No Regard by Carolyn Barber (e ink epub reader .TXT) 📕

Miranda was a high priestess, as well as the sole proprietor of Hell's Pit. Miranda and Adam made a fortune together when they teamed up with what each had to offer the vampire world. Business in the vampire world works the same as in the living world. How a vampire attains money is virtually the same, labor, sales, and sometimes thievery. Vampires live by many of the same rules to keep a sense of order. Vampire thieves of the living world are not respected and are shunned. Stealing from another vampire is punishable by death. Killing another vampire without probable cause is also punishable by death. There is a high court and in the vampire world, one is guilty until proven innocent. If one cannot prove their innocence in a reasonable amount of time, death is administered by sunlight exposure, turning one's body to dust, expelling them from existence. This process is referred to as Obliteration.

Adam entered Miranda's estate and was greeted with a kiss from her on both of his cheeks, she was always happy to see him. He had become her favorite and most successful protege. "Adam, darling so good to see you" she said with a big, beautiful smile. "Miranda, you look lovely as always" he replied as he held her hand and kissed it. "So tell me Adam, I heard from good sources, you tore up my establishment and stole another vampires mate, is this true?" she asked him, cutting to the chase. "Yes, it is true, and that is why I came here, I need your guidance on this matter" Adam responded, not knowing what her reaction would be. "Adam I am sure you had your reasons, perhaps even justifiable ones, but without any facts I cannot condone your actions. We, as a society, cannot afford the luxury of taking whoever strikes our fancy if they are bonded with another vampire. The witnesses do not know the details behind the scenes, they only know what they saw with their own eyes, and to them it appears that you picked a fight with a vamp who obviously doesn't match your strength and stole his mate" she paused for a moment, "This mate you allegedly stole, shes the one you've been keeping in your heart all this time, isn't she?  How did she come to be in our world now?" she inquired. Adam shook his head affirming her question, "Yes, sadly and happily she is here" he replied looking down. "Adam, I know it is hard for you to trust, but you came to me for a reason, I suggest you tell me what is going on so I can best help you. This cannot be just swept under the rug, vamps want order, they need order. How would it be if they see you about not having answered to this. You need the freedom of having your named cleared. You owe that to yourself as well as your prospective mate. The slate needs to be clean." She finished and waited.

 Opening up was very difficult for him, but he knew he would have to put his trusting of Miranda to the test. She was there the moment he had transformed, she heard him cry out the first thought that came to his mind, "Silvia!". She knew the pain, torment and anguish that comes from leaving someone you love behind. She showed him mercy, taking him in under her wing, even though it was her fangs that had ended his life and the possibility of him ever spending his life with the woman he loved. He had accepted the idea that he and Silvia may never be together, but he wasn't willing to let her go. Adam rubbed the back of his neck to try and ease the tension he was feeling. "I loved her so much, I couldn't take her life from her and bring her into our world. So I watched over her and discovered her boyfriend, Ty, deceived her, took her innocence and ultimately took her life. I killed him out of anger and thought I had destroyed him, but somehow he escaped, two nights later he sucked the life out of her and took her, when I went back, she was gone. I knew it was him that took her. Weeks later I saw them at Hell's Pit, I confronted him, he attacked me, I struck back and took Silvia. No one knows my dwelling, so she is safe there. I told her there is a spell on the room and she can't get out without my permission. She hasn't tried to vaporize or she would find out there is no spell. I had locked the door and that's the only thing keeping her prisoner. We had a reckoning so to speak and she knows of Ty's deception, she now hates him and wants to annihilate him, and I know sooner or later she'll figure out she can leave of her own will. If she does, what if I'm not there to protect her? What if something happens to her? Through all of this, she says she loves me. We agreed to take it slow, build trust and learn each other all over again. I want to trust her, but you know how I am with that. I can't lose her a second time Miranda, I love her far too much to go through that again. I would thrust a stake into my own heart before I lose her again" he told her with intense sincerity.

