Blueblood: A Dark Southern Aristocracy - 12. Proposal

Whatever happened in the past for Colin had an effect on him so deeply. Being what he had been was horrible making him afraid to connect with anyone. He was taking a big risk connecting with me. Loneliness was making the fact I was here so much more important to him. He didn’t seem to be able to let me go. When we went to sleep, he was spooned up behind me, which was more practical as he was taller. His arm held me to him while we slept. I didn’t like so much as a teddy bear when I was a child, but he needed me. I was his teddy bear this time.

I woke when I was cold. Turning over I saw that Colin was gone. I wasn’t alarmed but wondered where he’d gone. It didn’t take long to remember when I saw what time it was what he must be doing. It was nearing dawn. Getting up I slipped on a pair of pants and shirt as I walked out of the bedroom to look for him. This apartment had a terrace and I saw the shadow out on it I knew. I approached him quietly. “Good morning,” I said.

He smiled but didn’t turn around. “Good morning. You were sleeping well and I didn’t have the heart to wake you.” He did turn then. “The dawn is still a thing of wonder for me. Not as it was at first after so long without, but still it’s impressive.” He held his hand out to me.

I took his hand as he drew me to him in a comfortable embrace, kissing me, but then looking again at the sky as the horizon began to glow. “When you can’t be in it for so long, I can’t imagine how it would be to be in it again.” His chest was bare and he had put on some pajama bottoms to come out here. It was late Fall and it was getting chilly now. Especially in Manhattan. “Can you catch a cold?”

Colin’s eyebrow rose. “I haven’t had a cold since 1849.”

I nodded as I patted his chest. “Well, I can get a cold.” I groused. “Enjoy the sunrise. I’m going back to bed.” I said starting to go back in when he held me.

“I’ll be there soon,” Colin said kissing me. “Thank you, Devon. You’re being here means a lot to me.”

I smiled at him. “I want to be here. With you.” I assured kissing him. “But I’ll be here with you…” I pointed inside rubbing my hands over my arms to warm them up. “…in there.”

Finding a warm spot I began drifting off again until I felt Colin slip in bed. I let out a muffled yelp when a cold foot hit my leg.

“Sorry about that.” Colin chuckled as he pressed his cold body to mine. “But you’re warm and will warm me up.” He kissed me.

Getting closer, my arms came around him bringing him closer. “I might be able to do that.”

Colin again got a look in his eyes. It spoke of longing and gratitude. “I love you, Devon.”

There was more, I could sense it. “Whatever you need…if just my loving you is enough, fine, but I’ll listen. I don’t pretend to know what you’ve been through, but I’m here and I’ll listen.”

Colin nodded and sighed. “I have…regrets. A lot of them.” I watched as a tear formed in his eye. “I said I never killed when I fed, but I have killed.” He began shaking. “First was Ashley, but that was self-defense. Then I killed again, that second time, he was a vampire.” He frowned. “He was maybe sixteen or seventeen. This was after the Civil War began. I was feeding on men that were dying. Men I knew would die, but this…kid came up. He was a lot like Gabriella was when you saw her the first time. I don’t know how old he really was, but he was young when he was turned and he was killing. He looked so young, but from how he was dressed he had been around a long time…but he was a monster. He could have been a hundred years old. All he was about was feeding. He wasn’t being picky at all, killing those that had a chance as well as the dying.”

“That was a decision you made to save lives.” I clarified. “He was killing indiscriminately. You saved lives.”

Colin looked pained in his eyes. “Did I? I didn’t even try to talk to him. He had been so young when he was turned and he couldn’t help it.”

“What do you think you could have gotten if you had stopped him? Could you have stopped him later? Did you talk to him?” I asked. “How long did this take?”

“About thirty seconds. I didn’t even try.” He said sadly. “I refused to kill. I only drank when I was certain a man would die. I just…did it! I stabbed him in the heart. I killed him.” He rolled back breathing heavier.

I sat up on my elbow to look at him. “Help me understand what you’re having a problem with. You saw a killer and stopped him.”

Colin nodded. “If I had talked him out of it. If I kept him safe and protected…”

“He could be killing today!” This was something Colin had thought about for over a century. It had eaten at him inside a long time. “If you constantly think about the what ifs you can’t get past them.”

Colin looked again in pain. “I could have done something else!”

