Chapter 105: Brothers
Sunny hovered at the edge of the light. She was her usual stunning self, but there was something so vulnerable about her I just wanted to hug her. I didn't stop to think about it, just rushed forward and wrapped my arms around her.
It took her a moment to hug me back, but when she did it was with the same old enthusiasm and adoration she always showed me.
"I love you, Syd," she whispered. "Thank you for the hug."
I pulled away, startled to hear her so choked up. She was actually crying, crystal tears on her perfect face. She lifted her gaze and met Mom's eyes. "Miriam," she said, "I'm so sorry."
Mom's face crumpled a little when she stepped forward to embrace the blonde vampire. "Thank you," she said.
Sunny let her go before looking back and for between us. "There are things you need to know," she said. "Things Anastasia won't tell you. I couldn't stand it any longer. I had to come."
Mom grabbed her hand, fierce and eager. "Who took Meira, Sunny?"
She held onto my mother as she spoke. "His name is Nicholas DeWinter," Sunny said, "Sebastian's twin brother."
Whoa. That floored me for a second. Vampires had brothers? Then I shook myself. He was human once. It clicked together rapidly after that.
"Meira said he felt familiar." I looked at Mom. "No wonder."
"He would have done his best to convince her he was Sebastian," Sunny said.
"But why take my daughter?" Mom clung even tighter to Sunny's hand.
"The brothers have been feuding for centuries," she told us. "Even before they were both brought over. Sebastian's sponsor was Pannera Stohl, a good woman, a great vampire leader. He was dying and she saved his life."
"Let me guess," I said. "Nicholas tried to kill him."
Sunny nodded. "When Nicholas discovered Sebastian survived and more than that, now had the power of the night, he sought out Pannera's enemy and had himself brought over." She sighed and shook her head. "I don't know the reason for his hate for Sebastian, nor has he ever told me enough to venture a guess. Though Sebastian is the older twin and their father was a duke of Austria. So perhaps jealousy or succession issues drove him to it."
"That still doesn't tell me why he took Meira." Mom's impatience was visible.
"Forgive me," Sunny said. "You need to know it was Nicholas who brought me over and it was he who was my master for many years before Sebastian found me."
That was a shocker. Sunny, a bad vampire? No way.
Mom tensed. "What does that mean?"
Sunny let Mom go. "It means I've been feeling him for over a week now, coming closer to us. I knew he was coming and didn't tell anyone. This is my fault, Miriam."
Mom let out a big breath. "No, it's not." She took Sunny's hand again. "You left that life a long time ago, my dear."
Sunny's tears started again. "I should have said something, but I assumed he was coming either for me or Sebastian. I was wrong, obviously. He's been trying to worm his way into my mind, to find out information about you and your family. I didn't realize it until Meira was stolen. It was his goal all along." Her eyes shone in the low light. "He must have felt Sebastian's instability, been watching us, knew when our leader left us open and vulnerable. Nicholas knows about your vampire power, and the others. And he wants it for himself."
Mom nodded, not surprised at all. I guess I wasn't either.
"And with Sebastian gone..." I left it hanging.
Sunny nodded. "He knows he now has a chance to take it."
"Which means it wasn't Meira he was after," Mom said softly. "He took her to get to me."
Sunny nodded again, clearly miserable.
"So it's actually my fault," Mom told her. Sunny tried to protest, but Mom just smiled a little. She looked like all the tension had run out of her, as if the information Sunny gave her had brought her focus. "You're afraid of him."
Sunny trembled, I could see it now that Mom mentioned it. I took her other hand and felt the subtle shaking running through her.
"I am," she said. "I fought him once and won, but my blood is his blood. It is a powerful tie I will never sever. Not until one of us is dead. His call is almost impossible for me to resist."
I wanted to wrap my arms around her and protect her. I'd never thought of Sunny as vulnerable before. She was a vampire, ancient. This was a very human side of her I'd never seen and it made me love her even more.
"Let the family protect you," Mom said. "We can ward you against him. I can ward you against him."
Sunny didn't answer. "You must be careful," she said. "Do not underestimate him. He is truly evil, Miriam. And now that he understands what Sebastian has inside him... he will stop at nothing to kill his brother and seize the blood of Cesard for himself."
"I will gladly trade myself for Meira," Mom told her even while I gaped at her. No way I was going to let that happen. "If it comes to that."
Sunny looked so distressed Mom let her hand drop.
"I can't let this happen." The blonde vampire backed away from us, her fingers pulling free of mine. "I need to stop him, one way or another." She met Mom's eyes again, her anxiety coming from her in waves even I could feel. "I had a chance to destroy him a long time ago. But I let Sebastian talk me out of it. He still loves his brother, even after all this time and everything Nicholas has done." She shook her head, long, glossy hair rippling in waves around her thin shoulders. "This time I won't let him stop me."
"Do you know where Sebastian is?" If we could reach him, fix him somehow, he would be here to stand against his brother.
Sunny shook her head. "We can't feel him anymore. And I don't have time to wait for him."
Mom took a step forward, reaching for her. "What are you going to do?" Her fear was rising again. "Please, Sunny, don't do anything to put Meira in danger."
Sunny froze, a perfect vampire statue, her face calm and emotionless.
"You must forgive me," she said. "No matter what happens, what I do is for this family and the love I have for all of you."
Before Mom or I could say a word, she fluttered into shadow and was gone.
***
