Chapter 767: Vampire Lord
I missed Charlotte's steady presence when she returned home at Oleksander's insistence. It was selfish of me to want her around all the time, to want everyone around. I wasn't, it turned out, the Center Of The Universe.
When did that happen?
I never expected to settle into a quiet life as a mom and love it. But Gabriel made everything so much better, simpler. Distracted me from the old angers and sorrows enough I fell into a kind of Mommy haze.
So when I felt spirit power enter the back yard followed by the familiar touch of Sunny's magic, I shook myself free of my stupor and greeted her at the door with a big smile and a giggling baby in my arms.
She swooped forward, a joyful cry on her lips, and lifted him from my grasp, swinging Gabriel around as he laughed, the sound so fresh and sweet I had to swallow the lump rising in my throat.
I made him. Imagine.
Sunny came to a halt, tucking my son against her, kissing his forehead while he ran his little fingers through her blonde hair, hazel eyes sparking green as he gazed up at her with absolute adoration.
The vampire queen lifted her eyes to mine, sparkling with unshed tears. "Syd," she whispered, her own voice thick. "I envy you."
Okay, thanks for crushing my heart. She couldn't have children, she and Uncle Frank. The longing I saw in her whole body as she gently bounced Gabriel brought more tears. My nugget's adorable giggles just made things worse, somehow.
She finally closed the distance between us again, handing him back to me before kissing my cheek with her warm lips. She and Uncle Frank were always careful to feed before coming to see the baby, so their bodies wouldn't be ice cold. Just a little detail, but one that made me love them both more than ever.
Speaking of my tall, handsome uncle, he was conspicuously absent.
"What's up?" Why did I always expect trouble? Probably because trouble and I had a close, personal relationship and no matter how much my son was able to keep me from it, I knew disaster would eventually rear its ugly head once again.
But Sunny just shook her head, smiled. "I was hoping you could come back with me," she said. "We have something we want to talk to you about."
We. As in...
"You could have just messaged me." I turned to go inside, spotting Shenka coming down the stairs. She smiled and waved at Sunny who bowed her head in return.
"And miss a chance to kiss that sweet face?" Sunny bent over Gabriel, nuzzling his cheek while he grasped her long hair in both hands and burrowed his nose into her neck. Sunny sighed when he released her, lifting his little hand to kiss it gently.
I handed Gabriel off to my second who bounced him just like Sunny had. His favorite. Galleytrot hovered, as usual, the giant black dog a silent, watchful shadow. I'd grown so used to him, I almost forgot he was there sometimes.
I reached down, scratched behind one ear and heard his soft groan of contentment. "I'll be back in a bit," I said. "I'm sure you two can keep Gabriel occupied?" Why did my heart clench despite my light words? And would it always be this hard to leave my son behind?
Probably. Sassafras sashayed down the stairs, silver tail quivering at full mast. "Where are you off to?"
Sunny reached out and stroked his fur. "You're welcome to join us, sweet boy."
Sass's purr rumbled so loud I grinned.
"I have been feeling a little cooped up," he said. Stood on his back legs so she could lift him into her arms. Sunny laughed and obliged, resting her cheek on the top of his head, blue eyes sparkling with good humor. "Let's ride."
What, no hovering over Gabriel? I reached for Sunny's hand as I sent my question to Sass. That's a first.
He has more than enough eyes on him tonight, Sass sent. And I'm restless.
The veil opened easily, Ahbi's power welcoming me as I stepped through, waving goodbye to Shenka and Galleytrot after a kiss for Gabriel. My son's eyes widened as he watched me go.
So hard to leave with him staring like that.
Besides, Sass sent as we crossed the rubbery membrane and stepped out into the throne room of Castle Wilhelm, I smell trouble. And I want in on it.
I laughed at him in my head. Bored, cat?
Sass sniffed at me, amber eyes flaring with fire. More like wanting to make sure you avoid yet another disaster.
Yeah. That was it. Sure.
Smartass.
I would have responded with a suitably snarky shot. Had one prepared, on the tip of my mental tongue. Didn't get to share it.
Not when a deliciously dark-haired, blue eyed vampire with a huge smile on his yummylicious face closed the distance between us before sweeping me into his arms.
And kissing me.
Oh. My. Swearword.
The last time I'd seen Sebastian was at the vampire mansion, shortly after I'd saved him from almost certain death. My power not only freed him from his close encounter with mortality, but removed his blood need and altered him somehow. No longer tied to his queen, Pannera Sthol, and without the connection to his Blood Clan, Sebastian wasn't angry. At least, the joy on his face the night he'd left me gave me the impression he didn't hold a grudge because I seemed to have changed everything about him.
He'd kissed me that night, too. Not knowing I'd married. And I'd fallen into a serious swoon, heart pounding, fireworks, lightning strikes, sparkles and zingadingdong.
Yeah.
Repeat performance in progress.
This time, I kissed him back, not because I didn't love Liam anymore. And not because I wanted anything to come from this moment. But because I needed it, the flare of passion as his hands cupped my back, one pressed firmly in the middle of my spine, the other dangerously close to the swell under my right back pocket. His full-body embrace included the firm and welcoming presence hiding inside his pants.
I wound my arms around his neck, fingers locked in his dark hair, tongue discovering he no longer had fangs even as he breathed his hot, spicy breath into my lungs.
Um.
What?
I pulled away, stared up at him in shock.
"You..." Gulped. Tried again. "You're breathing."
Sebastian laughed even as he lifted me into the air and spun me around, cheek pressed to mine, arms tight around me. I locked my legs around his waist, feeling his pure happiness embrace me while my alter egos bubbled with excitement.