I rolled on top of him. “Colin.” I thought about what I could say. “I wasn’t there. I don’t know what happened. I do not believe you are a killer. You never were, even after you were given little choice, you thought about who your targets were. You didn’t just kill.”

“But…” Colin began.

“You regret doing it.” I nodded. “That I understand. There are other regrets, am I right?”

Colin nodded. “Yes.”

I bent down, my head against his. “I’ll listen. I always will. I can’t offer any guidance or absolution. I’m not leaving.”

He smiled despite his pain. “It’s hard to believe you’re okay with this.”

I sat up settling on top of him. “Okay with it?” I began playing with his hair. “No. I will never be okay with it. It just is. You aren’t that creature anymore.”

Colin frowned. “Because of the serum. If I don’t take it, I will become that creature again.”

I nodded. “That’s why we’re here, to make sure you do what’s needed to be done to keep it from happening.” I smiled. “But from what you’ve told me, even when you were, you were still an amazing man. I’m glad you took the chance with me.”

He chuckled. “You didn’t give me much of a choice. Your charms won me over in minutes. I was helpless.” He pulled me closer. “I’ve got a million of things to tell. We have a lifetime to go through them.”

I grinned as my arms came around him. “I plan to be here.”

Colin smiled kissing me. “I knew you would be.” He embraced me again. “Now, Gabriella will be in class today.”

“In class?” I repeated.

“She has a lot of things to be educated about. Ursula had a program set up to ease Gabriella into this new world she now lives in. She’ll be busy a while. You and I will go and see Manhattan. What do you say?”

My hands were rubbing over his chest, letting his chest hairs tickle my fingers. “As long as you’re with me. I think that sounds great.”

He looked at me seriously. “Marry me, Devon.”

I sat up shocked. “What!?”

“I love you, Devon. I want to make our lives as much a part of each other’s as possible. I want a friend, a lover and I want something solid.” He was looking doubtful now. “If you don’t want to, I’ll underst…”

“Shut up, Colin,” I said quietly thinking about what he didn’t ask but stated. I watched his eyebrow rise. “Marry you.” I thought as I rolled back and lay flat thinking. “I always wanted to find someone to marry. This is just…sudden. We’ve really just met, it’s been an intense few weeks…”

“Think about it,” Colin said softly rolling over to stretch out beside me. “We can marry now. There is the question of my past and whether we would legally be married…”

I put my hand over his mouth to stop him. “I’m not worried about that.” I looked at him. “You were so frightened about even allowing yourself to love me. Now, you want to marry me?”

Colin pulled my hand down and smiled. “It didn’t take too long to get over that.” He chuckled. “I let you in and now I’d like to make us more together as a couple. If you agree.” He shook his head. “I feel…such a connection with you.”

I smiled at him. “I feel it, too.” I brought my arms around him. “I will marry you.”

Colin grinned as he rolled putting me beneath him. “As your future husband, we will shop for you today. I want to share everything with you.”

“Do I become a Wentworth?”

Colin laughed. “If you want to. You’re a McGee. Shouldn’t you keep that?”

“For what? Unless they change human biology won’t be passing the McGee name on to anyone.” I pointed out. “It’s not that important. I’d be very happy being married to you, Colin.” I grinned. “But when we marry, it will be in the new house.”

Colin chuckled. “That will be a while yet.”

“Good things come to those who wait,” I said. “It will give Mom a chance to plan.”

Colin chuckled again. “Of course.” He gave me a smile. “Gabriella will want to be involved, too.”

“That would be the way it will be,” I said logically but smiled. “It’s a dream of mine to find the right man, but to be proposed to by a nearly naked man in bed with me? That’s different.” I chuckled kissing him, which he returned deeply wanting more. I was glad to give him what he wanted.

When we finally got up out of bed, we had our breakfast and Colin had his precious coffee. Then he took me shopping. I didn’t see the hurry to do it, but I went along with him. I was going to be a part of his life now.

Back at…whatever it was where Dr. Holm worked and Colin lived a while…we spoke with George again.

