“Are you ready to go see our place?”
“Yes! Oh, I’m so excited.”
I led him into the elevator and, sensing that he might explode if I made him wait any longer to see his new home, opted to tell him about the other floors of the building instead of taking him there. “On the second floor, you’ll find a couple of cute little shops. We have some very talented vampires who make jewelry, candles, and even clothes. On floor three, there are a few restaurants that are run by our coven members. The food is unbelievable; the best I’ve ever eaten.”
“Are we getting something to eat?” Izzy asked when the elevator came to a stop on the third floor.
“We can if you like, but we have to get off of the elevator here; the first three floors are open to the public, but the fourth level and everything above it are all apartments or areas only for our coven members, so we take a different lift.” He followed me a few steps down the hall, where we came to another elevator. I punched in a code on the wall, and the doors opened to let us inside.
“Fifty six floors,” Izzy announced, looking at all of the buttons on the wall. “Which one do we live on?”
“Fifty six,” I answered with a wink, and his jaw dropped again. “Would you like to push the button?”
“Yes, please.” He pressed the number ‘56’, and the elevator slowly rose. “It feels like we’re climbing forever,” he said after several moments. I smiled and squeezed his hand, and the elevator finally came to a stop.
I let loose of him long enough to retrieve the key from my pocket, and then held the apartment door open for him. “Welcome home, Izzy.”
Chapter Five
Israel stepped inside our place, looking in every direction as if to take everything in at once; the living room alone was three times the size of his old apartment. “Oh, Daddy,” he whispered. I placed his belongings against a wall and took my coat from his shoulders to hang up.
Izzy hurried over to the sitting area, which held a large brown leather sofa and recliner, both of which faced a big screen television hanging above a fireplace.
Israel paused suddenly in front of the red shag rug on the floor which held all of the furniture. “Oops, I don’t want to get your pretty rug all dirty,” he said as he toed out of his shoes.
“Don’t worry about that,” I said with a flap of my hand. “But I think you will like to feel it on your bare feet.”
The words were barely past my lips when Izzy yanked off his socks and sank his toes into the fuzzy rug and sighed. “Ooh, that feels nice.” He shuffled all around before adding, “It makes me want to lie down and make a rug angel.”
“What’s stopping you?” I chuckled. Izzy giggled and flopped onto his back, kicking his legs and flapping his arms until he made a first rate rug angel. I beamed as I watched, and offered him my hand when he was finished. “Would you like to see more?”
“Yes!” I pulled him upright with one tug, and he blinked at me. “Wow, you’re strong.” My precious little one was light and easy to lift, but again I was hungry for the compliment.
“Thank you. Come this way and I’ll show you the kitchen.” Israel gushed over the marble floors and stainless steel appliances (he was most excited for the well-stocked fridge). Then he bounced up and down when he got a view of the city through the wall of windows back in the living room, which he missed the first time around because he was distracted by the soft rug.
He loved our bedroom, complete with a king sized bed and matching dressers made of mahogany wood. Up next was the bathroom, decorated in all stark white, and Izzy said he couldn’t wait to try out the large clawfoot tub.
The next room I showed him was probably the least exciting; my office. It held a desk in the center, surrounded by books and filing cabinets. But Israel’s attention was captured by the seat in the corner.
“This chair is so pretty,” he said as he ran his fingers along the ornately carved back and plush leather seat.
I caressed my hand up and down his back and explained, “That chair is very special to me; it was my father’s. Remember how I said that vampires have been around for a very long time?” He nodded. “Our culture has changed greatly over the centuries. In the beginning, our people were ruled by a king; one vampire who was stronger, faster, and more clever than any other.”
“Your dad?” he guessed, and I smiled down at him.
“That’s right. He reigned over our kind with fairness and compassion.”
“Wait a minute; if your dad was the king, then...does that make you a prince?”
“Technically speaking,” I shrugged. “And for that matter, as my mate, so are you.”
I didn’t know Israel’s eyes could open so widely. “I really am Prince Izzy,” he whispered, making me grin.
“Unfortunately, there were some vampires who didn’t accept my father’s rule. They claimed he had no birthright, and therefore had no more claim to the throne than they did. They revolted, and my father was killed.”
“No,” he responded in a shaky voice, covering his mouth with his hand.
I nodded slowly. “He was struck down by the people he loved. If they would have just voiced their concerns to him instead of attacking him, I know he would have helped them. He was an incredible man.”
A tear rolled down Izzy’s cheek as I continued, “After that, the monarchy was dissolved. Our kind spread over the country and formed covens. The Masters of each were elected by their followers based on their merits. If a member did not accept the Master, they could move on to a different coven or form their own. Since those days, we’ve had only contentment amongst our people. It gives me peace to know that’s what my father wanted more than anything, and that his death wasn’t in vain.”
Izzy wrapped his arms around my waist and lay his head on my chest. “I’m so, so sorry Daddy,” he warbled. He never knew my parents, but he mourned my loss. He was sweet and caring beyond measure.
“It still hurts sometimes, but it was a very long time ago. He taught me everything I know, so a part of him still lives on in me. I keep this throne as a reminder of his sacrifice.” I tipped his head back to look at me and smiled gently. “He would have been very proud to have you in our family, and my mother would have adored you.” Since she and my father were true mates, I lost them both when he died.
“I wish I could have met them.”
“Me too.” I needed comfort and wanted to comfort Izzy, so I pressed a soft kiss to his lips. “Now, no more tears, little one; it’s a happy day.” He nodded and used the bottom of his shirt to dry his face. “I’ve got one more room to show you and I think it will help cheer you up.”
I took his hand and led him to the doorway which led into what I always knew would one day be a playroom for my boy. It had been shut for as long as I could remember; seeing the space without my little one playing inside it caused me too much pain.
But now I couldn’t wait to open its doors; to watch Izzy discover himself and his interests within its walls. I was probably just as curious as my boy to see what was inside; I’d stocked the room with furniture (an oak dresser and a matching changing table with a thick orange foam pad on top - no crib, as I always wanted my mate to sleep with me) to be prepared, but anything beyond that came from the favor I asked of Jett. I assumed he got a minimal amount of toys, not knowing what Izzy liked. I was excited to buy some for him as well; I couldn’t wait to spoil my boy until he was rotten to the core.