Ban Together Chapter 26

“You choose now, with mutts practically at our door begging for entrance, to ask this of us?” Sulpicia asked in a calm but deceiving tone. While she wanted nothing more for her daughter to become a vampire, to know without doubt her daughter would live on forever by her side, her daughter certainly did not have the best timing when it came to such things. There was a time and place for everything and turning a vampire, especially one so important, was not something one did while in the midst of a war.

“Perhaps she things after becoming a vampire, her new attributes will automatically make her a competent warrior.” Athenodora sneered from her seat behind her desk.

Bella had asked to meet with them in private, with her mates of course, right after breakfast. She figured the sooner she asked her favor, the sooner her parental vampires could argue about it and eventually give in. Both Jane and Kate were so confident they would give in, after Athenodora planned and plotted and Sulpicia realized it was doable and safe, Bella would get a date to be changed. Bella just hoped it would be sooner rather than later.

“I know there’s a newborn year and life will be hard for me and those around me,” Bella started, barely resisting to roll her eyes. She knew if she were to roll her eyes it would only make the two ancient vampires more resistant to agreeing with her. “But wouldn’t it be better to have a newborn vampire on your side to protect incase someone slipped through or would it be safer to protect a human? At least as a vampire I would have a chance to defend myself if something were to happen.” Bella argued.

“And in the mean time we will get to deal with your restlessness and constantly changing attention span and likely persistence to leave the castle while we wait for the Cullen’s and Victoria to make a move.” Athenodora drawled, “Sounds pleasant.”

“I think we can help with the wanting to leave the castle and restlessness.” Kate said with a giant smirk, more than aware that Bella would more than likely keep both her and Jane in bed, or out of bed because she would likely destroy the bed the first time together, for a very long time. Kate was confident between her and Jane, they could keep Bella distracted in all the right ways to keep her safe and put in the castle. It would be a very fun time.

“I have no doubt.” Sulpicia said with a sneer, doing her best to ignore the images that flashed in her mind. She wanted to hear nothing about the ways the succubus would distract her daughter. There were many things she was beyond being capable of being embarrassed about given her age, but that didn’t mean she wanted to hear about it. “But that isn’t really the problem.”

“The problem is Bella will want more than sex, all newborns are just that: newborns. They want to learn about the new world they’ve awoken in. You will not be able to stop her from wanting to explore the new world she has woken into anymore than we would be able to.” Didyme said as she walked into the room uninvited. The meeting was meant to be for the family, but Didyme was more than okay with interrupting. She was basically the human’s aunt anyways, so she counted as family in the long run. “But we all know keeping Bella human is a bigger risk to her safety than having her turned. We’ve dealt with newborns in the castle before, this would be no different.” Didyme said as she moved to stand in the corner of the room to seem out of the way but more than happy to talk up when she felt the need.

“We constantly have newborns in the castle because it is safer for them in here instead of nearly anywhere else.” Jane added, not wanting Kate to be the only one supporting their mate.

“True.” Sulpicia granted, only slightly irked her prized guard spoke against her, “But these are different circumstances altogether.”

“Not really.” Bella argued, she didn’t know about them babysitting other newborns, but surely it wouldn’t be much different. Right? “A newborn is a newborn no matter what. And I’ll have Jane and Kate with me, which I’m sure you normally don’t have a newborns mate to help, right?” Bella asked, making sure to ignore the giant grin on Kate’s face and actual smile on Jane’s face from being called her mate.

“It’s different because you are my daughter.” Sulpicia said, losing her patience on the situation and not liking her daughter was so persistent. “The risks are greater because there are outside forces waiting to see a weakness to attack. Then there are our normal enemies that are just looking for a chance to attack for their chance to take our mantle. There are far more greater risks here than just taking care of a newborn.” Sulpicia felt her sister’s calming aura cover her, helping her to keep her cool. It wouldn’t do for a queen to lose her patience.

“It could, theoretically work to our advantage.” Athenodora said as she thought about all the different ways the future could go if they were to change Bella. Having a newborn strength on their side, tightly controlled by her mates that know how to manipulate newborn emotions, could be very advantageous.

“That’s not what agreed to dear.” Sulpicia said with a frown. They had talked at great length about changing Bella, mostly Sulpicia coming up with ways to get her daughter to let her and her mate bite her instead of the two younger vampires.

Before Athenodora could retort, they heard a vampire running towards them, one of their guards. One of their guards that knew they weren’t to be disturbed.

“Someone’s coming.” Kate whispered for her mate. Kate wouldn’t want to be out of the loop so she imagined her mate would also want to know.

All eyes turned to the door to wait the few seconds it would take the guard to get there. Anticipation was thick in the air as everyone thought the only reason a guard would be coming would be to tell them they were being attacked. Athenodora stood straighter as she moved from her spot to place herself between the door and her daughter. Sulpicia tensed behind her daughter, ready to grab her if need be. Kate and Jane put their hands in front of Bella to act as a shield. Even though it was just a guard coming, they could never be too sure. It was better safe than sorry.

“If I was a vampire this wouldn’t be as big a deal.” Bella barely managed to get out before the door swung open to reveal a vampire with a bowed head.

“The shifters are nearly here, within ten minutes.” The guard said very much aware he interrupted an important meeting and other guards in the past had been killed for such disrespect. But he was sure his news would spare him. “But Victoria has just asked for an audience.”

The roars from all but a noir vampire in the room was enough for Bella’s ears to ache. She felt herself being picked up and cradled as all the vampires moved at top speeds. She briefly sent a mental ‘told you so’ to both queens. This would have been so much better if she had already been changed. Now she had to survive whatever plans Victoria had while she was human.