“Colin’s condition needs to be monitored and the serum has to be constantly improved and updated,” George said with a sigh. “It’s a very potent venom. It has properties like a virus or bacteria, but it’s more of a chemical poison. It reproduces by a vampire’s own body which makes it hard to get rid of, because Colin is the one making him a vampire now. The serum attaches itself to the venom and makes it not work. The problem is, the venom is generated by each of us and becomes unique by the vampire. Colin’s body creates the venom and will continue to do so until I can cause his body not to make it.” He shook his head. “The problem is the venom changes with the person. Colin’s venom is different from Gabriella’s. There are similar qualities, but each makes the venom their own. That is a challenge.” He smiled. “But I’m doing it. The serum you’re using, Colin is working because she is your daughter and shares some biochemical properties with you. To refine it, I will take blood samples from her and make her serum specifically for her.”

“But there is no way to make them…not a vampire,” I said.

“Not yet.” George admitted. “The best we have is to make the venom inert.”

“How old is the oldest vampire?” I was thinking again of the movies and stories read of vampires that were hundreds of years if not a thousand. “There are stories about it coming from Europe or even ancient Egypt.”

George smiled with a nod. “I know of those stories, but I’ve only known of vampires that have been around a few hundred years.” He shrugged. “Colin is the oldest one I know of.”

Colin nodded. “Until we locate Brett and find out who made Brett a vampire.”

George nodded. “There might be a greater number of vampires out there. If they are older and like us, adapted their lives to blend with the rest of humanity, they have precautions in place and will be well hidden.”

“But the number of vampires on the serum will increase in demand.” I pointed out. “I know you have precautions in place, but there are creatures out there, like Brett Marshall that is a vampire, will you give him the serum if he asks for it?”

Now, George frowned. “I thought of that, too. I don’t know. He was a killer before he became a vampire. We’ll just have to determine case by case. In Brett’s case, I have to say no.”

“Colin said right before we got to Gabriella, that she could smell he would not be a target. That she couldn’t feed on Colin, but could on me.” I said. “Is there something I can take that will do the same for me?”

George smiled. “Something to make you less appetizing?” He gave a shrug. “It’s worth looking into. The serum acts as a stimulant but puts a scent in the body that makes him…unattractive. I’m not sure what would happen if a person took the serum. It could get you a heart attack.” He nodded. “I’ll look into it.” Then he smiled. “Of course, I’ll need a blood sample from you.”

I held my arm out. “Just leave some for me to use.”

We met for dinner at the…the lack of a name…vampire central? Vampire Headquarters? VH? They didn’t have a name. In Colin’s apartment Gabriella came in and sat at the table seemingly exhausted.

“What’s wrong, Gabby?” Colin asked.

“The world.” She moaned putting her head in her hands. “We covered everything, it seems. Aeronautics, television, fashion, suffrage for women’s votes, racial conflicts. This world has done a lot in one hundred and fifty years! We’ve been to the moon!” She waved above her head without looking up. “The moon!”

I chuckled. “And next is Mars and then beyond.”

Colin touched his daughter’s hand. “And there a fifty states now.” He grinned as she darted her eyes to him and glared.

“I’m sure we’ll cover that tomorrow.” Then she watched as a woman brought dinner to the table. Apparently, they had a staff that worked more than just keeping vampires alive. The vampires and friends ate now and vampires like Colin needed food. Gabriella smiled at last. “So, what have you two been up to today?”

“We shopped.” I groused.

“I proposed to Devon,” Colin said as he dished out some beans for his plate.

Gabriella dropped her fork. “You did?” She asked amazed and looked at me. “Can you do that legally now?”

I nodded. “We can. How do you feel about that?” I asked carefully. She was fine with the fact that Colin was gay, but how would she feel about him marrying me? “I said yes.”

Now she let out a squeal, but it was one of delight! She jumped up coming over and hugging her father. She let him go and came to me and hugged me. “I am so happy for you both!” But then she held me back a little. “But you’re not a cousin.” Then laughed as she hugged me again. She looked at her father. “I never dreamed this was possible, to regain that part of ourselves. Do you think one day, I’ll find someone?”

Colin nodded. “I don’t think you’ll be able to help it. You’re a special woman.” But he frowned. “But no one of us has ever been able to have children. Remember?”

She nodded. “But to find love? Someone to love and that loves you is what you always said you wanted.” She smiled at her father. “I could see almost instantly when I saw you two, that’s what you had. I’d like that, too. I had that with John, although a century ago, but he was killed during that awful war.”

Colin smiled. “Your marriage was too short, I know. There could be someone out there for you, in fact I know there is.” He smiled at me. “Devon said he wants to marry in the new house. We’ll have to get things going if we’re going to do that.”

