It was almost too good to be true.

Not only did my mom believe me when I told her who I was, she wasn't even that surprised. She actually remembered when I used to come and stare at the house, back in that first year after I was turned. Mom even snapped a photo of me standing across the street back then.

She wasn't even freaked out or put off by the fact that Tara and I were a couple. She just accepted everything, and most of all she was happy to finally know the truth. And she was happy that I was happy, that I had a good life now.

I still had some nagging worries though. Three decades of training and working as an enforcer left me with a healthy level of paranoia and suspicion, and the whole 'too good to be true' thing made me uncomfortable.

Not that I suspected my mom was lying or acting. I could tell she was totally honest and genuine. Neither my enhanced vamp senses or years of experience could detect any hint of deceit in mom's expression or tone or anything like that.

I tried to keep the doubts and worries from spoiling my mood, but at the same time I knew there was a possibility she was maybe a little senile or something. After all, it was only about two weeks till her ninetieth birthday. And the bottom line was my story was pretty unbelievable. Apart from magic and the supernatural, there was no way to explain how I'd changed from that lanky teen boy in the pictures on the wall into who I was now. Or how I hadn't aged a day in almost four decades.

It was almost ironic but the visit had gone so well I wasn't prepared and didn't know how to handle it. I'd been ready for anger or shouting, ready for tears, ready for Tara and I to be kicked out or asked to leave. Instead mom was insisting we stay for dinner while she fretted about whether or not she had anything fancy enough in the house to serve us a proper meal.

And when I tried to explain we really needed to get going, that we had to get started on the drive back to Winnipeg, mom started trying to convince us to stay the weekend, or at least overnight. Then she started apologizing that my room wasn't the way I left it, which honestly I was grateful for. If they'd left it as some kind of shrine to their son that would have just been creepy. Not to mention it would have been embarrassing as hell, there's no way I wanted my girlfriend to see what my bedroom looked like back then.

In fact after we got past the initial emotions and introductions, the conversation basically lurched from one uncomfortable subject to another.

Even relatively benign questions like how did Tara and I meet were almost impossible to answer truthfully. Like I couldn't exactly tell mom that I found Tara preparing to kill herself by jumping off a bridge, so I offered to save her by killing her differently.

Some time around mid-afternoon we finally settled on the relatively safe topic of what Tara and I did for a living. We told mom about our night-club, and mom actually remembered I'd talked about wanting to own a bar or cafe when I was younger.

She was just about to embark on another potentially embarrassing story about me when we were saved by a knock at the door.

"Now who could that be?" mom asked as she slowly got to her feet. "It's turning out to be a very busy day today!"

She started shuffling to the door, and she was about halfway there when I caught the scent. It was undead, and I recognized it.

A shock of adrenaline went through me and I was at the door faster than my mom could blink. I had my back to the door and I was facing her as I said "Mom let me get it. Stay away from the door, and stay away from the windows please."

Tara must have caught the scent a moment after I did, she was on her feet now too and her hand was hovering near her gun. She gave me a questioning look but I shook my head slightly. I didn't want this to turn into a fight in my mom's house, or on her front lawn.

"What is it?" mom asked as she frowned at me. "What's wrong?"

I sighed, "Mom I told you there was danger right? That's why I couldn't see you for so long? The people outside the door are the ones I was talking about. They're here for me and Tara. They won't hurt you as long as you stay out of sight, ok?"

Mom looked like she was about to argue, but there was another knock at the door. This time it was louder, more forceful.

Tara was at my side now, and mom reluctantly moved back so she was by the fireplace, out of sight of the door.

I glanced at Tara and whispered, "I'm going to try and talk our way out of this. I don't want to fight in front of my mom."

She nodded, then we both slipped our sunglasses on. I took a deep breath and opened the door.

"Hello Jessica," I greeted the tall redhead standing outside, as my eyes flicked back and forth taking in the situation. "What are you doing here?"

The Cadillac limo was parked on the street in front of the house, I could see Eric sitting behind the wheel. Standing at the end of the driveway next to our SUV were Daniel and Kathryn, the other two enforcers.

Before me and Tara joined the Family, Daniel was the second-youngest enforcer. He was only a few years older than Marcus in terms of years dead. He was about thirty years old when he died, and stood about five-foot-ten. He had an average build, sort of on the slim and fit side of average. His light-brown hair was in a short professional trim, and he always kept himself clean-shaved. Like Marcus he tended to dress in a suit and tie.

Kathryn was one of Cyn's crew, and she looked the part. Five-foot-seven, slim and attractive, she wore her sandy-blonde hair short and stylish. She didn't go for the designer label clothes but she was fashionable, and tended to dress in professional-looking pantsuits. Today she had a fall jacket on over her outfit.

Jessica was in one of her typical business-casual style outfits, and all four of them were wearing dark sunglasses.

I noticed Daniel had an overcoat on over his suit, and I spotted something irregular in the way his coat fit. I realized he had a long gun under there, either a rifle or shotgun. I double-checked Kathryn, and sure enough her jacket was concealing a large handgun of some kind.

