Chapter 11 - Tea for two

Sorry for being so short today, but I'm tired as hell. Well - at least the ride with the motorbike was pure fun :-)

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The next hours had been busy. The injured wolves needed to go to the infirmary or in the safety of their houses, after they got treated.

Germaine had to stay in the infirmary, seeing that his injuries were deep. Ginny wasn’t leaving his bed for a second only when he tried to get up she simply went to their bedroom and came back with some pink fluffy handcuffs, tying them to Germains wrist despite his fierce protests.

A blushing Beta was lying very quiet in his bed then, trying to remain invisible. But at least he now stopped his attempts to help Nathan, whose arm was in a cast now, to “fix the pack”.

Finally everything calmed down and Nathan felt tired like never before. He knew he had to do something in the case of the industry and all other “deals” Alpha ran, but for now he decided it would be a good time to look after the still covered up Vampire in the middle of the former battlefield.

“Mr. Portier?” Nathan asked politely. A somewhat reluctant voice from under the mantle answered him. “Oui, Monsieur?” Nathan sighed. “Please, can you come out of your...erm… hiding place?” Mr. Portier peeked from underneath the thick cloth. “Is everybody covered up? Oui?” Nathan grinned. “Yes, I promised you are not risking to get blind.”

Mr. Portier folded his mantle over his arm, squared his shoulders in great dignity and said, smiling fondly: “Oh, I don’t mind the women, they are so beautiful. But the ma…” a fierce growl of all the (mated) remained werewolves interrupted him suddenly. Nathan stopped the growling mates with a single move of his hand, massaged his temples with his fingers, eyes closed and answered tiredly: “Listen, Mr. Portier. Mated wolves are possessive. They don’t approve if somebody is referring to their mates as beautiful.”

Mr. Portier looked a bit los. “Quoi?” he asked. And Nathan tried again: “Women. Forbidden.” Mr. Portier looked a bit sad but nodded. “A pity.” he murmured quietly.

Nathan invited the strange Vampire into the former Alpha’s house. A howling gave proof of the fact that Alpha was alive, injured and aware of the death of his mate. But nobody really cared about it. Timmy sat in the kitchen, a cup of a strange smelling tea in front of him, scrunching his nose. Obviously he didn’t like that smell very much. Other pack members entered the kitchen as well, getting some beverages and very obviously curious as hell about the Vampire.

Nathan stepped beside him and greeted him with a peck on his cheeks. Timmy smiled tiredly at him. “What are you drinking?” Nathan asked his mate but Timmy just shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know. Some tea.”

Nathan sat down and looked at the Vampire. He spoke slowly, so that Mr. Portier was able to understand him. “Mr. Portier, first of all I want to thank you for your help. But, please, how did you find out who were the rogues and who were pack wolves.” The Vampire listened carefully and scratched his head. “Well, I am a Vampire, you know?”

Nathan nodded. “I guess we established that already, seeing your fangs.” Mr. Portier nodded again, looking a bit sad. “But I am not evil. I don’t want to be evil. But Vampires are evil. And so I decided to be a Hero. Like Edward.” he told Nathan eagerly. “And if I am a good hero and a good Vampire, I get a beautiful mate just like Edward with his Bella.” he beamed at Nathan. “And today, when I was hunting I heard the noise of a fight. And so I decided to step in.”

He looked around in curiosity.  “Am I a hero now? And do I get a mate?” he asked with clear hope in his eyes. Nathan shook his head. “You are clearly our hero, despite the fact that I still don’t know how you decided between the good, the bad and the ugly wolves?” he pressed slightly.

Mr. Portier scratched his head a bit sheepishly. “I didn’t. I just gone with the flow.” he confessed. Nathan closed his eyes and thanked all known gods and all unknown gods that this Vampire didn’t kill any of his pack by chance. He added a few minor gods and spirits to play it safe.

A shy voice from one of the unmated pack members peeked up. “Why do you look for a mate? I always thought that Vampires are supposed to meet their mates in the moment they start their life as a Vampire?” Mr. Portier swallowed and looked really really sad. “That is right, and when I opened my eyes after the change, more than 2000 years ago, I met the most beautiful woman you can imagine. But she was human. And I was a new - and thirsty - Vampire.  And so I squeezed my thirst. And lost my mate.” he looked dejected at the floor.

“I was a wild Vampire, I didn’t know what a mate was until I lost her. And I’m looking for her ever since.” Timmy looked at him with wide eyes. “You are looking for your mate for more than 2000 years?” He asked in pity. Mr. Portier nodded. “And I’m still a virgin. I wanted to keep it to myself until I found her.” Timmy shook his head. And Nathan looked at him in disbelief. A 2000 year old virgin? No wonder he adored Edward and Bella and freaked out when he saw the naked werewolves.

The vampire cleared his throat a few times and Timmy shoved his cup of tea to him. “Try it, maybe it is soothing your throat a bit.” Mr. Portier smiled and thanked Timmy. He took the teacup and tried a sip. He scrunched his nose a bit of the taste, and put the cup down but then he suddenly sniffed. “Huh?”

Mr. Portier looked at his cup questioningly and sniffed again. “Oh...so sweet” he said dreamily. From outside they all hear a female voice saying: “Where is he?” light steps running up the stairs to the front porch, a door smashed open and Nathans sister stood in the kitchen. “Where is he? Where is my mate?” she asked frantically.

Mr. Portier looked at her in awe, his eyes big and a small teardrop gathered in his eye. He opened his arms, Gina beamed at him and, with her arms wrapped tightly around the neck of the vampire both were lost for the world.

Nathan looked at Timmy in horror. “What was that for a tea?” he asked flabbergasted. Nathan, similar puzzled took the package from the countertop and read the printings on it. He looked at Nathan in complete astonishment. “Erm…. it’s Mate-Tea.”

And with that all hell broke lose when all unmated wolves tried to reach the cup of Mate-Tea at first.