Free Impaling my Heart: Vlads story (Annalese and the Immortals Book 2) by Annie Buff Page B

daughter.
     
    VLAD
    Time was flying by.  September was upon them, the trees had begun to change, leaves turning beautiful shades of reds, oranges and yellows.  Days were growing shorter and just a slight chill was in the evening air.
    The closer they got to October, the more nervous Vlad was getting.  The day's events hadn't helped either.  Marcus had come to him saying he'd had a call from Sophia.  He had declined to answer.  He had no intentions of speaking with her.  She was pushing boundaries.
    "Hey T." Lachlan had strolled into the library.  "I think we are gonna have a big problem."
    Fucking wonderful, Vlad thought.  "OK can it get any worse than Sophia calling Marcus?"
    The nod told him it could.  "Well Lach, spit it out."
    "T she called me too, asking how I could allow ye and me angel and so forth.  I expressly told her, my loyalties are here with ye and she needed to stop, disappear and start over.  Guess it didna do any good."
    Vlad sighed deeply.  "So why do you think that Lach.  Did she say something I need to be concerned about?"
    It took Lachlan a minute to decide exactly how to answer his sire.  "Nay, not in words.  But not long after I hung up, Cyrus called.  She's on his arse too about getting those transcripts.  T, this is nay gonna end well is it?  She's gonna keep at it oontil she hurts Annalese or gets to yer daughter.  I canna allow her to keep this up.  I know ye promised Annalese, but fuck.  I canna handle it, I'll take the fallout.  So ye don't break yer promise."
    Vlad shook his head.  He couldn't believe she was still pursuing this. "No Lach.  We will handle this.  You, Nico, Mehmet and myself.  I'll talk to Annalese.  I gave Sophia her warning.  This must end.  The one thing we must not do is leave Annalese alone.  I have a bad feeling all this is to get us out of the house.  Leave her unprotected.  And that will not happen.  One of us stays with her at all times.  I do not trust Sophia.  And I will not take any chances for the safety of Annalese or my daughter.”
    Lach nodded and poured his scotch.  Filled the highball to the top.  "I'll make the calls, go talk to Lese.  Then we all can handle our business."
    Vlad went in search of his love.  He found her in the garden on "their" bench.  She gave him a smile to die for, but he had a feeling it was temporary.  This talk would be less than pleasant.  When she started speaking Vlad almost fell off the bench.  "It's Sophia isn't it?  I can see it on your face baby.  You've got the Impaler look.  What happened?"
    So he proceeded to tell her the events of the last few days.  And his feelings on all of it. "I cannot risk you my love.  How angry are you with me?  Trust me, I do not want this, but I will not chance anything happening to you.  Annalese, I could not continue in this world without you.  I know I've said it before, but you are my entire reason for existing.  Without you, I would ask Mehmet to take my head."
    Annalese moved to climb in Vlad's lap.  She just held on for a number of minutes in silence. 
    "I'm not angry baby.  I overheard Lach today when he was on with Sophia.  And I know I love you that much too.  I'd have to go on without you, to tell our daughter what a great man her father was.  And a world without you would be a horrible thing.  I need you so much Vlad.  So no, I could never be angry with you for protecting me and our home.  I am a bit afraid though.  She knows every inch of this house except for the new rooms. How am I going to stay safe with Michael here when she got in before?"
    He made his eyebrow rise.  "Do you honestly think I have no plan my dear? You underestimate me. I have worked all that out already.  Do not fear I will take care of everything.  You, my love, have the best security anyone could ask for.  Three very lethal vampires and one very pissed off Werewolf.  Tonight we will prepare and at dawn we will travel to Turkey."
    She spoke no words,