Blueblood 5: Exposed The Secrets about V5H Revealed - 21. Kev and Ellis Meet The Boys

We celebrated New Year’s Eve together as a family, but it was time to go back to New York and VUN. George was speaking with Kev every day! Kev was sharing his observations he had before and what he’d observed in the digital clips George had sent through Buddy to see and study. Everyone was coming back to Manhattan about the same time. We arrived back at the VUN and sent the jet to England. We had a number of people to bring to New York from Charleston. There were only four coming from England, but we didn’t think Kev or Ellis were ready for a commercial flight.

We were waiting for them to be brought to the VUN from the little, private airport we often used. Again, there were no passports for Kev or Ellis. Ruben Chance was working Director Mattingly of MI5 to get those. This had to be handled in the way we had with Vlad and Gaius. I looked at John who was looking perfectly calm. He wasn’t bothered at all even with George’s reaction to Kev.

“No problems with Kev or Ellis?” I said quietly to John.

He looked at me puzzled and then smiled. “Oh, well…that before when I jealous was different.” He waved at George who was very anxious for Dr. Kevin Baxter and Ellis Thomas to arrive. “With those others, there was a few I worried about. One, in particular, that became fixated and unattached and clearly looking to get George.” He shrugged and looked at George. “Not that I blame her, he’s gorgeous.” He said sighing contently as he looked at George. “If he has an affair with anyone it would be Dr. Baxter. An affair of the mind and around the venom. Besides, you saw how Dr. Baxter and Ellis were clearly together and have been for over a hundred years.” He shook his head smiling at me. “No. There’s no threat here.”

We didn’t wait outside on the roof. This was New York and winter. Even vampires got cold. When the elevator dinged and the door opened we were greeted by some laughter from the four passengers.

The four looked…normal! Wayne was the first to look up and his smile instantly lit up.

“Welcome home.” I greeted them.

“Dad!” Wayne teased coming quickly to hug me. Then he turned back. “I believe you’ve met Dr. Kevin Baxter and Ellis Thomas.”

I smiled at them. “By computer.”

“Cor blimey!” Ellis said in near awe as he looked the corridor, elevator and surrounds. “Would ya look a’ this.”

They may have known there were these things but being a part of this new world was very new. Ellis was a bit overwhelmed by it all. I was right, Ellis was a good five to six inches taller than Kev. He was as tall as Colin but leaner. Colin had broader shoulders than Ellis and Colin was...bulkier. Kev and I were about the same height at five feet and nine or ten inches.

Kev saw Colin holding my hand and George and John were holding hands, so he took Ellis’ hand and leaned closer to Ellis. “Remember what we talked about? Slow down and use proper English with our new friends as I know you can.”

Ellis nodded absently as he waved Kev’s caution off still looking around. “Yeh, yeh, I will.”

Kev looked up and smiled but came straight to George. “Dr. Holms, it is a pleasure!”

Colin moved closer to me and muttered. “We’re playing second fiddle here.”

Kev was a vampire and his hearing was just as with other vampires, very good. “I am sorry, gentlemen.” He smiled as he came to Colin and me extending his hand to us. “It is a pleasure to meet you, of course.”

I shook his hand. “It’s understandable. Welcome to the VUN, New York.”

Kev shook all our hands smiling. “I must say, seeing this world in the daylight...was a little eye-opening.” He waved at the recessed lighting overhead. “So many new developments we knew of but have had limited exposure.”

“Didn’t you venture out at all during the past century?” Colin asked him.

Kev gave a slight nod. “When we could, but...we pretty much stayed down in the Tubes.”

Colin nodded. “The Underground. I did, too. We call it the subway here, but the same thing.”

George was glad Kev was now here, but he wanted to be careful. “Are you tired?”

“We’re ‘ungry!” Ellis said simply. “Now that we’re eatin’ three squares again. I’m ‘ungry.”

Kev smiled. “Remember to use the letter H, Ellis.” He reminded as he probably did for many, many decades.

“I’m Hungry.” Ellis overstated the H sound toward us but mostly directed at Kev.

“My, god!” I grinned at him. “You are Eliza Doolittle!”

Ellis frowned turning quickly. “I’m wha’?” He said irritated.

I grabbed his hand shaking it even before he offered it. “That’s not a bad thing, I swear. It’s from a movie I know.” I hurried to assure him. “I like that movie. I like you!” I looked at Kev. “And you, too. It’s good.”

Ellis grinned now. “I’ve no’ really seen a movie,” Ellis admitted.

I turned to Wayne. “They had a whole bunch available on the flight!”

Amasis shook his head getting closer to Wayne…a little protectively. “Remember my first flight?” He grinned. “It was about an hour before they relaxed and then not enough to concentrate on a movie plot.”

