Chapter 21

I arrived at Valentina a week earlier than expected where I was met with a group of happy family members. Batou was the only one I took with me. The others played decoy so we could sneak out. The eldest of them Anya explained their predicament. They are in a financial situation. The town hall is trying to use that to evict them so they can build apartments. I complained about how they had mentioned this when I came a few weeks ago. They thanked me for my help. Anya had paid off the family debts. This infuriated the mayor but he could do nothing. Since the debt was paid she got keep her house. It was twenty thousand acres so it was huge property. After I did a thorough inspection of Valentina I realized that only a portion of the house was made to look luxurious. The rest looked like it did when I lived here. It still had the house that I spend my days as a farmer. Apple and Orange orchards. Sugarcane was still there and so was turmeric and ginger. The water tanks I made for prawns and lobster were still here and they were still a few of those critters swimming around.

The swimming pool I made was still there. It just needs a little cleaning. Once that was done I took a dip. I wasn't the only one that did. Others join in as well. I saw the huge wall I had built was still there. Some bits were about to crumble so I had a construction crew fix it. The entire time the mayor was staring at us with contempt. I decided to look around place till I reached the orange orchard. I pulled down the curtain of vines to reveal a cottage.

I sat down in the swing near the orchard and recalled the day I started to build it. I remembered how Sonja made a fuss. I reminded her that we were saving people from slavery and they had no place to sleep. I refuse to let them sleep on the floor. Cain happily lend a hand as did Karolina. I opened my eyes to see Batou staring at me. I showed him my time here and he grinned like a child. We walked back to the old house where I stayed in a room on the third floor and Batou got the room in the first floor.

The mayor showed up to express his displeasure. The adults happily countered his arguments and sent him on his way. Most of the children were in the library of the new house that sits near the street. Mariska the youngest decided to stay in the old residence where my room was situated. She tried to stay awake but she fell asleep. I happily tucked her in and walked out to secure the perimeter. Batou decided to join me. I saw Anya carry her sleeping grandchild back to her place. Mira laughed as I ran at torpedo speed. The others had grown up hearing the stories about me. They believed it when they were children but they let it go when they grew up. But now they were in awe when they saw me first hand. Batou stared in shock as I out ran him. By the time he took one lap I had taken ten.

When I came Batou had just guzzled a bottle of blood. Even I was shocked. Blood was sold in bottles for vampires. It was labeled as a special energy drink. It was an idea that was implemented a fifty years ago. Progress marches on. The council still prefers blood bags. Figures since they are sticklers to traditional vampiric values. Batou stayed indoors till it was nightfall then he wouldn't leave my side till it was day time.

We had a homecoming party. The doors opened to welcome people who were here to see the inside of the most lavish building in the town. They were arguing about the reason we were holding this celebration. I was introduced as Anya's great niece Sasha. The mayor and a few others weren't happy to see another addition to the house. He looked out to see that the part he deemed unused is actually used as orchards and fish farming. The law clearly dictates that he can't steal land that is used for growing or storing food. There are food shortage on occasions. He finally let go of the idea of stealing the property. He was now going on about fighting crime. He wanted to push the authorities to be more cunning. There were those that had invested in buying the land. They approached us but I made sure to discourage to keep pushing. I made it clear that if they show up again they will be arrested. I used persuasion to make them go away.

Anya had rewrote her will with me as the owner of the entire property so if anything should happen to them all it will not fall into the hands of the government. I was in the middle of the discussion when Annie and Angus showed up. I jumped out of my seat. They happily hugged me. Annie was tearing up, "Hi cousin! You look fabulous. What's your secret" I smelled them and realized that they were vampires. I sat them down and they explained how Saber had showed up and started to shoot people for no reason. Annie and Angus lost their spouses and kids that day. Saber declared that the people living there were illegal aliens and that if they didn't vacate the place they will be executed. Machine city arrived to the rescue but it was an act. They wanted know if they could get people to volunteer for inhumane experiments. Cain used his intelligence to fight those guys off. They knew if I was discovered then the entire town would have been gunned down so they didn't hold that against me. Mercifully Sin city and Texas arrived to send them away. They helped restore ordered before they left. Both Annie and Angus decided to go to the Native Crow lands to find vampires. They knew to stay away from werewolves since they were the ones that wanted to hurt me. They had eavesdropped on enough conversations to know that werewolves were a no no. They

we're asked to chose between nocturnal or daytime vampires. They chose to become the nocturnal type over the daytime weaklings. I gave them hugs and I prayed to God that their spouses and kids were in a better place. They smiled and we walked out to see the town. Batou was behind me and Angus was concerned. I smiled, "This is Batou. He was my mom's partner in the police department. For a time being he was my partner too when I served as a police officer. You have nothing to be concerned about. He is here to protect me." The twins shook hands and we walked a few blocks.

First we explored Mrs Moore's place. It was now divided into four properties. The first two facing Plum Street and the other two facing Atwood property on Fleet Street. Anya helped him keep his property too. The first house is owned by an elderly couple and their nurse. The next one is vacant. The twins are hoping to buy it. Then I saw the Holmes family house. It was demolished and was already being prepped a few houses. The ones after that were turned into grocery stores, restaurant, a convenience store and laundry place.

The next street had apartment buildings next to one another but it looked like it was designed by a three year old. At least it looked that way since it wasn't symmetrical. It protruded here and there. Almost like someone saw a kid using Legos to build an apartment and decided that is how they will build it. Then after that was a drive thru restaurant, a barbecue place and a florist. I used echolocation when. I heard a kid crying. I wanted to help them but it turned out he wanted to stay awake when it was his past bed time.