The new serum for Gabriella wasn’t finished yet, but Colin’s had worked so far and he gave her the serum that night. This time, she only had pain the five minutes but went to sleep afterward. Colin came back to the bedroom as he pulled his shirt off as I got his ready.

“She’s still having a reaction.” He frowned. “Keeping her going taxes her so. The serum for her should do what it does for me.” He slipped his pants off and stretched out on the bed.

“It doesn’t tax you?” I asked as I prepped him.

“Not for a while.” Colin shook his head as I inserted the needle. It still hurt so much, but I was used to seeing it, but it still bothered me. After the pain, he grinned and pulled me down to him. “Now, for some time with each other.”

I chuckled as my arms came around him. “I love you, Colin.”

He smiled kissing me doing his way over my chin and neck. “I love you, Devon. My soon to be husband.”

We were given a batch of serum made for Gabriella as well as more for Colin. We spent only a few days in Manhattan and flew home. Gabriella was reading some books Ursula had given her and Colin was looking over the house plans on his laptop.

“We need to tell Mom,” I said on the plane to Colin and really to myself.

“Sure.” Colin nodded. “We can do it whenever.” He looked up from his laptop. “About the wedding, right?”

I chuckled. “Yes, about the wedding.” I rolled my eyes. “I don’t even know how to begin to explain about that other part of you and Gabriella. I’m not going there until we have to.”

Colin chuckled. “Okay, I was just making sure.”

My eyes widened. “You were worried about our age differences. Mom, well he’s a lot older…about one hundred and eighty years older!” I moaned to myself. “It was hard for me to believe with evidence, I can’t figure a way to tell someone and have them believe it.”

Colin closed his laptop and pulled me into a hug kissing me on the temple. “I know, but I hate deception. I don’t want to lie to her.”

I sighed as my arms came around him and rested on his chest. “I don’t either, but tell me how it can be explained.”

Colin shook his head. “I can’t.” He frowned. “Once it’s told and believed I think she will be fine.” He looked at me. “I’m a nice guy.”

I grinned rubbing his chest as he rested his mouth against the top of my head. “You’re a very nice guy, Colin. It’s that little problem at the beginning that hurts.”

He ran a hand over me. “I could take her with us to meet George and have him explain medically.”

I nodded. “Let’s do that when we’re backed into a wall.” I grinned. “Who knows, a year or so from now, you could be head over heels in love with someone else!”

Colin let out a gasp in shock. He sat back looking at me as if I’d lost my mind. “How could…”

I chuckled and kissed him deeply stopping him. “I’m kidding. I know you love me, Colin…beyond the shadow of any doubt. A lot can happen in a year or so. I hope you know how much I love you.”

He grinned. “I do love you. There is no way I could fall in love when I waited for you two centuries. Believe that.”

Then we heard a frustrated grunt as Gabriella threw the book across the plane.

Colin and I looked to see what was wrong.

“Gabby?” Colin asked carefully as his daughter put her head in her hands again.

“There’s just so much I don’t know!” She growled. “I was really isolated out there. I knew a little about electricity, but not a lot. I saw the light in the windows of houses but never questioned them. I saw cars. Now, there is just so much! Automatic sliding doors scare me. Planes scare me, cars, flashlights…there is just so much now!”

Colin got up and went to sit beside her. “But you’re getting it. You’re on a plane right now! Are you scared?”

She nodded. “Terrified. I know people do this all the time now, but I’m scared. The world is terrifying.”

I sat on her other side. “Gabriella, there are people today that are terrified of flying and they’ve known about planes all their lives!” I smiled to her.

“Really?” Gabriella asked.

“Sliding glass doors are just new. Before long you’ll be walking through them without a thought.” Colin nodded. “And where did you see a flashlight?”

“George did an exam on me and used a little one on my eye.” She shook her head wiping a tear that was now coming down. “It was brighter than a flame, but I just knew it would burn my eye.”

Colin nodded hugging her to him. “I wanted to do it slowly, but George needed to see you. It will take more than a few weeks, Gabby. I will be with you or Devon. I wouldn’t leave you to deal with this yourself.”

I nudged her with my shoulder. “I can practice being your step-daddy!”

Gabriella looked at me and then burst out laughing. “Yes, you will be.” Then she grew serious a second. “But I’m not calling you Daddy.”

I nodded. “That would be confusing to people. Just call me something not profane and we’re fine.”