Ellis thumbed at Amasis. “Is ‘e really a pharaoh?” He asked me in mocking confidence.

I nodded chuckling. “He was.”

“Gaw. That’s flaming ruddy donkey years!” Ellis said in awe slipping back into his comfortable world.

I did like him! “It is a long time.”

“So, wha’ about that Eliza pony and trap?” Ellis asked.

I chuckled. Whether it was a test to see if I really understood him. “It’s not crap.” I waved a finger at him with a look that said I knew what he was doing. My reply was a bigger smile from Ellis. “Yes, I do know what pony and trap. There is a whole scene where Professor Higgins was trying to teach Eliza to use her hah for the H sound. Kev just reminded me of that.”

Ellis nodded. “Oh, I be’ it was ‘orrible for ‘er, too.” He looked at Kev. “Horrible for Her, too.” He said exaggerating the H sounds again on purpose. “Is that better?”

Kev smiled squeezing Ellis’ hand. “Much.”

“You’re a Yank!” Ellis said puzzled looking at me. “How do you know what I’m saying and others even in London who don’t know what I’m saying?”

“Television,” I said and saw a vague understanding. “The tele?”

Ellis nodded. “I knew what you meant, but...we really didn’t get good reception below…so I didn’t see much.”

Colin said suddenly clapping once. “So, let’s get you settled and we’ll take you to Vamps!”

“Vamps?” Kev repeated as his eyebrows rose.

George smiled. “It’s a restaurant here. The name is a play on the word. Vamps as in vampires, yes, but the female on the sign…”

Kev nodded. “I understand now.”

Taking them to George’s and John’s apartment, which in many ways was almost like Colin’s and mine. It was simply the decor that was really different. Colin and I would have loved to have Kev and Ellis stay with us. We had the bedrooms even if Vlad and Gaius were still with us. George wanted Kev there with him...so, we took them to the apartment. It was much smaller than the house George owned, but about the same size as Colin’s and mine. George and John had brought some of the paintings and sculptures from the house and had them arranged decoratively displayed. What I like was it didn’t look like the house had. It was not a museum or gallery. It looked like men lived there. Not all the delicate things some would have. Big furniture, but plush and comfortable.

Opening the door, George waved them inside. Even Kev was a little awed by it. Evident from the jaw that sort of dropped open.

“My...word!” Kev said quietly.

Ellis nodded. “These blokes is minted!” He said louder than Kev had.

“I’m sorry?” George asked not understanding.

I pulled George closer. “He means, you’re rich, George,” I whispered as I translated for him. I turned to Kev and Ellis. “George and John are rich.” I looked at Kev. “You should see his house.”

“His house, but not this one.” He confirmed. “There’s another other than this one!?” Kev asked astounded.

“Oh, yes.” I nodded. “And it’s much bigger.”

John shook his head. “Sure. You should see Colin’s and Devon’s house. That is a mansion.”

“A mansion that’s surrounded by other houses he owns on the estate,” George added.

At Vamps, Colin explained how Holm’s Laboratories was founded by the two of them and yes, they made a profit. “My main focus was to get back what I felt Bret Marshall had stolen from me. This VUN thing...” he shrugged, “just happened.”

George nodded. “But it was Colin’s determination to spread it out and to look for others like us.” George defended. “However, it was Devon that came up with the name and...” he shrugged a little, “persuaded us to go global. His instinct was where to look and we have had success in every country we’ve been to.”

“Simply amazing,” Kev said. “And you are married.” He said again, still surprised at that. “And you two are getting married. That just wasn’t done in England until recently.” Kev then asked how we each met and how we came to be here. We told him each history briefly.

“So, how did you and Ellis get together?” Colin asked and chuckled. “Please forgive me, but...you seem to have merged together so well but are from opposite worlds!”

Kev nodded chuckling. “Well, we were.” He sighed sadly. “I was married. Mrs. Baxter died about five years into our marriage.” He shook his head. “That marriage was pretty well planned before I even asked. She was a distant cousin.”

Colin looked at me and groaned. “I know about that one.” He said sourly. “Mine was, too.”

Kev smiled. “Well, I liked being a confirmed widower. There were those that wanted more from me, but I really didn’t return the attention.” He smiled. “At that time in England, a woman didn’t just...do that. It wasn’t proper. I was born to a family of means. We lived in the Chelsea area of London. The house I grew up in was destroyed like Ellis’ home was during the war. But, back then I bought a house not far from my family home.” Now that he had blood circulating he began to pink up. “Ellis was...” he took Ellis’ hand, “forgive me...I don’t want to demean you, Ellis. You know how I feel about you.” He looked at us. “He was in my employ. He could have left with his continued employment. He was a handyman, if you will.”

Ellis smiled. “No shame ‘ere, Guvnor.” He said softly to Kev. “I’m not ashamed of what ‘appened, but I approached you first.”

