Chapter 475: Blood Clan
Demetrius didn't give me time to wallow in my sorrow.
"You will join her," he said, madness in his eyes, but cunning too. And the cunning I trusted. "You will be her responsibility."
Charlotte chuffed softly and I caught her actually laughing. Not a little laugh like she sometimes allowed to escape. She drew a breath and began to howl, slapping her knee with her open hand, wiping tears from her eyes as Demetrius grinned at her.
Clearly I was missing something.
"Brilliant," Charlotte choked. "Just brilliant."
"I'm all ears." I looked back and forth between them, patience so thin I could poke a finger through it.
"She will be forced to protect you," Charlotte said while Demetrius bobbed his head and wheezed a laugh. "Meanwhile, you can gather power and plot to kill her and no one will say anything."
What kind of screwed up system was this? "So if I'm outside the family, she's off limits, but if I'm one of hers, I can kill her and no one will give a crap?"
Charlotte let out another deep, belly laugh. "As much as I hate to sound like the troll, he's right. It's perfect."
Demetrius ignored Charlotte's insulting nickname. "All are expecting you to choose Pannera," he said. "You have friends in her clan, at least. Family even, of your own. Batsheva believes you will make yourself an easy target for her by joining the one side you will be unable to act from."
"Vampire rules are so tricky," Charlotte said, humor fading, concern returning. "So many things to remember. Without acting openly, she could arrange it so you stepped over a line you didn't know you couldn't cross and BAM." She slammed one hand down on the back of the couch. "Pannera would be forced to kill you and share the essence."
"And you can believe Batsheva would ensure she took the lion's share." Demetrius's blue eyes spun in crazy circles, as though sounding coherent meant sacrificing more of his sanity. "This will blow her mind." He burst into giggles, bouncing on his haunches.
Sounded better than my plan, which, despite what I told Mom, wasn't much of one. And included what these two just told me not to do. So, Batsheva.
Well now. The possibilities were delicious for making her life miserable if she wasn't able to harm me.
Demetrius dug in his pocket, pulling out a flat metal box about the size of a deck of cards. He flipped it open, showed me the glittering powder inside. I instinctively pulled back, but he snapped it closed and pressed it into my hand before Charlotte could stop him.
"What remains of hers," he said. "Last resort. Not sure if it will work. But worth a try if you have to."
I clutched the thread of hope in my hand as a thought came to me. "My crystal." I leaned toward him. "I need my crystal." Not just a touch of hope now, but a surge of it so strong I almost felt my demon. Wishful thinking, but still. I had no proof it would help, despite my previous experience. I also had no proof it wouldn't.
He frowned a little, but bobbed his head. "Might work," he said. Brightened. "Might work."
Good enough for me. "Can you get it?"
He hesitated. "Difficult," he said.
Like I cared. "It's in the top drawer of my wardrobe at home," I said. Blushed.
Underwear drawer. Couldn't go there.
Demetrius finally smiled again, whatever he'd been thinking of worked out in his damaged brain. "I'll fetch it," he said.
Awesome. He scampered off, waving to me before diving into the hole in the wall and pulling the small stone door shut behind him.
Castles and their secret passages. Reminded me of the vampire mansion back home. Which just made me homesick.
Sigh.
I stuffed the box into my corset, feeling the cold metal warm to skin temperature, shoving it down as far as I could so I wouldn't accidentally open it and breathe more of the stuff in.
This could work. If that was the case, why did my vampire sound doubtful? Though you must be careful. Those laws he spoke of, the convoluted nature of vampire society, worries me deeply.
How much do you know? Might be an advantage having her with me at this juncture. I knew the vampires wouldn't expect me to have much knowledge.
Not enough. She shifted around inside me, restless with frustration. Felt so weird I wanted to squirm too until she fell still again. I had brief glimpses of vampire life with Sebastian and his clan, a few insights, but nothing that will help here. Bummer. Still, I do think this is our best option of the two.
Grim and grimtastic. Yeah. Story of my life.
"What if they demand you actually become a real vampire?" Charlotte was on her feet, prowling the room.
Never going to happen.
You already are, the vampire said and I repeated it to Charlotte who shrugged and continued her patrol. I am you and you are me. You can't become any more a vampire just by dying.
Nice to know. Considering I had no intention of finding out what dead was like on purpose.
Time to face the music. I rose, went to the door. Set my hand on the latch. Are we ready?
As we can be under the circumstances.
I reached out and hugged the vampire inside me for a moment. Thank you.
She seemed startled, took a second to respond. For what? I've only caused you trouble since I emerged from the cave.
No way, I sent. I can't imagine life without you.
Head high, a pleased vampire essence musing inside me and a very nervous weregirl at my back, I opened the door and faced the two Enforcers.
"I'm ready," I said.
The bowed, backed out of the way. Allowed me to lead our little procession to the black carpet, to march the length of the throne room and face down the two vampire Queens, one staring and cold, the other near giggles in anticipation.
"I have made my choice," I said, using my Mom volume. "I will honor this decision, on one condition."
Margaret sighed. "Get on with it."
It all hinged on this. If they demanded I become a vampire, I was running. Screw that.
Deep breath, Syd. "I remain as I am, and not be forced to become undead."
The vampires protested, of course they did. Not really a "oh, wow, really, you want me to die?" moment or anything.
I let them run on, eyes fixed on Margaret. And then, when they'd worked themselves into a froth, I let my vampire out.
She glowed, a star, a shining beacon, rippling through me as she spoke.
"She is already more vampire than any of you," she said with so much contempt I almost ruined it by breaking her hold and laughing. "This is not up for debate. If you choose to insist on her joining the ranks of the undead, I myself will begin this war. And I will finish it."
Margaret's eyes narrowed, but she nodded. "Agreed."
"Council Leader!" Pannera was on her feet. "This is not your choice to make."
I don't know if Margaret was just sick of the situation or if Mom had finally gotten through to her, but whatever the reason, she spun on her comfortable looking shoes and pinned the vampire Queen with her heavy stare.
"You've pushed me," she said. "And I've allowed your little game to unfold. But don't think I won't take steps, Pannera. This has gone as far as I'll allow it. The girl remains as she is."
Girl. Eye roll. At least she shut Pannera up. The vampire Queen hissed softly, but sat down again, hands steepled before her as she stared at me with hollow eyes.
Let her hate me. The feeling was growing to be rapidly mutual.
Batsheva on the other hand, just nodded and flipped her hand at me. "Agreed," she said.
"Now," Margaret turned to me. "Your choice?"
I could feel Sebastian trying to reach me, Uncle Frank. But Sunny was oddly quiet. Probably because, of the three of them, she trusted my judgment the most after all we'd been through.
Hoped I wasn't about to make her doubt my sanity.
"As much as I'm sure you'd make a fine leader, Pannera," a little heavy on the sarcasm, but who knew with vampires how much it took and I wanted to get my point across. "But I've decided to do things a little differently." I locked eyes with Batsheva who scowled, sitting up straighter while Celeste stared through slitted eyes.
Got them both, it seemed.
"Your Majesty," I said with a little curtsy, "I formally request you allow me to join the Blood Clan Moromond."
Oh, how it hurt to say those words. But the hateful look on her face was worth it.
***
