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Trinity
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My nerves were frayed most of the day. Between fine tuning all the details of the dinner for tonight, stressing over said dinner, feeling nauseous out of both nerves and baby housing, and trying to make sure that everyone that was supposed to be there was indeed there.
Finally, it was a quarter to six and the vampire would be here at any moment. Reece and I were waiting, impatiently, in the front hall, waiting to welcome our visitor. We were notified that the gate had let his car through so we were just waiting for him, and his driver, to make their way up to the house. Reece had his arm around me comfortingly as we stood and waited. At long last, we heard the sound of the car coming up the driveway.
Reece opened the door and the two of us stepped outside with Noah, Vincent and David. Shane, Shawn, and Rawlynne were waiting for us inside. A sleek black Mercedes-Maybach GLS600 drove up to the front of the house. Now I only know the make and model because Reece was trying to talk me into getting one so I could be driven around town like some kind of royal. It wasn't going to happen.
The driver parked the car and gracefully got out. I watched as she walked elegantly around the vehicle to the back passenger door. I could tell instantly that the woman was human, but she smelled a little off. She had a strong scent of musk that didn't seem to be a perfume.
The driver made it to the back door. Seeing the elegant and expensive car complete with a driver sitting in front of Reece's castle-like house was like another blow to my psyche, the amount of wealth I was seeing now still blew my mind.
The driver elegantly and gracefully opened the car door for the vampire. Once it was opened all the way, Dietrich stepped out of the SUV. I had only ever seen the one vampire before and he looked nothing like Dietrich. Dietrich was pale with dark hair and bright, light blue eyes. His face was handsome and angular, not a single wrinkle to be seen. He also seemed to be just a hair over six feet tall, shorter than Reecce but still quite tall, especially compared to me.
From my estimates, Dietrich had stopped aging when he was close to Reece's age, maybe a year or two older. He looked young and very attractive. Even having a mate of my own I was affected by his looks. I didn't know if that was a vampire trait or not, but if it was it sure was a powerful one.
"Welcome Dietrich." Reece called out in a friendly voice. I knew he trusted this vampire more than the last one, but I still had my misgivings.
"Reece, so good to finally meet you. I have not been back to the States in close to thirty years. Your father had not yet sired you then. I am grateful for the chance to come and see you all personally, though I do regret the cause for it." He smiled brightly and with a sincere warmth, perhaps Reece was right about the vampire.
"Welcome to our home." I spoke quietly and slightly reserved with my nervousness, but Dietrich paid it no mind at all.
"Ahh, the new Luna. I am so sorry I did not know that your Alpha had taken a mate. Had I known we could have avoided a lot of this trouble." His smile faltered a little as he spoke, perhaps remembering what Reece had told him. "But may I say that you are a very lovely woman. Reece is a very lucky man."
"I am indeed." Reece agreed, him and Dietrich smiled at each other. "Allow me to introduce my mate, and fiance, Trinity Whitton. Trinity, this is Lord Dietrich Conrad, Vampire Emperor and a close friend of my family."
"It's a pleasure to meet you." I smiled and nodded my head at him.
"The pleasure is all mine, my dear. Allow me to congratulate you on your upcoming nuptials."
"Please, Lord Dietrich, I would be delighted if you stayed for the wedding."
"There is no need to be so formal, Trinity, just call me Dietrich, and I most definitely would love to share in your most special of days." He was smiling so broadly that I was feeling elated just looking at him.
"Also," Dietrich continued talking, "allow me to congratulate the two of you on the upcoming addition to your family."
"Addition?" I heard Vincent say questioningly.
"I am sorry, did I say something I shouldn't have?" Dietrich seemed saddened for a moment.
"No, it's no problem Dietrich, we just haven't gotten around to telling all of the guards, with how busy things have been. David, Vincent, Trinity is expecting." Reece smoothed the slip up over. I saw the happiness and excitement alight in their eyes.
"Congratulations Luna." Vincent told me immediately. David was smiling at me fondly.
"Shall we head inside then?" I asked, feeling a little more relaxed with Dietrich's current attitude. I just hoped it kept going this well.
Dietrich and his driver, having joined us up on the grand front porch, walked with us as we went back into the house. The others were waiting for us just on the other side. I immediately heard the gasp that came from Shawn's direction as soon as we were inside.
"What's wrong Shawn?" I heard Shane whisper quietly to his brother but Shawn just shook his head looking in the direction of Dietrich and his driver. He seemed to be paying the driver very close attention, trying to figure something out.
"Come on Dietrich, we've got dinner waiting for all of us." Reece turned to inform our guest, I turned as well to watch the exchange, however, Dietrich wasn't there anymore.
I turned my head again and saw Dietrich standing next to Shawn, who was still looking in the direction of the female driver that Dietrich had with him, a perplexed look on his face. The woman was slightly older, with dark brown hair fading into gray and unremarkable brown eyes. She wasn't ugly, but she was not exactly pretty, just average I would say.