Miranda had lived in the world of the undead for hundreds of years. She was wise and well respected in the vampire world. She had countless experiences that gave her insight and taught her patience in situations, where as novice vampires lacked the wisdom it took to read a situation and be able to predict the outcome. Miranda had listened to Adam state his case. She completely understood his position and found his explanation to be worthy of his actions. "If his character is as you say it is, then he will undoubtedly expose himself for the philanderer that he is. No decent vampire will respect that and they will turn against him and understand your part in extracting Silvia from a mate who is disloyal. There are exceptions to taking another vampires mate, and this qualifies as one. The problem I fore-see is Silvia's vengeance on him, if she should be successful in his demise, she will have to prove she had probable cause. This is easier said than done. She will be confined until the first full moon of her captivity, at which time she would have to stand in court and plead her case. She would need credible witnesses in proving her actions were justified. I strongly suggest you gain some intel as to the persona he is portraying to the vamp community. I would also recommend you go about this incognito to avoid another confrontation with him. One more thing Adam, I know it would give you great pleasure to destroy him yourself, which would be understandable, however, Silvia needs her vengeance, this is between her and the one who deceived her. If you were to take that from her, she may never forgive you for it, regardless of your intentions. Allow her to wipe the slate clean, then and only then, will she be free to love you completely" Miranda advised. 

Adam had listened to her insight and her advice appreciatively. He took her hand, "Thank you Miranda, you have been most hopeful. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a date" he said to her as he winked and then kissed her hand. "Good luck Adam, I'm sure it will all work out, I'll do what I can to help you" she said. Adam vaped.

"Red, how long have you been a vampire?" Delilah asked him curiously? Red pretending to count on his fingers, "Oh man, ah let me see, like some two hundred years, give or take a year or two" he replied with a goofy smile. "Why don't you have a girlfriend, or a wife? Are you one of those players that have a whole string of girls waiting on the sidelines?" she said in a serious tone. Red started laughing, "Me a player? Oh Delilah, you're hysterical! Man I've been considered a lot of things but you're the first to think of me as a player!" he said chuckling. "No, really Red, why don't you have a woman? You're absolutely charming!" she said fluffing his fiery red hair. Red removed his glasses, " Here honey, I think you need these more than I do!" he said as he put them on her face. Her vision completely distorted as she tried to look at him through the thick glasses. "Jesus Red, you're as blind as a bat!" she laughed, " Ha! Get it "blind as a bat!" Get it Red, get the correlation? she said amused by her own joke as she handed Red his glasses. Red smiled, "Beauty, brains and wit, a triple-threat girl eh? Red laughed as he put his glasses back on.

Delilah thought for a second, "Hey, I thought vampires were suppose to be the epitome of superiority, wouldn't that include good eye-sight?"she asked him. "No man, that's Hollywood stuff, whatever condition you were before you transformed is how you are after the transformation, with bonus features though. Like you have the ability to gain super strength, power and superior skills if you train, too much sweat involved for me, really I'm just more of a lady's man!" he said as he winked. Delilah playfully pushed his shoulder," I knew it! You are a player!" she teased. "Yeah, man you got me all figured out! No, really if you want to know the truth, I never met anyone, besides you, that I would even consider being with" he said in a serious tone. "Are you telling me that in two hundred years I'm the first woman that you've been interested in?" she asked him. "Well, yeah, I mean, um, yeah. Is that alright Delilah? Like hey man, if that makes you uncomfortable, I can get out of your hair" Red told her feeling quite vulnerable. Delilah gave him a big hug, "Come on you big silly guy, don't be all bashful with me! If you haven't noticed I really like you Red. I think you're the greatest guy I've ever met. Others might see you differently than I do, but I wouldn't change a thing about you. I love your crazy red hair, your thick glasses and goofy buck teeth, but what I love most about you is your heart and how you stand up for your convictions. That takes a real man. You stood up to Ty, knowing he could kick your ass, but you didn't let that stop you from setting him straight. I was so proud of you even though I didn't even know you, I think I might have fallen in love with your heart that very moment. You are the kind of man I always hoped would love me one day. I