“Yes, he did.” Kev nodded. “Unfortunately, I was ashamed.” He confessed, but he looked at Ellis. “He would do things around the house...fixed gutters, pipes, sweep the chimneys...”

I poked Colin in the side lightly. “See? I knew it.” I whispered to Colin.

“...whatever needed to be done.” Kev shrugged and then looked at Ellis in his eyes. “He is a beautiful human being, and then I realized he had an equally beautiful soul.” He shrugged again. “I was lonely and the sort of…the relationship we developed just wasn’t done.”

“Because society said it was wrong.” Colin nodded as Kev nodded.

“This was before you were bitten?” George asked.

“Yes,” Kev admitted. “I couldn’t help it. I was taught it was unnatural, but...not when we got together.” He smiled at Ellis and then frowned again and sighed again at a memory. “I was attacked by that thing one night. It was only fortunate for me that Ellis was coming over and caught that…thing.” He was surprised as tears, which he hadn’t been able to shed in a century, came down his face which he wiped away with the edge of his cloth napkin. “I never wanted that for you, Ellis.”

Ellis smiled and said quietly to Kev. No trace of his Cockney when he said. “I know that, Kev.” He took Kev’s hand but moved his head closer to Kev’s so they had more contact. “I never blamed you.” He looked up. “In the fight with that thing, I was bitten, too.” He smiled. “We’ve been together ever since.”

“That creature was killed by Ellis, but we were what we are. We stayed in the basement of my house for a while.” Kev explained. “I couldn’t see patients anymore. We had to move because of questions about us.” He chuckled. “Ellis was the one to suggest we move to where the new Tubes were being dug out.” He frowned at a memory. “And he found an acceptable blood source.” He confessed with distaste.

Colin smiled. “Rats?” He asked knowing how Willie and he felt about what they had done. Willie not nearly as much when he did but was not proud after he’d gone to the serum and the surgery that cleared his mind.

Kev was both surprised and embarrassed. “How did...” he thought and nodded. “You, too?”

Colin nodded. “We were underground, and what is more plentiful than they are? They are vermin, they have blood and no one would be sorry some were killed.” He shrugged. “I couldn’t kill anyone.”

“Yes. That’s it.” Kev nodded. “I was a doctor. I took an oath to do no harm.” He shook his head. “What else could we do?”

“Yeh’,” Ellis said nodded, his Cockney coming back. “We ‘ad some big buggers down there.” He held his hands almost two feet apart which may or may not have been exaggerated on their size. “And there were so many of ‘em.”

“But you survived.” Wayne pointed out. “That is what’s important.”

“We are making a difference now,” Amasis added. “We don’t have to remain in the dark anymore.”

Kev smiled as he looked at us. “So, every vampire is in a homosexual relationship because of the venom?”

Colin shook his head. “No.” He chuckled. “My daughter is one and married a male vampire. Devon’s mother became one and married a man that I considered my father who is a vampire.”

George smiled at Kev. “What we are, is human.” He shrugged. “We are social creatures. Companionship is very important. We don’t reproduce. That need to procreate is gone, so is our desire for anyone for that sole reason. We are open to everyone.”

“Yes, George.” I agreed. “Really, though…I’m not as convinced we are homosexual or heterosexual…even as regular humans. Many…” I did finger quotes, “straight…men easily indulge in homosexual acts and do it well. Even enjoy it. They make excuses to explain it but can easily do it.”

George nodded. “It’s only the shame given by our religion and culture that makes us see it as sin and bad…or unnatural.” He watched as Colin finished the last of his two steaks with a satisfied sigh. “Now that Colin is satisfied for the moment. Do you want to meet the vampires responsible for all this?”

Kev’s eyes widened. “The one’s respons...” he pointed at Amasis. “He’s two thousand years old! There are vampires here older than him!?”

I nodded. “Much older.”

“But they are unlike anything you dreamt of…even in nightmares,” Colin said evenly and gave them a brief explanation as to what they would see. Kev and Ellis listened, but I knew they couldn’t imagine the Old Ones.

The sun was set and the boys would be up. We headed up to the floor that contained the three Old Ones.

“Wha’ is it you do ‘ere?” Ellis asked me as we rode up the elevator.

I grinned. “Well, I…talk to people,” I said simply.

Colin put his arm around me leaning in kissing the side of my head as we walked. “My husband’s being modest. He’s really the heart of our all of us. He loves everyone and can talk to anyone.” He grinned. “What’s interesting, they love him back.”

Ellis grinned. “I can see that. I feel very comfortable with ‘im,” He shook his head. “So, I shouldn’t feel special that 'e said ‘e likes me?”

I frowned at Colin. “Colin, I like Ellis a lot.” I looked at Ellis. “I give everyone a fair chance. There are those that mean more to me, like George, John, Amasis, Wayne, and a few others. I know you and Kev will be right in those numbers!”

