let out a whoop and grabbed Eddy’s other hand before trying to tow both of us up and toward the exit.

Before we made it to the door we were stopped by Jackson.

“So,” Jackson said smiling at all three of us. “I take it you three have finally stopped dancing around each other?”

Harry and I rolled our eyes at the obvious pun but Eddy just looked at Jackson in awe, after all he was the Senior Elder of the community. Jackson just laughed and waved us away. “Go on, get out of here,” he said and turned back to the room.

***

Harry and I spent the next week wooing and basically seducing our little witch mate. We pampered him and spoiled him until he actually told us to stop trying so hard.

As the final step Harry and I decided to make dinner for Eddy. We both got home early and set up our table with candles and flowers. We made a good dinner between us—that is to say I cooked and Harry handed me things as I asked for them.

Eddy came home and we made him sit down and relax while we took turns serving him.

Then at the end of the meal we both knelt down on either side of his chair.

“Eddy, you know how much you mean to both of us,” Harry started on our rehearsed speech.

“And you know we will do anything for you,” I continued on with my part.

“Will you please bond with us?” we asked in unison.

Eddy’s eyes filled with tears and for a while he didn’t seem to be able to say anything, but then he shouted at the top of his voice, “YES.”

Harry grabbed him and swung him out his chair and round in a circle. Then he passed him to me so I could do the same thing.

We bonded that night and I must say I for one have never regretted a second since. The best part was the feeling of both my mates talking to me in my mind. It seems that the only thing missing was our third person to complete the bond, and activate the mind link.

***

Thane finished his story and looked around the room. A few of his friends were trying to dab discreetly at the tears in their eyes. While the rest just looked on in fond amusement.

Thane cuddled Harry and Eddy closer. He liked being the biggest of the three of them, because it meant that he could practically swallow up his lovers anytime he wanted.

Jamie was the first one to speak. “May I ask, have either you or Eddy ever had any children?”

Thane felt Eddy stiffen instantly and moved quickly to stroke his back where the others couldn’t see while he answered the question.

“No, Eddy and I can’t have children. I’m half vampire and therefore Harry’s DNA didn’t change me in that way when we bonded. And in Eddy’s case no one knows why but the bond didn’t give him the ability to have children, like your bond with Andrew did you.”

“Actually that might not be entirely true,” Eddy spoke up.

Thane swung his head round to face his bashfully smiling mate and felt Harry shifting to fully face them too.

“What have you done Eddy?” Harry asked.

“Well, Harry, remember last month you took me with you on one of your visits? Well I decided to do a bit of research while you were in your meetings. I found a healer who specialised in vampire/witch bonding’s, and more specifically she had experience of tri-mating’s. She lived near the place we were staying in and so I walked over to meet her. She told me that because I had bonded with both of you, my body was trying to decide which DNA to use.” Eddy turned his full attention to Thane. “Because you’re only half vampire, my body didn’t seem to understand what it was meant to do with your blood. The witch gave me a potion that I have been taking every time we exchange blood now. It separates the witch DNA from the vampire DNA, allowing my body to absorb all the vampire blood while ignoring the witch blood because of course being a witch myself I already have enough of that. ”

“What does that mean for us?” Thane asked, he felt Harry leaning in as though to hear better what Eddy’s answer was going to be.

“I’m pregnant.” Eddy mumbled.

“What, we can’t hear you over here,” Jamie called out from across the room, even though with his enhanced hearing from his bonding with Andrew Thane knew he could hear perfectly well.

“I’M PREGNANT!” Yelled Eddy and threw his arms round Thane and Harry’s necks.

***

The gathering became a celebration that only ended when the vampires of the group had to head home for sunrise.

Thane and Harry led their witch mate to bed and proceeded to show him exactly how pleased they were with his news.