Seraph

Louisiana 1999

"And this is her coven mate, Emmett Cullen. They're like brother and sister." Serafina gestured to Emmett's prominent figure.

"They're both my sisters, so it's a no-go from me on anything sexual with them. I know I can talk a mean game sometimes, but I'm not serious. It will be a hard pass for me if they're involved," Emmett said while smoothing his clothes out as he extended his hand to shake with Yvonne. She only eyed it and looked up into his eyes as if he were stupid. But then she looked confused as she looked at him and then turned to Ms. Hart and Rosalie.

Yvonne was about to ask a question but stopped herself, "You know what? You just gave me a lot of information, and I have many questions. But this isn't the place to do that. Let's go to my house. Follow me."

The group made it to a bustling part of the city. Mansions lined the streets. But they surprisingly took a side alley between two estates and made it to a sizeable, converted carriage house just behind a gorgeous mansion. The carriage house was stunning, but Serafina was still surprised that she didn't live in the mansion.

"I helped out the family that lives in that mansion. As thanks, they converted the carriage house and allowed me to stay here indefinitely as their family continued to pass the main house down to their kids. They leave me alone. I protect those in the main house. It beats changing homes every few years like I'd been doing before," Yvonne explained.

Serafina realized that she did have it good when she was turned. She had money that her father left her. A home. Her ability gave her more control than others, so she was never under the mercy of her bloodlust. She could focus on business, make money, and do as she pleased comfortably. That must have been how the Volturi managed to stay ahead of the game and build wealth and power. With how businesslike their coven was, they never had to struggle for the basic amenities in life. It was no wonder why most vampires were nomads in contrast. How else could they survive under the radar when the world ran on money? Well, it could be done. But not comfortably. And it would always be tricky when you had to do business at night while hiding red eyes. She stopped thinking about it and followed the others to the home.

Although the converted carriage house was hardly even half the size of the main house, it was still larger than many homes. It was a mini-mansion. Very beautiful. The four entered and went to her living room with a well-stocked bar—one bottle outshining the others in Serafina's eyes.

"Sanguis Virginis? How did you get your hands on that?" Serafina asked with sparkling eyes. She couldn't help smacking her lips at the sight—the memory of its flavor resurfacing.

"Won that in a bet. The Volturi were initially trying to recruit me. When I declined, they decided to cut their losses and leave, but I talked them into a game of cards. Only the big guy took the bet, and I easily beat him for it," she grinned, "Haven't cracked it open yet. Want a taste?" she asked with a hint of flirtation.

Rosalie began growling lowly in warning, "Mate," she reminded.

"Right, that's strange, isn't it?" Yvonne mused, "I've never seen a same-sex mated pair. How does that work?"

"Probably how you and Serafina were going to hook up the one time. But instead of the one time, it's all the time for them since they belong together," Emmett guessed out loud.