We took them to the room where the three were. Kev and Ellis were vampires, so not on the menu. The guard nodded to us telling us they had their blood and were fine. Going in both Kev and Ellis were not prepared for what they saw. Who would be? We’d told them, but no one would be prepared.

“They ‘ave their hampton wick, but no bottle and glass!” Ellis pointed to them slipping astonished into his Cockney Rhyming Slang.

I looked at Colin to translate who nodded holding up his hand to me. “I got it. They have dicks, but no ass. I’m good.” He looked cocky for a second. “I can use the internet! I looked it up. I thought I should if Ellis was going to be here.”

I grinned, bringing him in for a kiss. “I married a smart man.”

I was being greeted by all three like usual, but they were a little subdued as they looking at the two additional people.

Iustina signed as he pointed to Kev and Ellis. “Who?” His translator’s given voice asked.

“They are friends, Iustina.” I answered and looked at Kev and Ellis. “They don’t have the verbal abilities naturally,” I explained the translators. I touched Repetate gently. “These are three of the creatures that made all the vampires today.”

Kev looked at them closer. He was a vampire, but still, a doctor and a scientist first and that part of him was taking control right now. Ralph and Iustina backed away from him cautiously. “Intriguing!” Kev could read Iustina’s, Repetate’s, and Ralph’s expressions. He held his hands up to them. “I mean you no harm.” He said to them he shook his head. “They seem almost...tame!”

“They are, for us,” Colin said. “But one sniff of blood and they are killers. They are predators. Deadly. It’s what they do.”

Kev nodded. “What you told me about them, George.” He motioned toward their mouths. “The samples of venom they have is very concentrated. I saw that in those…files you sent.”

George nodded. “It’s the purest venom available.”

Ellis sniffed deeply. “They smell…different.”

I turned to Ellis. “Do they?” I looked back at Iustina who was still at my side but cowered a little still from these two new people. I patted Iustina gently to reassure him. “I sense they are vampires, but...”

Ellis shook his head. “No...” then he nodded. “I mean, yes they are and I sense that, but they just smell different.”

Kev came up next to Ellis. “He always had a keen sense of smell.” He explained. “Since he was bitten it got even stronger to the point he can smell someone and determine how long ago he bathed!”

George looked at Kev. “He can?”

Kev nodded. “Almost down to the very hour.”

“Sure.” Ellis answer nodding. “I can smell how hard they worked and the level of perspiration and I determine how long ago they bathed.” He shrugged. “It just comes.”

Kev touched Ellis’ side proudly. “He can do more than that.” He sighed again. “There was a darker period for me during that great war, I was tired of feeling this constant hunger and urge to feed on others and I…” he said reluctantly, “thought of going out in daylight and ending it. We got separated after a bomb caused a cave in and…the only way around was to go up in daylight…I disappeared for a few nights…walking among others like Ellis and me…hoping to confuse the trail, but he found me with little trouble.”

Ellis shook his head in a grudging nod. “It wasn’t hard.” He tapped his nose. “I sor’ of had ‘is scent in me fireman’s hose. I never forge’ it.”

I looked at the others who were not looking as confused. Colin shook his head and waved at Ellis. “That one was obvious! His nose! Don’t bother.”

Ellis held his arms out to say he was helpless about it. “Everyone ‘as a smell! Even before I was bitten, I would come in a person’s ‘ome and get a smell. I just didn’t lose it.” He waved at Kev. “Kev ‘as a smell.” He waved at me. “You do.” He waved at Colin, George, and the others. “All of you ‘ave a smell all your own. I just don’t lose it.” He thought. “I smelled some ‘ere I sensed weren’t vampires, but they have a scent unlike anyone else. I wouldn’t want to drink their blood even if I was a vampire. That was an added flavor to their blood.” He turned to the Old Ones. His Cockney was gone as he said what was next. “These three…are very strong. I can’t describe it. It’s not unpleasant, but pungent.” He looked at Wayne. “I smell them on you more than with any of these others. You were bitten by one of these, weren’t you?” He walked near the three and sniffed lightly and looked at Ralph. “This one!”

All of us were surprised at this. Wayne nodded. “Yes. I was.”

“You can smell that!?” George asked Ellis. “They didn’t tell you?”

Ellis shook his head. “They didn’t have to.” He looked at Ralph and sniffed again. “It was several decades ago, but yes…the smell I get from Wayne,” he waved at Ralph, “I get from him.”

Colin looked at me. “I doubt even Gabriella can do that!”

Ellis bounced slightly. “Yeh, it’s a gift.” He said simply.

Colin grinned. “He is going to be a huge help!” He looked quickly at Kev. “You will too, with George, but you…” he walked to Ellis, “will be a great, great help!”