Mina's Children: The Legacy of Dracula (#OpenNovellaContest)

Chapter 9 - A Little Down Time

Reggie climbed out of the SUV and trudged towards the house her family were using as a base. It had taken another three hours to convince Division 5 to let them leave without threats of violence. Everything was set up for the next night, but the sun was already peeking over the horizon and Reggie was knackered.

"You okay, Love?"

She turned at the quiet voice of her father. They looked like siblings, but Jon always looked out for her like the father he was. It was the first chance they had had to speak.

Reggie nodded.

"Just tired," she promised him, "and wondering how I always end up in these situations."

Her eyes flicked to Magda who looked as ragged as Reggie felt.

"You do have all the fun," her dad said with a small smile.

He was good like that, able to read her and know when she wanted to talk and when she was deflecting. They'd probably have a very long discussion about all this once the current situation was dealt with.

"You just wish you had a life like mine," she replied in kind.

He clapped her on the shoulder and gave her a nod. They both knew what page they were on.

"Now I think our commander in chief is giving us a look," he said as he glanced past her, "so I'll let you get that conversation over. Make sure you get some sleep soon."

"Yes, Dad," she said. "Oh," she added, "tell mum I love her when you talk to her before bed."

Her father smiled and nodded before walking towards the door. Rachel, her mum, had once been a field operative like her brother David, working in the background for them, but she had been retired for a few years now and had to just worry about them at home. Jon always called her every morning without fail. It comforted Reggie that her parents were still so much in love, even though one of them had aged normally and the other would be forever young.

Reggie really wanted to head straight to her room, but, when she glanced over at Mina, she knew that expression on her great-great-grandmother's face as well as her father did. With a nod she acknowledged it and waited to follow Mina inside and into what the family had turned into the operations room.

"You look tired," Mina said as Magda closed the door.

"I am, what with the excitement and then the claiming," Reggie admitted. "If Major Baron isn't very careful I will strangle him with his own intestines."

"Only if I don't get there first," Mina agreed.

That was one thing Reggie always appreciated about most of her family; they had as blood thirsty imaginations as she did.

"Will you be okay for this evening or do we need to make arrangements?" Mina asked, which was her great-great-grandmother's way of asking if her other nature needed to be let out to play before they dealt with Dracula.

"I'll be fine," Reggie said. "It's probably better if I am hungry, considering what I need to do."

"As long as you have reserves," Mina pointed out. "We don't want you being forced into anything and giving yourself away."

"It won't be a problem," Reggie promised.

Her family were always careful, it was why they were all still alive.

"What about Sorin?" Reggie decided to change the subject. "He's going to get in the way."

"Agreed," Mina replied. "But he can also lead us straight to Dracula's coach."