My mind raced as I decided this wasn't a good situation. Me and Tara were faster and stronger than the three of them, but if they were armed with silver-loaded bullets that would negate a big advantage of ours. I knew they'd have studied the bodies of the matriarch and two elders we'd killed, they would have found all the silver dust in the wounds. It wasn't a stretch to assume they figured out what Tara did and replicated it themselves.

Jessica looked me over then replied, "I'm here to welcome you home, Samantha. And Tara as well of course."

"How'd you find us?" I asked. "How'd you know we were here?"

Jess replied calmly, "We've been watching the house ever since the old man passed away. We knew you had a soft spot for your living family. The only surprise was it took you so long to come visit."

I was about to ask how she knew that about me, when I remembered who was sitting behind the wheel of the limo. "Of course. Eric knew where my parents lived, and he knew I missed them."

"Come on Samantha," Jessica said. "The three of us will ride in the limo, Daniel and Kathryn will take care of the SUV."

I didn't budge, I wasn't prepared to just give up but I wasn't sure I wanted a fight.

When I didn't respond right away, Jess continued "Samantha you know you're at a disadvantage. You're outnumbered and outgunned. And I'm sure you don't want an incident here. That sort of thing would be very hard on a woman as old as your mother. Not to mention how dangerous it might become, if bullets started flying. Something might happen to her."

I frowned at my former colleague, "Jessica are you threatening my mother? Wasn't that one of your biggest rules, not killing humans?"

"Accidents happen," she replied calmly. "Especially in the heat of a fight."

I sighed as I weighed the odds. Jessica knew I had the advantage of speed and strength, but she probably didn't realize Tara did too. So I'd be the main target. I only had a knife on me though. Jess was in easy reach but I wasn't sure I'd be able to get to both Daniel and Kathryn before they had their weapons out and started shooting.

Perhaps if I knew for sure they'd just be shooting copper and lead I wouldn't mind acting as a decoy and drawing their fire while Tara finished them off. Unfortunately I had to assume they were loaded with silver, and the thought of getting hit with one of those scared me a little too much.

Then there was Jessica's threat on my mother's life. That surprised me, but after a moment of reflection I decided it wouldn't affect my decision.

Perhaps it was an indication that I had very little humanity left in me, but mom was almost ninety years old and we'd both just got the closure we needed. I wouldn't sacrifice my or Tara's lives or our freedom for my mom, and I was confident mom wouldn't want that either.

After a few more moments of thinking, I said "Ok Jess, here's what we're going to do. Daniel and Kathryn are going to get in the limo and leave. Then you and Tara and I will get in the SUV, and we'll go have a private conversation on neutral ground. I didn't come here looking for a fight, I don't want to kill you or anyone else. And I don't want to die."

She thought it over for a moment then raised her voice slightly as she addressed her subordinates, "Kathryn, Daniel. You'll follow us in the limo. I'll be riding with Sam and Tara. Keep us in view, but don't approach unless I signal."

"Thanks Jess," I stated. "I'll be with you in a moment."

I turned away from the door and moved to my mom who was leaning against the bookcase next to the fireplace. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her into a hug. "Goodbye mom. I'm sorry I never got the chance to say that back then. I'm sorry I disappeared back then, and I'm sorry but I have to disappear again now."

She hugged me back but she didn't say anything. I could tell from her breathing and heart rate that she was upset, probably too upset to talk.

After a few seconds I let go and stepped back. I gave her a sad look and said, "Take care of yourself mom. I'll try and write or something, if I can."

Tara was quiet through all of this, but she moved to my side and slipped her arm around my waist. Finally the two of us moved to the door and exited the house.

I pulled the door closed behind me, then asked Jess "You want to ride in the front, or the back?"

"Back," she replied. "I'm not letting either of you out of my sight."

"Fine," I moved to get into the drivers seat, while Jess got in behind me. And Tara got into the back as well, next to Jessica.

The other two vamps were already in the limo. I backed us out of the driveway then started heading south along the winding residential road. I'd already decided where I wanted to take us. I hadn't been back to that park since the night I died, but I knew it was still there and I knew the creek still twisted through it.

It was a short drive, it only took a few minutes before we pulled into the parking lot. The limo was right behind us, but Eric parked it on the other side of the lot so there was about thirty meters between them and us.

There were a handful of other vehicles in the parking lot, and a few dozen other people in view around the large park. I couldn't see anyone to the north which suited me, so we'd be able to talk without anyone overhearing.

I emerged from the SUV and said to Tara and Jess, "C'mon. Let's walk and talk."

They both climbed out as well, and I led the way. We walked north away from the parking lot, past a baseball field I didn't remember being there when I was alive, and finally reached the trees and the creek. Then we turned right and started walking along the edge of the grass. Daniel and Kathryn followed behind us, but kept twenty or thirty meters back.

"Why did you bring us here Samantha?" Jessica asked. "You had a better tactical position at your mother's house you know? At least you had some cover there. Now you're wide open, there's nowhere to run or hide."

I glanced at her, "I told you, I don't want to kill anyone. I don't want a fight, I just want to talk. And we can talk here."

PurpleCatGirl

Can't wait to find out what happens next? Join our Patreon and get immediate access to the next chapter and more! Patrons have already read up to chapter 48 and you could too!
https://www.patreon.com/purplecatgirl