Yum, my demon sent.
Tasty. Shaylee's chuckle was wicked.
Mine, my vampire sent.
Down, girls.
Sebastian finally stopped twirling, blue eyes brimming with so much emotion I could barely decipher what he was feeling. He leaned forward, pressed his forehead to mine. Whispered, "Syd. I'm alive again. Because of you."
Gasp.
And yet, it was true, I felt it now I allowed myself to focus on him and not, well. Him. My vampire eagerly explored, the other girls following suit. Even the family magic purred around him, my sorcery swelling open, the black petals not looking for sustenance but welcoming him.
And the maji power he now possessed, flooding every cell, replacing the spirit magic keeping his vampire form animated.
I wriggled and he set me down. The moment he did, I pressed my ear to his chest.
Heard the most beautiful sound.
Da-dum.
And sobbed suddenly into my hands.
Sebastian's arms engulfed me, the heat of his body, the scent of him so new, so real, and no longer an illusion created by his need for blood I cried harder.
What had I done?
I backed off, feeling conflicted despite his happiness. One of his hands lifted, caressed the tears from my cheeks as I opened and closed my mouth in an effort to speak before my brain could reassemble itself into some kind of order.
Someone touched my back, the familiar feel of Sunny's magic turning me from Sebastian to look into her eyes.
Her eager, hopeful eyes.
Now I knew why I was here. "You want me to make you like him."
Mind. Blown.
Sunny hugged me, fierce and tight. I caught sight of Uncle Frank beaming at me, now holding a watchful Sassafras.
"Syd," Sunny said. "Just listen to what Sebastian has to say."
My vampire-was he anymore?-friend nodded, stepped away a pace. "You have no idea the gift you've given me," he said. "I've been experimenting with it, to see what I can do. And not do." He laughed. "Stupid, really. Things I shouldn't have risked." My brain went on terror overdrive, unable to picture any scenarios, but certain he'd put his life in danger a number of times in the name of his experiment. "But Syd, I can tell you, I'm still me." He shrugged. "I don't need blood. Or spirit power to sustain me. But I'm also not mortal, and far from ordinary."
He could say that again.
What is he? I sent the desperate question to my vampire who immediately soothed me.
I don't know what you're afraid of, she sent, her normally cool and calm tone rippling with happiness. He's evolved. Just like the werewolves, you've changed him. But more so. You've helped him develop to his full potential.
This is what vampires were meant to be? No, that couldn't be right. She didn't feel like him, the vampire essence inside me.
I'm not part of you, she sent in answer. I reside within you. It makes a difference. Besides, you are already maji.
I couldn't stop my hands from shaking as I reached out and touched his hand. "I don't know what I did," I said, a detached part of me wondering why there was a soft wail in my voice. "How I made this happen." Swallowed. "To do it again."
Was I really going to do it again?
Considering Sunny and Uncle Frank could live again... how could I not?
Sebastian shook his head, still smiling, blue eyes deep and full of contentment. "We'll figure it out," he said. Looked at Sunny who remained beside me. "For all vampire kind."
I felt the gathered clan sigh, absorbed their hope. Knew this wasn't a mistake, then, some mutation I'd created to make them vulnerable. Helped me to relax, stop shaking.
Mostly.
Only one mind seemed in opposition, a clear and angry presence. I didn't have to guess, knowing it had to be Piotr Wilhelm who shot his hate at me. Fine, he could stay a vampire.
I was totally okay with leaving him behind.
Wait a second. Did that really mean I was seriously considering-
Breathe, Syd. Vital for survival, remember?
How comfortable was I with this kind of tampering? "I had no choice when I saved you," I said to Sebastian. "You were dying. It was give you everything I had to heal you or let you go." I was never, ever letting anyone go again.
Ever.
Sebastian nodded slowly. "Very true," he said. "Your point?"
I turned to meet Sunny's eyes, felt her calm as she pushed down her hope. Damn it, I loved her and Uncle Frank and if I could help them live again...
"Ethics." I bit my lower lip, thinking of Iepa and the maji. Of the werewolves and the sorcerers who created them. "My vampire says this is your evolution. But what right do I have to speed that up?"
Sunny's hand fell from my back, but she wasn't angry. She, instead, took my fingers in hers, stilling the last of my trembling.
"We would never ask you to go against your nature," she said. "But, Syd, from what we now know of the creation of our people, how the maji made us flawed, we wish the darkness that has plagued us our entire existence to be lifted. To be the people we were intended all along."
Why was I hesitating?
"What if I can't do it again?" Yeah, there it was. The deep fear. Not just of failing to succeed, but failing in a way that put them at risk. "What if I try and it kills you?" I glanced at Uncle Frank, at Sebastian, Sunny again. "I would never, ever forgive myself."
My vampire sighed softly. I suppose your fear is grounded, she sent. After all, Sebastian was near death. These vampires are fully awake and alive. I'm no more comfortable reducing them to his state to try again than you are.
"We need someone to test it on." Uncle Frank stepped forward, Sassafras still in his arms. "I volunteer."
Oh, hell no.
My demon cat hissed softly. "Don't be an idiot, Frank," he said, tail thrashing as his amber eyes locked on mine. "What are you thinking?"
I had a seed of an idea. But it meant risking an entire blood clan from the queen down. Still, from what Sunny had told me previously of the Sthol queen's condition, she wasn't likely to survive much longer. When Ameline stripped the taint from her, she'd left the vampire so badly damaged her body-and the spirit power sustaining her-was unable to regenerate.
Maybe she was the exact guinea pig I needed.
"We have to go to Castle Sthol," I said. "And test this out on Pannera."
***
