Chapter 311: Blood Clan Complete
I sat with my head in my hands, whole body trembling from the aftermath of agony I'd endured. I was sure if I tried to move or speak I'd shatter into a million, bite sized Syd pieces.
The world went on around me, Theridialis chattering with great excitement.
"Incredible. Absolutely incredible. Have you ever felt anything like it, Haralthazar?" Dad must have answered to the negative because Theridialis went on. "Nor I, my friend. A living entity whose sole purpose is to feed from the life force of another. Like a parasite, only spirit based."
Someone groaned. It was enough for me to risk looking up. I'm glad I did, because it proved to me I wasn't going to fall apart after all. And better, I was there to see Sebastian sit up, shake his head, raise his gaze and meet mine.
"Demon child," he whispered, voice still slightly hoarse, but completely recognizable. "Are you well?"
Hell of a thing to be asking me considering what he'd just gone through. I managed a nod, weariness making my head feel heavy.
He examined himself quickly, looking at his hands which then patted over his chest and legs. "I appear to be restored." Sebastian looked up at the two wavering demon forms. "My deepest thanks to you both for your timely assistance. I fear had you not aided me I'd soon be gone and that thing in control of my body. Or what was left of my body." His gaze fell to Sunny who cradled Uncle Frank in her arms. She was weeping openly, soft sobbing sounds, blonde hair falling forward to cover my uncle's face.
A moment of panic rose, driving me to move though doing so made me groan in pain. But as I acted my body relented, the remnants of agony easing until I merely felt achy, as though I'd overdone a run.
"Sunny." I reached for her, brushed her hair back. "Is he okay?" Sebastian had taken so much blood. My eyes fell on Uncle Frank's bare arm. He looked all right, skin young and fresh, no sign of the shrunken state he'd been falling into while feeding Sebastian what he needed to recover.
She looked up, cheeks wet from tears, but she was smiling.
"Syd," she whispered. "Oh, Syd."
I looked down then, into Uncle Frank's face, and gasped.
He was whole. The damage done to him had been healed, most likely by the vampire virus as it moved its way through his body. Blue eyes flickered open, caught mine, then Sunny's.
"The pain is gone," he said with a hint of wonder before his eyes closed again and he went limp.
Sunny sobbed again, hugged him, but pulled herself together, beaming at me. "He'll be fine now," she said. "Just fine."
Sebastian leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "Thank you, to both of you. I'd long given up hope." His hand lifted, stroked my cheek. "I do not deserve such friends."
"Syd." I spun and looked up at Dad. "We're going back."
"And we're taking this fascinating power with us." Theridialis rubbed his hands together, face alight with almost child-like excitement. "Thank you for the gift."
I found myself laughing, hopelessly. "You're welcome."
Dad saluted and vanished, Theridialis with him, the bubble surrounding the vampire virus disappearing with a soft pop of displaced air as the veil snapped back together.
Sebastian's eyes locked on mine when I turned back around. My power reached for him, an automatic thing. It was still there, a little of it, the vampire virus. But the personality of it was long gone, existing only as a kind of antibody like he'd had the flu. Because of its presence, Sebastian felt as powerful as ever, even more so.
"Yes," he said as though reading my thoughts, "it remains in part. I will carry its taint the remainder of my days as well as the new power it's brought me." His brow furrowed and I realized despite his calm and seeming normality there was a great deal of suffering he hid from me. "I can foresee strife arising from this freshening of my spirit."
He did feel different, I was right. Stronger. His magic more refined. I had no idea what it meant for him, but if he thought other vampires wouldn't be happy, I took his word for it.
"No blood clan will dare challenge you now," Sunny said, fierce and furious, arms tightening around my sleeping uncle.
He sighed and shrugged, an elegant motion, despite his ragged dress and overgrown hair. He looked like a gorgeous statue come to life and I felt myself flush at the sight of so much of him exposed.
Bad Syd. No staring at the hot vampire.
"We're getting short on time." Sunny stroked Uncle Frank's forehead much as she had done for Sebastian just a short time ago. "I want Frank safely in his cupboard well before sunrise."
"Is it prudent to return to the mansion?" Sebastian obviously heard every word we told him.
"There is nowhere else," she said.
"Not true," he said softly. "Our clan could come here."
But Sunny shook her head after only a moment's thought. "You really want to allow the witches latitude? To think they've defeated us?"
"I suppose a war is preferable." He laughed softly at her expression. "Peace, little sister. I've been long away from my kind, from my clan. The returning has made me giddy and prone to joy."
Totally fair enough.
I made it to my feet. "You three head back to the mansion then while I seal up the cave," I said. "I'll follow when I'm done. I want to confront Batsheva immediately." The look on her face would be so worth it.
Sunny was already standing, Uncle Frank in her arms as if he weighed nothing. It was easy to think of her, of all the vampires, as human until they pulled a stunt like that. And even though I'd just watched a desiccated husk return to mortal form by devouring the blood of another, somehow seeing Sunny casually cradling a man almost a foot taller and pounds heavier than her was the most startling.
"Let me travel with you." She bit her lower lip, eyes dropping to Uncle Frank's peaceful face.
"I'll be fine." I leaned forward and kissed my uncle's now undamaged cheek. It was so good to see him whole again. "No one can catch me when I'm in the veil."
"And yet, I agree with Sunny." Sebastian stretched as he stood, revealing some very interesting boy parts making me flush bright red, and would, I was sure, feed a few dreams.
The blonde vampire handed Uncle Frank over to their leader. "We'll be right behind you," she said. Sebastian nodded, turning toward the exit. He paused as he spun, eyes locked on mine again, before bending and kissing me softly on the mouth.
His vampire lips felt like warm velvet, his breath sweet. "I owe you my soul," he whispered before flickering into shadow and flashing toward the tunnel.
Not him, too. My fingers found my mouth, the tingle of contact still there. I turned to see Sunny grinning at me.
I swore my cheeks would be permanently damaged from all the damned blushing.
We walked out together, hand in hand. I took a moment at the cave mouth to return the rock to its place and recreate wards around the entrance. This time I used all three kinds of my magic, drawing Sunny's vampire power into it and keyed it so only someone with access to all four powers could open it again. Probably not completely necessary, but it wouldn't do to have normals stumble over it. That would be awesome, right? A bunch of anthropologists doing the dance of joy over a cavern filled with magic.
Not on my watch.
The moment I was done I jerked around, feeling that prickling sensation between my shoulder blades telling me I was being watched. Sunny spun at the same time, so I wasn't imagining it at least.
Not in the least. We both saw the dark hooded figure near the tree line who spun and ran from us.
Sunny was after the watcher in a flash while I cursed softy under my breath and let her do the chasing. She was back a few moments later, empty handed.
"I didn't think you'd catch him," I said, tone bitter. I couldn't help it. "Now we know Batsheva's not only watching me openly, but covertly."
"Which means she most likely knows about Sebastian." Sunny's worry was almost tangible.
"Let's go." I found the veil, held my hand out to her. "Coming with me?"
The nervous look on her face almost made me smile. But she gripped my hand without hesitation. "Of course."
The ride was as swift and smooth as ever and as we emerged at the mansion front, Sunny let out a soft breath of air.
"Brilliant," she said. "Thank you."
I followed her inside, felt Sebastian's power building the moment we passed the threshold.
"I SUMMON THE COUNCIL OF WITCHES," he roared, "TO FACE THE LEADER OF THE BLOOD CLAN DEWINTER."
I immediately voted him king of grand entrances.
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