Missing Vampire: Reward Available (Hypernaturals 6)

Cadence

Two weeks passed following that general template. Intense training. Learning how to make wine. Riding horses and swimming. Eating with family.

The planning committees organized and planned. Helen was in the hot middle of that because for one thing the fake Conclave is at her park. They made plans and then plans for their plans. I played with Diana and honeymooned whenever I could. Occasional meetings occurred to communicate progress on logistics.

Vera and Angel never missed any training events, and while they were never apart more than about five feet, they were never together closer than two centimeters, not counting snuggling in bed at night. At night, they spooned. We damn near could have given them a single air mattress for all the space they are using on the bed.

They were always paired in the shower. They were very careful to make sure the other is very clean. It never crossed the line to being sexual.

Once, as Angel was getting her chest cleaned, SHe noted "My breasts are so much smaller than yours."

Vera shrugged. "So? Your back never hurts, you don't need a bra other than to keep your nipples from being rubbed raw if you have on a bad shirt. You don't get rashes under them on hot days. You don't have guys thinking 'hey, maybe if we bounced them up and down like basketballs.' I mean, that can be good or bad, depending, but still.... you breastfed with these, right?"

"Yes. Never a problem." Angel agreed.

"See? Perfect tits then. Also, they take a lot less time to clean than mine." Vera said.

"I am not sure that is a good thing." Angel said. "I like being washed."

"Then I will just wash you longer. Easy peasy. Problem solved." Vera said.

That is as close as they came to innuendo.

Morgan and I gave each other 'Hell if I know' expressions. She did subvocalize after that exchange "Not Basketballs" and cupped her breasts.

I sub-vocalized back "I have never..." And stopped there to underline it.

"I know. I just wanted to have effective communication on the point." Morgan replied back.

Jessica looked amused at that exchange but did not comment. Vera and Angel couldn't hear it.

If Vera and Angel actually did something of a sexual nature, I never scented anything and I would. Same with Morgan. They seemed to be having fun and enjoying each other. I liked that, and I realized I am projecting: If I were doing those things, it might be sexual at some point.

At one point, after a nice horseback ride, Morgan and I climbed up on top of the stable to look around the estate. Even from up there, everything we could see is part of Claremont.

As we sat and enjoyed the view, Morgan said: "Hard to believe this can all be owned by one person. Amazing."

"I suppose five hundred years ago, large estates owned by the landed gentry was not all that unusual. Seems weird with modern eyes, but even today there are rich people that own stuff like this all over the place."

"Besides you, you mean?" Morgan asked.

"I don't own this. Not really." I said.

"Helen gave it to you." Morgan said, a note of protest.

"Forty years from now, I'll give it back. Or to you. It doesn't stay 'mine'. Ownership is a myth anyway. I own my Austin house, right up until I don't pay taxes on it, and then it's someone else's. We own stuff till we die, but then it's someone else's. I am Adrian Claremont for now, but he is a placeholder. A steward. I need to make sure this place thrives and is worth passing on. Helen would have it no other way: That's why she hired Fiona. If anyone really owns this place, it's her."