Tara had to fight the urge to bust out laughing, as she entered the family room with her maker, the two of them reluctantly joining the other occupants of the safehouse.

It was definitely a peculiar sight.

Her friend Jessica was sitting Indian style on one end of the black leather sectional that dominated the layout of the room, looking extremely innocent and child like in her baby blue two piece pj set and similar colored robe that had clouds printed all over it.

When the girl looked up and saw them, her eyes lit up and she smiled brightly. This bitch was way too fuckin excited to be up this early, Tara thought, returning the redheads cheerful wave with a less enthusiastic one of her own.

Nora sat slumped on the other end of the sofa, looking tired and irritable. Her hair was still a bit ruffled from sleeping and she was resting her head on her elbow. The brunette vampire didnt even look up when Pam took a seat on the cushion beside hers, gently pulling Tara into her lap and heaving a dramatic sigh.

"Alright kiddos...let's get this shit crackin." Pam quipped. "Some of us have better things to do." She finished in a low purr , leering at her progeny hungrily and arranging her hand so it rested possessively on Taras upper thigh.

The seductive tone and the pangs of lust she sent down the tethers of their maker progeny bond hit Tara right at her core and she gasped slightly. Her fangs twitched, threatening to click down, but tapping into her recent training on controlling her impulses, she managed to keep them sheathed.

Glancing over her shoulder at her maker, she caught the devilish smirk painted across the elder vampires flawless pink pout and narrowed her dark eyes peevishly.

Which did nothing but amuse the blonde even further apparently, because she jutted her bottom lip out in a patronizing manner and made mock pouty faces at Tara until the younger vampire finally cracked an exasperated and somewhat bashful smile, one that Pam couldn't help but kiss.

Tara rolled her eyes and settled back into Pam resting her hands over top of the older vampires and sighed contently when strong arms cuddled her closer.

It was her makers favorite game evidently. Pam would always do annoying shit on purpose just to piss her off, and then when she was nice and heated, the elder vamp would grab her and hug her really tight, kiss her a million times or just act downright silly until she couldnt help but laugh at the blonde.

Tara always acted like she hated it but they both knew that was not the case.

Eric, who had watched the exchange with gentle amusement, from his spot in a large black leather armchair, shook his head slightly and rose to his feet.

"Merry Christmas ladies, glad you could finally join us. I see that your all just bursting with exitement and anticipation, so let's get started shall we?" He spoke in a sarcastic tone, his wintry blue eyes full of mirth, as he stalked over to the tree and picked up a stack of brightly colored packages and began passing them out to their recipients.

Pam just rolled her own blue eyes and Nora groaned irritably when the Viking accidentally, (totally on purpose) dropped a rather large package clumsily into her lap, effectively jerking out of her sleepy daze.

"Oops" He replied impishly, causing his sister to glare at him.

"Sod off!" She grumbled, setting the package down beside her with the others, squinting dramatically, as though the light in the room was blinding her.

Eric just chuckled and shook his head. His sister had never been a fan of early rising, and it baffled him that a vampire her age could sleep as late as she often did.

He never grew tired of fucking with her though, when she was for whatever reason forced to be up early. He found her grouchiness adorable and amusing.

Once all the gifts were passed out, Eric returned to his seat and everyone eventually began opening their gifts without much enthusiasm at first.

Soon the sound of paper being torn filled the air and everyone's moods gradually began to improve as they unwrapped the many gifts they had procured for each other.

They were simple gifts, due to the lack of shopping resources available above ground, but they were special none the less. It the thought that counts or so they say.

Tara got Pam a bottle of her favorite Chanel #5 perfume , Pam gave Tara a Pandora bracelet and a nice new pair of navy blue Chuck Taylor high tops.

Eric smiled brightly when he opened his leather jacket from Pam, and Jessica gushed over her scarf from Nora, who had become alot more cheerful than she was earlier and thanked Tara sincerely for the lovely earrings.

A few hours later, they were surprisingly all still gathered in the living room together, tinkering with their new gifts and laughing amongst themselves.

Eric had moved to sit on the floor in front of where Nora was seated on the couch, and was playing with his radio control corvette Tara had gotten him. It had meant to be sort of a joke, but being the overgrown eight year old that he was, (according to Pam) he loved it and had been racing it through the living room for over an hour.

Pam and Nora were actually somewhat getting along for once and chatted lightly while Tara and Jessica looked over Taras new book series Eric had gotten for her.

They looked every bit the classic family of five loafing around the house on Christmas day.

Eventually someone cleaned up the paper and boxes and before they knew it it was less than two hours until dawn.

They all ended up draped across various pieces of furniture watching some cheesy holiday flick about a little boy who's dad ends up being Santa Claus...obviously chosen by Jessica.

Eric stretched out on one end of the sofa with Nora laying comfortably on his chest, Pam played the big spoon and held Tara in her arms at the other end, and Jessica was sprawled out lazily in one of the big chairs, her long legs draped carelessly over the arm.

By the time the movie ended, everyone sleep but Eric had drifted off to sleep.

For a moment, the ancient vampire just layed back and let his eyes take in the sight before him.

The dim light from the television as the closing credits rolled down the screen and the colored bulbs on the christmas tree were almost comforting to the Viking, as he realized everything that mattered to his very existence, was safe and blissfully slumbering, all together in this very room.

He had his sister, who by fate and circumstance was back in his life permanently for the time being, his childe Pamela and her own childe Tara. His grand progeny who, all though they butted heads a little at first, had managed to worm her way into his cold dead heart, much like she had her own makers he imagined.

And then there was Jessica. Despite her bubbly and sometimes giddy demeanor, it was pretty difficult to dislike the girl. Even Pam had developed a soft spot for the orphaned baby vamp. In fact, they had all sort of taken her under their wing in one way or another, since the whole billith fiasco went down.

It was never discussed, it was just sort of an unspoken rule that developed the night they all fled the authority and took shelter there at the safehouse. The girl was family and that was that. It wasnt open for discussion. He knew if his own maker were here, he wouldnt have had it any other way.

Reaching for the remote, Eric clicked the television off and shifted his body and Nora into a more comfortable position, and eventually drifted off to sleep himself.

The lights from the tree twinkled merrily as the vampires slept, shadows illuminating along the walls. For it was the morning after Christmas and all through the safe house, not a vampire was stirring...not even Jessica.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Well there you have it. Sorry it took so long but I've had a major case of writers block with this one and my other story but I finally managed and will hopefully have the next chapter of my bonded up in a day or two. I apologize for any cheese or corniness as I said my muse has been Mia and I had to improvise. Anyhow enjoy and review. Much love! Tamela forever!