Page 68 of Silent Stalker
“He is now able to do the things he could not when you were a child. He was willing to answer our questions while you slept. I am satisfied with what I heard, although I may have informed him I had a desire to knee him in the groin. We have an understanding. I will not knee him in the groin, and he will do a better job of being a father. Or he will enjoy the acquaintance of my knee with his groin. I am convinced he believes in my sincerity.”
I would have paid to observe that exchange. “And Edgar?”
“He gave us everything he could think of to assist us with rearing him in such a way he can grow, modeled off what he did with you. Puberty will be a problem, but since we know it will be a problem, we might be able to prepare and adapt to it. And unlike you, Edgar does not need to trick human eyes. It’s common knowledge he is a vampire. You were masquerading as a human without ever even suspecting your true nature.”
“I take it the whole brood knows now?”
“They know. Mr. Francis has, in the matter of an evening, transformed himself into a liked villain, although a villain all the same. But as far as villains go, I find myself grateful he is one I can tolerate existing, not like this Breckenan and his fellow miscreants.” Salania wrinkled her nose and huffed. “We have addresses of all places owned or associated with Breckenan. A gift from your father. He inquired if we, as a brood, might be willing to investigate them while he handles other targets.”
Finally, work I could do comfortably and well. “I am game to hunt miscreants. And drink them dry.”
Emerick sighed. “I would protest, but why waste perfectly good blood? If you want to subject yourself to that awful taste, I will not stop you this time. But I am a far better vintage.”
“That’s why you’re my dessert,” I reminded him. “I just don’t know what to think.”
“In your shoes, I would focus on one thing in particular,” Salania said, reaching over to give my shoulder a squeeze. “Your father is a man who loves you so much that he, to make sure you made it through your childhood alive, was willing to build—and risk—the entirety of his empire for you. His was not a loving hand during your childhood. But with a vampire child? One that has to hide among humans? He could not afford to do that. He had to make you strong, and he did. And that strength has served you well. You have survived and endured through what would break most. And now that the truth has been set free? Your father is a man of strength who has chosen to let you fly, even if it means he must let you fall in the process. Truly, it is an incredible thing. Do I like what he has done? No. But I respect what he did—and I understand what he lacked the strength to do. But who, beyond a true monster, would have the so-called strength needed to stake their risen child?” With a snort, the woman waved her hand. “We have accepted that none of us would be able to do it, and if it were to happen in our brood, we would deal with the consequences of having a baby vampire. But that baby would not be pressured in quite the same way, although the rules would be harsh and the childhood would not be ideal.”
Emerick sighed. “In reality, if we saw such severe predisposition, the pregnancy would be deemed too dangerous for the mother anyway. What your parents risked goes beyond what I tolerate. But then again, we’ve never had a case of such severe disposition.”
“And you did not have a case of a fatal deformity.” Salania headed to the door and retrieved a folder. “This is your medical record from when you were a baby. Your father paid quite the sum to cure you of your ailment, and it’s recorded as somewhat of a medical miracle you survived the procedure. We know now that vampiric blood and your vampirism helped you.”
“What was wrong with me?”
“You required a heart transplant. Your heart was malformed. A handwritten note from your father indicates he believes it is due to you developing predisposition at the same time your heart began to form. You received the heart of a newborn who passed from complications of other birth defects, which were non-operable. There are also quite a few papers here about the compensation he paid to the family, with whom he is still friends to this day.”
“I had no idea.” I gestured at my chest. “There aren’t any scars.”
“Vampirism. Your father’s blood helped you heal,” Salania replied. “Your father falsified documents ‘proving’ scar removal at a young age as part of the cover story, done before he believed you’d have memory of it.”
“I didn’t even know you could do heart transplants on infants,” I admitted.
“Medicine is a marvel.”
I opted for jeans and a t-shirt, expecting both to get destroyed as part of our venture investigating the addresses my father had found. “We’re going hunting, Emerick. Wear a suit you don’t mind ruining.”
“Yet you’re wearing jeans?” he complained.
“View it as part of your latest attempt to convince me to toss myself onto the bed while flinging my clothes off or something.”
“Wicked woman.”
Salania snickered. “On that happy note, I will let you two get dressed. We’re already working on getting information on these addresses and setting up teams to investigate. Master Kennwick will be joining us with some of his allies for this venture. Mr. Francis inquired if the ‘lovely copperhead’ might be inclined to keep an eye on you, Pepper.”
Excellent. “I adore her, so I approve of this. He really called her lovely?”
“He did. He found your stand quite pleasing, apparently. I am unsurprised. There is little more joyful to a parent than being able to witness their child grow into their own strength. That moment would have been when you finally stood on your own and claimed your place in the world. He sacrificed much for that moment, as did you.”
With a sly smile, the woman left the bedroom, closing the door behind her.
“How are we going to investigate and see my mother in the same night?”
“Carefully. We’ll take the nearest address, hit it quick and hard, and come back in time for your mother and my maker to arrive. But this could have gone far worse. Your father could have fought my maker over her—and I am concerned he might win such a battle.”
“And to think we basically told him to try us,” I muttered.
“Well, I am grateful he is opting against trying us, truth be told. The more I learn, the fewer vampires your father might be, and all the ones I can think of he might be? They are not vampires you want to have as your enemy. Frankly, they’re men I would tiptoe around, for I value my life and the lives of all those in my brood. Until last night, I had not been concerned about your father or his empire. But now? Now I am concerned. What will he do with the empire he has built? How far will he go for revenge? All I can think, right now, is that I am grateful that he approves of my maker, for I do not want to consider the alternative.”
“He worries you.”
“Any wise man would be worried if a devil came calling, Pepper—and all the vampires I know your father might be? They’re devils. They just happen to be devils I can live with. But no matter who he is, I am comfortable accepting his status as an ally for now. He worked too hard for your survival to readily become your true enemy. But that does not mean he will always remain an ally. We may learn more once we contact your brother, but I believe we should prioritize this investigating your father wishes us to do.”
“Let’s not wake the sleeping beast?” I guessed.
“The beast is no longer asleep, and he begins his hunt. The wise steer clear of where the beast hunts—and lures him away to hunt other prey. If he wishes for us to investigate these locations so he might take his hunt elsewhere, then we investigate.”