"So we finally meet." Dietrich almost seemed to coo from beside Shawn. I watched as Shawn seemed to jump as he spun in confusion.
"E-excuse me?" Shawn sounded scared and nervous.
"I have been looking forward to meeting you since I saw you last week."
"W-why would you be looking forward to meeting m-me?" Shawn's shaky voice asked him.
"Because, in all my years, I have never met someone so intune with my wavelength as you are, Shawn. Do you know what that means?" Shawn shook his head in denial. "But, you must have noticed it by now, right?" Dietrich seemed to be having a very good time as we all stood and watched him and Shawn talking in our spacious entryway.
The foyer, with its bright lights and dark, panelled walls and dark wooden floor, was like a setting for a scene from a drama unfolding before us. The happy vampire and nervous wolf staring each other down. Beads of sweat were forming on Shawn's forehead. His posture was rigid and defensive. Dietrich, the complete opposite of Shawn, was calm with a steady grin.
"What should I have noticed?" Shawn looked around nervously, his eyes passing over his brother, Reece, me, and finally settling on the woman across the room.
"Trust your senses, Shawn." Dietrich told him. "Close your eyes and follow your truest of all senses."
"No, I shouldn't." Shawn tried to refuse with his eyes back on the vampire.
"Trust me, and just do it." Dietrich insisted, his calmness faltering for just a moment.
"Just listen to him for a moment Shawn." Reece instructed. I saw the look of fear and dread on Shawn's face as he gulped once then followed his orders.
Shawn closed his eyes and tilted his head just a little. I noticed that Shawn and Dietrich were almost the exact same height. Both of them had such unique looks that it was like staring at something straight out of a movie, like two high profile actors filming a scene in my house.
Shawn, with his eyes closed and head tilted back, inhaled deeply. I saw the flare of his nostrils and he picked up whatever it was he was supposed to be sensing. His head tilted to the side on instinct trying to follow the scent trail.
I saw the smile that settled on his face as he took in the smell. I didn't smell anything particularly special at the moment, but we all sensed things differently. Clearly, Shawn could smell something intriguing and pleasant to him.
"What do you smell Shawn?" Reece asked him. Shawn answered with his eyes still closed.
"It smells like musk, cognac, and leather."
"And what is this scent telling you?" Reece questioned him further.
"The scent, and my wolf, are telling me that I've found my mate."
"And where is that mate?" Reece asked. On instinct I looked at the driver for a moment before looking back toward Shawn.
Shawn opened his eyes, staring at Dietrich, a look of pure shock on his face.
"How?" Dietrich smiled at him, a look of pure joy.
"I imagine it's the same way as any other mating. Or am I wrong?"
"But this is impossible." Shawn was shaking his head. "How can this be?"
"In all my five hundred and twenty-eight years I have never found a mate. I have of course had my fair share of lovers over the years, but never have I felt anything like what I felt when I first saw you on that video call. I knew when you were bespelled by my words that you were the one for me."
"But I'm a guy." Shawn protested.
"Shawn, I've lived so long that people ceased to be male or female to me, people are just people. We all love and live do we not. I have no preference one way or the other. Do you truly not feel the same way?"
"I'm not gay!" Shawn nearly shouted.
"But, you've never had a relationship either. You never seemed like you ever cared for any of the girls you tried dating." Shane revealed some of Shawn's history to us all.
"Shut up!" Shawn yelled at his brother. "I was just saving the best of me for my mate. Why go half ass on a relationship that is going to end when I meet my mate?"
"Are you opposed to me as your mate?" Dietrich asked him. "Do you not wish to have who the Goddess chose for you?"
"I, that's not, it's just that, I don't-." Shawn seemed incapable of finishing a coherent thought. He took a deep breath and settled his nerves. "I just don't know."
"I understand that you're confused." Dietrich leaned in close to Shawn and placed a hand on his cheek. "But we can work it out together. After all, fate has drawn us to each other." Shawn froze in place, an uncertain look on his face, but he didn't pull away.
"I think this is wonderful news." I tried to break the tension and provide my support for him. "This is a time to celebrate. Two new matings with the people so close to me." I smiled at Shawn as he and Dietrich looked toward me and Reece.
"Indeed, it is a joyous and wonderful day. You should be happy Shawn." Reece smiled at them as he offered his encouragement.
"But...but...but-." Shawn spluttered.
"Come on, let's get to dinner. You can sit next to me." Dietrich wrapped an arm around Shawn's shoulders and dragged him toward the dining room and the smell of food. I notice Shane grinning at his brother as they walked away.
I stalked over to Shane and growled at him in a low voice.
"Don't you dare give him hell about this. He needs to accept it and understand it without you making it worse."
"Yes Luna." His head snapped up and he looked like he was afraid of me.
