29 - ‘Come gentle night…’

“It is good,” Owen replied to his Sire somewhat defiantly. “As for proper, all we’ve done is kiss and maybe touch a bit, and no one was around to see that.”

“Perhaps from your view point but,” Rikard’s glance fell in full force on Kemp, “neither of you was aware enough to sense that I was here. What if I had been another vampyre with evil intentions?”

Kemp smiled slightly as he returned Rikard’s look. “I knew you were in the vicinity, I just didn’t care.” Slinging his arm around Owen’s shoulders he added, “I was more interested in letting Owen know how I feel about him.”

“You knew for certain it was me?”

“I know you signature, sir.”

Rikard nodded. “I see. And what if it had been someone else, human or vampyre?”

“We wouldn’t be standing here discussing things with them. We’d have been long gone before they found us.”

“If it had been a human that would have been no problem, of course; however I doubt that you’d be so lucky fleeing from a vampyre. And, Kemp, you may be trained but I don’t believe that you are ready or able to take on someone like me.”

“I…” Kemp hesitated. “I suppose you’re right.”

“I know I am! And I won’t allow my Child to be endangered because the two of you have some silly notion that you have something going on between you.”

“Father,” Owen said with a glare in his direction. “There is nothing silly about it. We’re not children, we know our feelings.”

“How could you know what you’re feeling? You’ve barely admitted to being gay. Not,” Rikard held up a hand before Owen could say anything, “that I disapprove. I’ve lived long enough to know that things like that make no difference in the long run. However I strongly suspect it is lust and the idea of exploring that, as well as the idea of being with someone forbidden, that is driving you. Once the two of you are separated you’ll see that he is of small importance in the grand scheme of things.”

“Just who is going to separate us,” Kemp asked as he pulled Owen protectively against his body. 

“I am, with the help of your brother.”

“He’ll never agree to that.”