The Rose Mafia

6

Ivan watches Nikolai closely, "Your mate doesn't have a problem with sharing with your pet?" He asks conversationally.

"Actually no she doesn't. Amazing really, she was a virgin and wanted to watch me with my pet before I marked her." Nikolai smiles and it seems to cause Ivan some discomfort so Nikolai continues smiling. "She liked it so much that she requested it again tonight."

Ivan doesn't get side railed easily, but what Nikolai just told him does it. "You seem to have chosen your mate well, son. I congratulate you." For the first time Nikolai detects emotion from Ivan, he's truly pleased.

"Our wedding will be next Saturday. I hope you aren't busy?" Nikolai drops that bomb on his father.

"Even if I was," Ivan waves it away as if it is of no moment. "I would change my plans. It's not everyday my son, my only son gets married. As a matter of fact it's the first time since you refused to marry your human just after you turned a thousand years ago."

Nikolai turns sad at the mention of this long lost love. "I would have killed her. I didn't have the control. Even last night after having marked Samantha and drinking from her I almost lost control with Natalia."

Ivan frowns, "Really? I've never known you to have such strong emotions for a human since you first turned."

Nikolai shakes his head, "I haven't felt this way for any human." Nikolai looks at his father hard. Then he asks a question that's been bugging him for a thousand years.

"Why'd you turn me? Did you truly hate me that much?"

Ivan sighs deeply and shakes his head. "No, quite the opposite in fact. A man couldn't be prouder of a son than I was of you. Am of you to this day. I turned you because I couldn't lose you like I lost your mother and sister. Losing them just about killed me." Ivan sniffs loudly.

"I guess you could say that in a way it did kill me. I started drinking, I'm sure that you remember that." Nikolai nods his head not breaking into his father's revery. "That's how my master found me. I was walking home after drinking. He turned me, but he wasn't a very strong master or a very good one.

"I watched over you whenever my master permitted me to do so." Ivan's look changes from fond memory to anger in a flash. "It was when he ordered me to kill you that I broke from his control and killed him. But the order was still too strong, I couldn't ignore it completely. I did what I could, yes I killed you, but I also turned you."

Nikolai sits there absorbing the story his father just told him. "I gave you your freedom as soon as you were able to control yourself. I didn't choose this life for me and I wouldn't have chosen it for you if I'd had a choice."

Nikolai contemplates his father's words. "Thank you for telling me, I'd always wondered why the hell you'd done this to me."

After Nikolai speaks there is silence in the room and neither vampire moves. As time passes Nikolai gets irritated. "I came for my punishment father. I would like to have lunch with my mate and my pet if possible."

Ivan raises an eyebrow, his only sign of shock, "You're taking them both out?"

"Yes, they are wedding shopping currently then hopefully meeting me for lunch. Samantha, my pet will be known as my girlfriend or mistress and Natalia as my fiancee. I would like to get her ring today as well."

"Yes, to show the humans to whom she belongs?" There is no doubt that Ivan is amused by this.
"Yes," Nikolai replies shortly.

Ivan chuckles, "You never did share well. There will be no punishment." Ivan makes a shooing gesture. "Protecting you mate is your right. The other girl, your pet, she means a lot to your mate, I take it?"

"When Natalia had no where else to go Samantha took her in."

Ivan puts his finger up to his mouth deep in thought. "Your mate, she looks familiar. Will I need to control the vamps at the wedding?"

Nikolai snorts in derision, "She looks familiar because she is the daughter of the late over cooked mayor. Her brother hired our assassin to..."

"Yes, I remember that. So is that where you chose her?" Ivan asks wanting more information on his soon to be daughter.

"No, but I was fascinated by her at that time. It wasn't until later that they beat her that I chose her." Just the reminder of that day makes Nikolai angry all over again.

"Ah, so that's why my pets died in the fire. I must say I lost a delightful bed toy when you killed her." Ivan says, "But since the new mayor is female and even better I don't mind a bit that you killed her and her husband. I guess that means I have you to thank for bringing her to my notice." Ivan says chuckling.

"Anytime, father," Nikolai says sarcastically. "Is there any business you want me to deal with before I go?"

Ivan purses his lips, "Why don't you deal with Dmitri and Makarov's punishment before you go? I'll let you have the next few days off to get the wedding dealt with. You'll be wanting Sebastian too won't you?"

"If you don't mind, father. He's going to be my best man."

"No, I don't mind. I would as a favor,  like the privilege of walking the bride down the aisle. Seeing as she doesn't have any family to do so."

"I'm sure that she'll be honored, father." Nikolai replies and hopes that he won't have to force Natalia to accept this request.

Ivan smiles and relaxes in his chair. "Very well, go punish those two then be on your way. I'll give you two weeks off for the wedding and a short honeymoon."

Nikolai hadn't expected his father to be so generous. "Thank you father, that's more than I had hoped for." Nikolai says and stands up.

"I would like lunch with your mate and pet sometime, preferably before the wedding."

"Yes, father, just let me know which day will be the most convenient for you." Nikolai says as he leaves the room.