Surprise gift

"So, how was it?"

"Horrible, as always. She treats me like a toy," untying his tie, a pale man with striking blue eyes threw himself on the couch.

His father didn't look up, but he had a slight, satisfied smile as he squinted at some papers.

"You've already been through the hard times. I heard she mentioned your name, telling her attendants... That's quite an achievement."

His thick, white eyebrows would normally give him a sense of power and integrity, but today Caio only felt anger, seeing him giving so much importance to his moments of terror.

"Don't look at me like that. You caught the predator's eye. Honestly, I was ready to bury my son, now I just need to bury your past. Make you a man."

The young man laughed. His smile for the first time was one of delight.

'He still tries to have control of everything, doesn't he?'

"To become a vampire...", his eyes flashed, taking the bait.

"Did you say something?", the papers on the table had lost their importance. Immortality was worth more than any of those things.

"That's what she always implies...", Caio decided to take care of his hopes a little. He was still his father, after all. Offering a new life would be his gift. "If I do well and show talent in something else, it's only a matter of time."

As he imagined, it worked like a divine ambrosia. The taciturn old man laughed as he used to in his youth, when his wife was alive.

"Very good. Keep it up and try to take care of that mood, always show up for her at your best. Without crude thoughts."

Caio nodded. He knew better how perceptive the lady was.

"So, why did you call me?"

The dry sound of the pen against the paper continued until he finished and picked up his cell phone.

"A gift...", Caio's own voice rang. Following his gaze, he picked it up.

"You're already old enough to find a wife, but in the absence of one, perhaps a lover." It was a text from the association. A high-level paper for those who entered the supernatural world through the front door. Not as clan dogs for generations, but by creating a bond with someone powerful.

"We don't know who owns her. But it doesn't hurt to test the waters... Maybe it will make her jealous."

Caio looked closely at that name. He knew it well. Images of kisses and hugs came back to his mind. His heart felt out of place.

"What if she's with someone... important?" The words simply flowed.

He really wanted it not to be true, but lately his mind had been getting used to politics.

"She's had a career boost in the last few years, you know, she's been earning more than our branch. If she had someone, she wouldn't be at the head of the company. They don't like faces that stand out."

'And you know a lot about them, don't you?' Caius chuckled inwardly.

Maybe old age was catching up with him, but his father was becoming a child, proud to be part of this secret along with the other four percent of the world.

"Call her. Offer her a proposal and be kind. If she swore loyalty to some clan, she knows she'll need support. She must be feeling shaken..."

"Like trash..."

"Exactly. On top of that, she has no family to fall back on. Go and bring her as a concubine."

"Hahaha! That's an old man's thing, Dad."

"And I'm young, by any chance?"

"No, really old. That hasn't happened since medieval times, has it?"

He shook his head. Caio admired those few moments. Even when talking, his hand never let go of the pen.

"There's just one problem. I owe her."

"How much?" Caio lay back down. The memories came back, his expression worsened.

"A lot. It was only a few hundred thousand, but she needed the money. She was sick, without her parents..."

They both fell silent. Their minds processed those words.

"She doesn't need money anymore... So, everything will depend on you. Offer a hand, then bring her closer," the phone rang next.

As always, on the second ring he answered, and Caio left the room. Only he knew the depth of that feeling.

...

..

"What are you doing?" Ema asked, holding a cup of hot chocolate.

"Yoga..." Coming out of a particularly difficult pose, she sighed. "Want to try it?"

"No. It felt like a crab to me."

Diana smiled.

"I wish I were one. Then my legs wouldn't hurt."

Ema took another sip. The silence persisted until she blurted out.

"That makes sense... Crabs don't have sex."

One of the pillows flew at her head right after, but her instincts were good.

"Hey! Let me drink first."

"Drink and shut up, where are you getting these ideas from."

"The moans in your room?"

Diana wanted to fire a second shot, but for some reason she stood up. If there was a center in her body, it was glowing, giving her courage.

"I don't make noise."

"But you definitely have sex."

"If you don't do it, it's your problem."

With a little brown mustache on her lips, Ema looked like a cat that fell into a milk jug.

Before the argument could escalate, a sleepy Carla in civilian clothes went to the bathroom, mumbling a good morning.

When she came back, she found the two of them sitting in corners. Ema couldn't let it go.

"You don't drink, but you're always the most tired, aren't you?"

"I don't understand."

"You'll understand after I show you the video of someone trying to catch a pigeon."

"Pftt!...", Diana was taking a few sips of water. Carla threw a towel.

"I-I don't remember that."

The two of them laughed even harder.

"You making chicken noises at the pigeon... Hahaha!", Diana couldn't take it anymore. Even the memory was making her head hurt.

"Are you going to make coffee, or?..."

"Oh, my angel already made it! Inside the electric oven."

"Wow! That sounds good."

"Isn't it? He was in a good mood...", Diana said the last part as she received a look from Ema.

The horny cat didn't seem ready to let that go.

"Tell me, is he good in bed?"

A bad time to say that.

A beautiful maiden, with messy hair and pajamas, had entered the room.