Dr. Knox Berman

A Chapter by The Doctor

Planet: Vamperature

Galaxy: Shadow Galaxy

Continent/Region: Bostistan

Species: Vampyre

Star Date: 2027 January 17

Dr. Knox Berman adjusts his trench coat as he walks out of the building. Looking down both ends of the street and sidewalk for anyone out of the ordinary. He puts his wool, brimmed hat on and takes the right, taking one last long look to the left. His hand grips the handle of the brief case tight inside its leather glove. Not that the cold bothers him, just more for the fashion to fit in.

Knoxwalks for about two klickes to reach his home. Opening the front door he is greeted by the voice of his children screaming, "Daddy!" His youngest, James at 7 years, grabs his legs for a hug, the next oldest, Sarah at 9, grabs his torso and his oldest, Samantha at 16, walks in properly and awaits her father to finish with her hands folded in front of her.

"Oh, hello children," Knox returns as he bends over, hugging both of them in an awkward sort of way.

They release their grip and run back behind their sister. Knox smiles at her and walks over for his hug from her.

"Hello Daddy," she greets at an even, sing-song, tone.

"Hello sweety. Good day today?"

"Yes," they responded in unison.

"Very good."

"How about you Daddy?" Samantha asks.

"Pretty good. Little long but it was tolerable. Say, where is your mother?"

"In here!" She shouts from the kitchen just around the corner of the stairs.

Knox hangs up his coat on the coat rack with his hat, placing the brief case against the wall and behind the rack, resting it in the shadows. His two youngest garb a hand each and drag their father down the hallway to the left of the stairs and into the kitchen about a meter down the hallway. They each take their seats at the table, Knox takes a moment to walk up to his wife Krystal and greet her with a kiss on the lips and a hug from behind. He peers over her shoulder to look at the stove.

"And what is for dinner tonight my bride?"

"Slekian Soup."

"Oh. Good blood supply come in?"

"Apparently so. It was pretty cheap at the market."

"Well thank the governments of these planets," he smiles jokingly.

He kisses her cheek before taking up his seat at the head of the table. Krystal hands everyone a dish, the father raises his hand slightly for the kids to wait for their mother to sit with them. Once she does, Knox nods his head and they dig into their tan colored soup. Knox catches his wife's gaze and send her a mental message.

"We need to speak after they go to sleep."

She nods her head in affirmation and takes another spoon full of her soup. Once the bowls were drained, the family moved into the living room, after they helped to pick up, and shared writing pieces that they enjoyed or have stumbled upon in school or just in reading.

Knoxseen it as reenforcing independent learning and it makes reading fun for the kids because they pick out what speaks to them. Not what they are required to read, but what they want to. And he was happy on the out come of the love of reading that developed within his kids. And, by their request, the parents joined in to make it more fun and family orientated. After about on hour of that, the kids finished homework in the living room, Knox and Krystal sat and read or did some work. Then it was bed time, everyone, except the oldest, was tucked in and wished a good night, this the oldest got.

Knoxand Krystal go into the living room and sit on the couch with a glass of Lycan Thrope blood.

"what did you want to talk about love?"

"Well," he sets his glass down, "it's coming to a close. The teleporte has been modified and the time trial was a success. The king would like a demonstration, followed by a dinner. Then is when we will leave."

"Do you have everything under control? Do we need to tell the kids?"

"Samantha knows. I've talked with her one on one about it and she will help with the youngest to adjust. What i need you to do is pack for me. Pack only clothes and toiletries. I have a house and everything already, under my name. I even have jobs and have the kids ready and enrolled in school."

Krystal looks down into her glass in thoughtfulness.

"I know love. I don't want to either. But I'd rather the kids have a father around and I'd rather not be in another war. We will be okay and we will be able to adjust. I promise you. I want to start anew."

"So do I Knox," she says looking down into her glass, finger tracing around the rim.
He takes her hand in his and waits for her to lift up her head, when she does he smiles and shakes her hand.
"I promise it will be okay."

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