Chapter 310: Extraction
Dad arrived in a rush of energy, the veil tearing as he burst through. He wavered above me, in full demon form, his energy nearly as powerful as when he crossed into his effigy. It made me wonder how strong he was on Demonicon and if it made a difference.
"Syd." His voice boomed in the cave. "Tell me what you need."
Love and gratitude surged inside me and I caught myself blinking away even more tears. I was turning into my mother for sure, a freaking supernatural faucet. But I loved the fact he didn't hesitate, didn't ask questions, just offered his support.
No matter what happened before, the old resentment I'd finally released, tied to his life-long absence, I knew then I had the best dad.
Ever.
I filled him in quickly. Or started to. Just as I began to tell him everything, the veil parted further and the glowing image of Theridialis appeared next to him. I felt my hope rise even further. Sassafras's father was a preeminent demon scientist, a brilliant mind. If these two demons couldn't help me, no one could.
They both nodded their way through my explanation, Theridialis asking the odd question for clarification. When I rambled to a gasping halt, they turned to each other.
"It is possible," Theridialis said. "But it's the sustaining of Sebastian's life which is necessary. From what Sydlynn has told us, to remove the virus will surely kill him." He turned back to me. "May we examine the patient to be sure?"
I shrugged. "Can you?"
Dad smiled, gently, with love. "Through you, cupcake."
I hated that nickname so much. But for once it made me smile.
I let my demon magic reach out, dive into Sebastian again even as the two demons linked with me and followed my lead, exploring along the way. Only a few moments passed, while Theridialis examined Sebastian's glowing white heart, before they pulled out, drawing me with them.
"Yes, it's as you feared, I'm afraid." Theridialis's amber eyes narrowed. "But I still believe this can be done."
"How, Demon Lord?" Sunny sounded desperate. I hadn't realized how much she worried about Sebastian all along. We'd had so much happen to all of us since he disappeared, I was ashamed to admit I'd forgotten about him and his plight.
"With living blood," he said. "I understand you normally ingest pre-drawn nutrition?"
She flushed and nodded. "We do not feed from humans," she said. "If that's what you mean."
"It is." His voice was gentle. "Though you know there is no shame in it. Yet another curse magic kind has to lie at the feet of the church." He sighed. "There was a time when humans and vampires worked together, partners. But that history lesson is for another day."
I guess I shouldn't have been surprised by the revelation. Sunny certainly looked shocked. So did Uncle Frank.
But Theridialis was right. We had work to do.
"So what, then?" I knew what he was suggesting and honestly was terrified by the prospect. But Sebastian had to feed.
And it had to be on one of us.
"I suggest one of the vampires," Dad said. "Syd's blood might be human, but it's tainted with Sidhe and demon power." He grinned at me. "Didn't mean it the way it sounds."
I grinned back, knees suddenly weak from relief. "Thanks for that."
"I'll do it." Uncle Frank scowled at Sunny as soon as she started to protest. "It has to be me. You're the leader now, if only by default. If something happens and this doesn't work, you have to take the last of his power, Sunshine, and finally rule our clan by blood. You know it."
Sunny continued to stroke Sebastian's face, almost as if she'd forgotten she was doing it. What a choice to make. My heart broke for her. It was like Uncle Frank was asking me to strip Mom of the family magic for everyone's good.
Not a decision I hoped I'd ever have to make. After a long moment, Sunny nodded once, sharply and looked away.
"Excellent." Theridialis clearly had a different definition of what was a good thing. Then again, if this worked, I'd be the first to high five him. "Now, this must be done in tandem. The feeding and the drawing out has to happen simultaneously or his power could weaken too fast and he will perish."
"The power has to come through Syd," Dad said to his friend. "Channeled through Frank so we can control it. Which means I'll shed blood." I saw him reach out for something on his side of the veil, caught sight of a shining blade as he lifted it.
Felt a sudden surge of terror and a flashback to our basement, Dad on the floor, hand covered in blood, Sassy in human form. Dad met my eyes, as if he understood what I was reliving.
"You're safe, cupcake," he said, compassion in his gentle smile. "You're not practicing, just acting as a conduit. And I'm only casting on Demonicon, not on your plane. Trust me. This is the only way."
I found my head bobbing. Okay then.
"Syd," he said. "Get ready."
I shook off the sick feeling and opened to them both. I felt Theridialis reach for me, Dad linked to him, but this time was different. The portly demon used his magic to target mine, turning it into a type of funnel, aimed directly at Sebastian's glowing core. I sat at his feet, hand gripping his leg and nodded to Uncle Frank.
The vampire and the demon cut each other at exactly the same instant, the surge of power driving into the pit of my stomach, making me cry out in agony. I turned to the side, noisily threw up what little I'd had to eat, but kept a firm hold on the desiccated body before me.
Good thing Theridialis was doing the delicate work. I could barely focus, felt Sunny move to my side, hold me up, while I watched, gasping in agony as Uncle Frank's blood poured into Sebastian's mouth.
The change was immediate. Sebastian's face filled out as if he were a balloon, skin stretching, thinning, hair rustling as it shed the filth encrusting it. While the blood raced through his system, Sebastian's power surged back.
And with it, the virus.
But Theridialis was already pulling it free, siphoning it away from the dying vampire, through Uncle Frank and to me. I watched my uncle shudder, how the glowing white power ripped through him, tried to hold onto him. He held his place, face twisting in pain as Sebastian's hands rose, filling out as I watched, grasping Uncle Frank in a grip of iron as his mouth locked on the offered vein, pulling Uncle Frank down toward him. White light, the creepy takeover I'd seen in Sunny when she'd been in furious vampire mode, flooded Sebastian's eyes. Mindless, starving, he drew on Uncle Frank's strength even as the virus tore out of him and into the younger vampire.
I cried out as it touched me, shuddered from it. I felt a sting deep inside, the same feeling I'd had from Sebastian so long ago. He'd saved me from the powerlessness forced on me by Demitrius, former leader of the Chosen of the Light, through a strange, white powder. Like a vampire bite, the jab of pain overrode the illness of the blood magic for an instant and for the first time I wondered what exactly Sebastian had done to me that night he'd freed my magic.
The virus tried to enter my body through the old bite Sebastian had made all that time ago, a link I had no idea still existed. It dove inside, tried to take over. I was so damned lucky I had my demon, Sidhe and witch magic to reject it. I pushed it out of me with all my strength, watching as a glowing ball of white power began to form over Sebastian, the virus taking on shape, substance in the still air of the cavern.
And still Sebastian fed. Uncle Frank sighed, sagging, his own skin shriveling, light fading.
"We have to stop him." I tried to reach forward, but Theridialis wasn't done.
Not by a long shot.
"Not yet!" He drew harder, pulling with all of our combined power. I felt the last of the virus jerk free, its powerful teeth jerking loose from inside me, just as Sebastian's lips lifted from Uncle Frank's arm. The vampire leader cried out, a scream of loss and agony so loud my head rang from it.
The virus hovered in the dim light, wavering, hissing softly, a living thing in need of a host. Sebastian reached toward it, a mix of horror and need on his face even as a bubble of amber power flashed, sealing the virus inside.
Uncle Frank collapsed, Sebastian beneath him, both vampires falling still. I felt the stabbing pain from the last of the blood magic use ease, then end. Gasping for air, I rolled over onto my side and held my stomach, just breathing.
Just breathing.
Inside the bubble of power, the vampire virus wailed its despair.
***
